Anita Rogalski
October 2021
Anita
Rogalski
,
BSN, RN
Medical-Surgical/Telemetry/Stroke Unit
AMITA Health Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center Chicago
Chicago
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Anita took the initiative to even call the airport and speak to the airline personnel herself to make sure that the patient got back on the airplane again.
There was a patient who was of Polish descent who had dementia and other health issues and no family member here in the U.S. to take care of him. When Anita had this patient, she made sure that the patient and family members understood the plan to send the patient to Poland where family members could take care of him. Anita made sure that all the documents and family members here in the U.S. understood the plan and were good to go with the idea that the patient was going back to Poland. All involved with the plan could only speak Polish.

On the day of discharge, this patient was not Anita’s patient. Anita went above and beyond to talk to the patient and the patient’s family member to get this patient safely to the airport. At the airport, the patient verbalized that he needed an NTG. Anita was able to talk to the family members to have them talk to the airport personnel to get the patient back on the plane since they originally escorted the patient off the plane. Anita took the initiative to even call the airport and speak to the airline personnel herself to make sure that the patient got back on the airplane again. Eventually, the patient was escorted back on the plane and was able to go back home to Poland.

She really did so much extra for a patient who was not even assigned to her on the day of his discharge. I really think that without Anita’s help, the patient would not have gone back on the plane that eventually brought him home.