Helping with the little things to make a big difference
Last week, we vaccinated a 14 year-old girl with underlying medical conditions who attended our vaccination hub at Eagle Stadium and was given Priority Patient Access. Alannah ‘Lani’ Keifer has been a Western Health patient since the first year of her life and has had many, many visits to our Emergency Department, hospital admission to the Children’s Ward, Paediatric Outpatient appointments.
She attended on the day with her therapy dog, Kelsi. Lani’s mum and a former Western Health Registered Nurse, said:
“Today our teens received their first Pfizer vaccine as part of the Western Health COVID vaccine program. No big deal for our son, he’s never really flinched with a needle though we are proud of him for stepping up to protect himself, his loved ones and doing his bit to beat COVID-19.
Our daughter, on the other hand, has additional needs and showing up for the jab is a big deal as it’s all a bit confusing, confronting and the anxiety that comes with years of hospital visits and appointments often comes flooding back.
After reaching out to one of Alannah’s nurses, well-known to her from the frequent admissions she had as a young girl in the Western Health Children’s ward, the team swung into action to organise the jab in an environment that would cause the least trouble possible for our daughter.
I was delighted to hear this evening when I returned home from work that it had all gone “perfectly” today! Alannah was quick to show me her arm, her ‘jab done’ stickers and use her communication app to respond when asked how she felt today – “I felt good!”
A huge thank you to Suzie, Mandy, Kylie, and the leadership team for looking outside the square and being willing to accept my request for this to look a little ‘different’. Having a quiet space, no queues, a few extra hands on deck and her assistance dog by her side made all the difference today. I have no doubt that returning for our second dose will be much less stressful for her and less traumatic than I could ever have imagined!”
~ Caroline Kiefer
This is exactly what priority patient access is all about: helping with the little things to make a big difference and ensure the provision of Best Care across our Vaccination Hubs.
