The family member of the patient wrote this letter to nominate the extraordinary work of Ruben Quintana, RN:
My aunt was admitted for abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. She had not been doing well and continued with persistent abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The attending physician had been following her closely alongside a surgeon. A CT Scan was done without constrast in ER which didn’t show anything other than maybe Diverticulitis according to the attending physician. She had been on clear liquids but complained of severe pain to abdomen and has been getting morphine for pain. The attending physician was getting ready to discharge her, but thanks to Ruben who told the attending that this patient had a CT without contrast and that he should consider doing a CT with contrast.
That persistence from Ruben saved my aunts life... The CT revealed she has an obstruction and the surgery was scheduled for the following day. I want to commend Ruben for his excellent nursing assessment skills and persistence in taking care of his patients and not falling into the pressure of discharging a patient just because the physician thinks the patient is ready to go home. If Ruben would not have been persistent who knows what further complications my aunt might have developed.