I believe Evelyn began at Evergreen as a NAC and was very skilled in that role. I was impressed to see her progress to achieve her RN and begin taking care of patients on the PCU. One could immediately tell that she was caring and attentive to her patient's needs and also an excellent clinical communicator.
Evelyn was recently caring for a patient with not just one but two significant/rare diagnoses. The patient was very ill and initially, her diagnoses remained elusive to the clinical team. On a Monday morning, while rounding, Evelyn sought me out to relay events from the evening prior when the patient had a brief decompensation. I had heard about this from the nighttime MD but having Evelyn's first­hand account helped solidify my clinical impression that something was still amiss with the patient.
The pro-active style of communication that Evelyn demonstrates is commendable. Later that day when we realized that the patient needed additional/repeat imaging, Evelyn was able to expedite coordinating getting her CT scan complete. Having the CT done in a quick manner takes much coordination across departments (DI, transport, and nursing) but without Evelyn's push to get things done the diagnosis would have been delayed and her outcome likely worsened. Based on the results of the CT scan by mid-afternoon, the patient needed to proceed with emergency abdominal surgery.
What further impressed me with Evelyn's actions was that not only was she vital in helping to secure the patient's diagnosis, but she then took things a step further by providing comfort to the patient and her family while also rapidly prepping the patient for urgent surgery. The patient had an underlying cardiac issue and we needed to start volume resuscitation immediately. Evelyn was able to get fluid boluses running expeditiously which no doubt helped the patient survive her surgery. Despite everything going on that day, Evelyn was able to hone-in on what needed to get done for this patient. It is not just a testament to her but also the PCU team as a whole who helped provide support for her other patients.
There is no doubt in my mind that Evelyn's actions this day helped save this patient's life. It's very rewarding to see people progress in their roles at Evergreen and I'm sure her experience as a NAC helped hone her clinical instincts. While relatively new in her role as an RN, Evelyn displays a level of clinical acumen, communication, and compassion beyond her years that perfectly embodies EvergreenHealth's purpose of "Working together to enrich the health and well-being of every life we touch."