Jeffrey Orlowski, BSN, RN

Jeffrey saved my husband's life. My husband, A, arrived to the ER at 10 am with severe abdominal pain that was intensifying at a rapid and terrifying pace. After waiting 20 minutes or so for someone to check on us, I found a nurse, who happened to be Jeffrey, and asked when we could expect a doctor to see my husband. Jeffrey explained that because of how busy the ED was, it would likely be a few hours. I said, "I don't think my husband has a few hours," and he immediately understood and asked me to describe the symptoms. Unbelievably - with just a few details, Jeffrey suggested that A might have an incarcerated hernia, and he was right! An incarcerated hernia is extraordinarily painful and can be life-threatening if not treated within six hours. Jeffrey moved A to the top of the priority list, made sure he got the best pain medication in a timely matter and was very kind to check on us throughout our 6-hour stay at the ED, helping us stay calm and feel supported in what was a very scary and overwhelming situation. My husband “just” made it to emergency surgery in the nick of time - the surgeon said one more hour and the outcome would have been much different (potentially fatal). Had Jeffrey not prioritized my husband's care... well, I don't want to think about that. We are so grateful to Jeffrey and hope he gets the recognition he deserves!