Cheryl Sykora
October 2021
Cheryl
Sykora
,
MSN, RN
Case Management
Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin
Austin
,
TX
United States

 

 

 

Cheryl recognized the son’s concerns and gaps in patient and family education. After work, Cheryl went to the patient’s home, dressed in PPE, and checked the medications and supplies.
In June 2020 (beginning of COVID), we had a patient of Romanian descent admitted with COVID19 complications and a new diagnosis of diabetes. He speaks very little English. Diabetic education was completed through Zoom and the family did not receive education due to no visitors at the time. The patient’s family did not speak much English, except for his teenage son who spoke fluent English and became the major communicator for the family. Cheryl spoke with the son on a daily basis and sometimes multiple times a day, assuring the son the patient was stable and being cared for by the nursing staff. The patient was unfunded. On discharge, Cheryl set up charity Home Health, community care follow-up appointments, and medications from our pharmacy, and a glucometer. When the patient arrived home, the son called Cheryl with multiple questions about the medications, glucometer use, and insulin. He did not know how to check the patient’s blood sugar, was not sure what time to give medications, and apparently, needles for the insulin pen were missing. Cheryl recognized the son’s concerns and gaps in patient and family education. Home Health was not available for 2 days. After work, Cheryl went to the patient’s home, dressed in PPE, and checked the medications and supplies. She educated, demonstrated, and performed blood sugar checks using the patient’s new glucometer, and reviewed this multiple times for the patient’s wife and son. Cheryl reviewed all of the oral medications, writing on each bottle time to administer and diagnosis for the medication. Cheryl then noticed needles for the insulin pens were missing. Cheryl told the son and patient and family she would return the next evening after work to bring the needles for the insulin pen and would demonstrate how to administer the insulin. That next day Cheryl picked up the needles from the pharmacy and once again drove to the patient's apartment, providing education on the use of the insulin pen and reviewed the previous day’s education - observing the patient's family (son and wife) check the patient's blood sugar and administering insulin. The family was very appreciative of Cheryl’s commitment and availability to assist them during this stressful time.