Page 14 - St. John's Healthcare Foundation_Annual Report 2016

YOU MAKE our work

POSSIBLE

CIRCLE OF DIGNITY CAMPAIGN –
ST. JOHN’S REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT
The Emergency Department at St. John’s Regional Medical Center is the
busiest in Ventura County, and is mounting as our community continues
to grow. Expansion and modernization of the Emergency Department
will include 26 exams rooms, 3 private triage rooms, 3 trauma bays, 2
psych exam rooms, 3 new nursing stations, and new x-ray equipment.
New lavatories and bereavement space will support patients’ family
needs.
e A Personal Story
“The interesting thing about my profession is that you never know how
your day is going to turn out. You have to be prepared for anything. One
moment the ED can be quiet and the next disaster comes through the door.
A call came over the radio. A serviceman’s son was coming in and was
in cardiac arrest. The child had a history of cardiac arrest and difficulty
intubating due to congenital abnormalities. The intense situation was
emotionally charged. The child was young and had been in the emergency
room before. I asked God that He have a hand over me and help me make
the right decisions. Everyone was spot on, doing what could possibly be done. That day we gave him
every chance at life. The reality of emergency medicine is that sometimes everything is done, but it
doesn’t change the outcome. You try to be perfect, but just being human, you can’t be. I do the best
that I possibly can for each patient that I see. The great side of emergency medicine is that I have
the ability to make a difference when someone needs it most. That is a joyful feeling. Sometimes it

14 | 2 01 6 a n n u a l r ep o r t