Cathy is an outstanding nurse in the SICU that takes exemplary care of her patients every time she comes to work. Last night, however, she truly showed why she is an asset to our unit and the patients we serve. Cathy had an elderly patient that had several strokes. These strokes left her weak on her left side and blind in her right eye. In order to try and correct his problem, the patient decided to undergo a surgical procedure to try and clear one of the arteries leading to her brain and hopefully resolve the blindness she was experiencing.
The patient remained in the ICU several days post-op, even though she had transfer orders to Step-down because there were no beds available. In the ICU, the patients tend to have less privacy than in other places. We have large glass sliding doors as the fourth wall and the bathroom facilities are extremely limited, mostly just a toilet that pulls out from underneath the sink and a curtain that provides a bare amount of privacy. For our normal, sick ICU patients, this is an acceptable accommodation and necessary for the nurses to provide the appropriate care. But this patient really, really wanted to take a shower on her own, being desperate for some of the independence she had lost when she came into the hospital.
Cathy decided that even though we do not have any showers in the SICU, this was not a reason why the patient should not be able to wash herself as she desired. Even though it was Memorial Day and it was around 5 am, Cathy paged the team and asked if the patient could have an order for shower privileges. The resident covering the pager called back and said it shouldn't be a problem and they would put the order in when they rounded later in the morning. Knowing it was a holiday and the team would round at 10AMandthe patient desired to shower before her husband arrived at 8AM, Cathy insisted that whoever could put the order in come assess the patient. She advocated for the patient in an eloquent and persuasive fashion and sure enough, fifteen minutes later, the chief resident came by, assessed the patient, and wrote the order that it was okay for her to use the shower.
Next, came the problem of finding a shower for the patient to use. But Cathy was undeterred. She immediately called our Step-down unit and inquired if there were any empty rooms that the patient could shower in. When the Step-down unit seemed hesitant, Cathy called the house supervisor and explained the situation and what she needed. Once assured from the house supervisor that it was okay, Step-down agreed and Cathy packed the patient up and escorted her down to Step-down. She stayed with the patient the whole time, managing to find the line between letting the patient have her privacy and also keeping a close eye on her. The patient was able to complete her shower and return to the SICU feeling like she was one step closer to going home. You could just tell by the way she walked back in the unit how much better she felt. I have no doubt that this patient's experience was immeasurably improved by Cathy's action that morning and I also have no doubt that Cathy would take credit for none of it. But some of the simplest things we do can be the most healing, and to watch Cathy advocate for her patient's need to gain some independence was something I feel proud to have witnessed and very deserving of a DAISY Award.