Erica Rios-Garza
November 2014
Erica
Garza
,
RN
ICU Manager
CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg
Kingsville
,
TX
United States
We recently had a male patient in his early 60's admitted with cellulitis to his Right lower Extremity who was also found to have a serious cardiac condition (EF 15%).
The patient was an oilfield worker setting an example for his 12 year old grandson whom he and his wife were raising. The family was from out of town and the closest relative was a sister in Dallas. When the wife heard that the patient was being admitted to the ICU she immediately took their grandson out of school and rushed to the hospital. When I met them they had been in the hospital at the patient's bedside for 2 days sleeping in the waiting room.
Workers Comp was willing to pay for the hospitalization due to cellulitis but not the preexisting cardiac condition. The patient's wife was upset and confused regarding the hospital bill and discharge plans as they had very few funds and stayed at the hospital and washed up in the sink because they could not afford a hotel.
Our Manager, Erica, got involved at this time, she arranged for the patient's wife and grandson to stay in an empty patient room to sleep and shower. The patient's wife was able to meet with the financial representative and arrangements were made for what was remaining of the hospital bill. Erica came by the next day and noticed that there was no evidence of food or wrappers in the room. She asked when they last had a meal; the little boy was obviously hungry. Erica being the mother of 4 boys was able to relate to this young man and ensured that the last 2 days they were in the hospital they had food to eat. For this my hat is off to my coworker for her compassion and caring work.
When the patient was being discharged he was very grateful for ending up in our hospital and thanked us over and over again for his care. The wife's sister flew in from Dallas and the 2 of them were so grateful for Erica's kindness and compassion and stated that this was the best hospital that they had ever been in. No one or no other hospital had ever tried to help them as much as Erica and the nurses at Kleberg Hospital.
The patient was an oilfield worker setting an example for his 12 year old grandson whom he and his wife were raising. The family was from out of town and the closest relative was a sister in Dallas. When the wife heard that the patient was being admitted to the ICU she immediately took their grandson out of school and rushed to the hospital. When I met them they had been in the hospital at the patient's bedside for 2 days sleeping in the waiting room.
Workers Comp was willing to pay for the hospitalization due to cellulitis but not the preexisting cardiac condition. The patient's wife was upset and confused regarding the hospital bill and discharge plans as they had very few funds and stayed at the hospital and washed up in the sink because they could not afford a hotel.
Our Manager, Erica, got involved at this time, she arranged for the patient's wife and grandson to stay in an empty patient room to sleep and shower. The patient's wife was able to meet with the financial representative and arrangements were made for what was remaining of the hospital bill. Erica came by the next day and noticed that there was no evidence of food or wrappers in the room. She asked when they last had a meal; the little boy was obviously hungry. Erica being the mother of 4 boys was able to relate to this young man and ensured that the last 2 days they were in the hospital they had food to eat. For this my hat is off to my coworker for her compassion and caring work.
When the patient was being discharged he was very grateful for ending up in our hospital and thanked us over and over again for his care. The wife's sister flew in from Dallas and the 2 of them were so grateful for Erica's kindness and compassion and stated that this was the best hospital that they had ever been in. No one or no other hospital had ever tried to help them as much as Erica and the nurses at Kleberg Hospital.