vickie plopa, BSN

Vicki Plopa was taking care of a head and neck cancer patient who was having severe pain and was on a morphine PCA. The patient expressed to Vickie that he really wanted to be on his oral medication instead because he felt the longer acting medicine would help him. She advocated to the attending to get the medication switched and the patient's affect completed changed from anger and frustration to calm and pleasant. Her Patient expressed appreciation to Vicki that this is what he had been trying to ask for all along.

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Yesterday, while one of her fellow RN's was busy with her assignment, Vicki stepped in and discharged this nurse's patient to help her as well as to keep the patient from having to wait any longer.