Hans Leitner DeCarlo displayed exemplary care and compassion to meet the needs of an 86-year-old woman who fell at home and broke her hip. She was transported by EMS from her home in Payson to Banner Payson Medical Center then transferred to our facility for surgical fixation of her hip.
Through friendly conversation with the patient, Hans discovered the woman was the total care provider for her blind, elderly husband. The patient had two children who lived in the Valley, but she did not have their phone numbers as they were on her tablet that she left in Payson.
Hans identified the potential for an unsafe environment for the patient's husband as neither of the children knew of these recent events. Hans retrieved the first and last name of the patient's son and the fact that he lived in Chandler. He then called the Chandler Police Department, explained the situation and asked if it would be possible to find the son and notify him of his elderly parents' situation. Chandler PD said they would send an officer to the house.
The son was notified and admitted he had no idea any of this was going on with his parents. He was extremely thankful as he stated he feared for his dad's safety and was going to drive up to Payson immediately to get him.
If Hans had not been proactive to address this safety issue once it was identified, there may have been an unfortunate outcome for the patient's husband. Hans went above and beyond to ensure safety, thinking outside the box, using resources creatively. The patient was put at ease when she discovered that her family had been found and notified.
These are the extra efforts that make a nurse like Hans an extremely valuable employee to Banner. I am proud to work with him and feel that he is the picture of what a DAISY Award-winning nurse represents.