Buddy Whitley
March 2023
Buddy
Whitley
,
RN
5 West
UofL Health-Jewish Hospital
Louisville
,
KY
United States
If Buddy wasn’t her nurse on Friday, I truly believe the patient would have died here at the hospital rather than at home surrounded by loved ones.
On Thursday, 5 West had a patient who was admitted for liver issues. The patient's prognosis was very poor, and the patient was going to be discharged home to be with her family for the holidays. Before the patient was discharged from the hospital, she took a turn for the worse and became only alert to person and was no longer able to stand or assist with her own care. Hospice was consulted, and the patient was made a DNR with comfort care orders. The patient had told the family that she did not want to die in the hospital and just wanted to be at home surrounded by her family. The Care Manager made arrangements for an ambulance to take the patient home with Hospice to meet with the family and patient at home.
Due to the inclement weather on Friday, AMR cancelled all runs and stated they were only going to be making emergency runs that day. This meant that the patient was not going to be able to be transferred home by ambulance. The patient’s daughter and son were here at the hospital and desperately wanted to get their mother home per her final wishes. Buddy contacted the patient’s physician and was able to have him come to see the patient and get discharge orders. Buddy was able to locate a lift pad with handles so the patient’s family would be able to get the patient into the house with the assistance of multiple family members. Buddy was able to locate a cardiac chair for the patient to be taken out to the car since she was no longer able to sit upright in a wheelchair. Then, with the assistance of someone from physical therapy, Buddy loaded the patient on the cardiac chair and surrounded her with extra pillows and blankets for her comfort during the 2-hour trip home. Without any coats on themselves, Buddy and the PT took the patient outside to the circle and loaded her into the back of the family's SUV.
I am not sure if the patient survived the trip, but I do know just how thankful the patient’s daughter was. She expressed to me that she just wanted to fulfill her mother’s dying wish and get her back home with the rest of the family. If Buddy wasn’t her nurse on Friday, I truly believe the patient would have died here at the hospital rather than at home surrounded by loved ones. He spent the majority of his morning “brainstorming” with others to figure out just how he could make the discharge happen for his patient.
This is the type of care Buddy provides every day he is here. During leadership rounding, I am told at least weekly by patients that Buddy is just an awesome nurse. I have also heard Buddy say as he meets his patients, “It’s my lucky day because I get to take care of you today!” He puts his patients' needs first before his own, and the care he gives shows it!
Due to the inclement weather on Friday, AMR cancelled all runs and stated they were only going to be making emergency runs that day. This meant that the patient was not going to be able to be transferred home by ambulance. The patient’s daughter and son were here at the hospital and desperately wanted to get their mother home per her final wishes. Buddy contacted the patient’s physician and was able to have him come to see the patient and get discharge orders. Buddy was able to locate a lift pad with handles so the patient’s family would be able to get the patient into the house with the assistance of multiple family members. Buddy was able to locate a cardiac chair for the patient to be taken out to the car since she was no longer able to sit upright in a wheelchair. Then, with the assistance of someone from physical therapy, Buddy loaded the patient on the cardiac chair and surrounded her with extra pillows and blankets for her comfort during the 2-hour trip home. Without any coats on themselves, Buddy and the PT took the patient outside to the circle and loaded her into the back of the family's SUV.
I am not sure if the patient survived the trip, but I do know just how thankful the patient’s daughter was. She expressed to me that she just wanted to fulfill her mother’s dying wish and get her back home with the rest of the family. If Buddy wasn’t her nurse on Friday, I truly believe the patient would have died here at the hospital rather than at home surrounded by loved ones. He spent the majority of his morning “brainstorming” with others to figure out just how he could make the discharge happen for his patient.
This is the type of care Buddy provides every day he is here. During leadership rounding, I am told at least weekly by patients that Buddy is just an awesome nurse. I have also heard Buddy say as he meets his patients, “It’s my lucky day because I get to take care of you today!” He puts his patients' needs first before his own, and the care he gives shows it!