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Doing So Much with So Little
Can anyone deny the emotional power of objects? “I think of Tom Hanks in Castaway, living his life on the island with the companionship of Wilson, the soccer ball,” says Claude Rochon, RN, CPN, a pediatric nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics who is currently enrolled at the UW-Madison School of Nursing in its RN to MS Program. “Children can relate in a similar way to a Teddy bear," Rochon adds, "a friend that they can tell things to and that just listens, never judges.” Rochon, who is committed to serving children with life-threatening illnesses, oftentimes is seen completing his nursing rounds with the help of a twelve-inch-high brown, stuffed bruin named Bear. “Teddy bears have emotional powers that, in part, stem from the sense of touch,” Rochon explains. “The toy bear can comfort young patients at night, when they’re alone or afraid. It’s always there for them.” The peds nurse truly is a believer in the profound powers of touch. It was nearly fifteen years ago and a hemisphere away when the compelling touch of a stranger directed his life’s course. A plumbing contractor by trade and volunteer EMT for a small rescue squad in northern Wisconsin, Rochon had volunteered for a medical mission into the Andes Mountains in South America. He and the mission team traveled to a remote village in Ecuador, where they set up a clinic in a church. As he and other team members were called to the front of the church for introduction by the team’s leader, Rochon passed the pew of a stranger who reached out and touched Rochon’s arm. “We didn’t exchange words,” says Rochon, “or even a glance. This insignificant gesture of thanks changed my life forever.”
Over the course of approximately seven medical missions to remote sites in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, Rochon recognized his calling to pediatric nursing. “I always marveled at the resilience of the children in South America,” Rochon says. “As deprived and sick as some of these children were, they were always able to smile and bring joy to our staff. It was these children who helped me decide.” The kids’ nurse will tell you that nursing employs far more than highly technical clinical skills. “Yes, one needs to understand the relationship of electrolyte balances, urine output, and kidney function,” Rochon explains. “But nurses must go one step further … to piece together the complete picture of the patient in order to offer outstanding, compassionate care.” Bear is an essential part of this formula for care. The toy evokes hugs, adulation, and dialogue from the young patients. Bear has become friends with many children and their pets, explains Rochon, from dinosaurs to Barneys. Rochon recalls one young patient with cancer who had received chemotherapy accompanied by episodic nausea and was waiting for her blood counts to rise before she could go home. Enter Bear and Rochon, who shared with the child their experiences of sojourns around the United States and Canada on a Harley Davidson motorcycle as well as a return trip to the Andes Mountains. Rochon explains, “I was able to talk with her about how it was okay to be afraid. I showed her photos of Bear hiding between the luggage as he travels by mule to a height of fifteen thousand feet in the Andes.” Rochon adds that, not too long ago, he received a photo of her and her bear at Disney World—a trip offered to her through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. These days, when Rochon travels, Bear rides shotgun on the Harley.
Ever mindful of the young patients he serves, the nurse looks for
photo opportunities of his furry sidekick that convey human emotion
and, in some unquantifiable way, help young patients address their
fears. “Bear’s job is to be there, when I need him,”
Rochon explains. “He hasn’t let me down. He’s
done so much with so little.” |
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