Amy has outstanding clinical skills and is an exceptional Charge Nurse and primary nurse. Amy can be counted on without fail to complete any task well. Amy routinely assists other RNs in tasks and assists them if they are behind without being prompted. She is eager to help anyone at any time and never asks for anything in return.
In January, Amy was the nurse for a patient who had a recent joint replacement. The patient was scheduled to go home the day following his procedure, after the afternoon physical therapy session. After the morning physical therapy session, the patient was complaining of intense pain to the left lower abdomen and denied any pain to the surgical site. The symptoms started very vaguely and progressed to mild discomfort, to emesis and heartburn. Then the pain progressed to severe left lower quadrant of the abdomen. The patient had a history of diverticulum on the right. The patient was given Reglan and the heartburn lessoned but Amy contacted the doctor who examined the patient promptly and then ordered a CT of the abdomen. The result of the CT was that the patient had a perforated bowel, and the patient was readied for emergency bowel surgery. The doctor said, "If the patient had gone home, they would have died." The patient was treated and is doing well now thanks to Amy's quick actions.
Amy is the unit's Specialty Practice Team Co-chair and gladly volunteers her time and efforts to better the unit and improve care for our patients. Amy also publishes the unit newsletter and works on many idea cards and improvement projects.