April 2021
Krista
Bright
,
RN
4 East
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford
Murfreesboro
,
TN
United States
While Krista is a very thorough nurse and regularly has great catches, she most recently went out of her way to advocate for a patient who was unable to vocalize her needs.
Krista has been a dedicated nurse on 4E for 3.5 years now. In this time she has grown from a nurse resident to a preceptor and a leader on the floor. While Krista is a very thorough nurse and regularly has great catches, she most recently went out of her way to advocate for a patient who was unable to vocalize her needs. This patient was in end-stage hepatic encephalopathy, and she had questionable decision-making ability. The patient had a DNR/Active Treatment code status. This patient had received 8 transfusions and 4 potassium runs and had progressed from 3L NC oxygen delivery to a Continuous BiPap, and it was very clear that the outcome for this patient was imminent. The family was unable to be at the bedside consistently, but they expressed that the patient wanted to remain Active Treatment when the physician addressed them. Krista spoke with the patient who stated she did not want the BiPap on, and since her decision-making ability was in question, she called the family. She expressed to the family that this patient was on the last treatment option before intubation, which the patient had made clear she did not want to happen. Krista discussed that if we continued with the BiPap, that the patient would have to be transferred to a higher level of care, and that we were at a critical point for the family to make a decision regarding how to proceed. With Krista's persistence in advocating for this patient, the family decided to make her comfort care, and the patient was able to peacefully pass 6 hours later. Krista is a great example of a patient advocate and a fantastic nurse