On the Surgical Extended Recovery Unit, we have a unique situation in which our unit shuts down Saturday evening and re-opens again on Monday morning. Due to this, Saturdays can be a bit hectic. Much of the day is spent ensuring patients are discharged appropriately, or transferred to another unit if they are not ready to go home. I had the opportunity to work with Anna on one of these weekends.
Anna was taking care of a patient who had recently had a spinal cord stimulator placed for severe and debilitating back pain. This was a condition she had been dealing with for years and greatly affected her quality of life. When we came in on Saturday morning, the physician team had already rounded on the patient and stated she would be getting discharged that day. When Anna went in to assess the patient, she was in excruciating pain. The pain pump had not been turned on yet, and the patient was not on the correct doses of her home pain medications. The patient had not been out of bed and was unsure if she would be able to ambulate, or if she felt comfortable going home that day. Her husband was also disabled and was the primary caregiver.
Anna went above and beyond to advocate for her patient. She communicated extensively with the team to ensure the patient was treated appropriately for her pain that morning. She then spent the majority of the day in the room, helping to determine if it was appropriate for the patient to be discharged. She helped her out of bed, assisted her with ambulation and ADLs, and helped her determine her comfort level with going home. When it was determined she would be leaving, Anna did everything in her power to ensure a safe and successful discharge. She even made sure the patient and her husband were taken by wheelchair to the fourth floor of a parking garage so they would not have to walk.
I happened to be in charge that day and was called to the room by the patient prior to her leaving. The patient became tearful when she attempted to explain to me. She informed me she had received treatment at multiple area hospitals and had never been treated with such dignity and respect. She went on to detail how much time Anna had spent with her that day, and how understanding and compassionate she had been.
The patent was retired from the medical field and was familiar with the chaos that can be present in a hospital situation. She stated that Anna took the time to understand her unique situation and make sure she was discharged with every resource and tool in order for her to have a successful recovery at home. I am lucky to work with such a compassionate and amazing nurse. She is consistently performing outstanding and personalized care to all of her patients on a daily basis.