May 2023
Kamlesh
Patel
,
RN
4A
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital/VA Bedford Healthcare System
Bedford
,
MA
United States
The veterans and staff alike can attest to the great care and compassion that Kamlesh brings to the unit.
It is my honor to nominate Kamlesh Patel, RN in recognition of their care and dedication to the veterans and staff at the Bedford VA Hospital in Massachusetts. Their intelligence, calm demeanor, and flexibility as a true “team player” have helped support the very best patient care in the evening tour here in our neighborhood. Our unit is a CLC / Community Living Center where we provide long term and hospice care to 26 veterans. The veterans and staff alike can attest to the great care and compassion that Kamlesh brings to the unit.
It should be noted that Kamlesh is a tireless problem solver who advocates strongly for proactive care and finds solutions when challenges arise. For example, a veteran with severe protein malnutrition was experiencing chronic leakage from around their abdominal feeding (PEG) tube. The care team, including the attending physician and nutritionist, made new recommendation orders to increase the amount/volume of tube feedings to make up for the amounts “lost” to leakage. The leakage not only remained significant, but it increased in frequency and required multiple clothing and dressing changes per shift. Thus, the risk to the veteran for dehydration and malnutrition remained, but now with an increased risk for falls due to feeding leaking onto the floor when the veteran stood to change. The Veteran had fallen and broken three ribs one month before the new orders to increase volume. This is when Kamlesh suggested we might try “bagging” the tube. By applying an ostomy bag directly to the skin to collect any drainage that might leak out post feeding/flush, in addition to cutting a small slit at the top of the collection bag to pass the Peg tube through and allow for unobstructed feedings/flushes. This was not an immediate fix, but with perseverance and a few days of calm reassurance, and teaching from Kamlesh, the problem was almost eliminated. Within five days, there was NO more leakage onto the veteran’s skin and clothing, thus allowing for the raw and reddened area around the tube to heal.
This creative solution was helpful on so many levels, and I could list countless more, but instead, I will simply ask that you recognize Kamlesh for all his wonderful work. Thank You.
It should be noted that Kamlesh is a tireless problem solver who advocates strongly for proactive care and finds solutions when challenges arise. For example, a veteran with severe protein malnutrition was experiencing chronic leakage from around their abdominal feeding (PEG) tube. The care team, including the attending physician and nutritionist, made new recommendation orders to increase the amount/volume of tube feedings to make up for the amounts “lost” to leakage. The leakage not only remained significant, but it increased in frequency and required multiple clothing and dressing changes per shift. Thus, the risk to the veteran for dehydration and malnutrition remained, but now with an increased risk for falls due to feeding leaking onto the floor when the veteran stood to change. The Veteran had fallen and broken three ribs one month before the new orders to increase volume. This is when Kamlesh suggested we might try “bagging” the tube. By applying an ostomy bag directly to the skin to collect any drainage that might leak out post feeding/flush, in addition to cutting a small slit at the top of the collection bag to pass the Peg tube through and allow for unobstructed feedings/flushes. This was not an immediate fix, but with perseverance and a few days of calm reassurance, and teaching from Kamlesh, the problem was almost eliminated. Within five days, there was NO more leakage onto the veteran’s skin and clothing, thus allowing for the raw and reddened area around the tube to heal.
This creative solution was helpful on so many levels, and I could list countless more, but instead, I will simply ask that you recognize Kamlesh for all his wonderful work. Thank You.