Bayhealth spotlights Kristen Gun
Compassionate and hardworking is Respiratory Therapist Kristen Gun, RRT, at Bayhealth Sussex Campus. Rounding to nearly every department, her job consists of more than just nebulizing treatments and inhalers. Intubating, extubating, pulmonary function tests, and BIPAP/CPAP are just a few of the many services Kristen and her Respiratory Therapy (RT) peers provide on a regular basis. However, her most important role is being a mom to her 17-month-old son. Kristen said he is the reason why she works so hard to help others.
As one of the frontline workers in the midst of COVID, a respiratory disease, Kristen reflected on how challenging it was for her son. She said, “I needed to be extremely careful coming home from the hospital and all he wanted was to be held by his mom—it was heartbreaking.” Persevering through that challenging time built character. “My workload doubled during the most severe seasons of COVID, but the unity established at Bayhealth among our team really shined during that time. I knew I was never doing any of it alone,” Kristen said.
Relationships are a big motivating factor that keep Kristen coming back day after day. The connection with her patients means everything: truly getting to know them, educating through the therapy process and helping them recover. Kristen has been with Bayhealth for almost five years now but has been an RT since 2014.
During the time Kristen was in college, her grandfather got critically ill. She was planning to pursue nursing, but his situation guided her decision to go into respiratory therapy. She shared that he passed away before she finished her schooling, which ignited her passion for RT. Kristen strives to honor her grandfather; working diligently to help patients recover and go home to their families. Those positive outcomes keep her going.
Kristen values the team that she is a part of at Bayhealth. She said she has truly grown in confidence and knowledge. She is looking forward to pursuing more of the opportunities available for her to further her education and deepen relationships with her team.
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