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My name is Isaac Linder, I am a Life Scout in BSA Troop 89. I am currently working towards the rank of Eagle Scout. My service project will be creating 180 kits for NICU Nurses at Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL.
I am calling these kits “S.M.I.L.E. and H.U.G.” kits for
"Supporting Many Infant Lives Everyday, Help Us Give back”. My plan is to include various items in each kit that will be some sort of care item for the NICU nurses.
NICU nurses do more than just help sick babies. They also provide education and comfort and hope to families. I chose this project because I spent 60 days in the NICU at Christ Hospital and I want to give back for what they did for me, my family and countless other families.
Nurses encouraged my parents to make recordings of their voices and placed a little ear bud to my ear so I could bond with my parents. They took pictures on good days and displayed them near my unit. Nurses took pictures when my mom and dad got to hold me for the first time at 5 weeks old and they coached my parents on how to change diapers and administer medication.
I spent 22 of those 60 days hooked up to an ECMO (ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine after being transported via helicopter from another hospital. You might recognize that term because they are now using ECMO to support the most critical COVID-19 patients. The ECMO was doing the work for my heart and lungs. Every 10 days, the equipment needs to be changed which comes with considerable risk. After spending 15 days on ECMO, they suggested that my parents might need to prepare for a funeral. I am here today. They didn’t give up on me. I am grateful and want to give back, especially during this difficult time of the pandemic.
Items in Kits (Kits valued at $40-45 each)
-Drawstring bag
-Road iD
I am working with Road iD to provide a $35 Road iD Gift Card for each nurse. Road iD has generously agreed to give me a discount on the gift cards since the cards will be benefiting healthcare workers. Each gift card will allow the nurses to order a fully customizable Road iD with medical grade stainless steel information plate. They will also have the option to register key health details with Health iD. I chose this item as my way of protecting nurses and helping them if they are ever in a situation where they can not speak for themselves. Just like a NICU, I hope it is never needed. The Road iD was originally created to help cyclists and runners give paramedics information quickly since they often train without carrying ID. Now Road iD has become more for anyone who needs help.
-Hand-tied paracord lanyard
I plan to provide each nurse with a hand-tied paracord lanyard, made by volunteers. These lanyards will be of various cheerful colors and help them wear their hospital ID. I have created a plan to create these lanyards following CDC guidelines. The number of volunteers will need to be limited at any one time to allow for proper distancing.
-Antimicrobial pen
-Chapstick with holder
-Snack or treat
I plan to interview several nurses, maybe even some that cared for me while I was in the NICU. I hope to learn more about their experience and their perspective so I can share with the community. In these interviews, I hope to also determine more items to add to their kits. I also would like to learn how this pandemic has affected their job.
Thank you for your interest in this project and any support that you can give.
Any extra funds collected will go to additional items in the kits or will be directly gifted to the beneficiary.
Isaac Linder
Learn more about Road iD Fixx iD Kids iD Medical iD and Health iD here
I am calling these kits “S.M.I.L.E. and H.U.G.” kits for
"Supporting Many Infant Lives Everyday, Help Us Give back”. My plan is to include various items in each kit that will be some sort of care item for the NICU nurses.
NICU nurses do more than just help sick babies. They also provide education and comfort and hope to families. I chose this project because I spent 60 days in the NICU at Christ Hospital and I want to give back for what they did for me, my family and countless other families.
Nurses encouraged my parents to make recordings of their voices and placed a little ear bud to my ear so I could bond with my parents. They took pictures on good days and displayed them near my unit. Nurses took pictures when my mom and dad got to hold me for the first time at 5 weeks old and they coached my parents on how to change diapers and administer medication.
I spent 22 of those 60 days hooked up to an ECMO (ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine after being transported via helicopter from another hospital. You might recognize that term because they are now using ECMO to support the most critical COVID-19 patients. The ECMO was doing the work for my heart and lungs. Every 10 days, the equipment needs to be changed which comes with considerable risk. After spending 15 days on ECMO, they suggested that my parents might need to prepare for a funeral. I am here today. They didn’t give up on me. I am grateful and want to give back, especially during this difficult time of the pandemic.
Items in Kits (Kits valued at $40-45 each)
-Drawstring bag
-Road iD
I am working with Road iD to provide a $35 Road iD Gift Card for each nurse. Road iD has generously agreed to give me a discount on the gift cards since the cards will be benefiting healthcare workers. Each gift card will allow the nurses to order a fully customizable Road iD with medical grade stainless steel information plate. They will also have the option to register key health details with Health iD. I chose this item as my way of protecting nurses and helping them if they are ever in a situation where they can not speak for themselves. Just like a NICU, I hope it is never needed. The Road iD was originally created to help cyclists and runners give paramedics information quickly since they often train without carrying ID. Now Road iD has become more for anyone who needs help.
-Hand-tied paracord lanyard
I plan to provide each nurse with a hand-tied paracord lanyard, made by volunteers. These lanyards will be of various cheerful colors and help them wear their hospital ID. I have created a plan to create these lanyards following CDC guidelines. The number of volunteers will need to be limited at any one time to allow for proper distancing.
-Antimicrobial pen
-Chapstick with holder
-Snack or treat
I plan to interview several nurses, maybe even some that cared for me while I was in the NICU. I hope to learn more about their experience and their perspective so I can share with the community. In these interviews, I hope to also determine more items to add to their kits. I also would like to learn how this pandemic has affected their job.
Thank you for your interest in this project and any support that you can give.
Any extra funds collected will go to additional items in the kits or will be directly gifted to the beneficiary.
Isaac Linder
Learn more about Road iD Fixx iD Kids iD Medical iD and Health iD here