Sarah had a patient on her team that was acting out with psychotic episodes. After much research with speaking with the patient's PCP, the patient's daughter and granddaughter, the family members and PCP stated this was not normal for the patient. While looking at the patient's medications, Sarah identified a new antibiotic that the patient had been started on. After looking at the medication Sarah spoke to the local pharmacist. The pharmacist did feel this could be a rare side effect of the medication. Sarah then spoke with the patient's doctor and spoke of her concerns and asked if the antibiotic could be changed. The patient's doctor did change the antibiotics and within 24 hours the patient returned to her baseline neuro status.
With the patient's psychotic episodes getting worse the doctor was looking to start the patient on psychotic medications and was speaking to the family about transferring the patient to a hospital that could address her psychotic episodes. By Sarah caring for her patient she not only was able to help the doctor determine the cause of the psychotic episodes, she prevented new medications being ordered, and the transfer to another hospital.