dawn schlekopf, RN, TNCC

Dawn was working as the pivot nurse in the lobby 7p-7a. A patient signed in complaining of an abscess of the left axillary area. As Dawn was spending time with the patient and obtaining a history, she began asking and probing about her left arm. The patient insisted the pain was due to the abscess. Dawn "felt" there was more to it and recognized that her pain could also be cardiac. She did an EKG. The EKG showed the patient was having an acute MI. The patient was rushed to the cath lab for cardiac intervention. The patient received stents, was later discharged home and is doing well.