Jolene Shannon
September 2015
Jolene
Shannon
,
RN
Ambulatory Surgical Center
Allegiance Health
Jackson
,
MI
United States
A patient was scheduled for elective surgery. They did not have any family with them by choice but had made arrangements for post op care. Patient was in Phase 2 recovery and was beginning to get dressed to go home. Jolene was standing in front of the patient helping them get on their shirt and noticed a significant increase in swelling and drainage from surgical site. The RN immediately had the surgeon paged to return STAT. In the meantime, Jolene had to prepare the patient for the possibility that they might have to return to surgery.
The patient did return to surgery for a second time for an evacuation of a hematoma. While the patient was in the OR, Jolene made arrangements for the patient to be admitted to the hospital overnight for observation to monitor for post op bleeding and any airway issues. Jolene had established an immediate bond with the patient who stated he was so glad that she had stayed with him to explain what was going on and make the situation not so scary.
Around 30 minutes after being in Phase 1 recovery, the patient began to have swelling and bleeding again. Jolene had her coworkers notify the surgeon and anesthesia while she held constant pressure to the surgical site. The patient ended up being transferred to the main OR for emergency surgery. Jolene stayed with the patient the entire time (over 45 minutes);as she rode over with the patient in the ambulance, stayed with them in the pre-op area, holding constant pressure to the surgical site and monitoring his airway until the patient went into the operating room.
The patient did not want his family notified. Jolene had developed a trusting relationship with this patient in a short period of time and was truly their only advocate at the time of this emergency. The patient ended up being in surgery for several hours and remained intubated and on the ventilator postoperatively to protect their airway. Jolene's extraordinary clinical assessment skills saved the patient's life. If this patient would have gone home and been left alone at any time, this outcome could have gone very differently.
Jolene consistently provides the highest quality of compassionate care for his/her patients and their families.
The patient did return to surgery for a second time for an evacuation of a hematoma. While the patient was in the OR, Jolene made arrangements for the patient to be admitted to the hospital overnight for observation to monitor for post op bleeding and any airway issues. Jolene had established an immediate bond with the patient who stated he was so glad that she had stayed with him to explain what was going on and make the situation not so scary.
Around 30 minutes after being in Phase 1 recovery, the patient began to have swelling and bleeding again. Jolene had her coworkers notify the surgeon and anesthesia while she held constant pressure to the surgical site. The patient ended up being transferred to the main OR for emergency surgery. Jolene stayed with the patient the entire time (over 45 minutes);as she rode over with the patient in the ambulance, stayed with them in the pre-op area, holding constant pressure to the surgical site and monitoring his airway until the patient went into the operating room.
The patient did not want his family notified. Jolene had developed a trusting relationship with this patient in a short period of time and was truly their only advocate at the time of this emergency. The patient ended up being in surgery for several hours and remained intubated and on the ventilator postoperatively to protect their airway. Jolene's extraordinary clinical assessment skills saved the patient's life. If this patient would have gone home and been left alone at any time, this outcome could have gone very differently.
Jolene consistently provides the highest quality of compassionate care for his/her patients and their families.