On Wednesday in our Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Outpatient Clinic, one of our patients with T-cell Lymphoma presented acutely ill for an office visit. Joan Ramirez immediately recognized the symptoms from observation alone while the patient was sitting in the waiting room. She took charge and coordinated what followed to allow for a smooth transition and transfer to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Joan acted quickly and placed the patient in a room, accessed his port, drew cultures and blood work and started a normal saline bolus due to the patient's hypotension. She notified our physicians of the patient's critical condition. She also communicated efficiently with her other team members which consisted of nurses, medical assistants, and front office registration staff. She portrayed a sense of calmness but acted with urgency to assure her patient received the care he needed. As described by Dr. R, "Joan led her team with calmness. She worked fast and remained focused. She was a Rockstar that day!" Due to her amazing work, our patient was transferred safely to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit where he was further treated for sepsis.
Joan is an amazing nurse, who is hardworking and values teamwork. She took the time to recognize her colleagues for doing a great job; without showcasing her own excellent work. This just proves how humble she is and that is something that is very admirable. We are honored to have Joan Ramirez as a part of our team and we believe she is beyond worthy of a DAISY Award.