Jodi Stiles has been a circulating nurse in the CVOR for many years; her nursing practice over the years has exemplified "team work" and patient centered care. This was really exemplified in a recent "open chest emergency" that occurred in the CVICU last month. In the debriefing conversations that followed with the Cardiothoracic Surgeon, PA's, and CVICU RN's involved in the emergency, one common theme emerged; Jody was there and she was "incredible", "amazing", "very helpful", and "supportive" of the team. Her direction, guidance, and support was highly praised by the Cardiothoracic Surgeon and the CVICU nursing staff that responded to this emergency.
Just two months earlier, Jodi had been instrumental in helping me set up an "Open Chest Drill" to help prepare CVICU RN's for this very rare emergency. The role that Jodi has played over the years in our "Open Chest Drills" really helped the CVICU team be better prepared.
It had been over 3 years since our last Open Chest Emergency. Inevitably, this rare event helps to identify opportunities for improvement. Once again, Jodi stepped up and really helped us to re-organize some components of our "Open Chest Emergency Cart" so that we could be even better prepared the next time. Jodi is such a valuable part of this team.
Last month we had a critical emergency situation where we had to open a patient's chest at the bedside. I am not sure how Jodi caught wind of the situation but she was at the bedside in a flash. She knew just what to do and what equipment the surgeon needed and expected. I would have been completely lost without her. On top of her incredible assistance at the bedside in that emergency situation, Jodi took time out of her already busy schedule to come by and restock and reorganize the CVICU open chest cart, even though this was not her responsibility. She put things together in such a way that it will be easier for the bedside nurses to recognize in emergency situation. Jodi is such an amazing team player, and I know every nurse that was here on the day of that emergency is grateful that Jodi was here to work beside them.
Jodi was not only helpful during and after this emergent event. She is helpful every day she is here. She is thoughtful and thorough. She is a diligent hard worker who is kind and always has a smile on her face.
Jodi is a very thorough OR nurse. She gives a complete handoff report with every patient. She stays in the room after transfer to ensure patient safety and that the floor nurse is taken care of. She is always in a positive, bright mood and offering to help floor staff when she doesn't have to. She calms patients before surgery and personally helps their families find the waiting room.
In our recent open chest emergency I was charging and assisting the nurse who was assigned to the patient, who had just had open heart surgery, and the new staff member she was orienting. We were trying to stabilize this rapidly deteriorating patient. When the patient went into a PEA arrest the entire team on the CVICU floor pitched into help. The Doctor was called and the open chest cart was prepared. I am unfamiliar and know that most CVICU nurses are as well, with many of the instruments used in the OR. CVICU nurses observe a couple of surgeries when they are first hired but do not routinely work with surgical instruments or assist with open procedures like this. I went to get the Bovie for the Doctor and saw Jodi through the window at the front desk in CVOR. I ran in and asked if she would be willing to help us by assisting the Doctor with the surgical tools he needed in order to open the patient's chest back up. She immediately dropped what she was doing, donned a sterile gown and gloves, and helped with the procedure until the patient was transported back to the OR. Her knowledge of OR surgical instruments and operating room procedure was so helpful and expedited the surgeons requests. It allowed CVICU nurses up to run the PEA arrest code and manage drips, blood transfusions and once a rhythm was recognized defibrillate and prepare for the patient for transport back to the OR. It freed me up to assist with all of this and to contact the family and apprise them of the situation and get them set up in our waiting room when they arrived back at the hospital.
Without Jodi's help on this day the open chest procedure would not have gone smoothly, her willingness to help out on the floor rather than finish up her shift on CVOR is so appreciated. Our two units are intertwined and rely upon one another heavily, Jodi demonstrates the type of team work that makes our CT surgery program so great. She is a very valued member of our team and comes to work each shift with a great attitude and does a wonderful job. Her dedication on the day mentioned is something we see in her every day.