Stephanie has a very large capacity for compassion with all her patients, and recently that compassion impacted a patient and their whole life like none other. A long-stay patient admitted with confusion in the form of sudden cognitive deficits. The care team treated the patient for mechanical medicine issues with little to no improvement. Stephanie noticed the patient's hyperverbal and lack of neuro symptoms. She also saw an existing psych diagnosis and depression medications on the patient's home med list.
Stephanie presented these to the care team and was initially told psych was not the issue... a telepsych was completed. The patient was diagnosed with a psych issue and medications were started. This patient was discharged from the hospital with the MD stating he had full capacity and could return home to live independently with his wife in the community.