For more than two decades, Lussette Dantinor, BSN, RN, has dedicated her career to pediatric emergency medicine at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Now Director of Emergency Services for the pediatric emergency department, she began at the hospital as a Patient Care Assistant while in nursing school before advancing into leadership.
Dantinor says the opportunity to support children and families during difficult times, alongside a collaborative team united by shared purpose, continues to fuel her passion for emergency medicine.
“I believe in treating each patient as an individual and understanding their unique needs,” Dantinor said.
Following the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Dantinor cared for a young girl rescued from the rubble who arrived alone, injured and speaking only Creole. Beyond medical care, she focused on helping the child feel safe and comforted – even combing her hair and sitting with her – reinforcing the patient-centered philosophy she carries into her work.
