December 2017
Suzanne
Isaack
,
RN
Emergency Room
Piedmont Fayette Hospital
Fayetteville
,
GA
United States
A patient came into the ED with Tuberculosis (TB). The patient did not want to stay for admission and/or treatment because she had 2 dogs at home and no one to care for them. They would not be fed or let outside. Suzanne tried over several hours to convince this patient to stay for treatment. The patient said she would be leaving against medical advice to go and take care of her dogs. Suzanne knew that the patient and the community would be at risk if this patient did not get treatment for their TB. Suzanne offered to drive to Clayton County to feed and let the dogs out for the patient. The patient stated they needed it twice a day if she were to be admitted. Suzanne agreed to go to this patient's house twice a day to care for her dogs. The patient was admitted for 5 days and received the necessary care she needed (and so did the dogs). Suzanne went and cared for the dogs for 5 days. Extraordinary. Suzanne did not live anywhere near this person and it was a great sacrifice in time and deed as she also works fulltime in the emergency room.