Andrew's Story: Protecting a Community
Andrew Neading, RN, understands that good burn care starts well before the patient arrives at MetroHealth Medical Center, Ohio’s only adult and pediatric trauma and burn center.
That’s why he’s so passionate about teaching the region’s first responders how to assess the severity of burns, dress wounds and transport patients – all of which are so crucial to ensuring the best recovery for patients with severe burn injuries.
“Those first few minutes are so important,” says Neading, MetroHealth’s Burn Program Coordinator. “Aside from prevention, one of the best ways we can impact future lives is by educating our first responders. They’re passionate about caring for their specific communities, and all those communities are important to MetroHealth.”
In many ways, the role is a perfect fit for Neading. His mother was a nurse and his father, a firefighter. A former naval firefighter and rescue swimmer himself, Neading has a deep passion for service to others.
His ongoing inspiration? The resilience of the patients he encounters.
“No one really understands what a burn survivor goes through,” Neading says. “The healing doesn’t stop when they’re discharged. It continues for the rest of their lives. Never underestimate the strength of the human spirit.”
To learn more about MetroHealth’s Burn Care Center, visit metrohealth.org/burn.
Faces of MetroHealth is an ongoing series of profiles of individuals from all levels of the organization who embody our mission and values. We're sharing Andrew's story as part of National Burn Awareness Week, which is February 6-12. To read the others, click here.
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
