Jacqueline Schauf
September 2023
Jacqueline
Schauf
,
RN
OP
CHI St. Vincent Hospital
Hot Springs
,
AR
United States
Jackie noticed the importance of the patient needing to have both his blood transfusion and dialysis, and she went to work.
There are many wonderful things I could say about working alongside Jackie but there is something that stood out to me when working with her one day. Jackie always lends a helping hand and is willing to help not only patients but also her coworkers.
In pre-op outpatient, we often give blood transfusions to patients for numerous reasons. One afternoon, when Jackie was the charge nurse, we received orders to do a blood transfusion on a dialysis patient who lived in Mena. After we performed the lab draw, we were alerted that the patient had antibodies which required a send out on their blood, and we were unable to carry out that blood transfusion that day. The patient was scheduled to come back the next day. This left the patient having to drive back to Mena (a 2-hour drive) and then back to us the next day for his blood transfusion when it was ready. After further assessing the situation, Jackie learned that this patient also had dialysis on a set schedule. The patient was scheduled for a dialysis appointment he couldn't miss the next day in Mena. He was worried and unsure of what to do because his dialysis is a time-consuming appointment, and then he would have to drive another 2 hours to get to us to do the blood transfusion. Jackie noticed the importance of the patient needing to have both his blood transfusion and dialysis, and she went to work. Jackie called numerous offices to get everything worked out to solely benefit the patient and his driving/time to make it as easy as possible for him. After getting everything figured out, Jackie was able to get his dialysis scheduled at a facility in Hot Springs that he would go to so he could then come to our facility and receive his blood transfusion all on the same day. This way, the patient only had to make that dreaded drive once and not have the worry about missing two important appointments. The patient thanked Jackie numerous times.
All while Jackie was devoting her time to making this person's situation a little better and not so stressful, she was also running the desk in our department. Jackie went above and beyond for that patient. She didn't have to do any of that, but she wanted to lend a helping hand where she could to make his life a little less hectic and give him some sense of control. I admire her dedication and compassion to help someone in need without any hesitation.
In pre-op outpatient, we often give blood transfusions to patients for numerous reasons. One afternoon, when Jackie was the charge nurse, we received orders to do a blood transfusion on a dialysis patient who lived in Mena. After we performed the lab draw, we were alerted that the patient had antibodies which required a send out on their blood, and we were unable to carry out that blood transfusion that day. The patient was scheduled to come back the next day. This left the patient having to drive back to Mena (a 2-hour drive) and then back to us the next day for his blood transfusion when it was ready. After further assessing the situation, Jackie learned that this patient also had dialysis on a set schedule. The patient was scheduled for a dialysis appointment he couldn't miss the next day in Mena. He was worried and unsure of what to do because his dialysis is a time-consuming appointment, and then he would have to drive another 2 hours to get to us to do the blood transfusion. Jackie noticed the importance of the patient needing to have both his blood transfusion and dialysis, and she went to work. Jackie called numerous offices to get everything worked out to solely benefit the patient and his driving/time to make it as easy as possible for him. After getting everything figured out, Jackie was able to get his dialysis scheduled at a facility in Hot Springs that he would go to so he could then come to our facility and receive his blood transfusion all on the same day. This way, the patient only had to make that dreaded drive once and not have the worry about missing two important appointments. The patient thanked Jackie numerous times.
All while Jackie was devoting her time to making this person's situation a little better and not so stressful, she was also running the desk in our department. Jackie went above and beyond for that patient. She didn't have to do any of that, but she wanted to lend a helping hand where she could to make his life a little less hectic and give him some sense of control. I admire her dedication and compassion to help someone in need without any hesitation.