April 2024
Isabelle
McDonald
,
RN
Piedmont Columbus Regional- Northside
Columbus
,
GA
United States
In the hospital setting, especially for psychiatric patients, it can be easy for patient advocacy to fall by the wayside. Isabelle never allowed that to happen.
A patient requiring psychiatric care was being held in the ED due to not being medically cleared for transfer. While being held, the patient was ordered IV potassium replacement which she refused due to intolerance of the pain caused by the infusion. Isabelle notified the hospital medicine team and attempted to facilitate a plan of care that everyone was comfortable with, most importantly, the patient. On several occasions, Isabelle was instructed to administer anxiolytics and other sedative medications to force the patient into IV potassium replacement therapy, which she had already refused. Isabelle, again, reached out to the hospital medicine team and expressed discomfort with forcing medications on the patient. She advocated for her patient and continuously assessed the patient's level of consciousness and mentation to ensure the patient was still able to make clear and concise decisions for herself. In the hospital setting, especially for psychiatric patients, it can be easy for patient advocacy to fall by the wayside. Isabelle never allowed that to happen and ultimately assisted in facilitating a plan of care that had the best possible outcome for the patient. Ultimately, it was something everyone felt comfortable with.