Karen Goodwin
November 2022
Karen
Goodwin
,
RN
Out Patient Surgery
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Columbus
,
OH
United States
Karen went down every half hour between her patient appointments to make sure he was warm (providing him with blankets) and providing water and nourishment.
There was a gentleman that arrived in a wheelchair from a nursing home and was dropped off at PPP on the third floor. He had no family with him.
Karen treated him like family when she took him to her room for pre-anesthesia assessment which typically takes 30 minutes. Karen took the time afterward to take him down to the surgery center to evaluate if he would be able to stand and transfer over to the bed as this is necessary to have surgery at the outpatient surgery center. Upon standing him up she noted that his pants, backside, and blanket he was sitting on were soiled with feces. Karen asked for the assistance of coworkers and got him cleaned up, new Depends, and scrub pants to be comfortable waiting for transportation to arrive.
She had to call transportation and the nursing home multiple times over a 3-hour period to make sure this gentleman had a ride. He was waiting on the first floor, and she went down every half hour between her patient appointments to make sure he was warm (providing him with blankets) and providing water and nourishment. Her shift was ending, so she requested that outpatient surgery center staff check on him to make sure transportation had come for him. She provided the patient with the nursing home number and transportation number so he could call if needed as she had charged his cell phone. Before her leaving she once again went down to check on the gentleman and was happy he was not waiting, and transportation had gotten him. She went beyond to take care of this nursing home patient that was brought for a 30-minute appointment and forgotten by transportation.
She treated him like family. Interestingly that 2 weeks later he arrived back up to our department in a wheelchair and left by himself again. Karen recognized him immediately and inquired why he was here. The patient states” You are that nice nurse that took care of me.” The patient had no appointment with PPP. Karen called the nursing home to inquire why they had sent him, and they reported it was their mistake. Transportation was called and Karen took the patient back to the main lobby again with water and cookies while he awaited his ride. Karen followed up again and went back downstairs 30 minutes later to check on him and he was gone.
Karen Goodwin helped start this department back in 2009. She provides leadership as well as has spent much time training many new nurses at the new Dublin and New Albany locations. She is a cut above the rest with her standards and patient experience. Often times patients will stop by her office after surgery to say hello and report how they have been recovering. Karen will sadly retire in 2024 and greatly deserves recognition for the excellent patient experiences she has provided. We are all a team when working with Karen and she always takes the high road.
Karen treated him like family when she took him to her room for pre-anesthesia assessment which typically takes 30 minutes. Karen took the time afterward to take him down to the surgery center to evaluate if he would be able to stand and transfer over to the bed as this is necessary to have surgery at the outpatient surgery center. Upon standing him up she noted that his pants, backside, and blanket he was sitting on were soiled with feces. Karen asked for the assistance of coworkers and got him cleaned up, new Depends, and scrub pants to be comfortable waiting for transportation to arrive.
She had to call transportation and the nursing home multiple times over a 3-hour period to make sure this gentleman had a ride. He was waiting on the first floor, and she went down every half hour between her patient appointments to make sure he was warm (providing him with blankets) and providing water and nourishment. Her shift was ending, so she requested that outpatient surgery center staff check on him to make sure transportation had come for him. She provided the patient with the nursing home number and transportation number so he could call if needed as she had charged his cell phone. Before her leaving she once again went down to check on the gentleman and was happy he was not waiting, and transportation had gotten him. She went beyond to take care of this nursing home patient that was brought for a 30-minute appointment and forgotten by transportation.
She treated him like family. Interestingly that 2 weeks later he arrived back up to our department in a wheelchair and left by himself again. Karen recognized him immediately and inquired why he was here. The patient states” You are that nice nurse that took care of me.” The patient had no appointment with PPP. Karen called the nursing home to inquire why they had sent him, and they reported it was their mistake. Transportation was called and Karen took the patient back to the main lobby again with water and cookies while he awaited his ride. Karen followed up again and went back downstairs 30 minutes later to check on him and he was gone.
Karen Goodwin helped start this department back in 2009. She provides leadership as well as has spent much time training many new nurses at the new Dublin and New Albany locations. She is a cut above the rest with her standards and patient experience. Often times patients will stop by her office after surgery to say hello and report how they have been recovering. Karen will sadly retire in 2024 and greatly deserves recognition for the excellent patient experiences she has provided. We are all a team when working with Karen and she always takes the high road.