Katey received a patient from the Emergency Department with hypoxia, tachycardia. Our admitting provider started on Telemetry but near shift change was exhibiting subtle changes - increased heart rate, increased breathing rate. Nothing severe, just subtle changes. As the on-call provider, I was contacted by Katey roughly 30 minutes before the end of her shift that the patient didn't look right to her. I agreed to see him later that night, however, a little after shift change, just before she went home, Katey called me again. "He just doesn't look right. I wonder if he has a PE (pulmonary embolus)." I said, "I won't be able to get to him just yet, order the CTA of the chest if you suspect it." Within 30 - 45 minutes of its completion, the radiologist called me alarmed. The patient had a PE that was likely to be fatal, as it extended all the way back into his heart. Starting blood thinners immediately was of the essence. He still might not live.
Fortunately, he was discharged about 10 days later doing quite well with a good prognosis. I commend Katey on both her instincts (which were excellent and spot on) and her willingness to go out of her way to contact me twice on a busy night. I would have never ordered the CTA or seen the patient otherwise. She saved his life that night. An excellent job!