Mikayla

Returning home after a long hospital stay can be challenging, especially when obstacles beyond your control arise. This was the situation Mikayla and her family faced. Admitted to Ranken Jordan in February 2024, Mikayla had a clear plan: her medical team would establish a ventilator support plan, determine the right neurological medications, and create a sustainable home routine with family support and ongoing home nursing.

Mikayla’s medical team successfully met her needs for ventilator support and medication. Her family, eager to support her, learned the necessary skills to care for her at home. After about six weeks, Mikayla was medically ready to return home. However, one significant barrier remained: securing the 16 hours of daily private duty nursing Mikayla required.

Private duty nurses provide long-term, comprehensive hourly care, managing medical equipment and technology. They care for patients of all ages, including children with congenital conditions or diseases, and adults needing continuous care. Unfortunately, a nationwide shortage of private duty nurses prevents many patients from receiving care at home.

Recognizing this barrier, the team at Ranken Jordan had already been exploring solutions. Before Mikayla’s admission, they were exploring partnerships with local private duty nursing agency. This program would allow Ranken Jordan nurses to fulfill private duty nursing roles in certain situations.

Mikayla had been at Ranken Jordan for over 250 days, medically ready for discharge for 212 of those days. As the partnership progressed and nurses completed additional training for in-home care, it was determined that Mikayla could finally go home with Ranken Jordan nurses as her private duty nurses.

Thanks to the consistent support from donors, Ranken Jordan can reimagine healthcare and provide innovative solutions for children with complex medical needs and their families. Children like Mikayla and her family.

Mikayla is now thriving at home, and her family is overjoyed to have her living with them full-time. This arrangement has proven to be the best solution for their family. They have extended the initial 12-week term with Ranken Jordan nurses for an additional 12 weeks. Her dad says, “If we could have Ranken Jordan nurses for a lifetime, we would.”