Joanna Vega
January 2024
Joanna
Vega
,
RN, BSN
Perioperative Services
VCU Community Memorial Hospital
South Hill
,
VA
United States

 

 

 

Joanna's compassion for the patient led her to go above and beyond her regular duties in PAT. She took the initiative to start the patient's orthostatic BPs there in the office, which led to her discovering his rapid, abnormal heart rate.
Joanna was doing a regular Pre-Admission Testing visit for a cataract surgery patient before his scheduled procedure when the patient told her that he felt light headed. She took his vital signs and did a blood sugar. His blood pressure came back 90s/70s, not alarming but the patient stated that it was lower than normal. Joanna went through the patient's meds and saw that he was on quite a few blood pressure medications. She asked the patient if he usually checks his blood pressure before he takes his BP meds; the patient stated no. Joanna then decided to reach out to his PCP and let him know about the patient feeling light headed and and his recent lower than normal BP reading. The physician recommended that the patient start doing orthostatic blood pressure readings at home and for the patient to follow up with him. Joanna replied that she could do his first set of orthostatic blood pressures today in the office before the patient left. She started the blood pressure readings and noticed his heart rate jumped to the 160s. She put the three lead EKG monitor stickers on the patient and checked his pulse to verify that in fact his heart rate was in the 160s. The patient was immediately transported to the ER and then admitted to the ICU for AFIB. Joanna's compassion for the patient led her to go above and beyond her regular duties in PAT. She took the initiative to start the patient's orthostatic BPs there in the office, which led to her discovering his rapid, abnormal heart rate. She takes wonderful care of all her patients and is a true DAISY Nurse.