A spring night in the Emergency Department took a sudden turn when three gunshot victims were brought in with little notice. Unfortunately, two of the victims were a father and his six-year-old son.
Without thinking, ED Tech and Patient Advocate Amelia Thoroughgood jumped into action, suited up to enter the trauma bay, and made it to his bedside. In the midst of loud voices, sirens, alarms, and surrounded by faces covered in masks, goggles, and gowns, the terrified boy started screaming for his mother.
Thoroughgood took his hand. “Don’t look at them. Look at me! I will be your momma until she can be here with you. I will keep you safe,” she assured him. She stayed with the little boy, holding his hand, and comforting him throughout his time in the trauma bay and escorted him to the OR.
“Being the mother of 7 boys, it didn’t even cross my mind to do anything different in this situation. I can only image the fear and worry of that mom, and am glad I could give her some comfort knowing her son was looked out for during the scariest moment of his life,” she said. “This little boy was in the midst of the most terrifying night of his life, and he was amazingly strong. There are always the few cases that pull at your heart strings more than others, and this little boy, his strength that night and throughout his recovery will continue to pull at mine.”
Jumping into the role of mom is something Thoroughgood does often, said her nurse manager Leighann Mazzone, MSN, RN, CEN. “Amelia is the mother hen of the Emergency Department. This situation truly showed the depth of the love and compassion that she exemplifies daily.” She added, “Amelia’s strong and calming presence was a balm for everyone around her that night, anchoring us while we fought to focus on caring for our injured patients.”
At Penn Medicine, we all aspire to be Difference Makers who represent the Penn Medicine Experience (PMX) in action. PMX sets a consistent standard across all of our entities and work locations to make every touchpoint an opportunity to build enduring connections with patients, families, visitors, and colleagues, which is a foundational part of the UPHS Success Share program.