Wendy Fairgrieve-Smith

I returned to school after raising my family. I am also a single parent. I lived abroad in London, England for 20 years. Upon returning to America I started working at Children's Health in 2001. I set up a massage program within the pain management department to bring positive touch to children in every department. The program developed quickly and became an automated order for all children to receive massage services when they were admitted for a bone marrow transplant or congenital cardiac condition. While at Children's I continued to work on promoting the benefits as touch as an effective non pharmacological intervention. I completed all required modules to become qualified in researcher. I then set out to collect data on the effects of reducing pain through massage in hospitalized children. I was the principal investigator in this project. After completing observational data and a retrospective chart review the data and poster presentation was submitted to Children's annual research study day. This is a hospital wide event where peers vote on the research study that provides substantial impact on our motto, "Making Life Better for Children" As a novice researcher this project won first place in our annual event. From there I developed an aromatherapy program using essential oils with proven effects such as lavender, camomile, peppermint, and ravensara. Understanding the concept of smell and how it works alongside the limbic (emotional brain) again, barriers were crossed to improve overall feelings of well being per patient reports. Physicians and nurses would enter a room during an aromatherapy massage and comment "Hoe the energy felt calm and serene". We started to notice after 2-3 visits with infants they soothed quicker by providing a 0.5% aromatherapy mixture of lavender and chamomile. This was observed by physicians, and nurses alongside parents. Health care providers started to request essential oil mixtures be kept in the medication room so the nurses had a non pharmacological intervention that was effective when a massage therapist was not on duty. I was driving force to create all policies, procedures, and dilution rates based on ages and properties of the oils. A headache formula was developed, along with a relaxation oil, and immune system support oil. These are now standard recipes any therapist can create. Our department also educates parents on the use of essential oils for home use and the recipes are shared with the parents. Massage and aromatherapy as truly become a significant part of our family centered care value. I am a dedicated student who continues to work PRN at Children's health, raise my daughter and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. I graduate next year. My daughter has expressed how I have set a good example for her that anything is possible when you are determined. She is 13, an outstanding volleyball, basketball player and cheerleader. He goal is to attend Texas Christian University on a volleyball scholarship. We are very active in our church together. Leila (my daughter) goes on several mission trips a year and I teach Vacation Bible School in the summer and volunteer at various community out reach programs through our church. I believe giving to the community is our value as a Christian and humanitarian. I have brought my daughter up to embrace these values since she was very young.