Honoree Category: Nurse
Kathleen Hauser got her nursing degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 1980 and began her career as a med-surg nurse at Lawrence & Memorial (L&M) Hospital in New London.
In 1989, L&M Hospital transitioned from a well-baby nursery to a neonatal ICU, where Hauser currently works in addition to spending two days a week on the postpartum/maternity floor.
While performing a routine assessment on an 18-hour-old newborn on the postpartum/maternity floor this year, Hauser discovered a loud, harsh murmur when listening to the baby’s heart with her stethoscope. She immediately contacted the pediatric hospitalist, and the baby was taken for further testing.
An echocardiogram revealed a severe pulmonary stenosis, which obstructed blood flow to the heart, that required immediate attention. The baby was transferred to the hospital’s newborn intensive care unit (NICU) and given life-saving medication before being transferred to Yale New Haven Hospital for further care.
She helped save the baby’s life.
During the pandemic, Hauser contributed to L&Ms response by practicing the CDC and YNHH guidelines for social distancing and the donning of PPE.
