Marisa is a vital and valued part of our ICU team who constantly exemplifies the Atlantic Health System P.R.I.D.E. shared values. She acts as an exceptional resource, advocate, and caregiver for patients and their families, providing consistent compassionate care. She is also a valued member of the ICU Outreach Resource Nurse Program, providing support, resources, and leadership to the floors and their patient populations. Acting in this role Marisa goes above and beyond what is asked, ensuring nothing but the highest quality patient care is being received for those she sees. I would like to share with you our most recent example of Marisa's outstanding service to a patient here at Morristown Medical Center:
Marisa Keyes received a call from a floor nurse on Deskovick 4 about a 30-year-old female patient. This patient was having episodes of sustained asymptomatic Ventricular Tachycardia which was causing the primary nurse concern. Marisa went to the floor to begin the assessment process and help the floor nurse navigate the situation to ensure that the patient received the appropriate care. Marisa provided support and education to the floor staff while thoroughly reviewing the chart for any reasoning behind this acute change in status. She addressed that there were no changes in labs, recent echocardiograms were resulted normal, and that there was no recent chest x-ray. She called upon the interdisciplinary team to help with any reasoning or guidance for why this patient with no cardiac history would be having such acute changes now. Marisa uncovered that after the placement of a PICC line the patient began having this arrhythmia. She contacted the primary physician and resident to inquire further about a follow-up chest x-ray. Marisa and the floor staff felt continual resistance, providers wanted to transfer the patient for a cardiac work in Gagnon. Marisa continued to advocate that the patient's PICC line could have migrated into the heart causing the patient these issues and rather than have the patient undergo unnecessary testing a simple chest x-ray could solve the problem. She explained that these lines were not sutured in place and could have been accidentally pushed further in or migrated without anyone knowing.
Finally, after hours of advocating for the patient's safety, a chest x-ray was ordered. It revealed a PICC line that had migrated almost into the right ventricle. Shortly after this finding, the PICC line was pulled back into the correct place and the patient no longer suffered any more runs of VTach and remained stable. Marisa continued to advocate for what she felt was right, she put the patient's safety and well­being first. Marisa is one of the most compassionate and dedicated nurses that I have had the honor to work with. She inspires the other staff with her positive attitude and eagerness to learn in every situation. Marisa is a shining example of a DAISY Nurse and what it means to be a compassionate caregiver to all the patients at Morristown Medical Center.