The Emergency Department would like to nominate two Care Managers for going beyond the call of duty to assist a family and a patient of another facility in their final stage of life.

Dr. Fernandez came to the hospital to evaluate an in-patient and family regarding the patient’s plan of care. While here, Dr. Fernandez (from Good Shepherd) informed Kathy Knowles, the Palliative Care Manager that he had a patient at the Forsythe House who was actively dying. The patient had a cast on their leg, and due to the dying process the leg was swelling and the cast was now causing the patient a great deal of pain. He explained the Forsythe House patient and their family wishes. Kathy was aware that this was not a current patient at Winter Haven Hospital, but she felt the need to assist with the dying wishes of the patient and their family but she did not have any answers on how to help this patient.

Kathy had contacted the physician who had applied the cast, but they were unable to send someone to the hospice to remove it. Because of the patient’s condition scheduling an appointment and sending them to the doctor’s office was out of the question. Kathy wanted to know if it was possible to send the patient to the ER for the cast removal; she called Heather Perry in the Emergency Department and informed her about the patient. Both Kathy and Heather put their heads together in an effort to come up with a solution to meet the needs of the patient and their family.

Heather explained that the Emergency Department did have a cast cutter; however, the patient would have to be signed in and go through the entire process. Dr. Fernandez felt that might be too traumatic for the family and the patient at this point.

Heather said that if she knew how to use the cast cutter she would see if she could borrow one then she would take it to the hospice and do it herself. Kathy communicated to Heather that Dr. Fernandez said he knew how to use the cast cutter, but that he just did not have access to one. Heather asked her to give her a few minutes because she had a friend that could possibly help. Heather then called Lara Devero-Williams the Unit Manager of the Emergency Department and informed her of the situation. Lara Devero-Williams agreed to loan out the cast cutter for this request.

Dr. Fernandez was thrilled about the ability to borrow the equipment, and Kathy agreed personally to make sure it would be returned that day. The patient’s cast was removed that afternoon providing immediate relief to the patient. The family and hospice staff felt better knowing the patient was more comfortable.

It just goes to show that if you combine creativity, compassion and common sense good things can happen.