Nurse Leader Honored With Patriotic Award
by James Coburn, Staff Writer
Protecting the needs of humanity has always been a hallmark for Monica Kraft, RN, director of nursing for pediatric oncology, and the interim cardiac ICU nursing director at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health.
Her care as a nurse was recently honored with a Patriotic Award.
She was nominated for the award by Kyler Wilson, RN. The Employee Support of the Guard and Reserve is the organization that bestows the award. Kraft has supported Wilson so he can fulfill his own patriotic military duties.
“He is in the National Guard, and I am supportive of him when he needs to take time off to go do his drills, to go on deployment, that type of thing,” Kraft said.
As a 20-year veteran of the US Navy, Kraft understands the importance of supporting the hospital’s military members. She has made sure Wilson is able to provide his active-duty military service.
“This award makes me recognize how important it is for us to support our service members, whether they’re active duty or in the reserves or retired,” she continued. “This award is very important in honoring our service members,” Kraft said. “I feel very honored that Kyler recognized me for this award, because he could have recognized somebody else, and he thought to recognize me, because he feels that I go above and beyond for him. So, I just want to pass that on, and make sure that our service members feel honored and respected.”
She has been with OU Health for 22 years. Kraft did her prerequisites at Rose State College, and then transitioned to OU College of Nursing for her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from University of Phoenix in Leadership. She is also working toward her Doctor of Nursing Practice.
In 2000 she retired from full-time active duty in the US Navy. Kraft had already done some support work for the Red Cross during the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building and later the Moore tornado in 1999.
“So, I worked with some nurses. And it was like, I think this would be interesting. So, at that point, I applied for nursing school,” Kraft said. “I just wanted to help people. I had children, so I wanted to work with children.”
Her altruism sparked by volunteering to help people in crisis mode. As her admiration for nurses flourished, Kraft recognized her future in nursing.
Nurses serving Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health contribute to best practices. Kraft said it’s important for nurses to feel included. Nurses also have a say when rounding with physicians.
“It’s my job to make sure that they feel supported,” Kraft said.
Nurses have the supplies needed for safe patient care. The staff gives their all to their patients and families, because taking care of a child includes taking care of the family. Kraft admires nurses at Children’s Hospital OU Health for going above and beyond in care. The resilience of children attracts nurses to their field and inspires against burnout.
“I know coming from my background in oncology and seeing the little ones just wanting to be children is very rewarding,” Kraft explained. “They may be sick, and they may have things going on inside their body. But on the outside, they just want to be kids. I think that we have a lot of respect for the families, because they go through a lot.”
A newly diagnosed patient may be in one room. And a patient may be struggling in another room.
“Knowing that you’re able to take care of both of them to the best of your ability has always been a reward for me,” Kraft said.
Having respect for the decisions parents make for their children made Kraft realize this could happen to her own family or other nurses’ families. Her solace is knowing she is surrounded by compassionate people caring for one another.
“I think it’s really important, and it’s like one big family. You know, I’m over two big service lines, and like the cardiac ICU nurses love taking care of the cardiac ICU patients, the hemoglobin nurses love taking care of their hemoglobin patients. So, to know that you can specialize and make a difference in two different very important patient populations is an honor.”
Child life specialists help nurses with child play, and how to talk to a frightened 3-year-old. Words should be simple without medical terms. You use simple terms. Child play could be sitting on the floor at their level.
“That’s really important,” Craft said.
Nurses thrive when having a willingness to study outside of work and accepting there will always be more to learn.
Nurses need to care for themselves outside of work, Kraft said, so they will be prepared to give their all to patients and families.
As a leader, she is always on call for assistance. She relaxes by going to movies or watching Netflix.
“I like to ride my bike,” she said. “Now that it’s summertime, I’m going home and riding my bike when it’s not so hot or walking my dogs and spending time with my children.”
