Jennifer Cristan
March 2019
Jennifer
Cristan
,
RN
Interventional Radiology
Covenant Health Lubbock
Lubbock
,
TX
United States
We had a patient in the Day Surgery Unit needing a CT scan. Our 46-year-old patient has Down Syndrome and was scared, angry and wanting to leave. The patient was hitting and kicking her parents and screaming non-stop. The parents were requesting something to help the patient calm down. They reported her behavior had not ever been this bad in the past. The nurses in Day Surgery attempted to calm the patient but their presence in the room seemed to intensify the situation. The parents helped to keep the patient in the bed, we finally got an order for some medication to calm the patient down. The patient took the medication without any problems. Day Surgery immediately let Radiology know so we could get the scan done in a timely manner. The Anesthesiologist was ready and Jennifer came to take the patient down to Radiology.
The patient did not want to go on the stretcher, so Jennifer took her in a wheelchair because that is what the patient wanted. Jennifer has such a kind and sweet spirit; her patients always respond positively to her. She has a servant heart in her interactions with patients. When they got down to the CT scan room Jennifer put on her lead apron to protect herself as much as possible and got up on the table and held the patient. The two of them played on her phone playing Candy Crush. This fragile patient who had been so terrified and angry, had her CT scan done without general anesthesia thanks to Jennifer going above and beyond to help get his test done. Jennifer then discharged the patient from Radiology because no medications were given during the procedure and this is what needed to bedone for the patient.
When I spoke to Jennifer today she told me the patient's mom was in the control room the whole time and she did not even know it and was shocked to see her come out after the test was complete. Jennifer gave her name to the mom and told her if they had to come back to Radiology for any more testing to call and make sure she was working that day so she could help with the patient.
Jennifer's actions reflect the values we talk about here at Covenant in this one patient encounter alone. I am so happy Jennifer is here on our team making a difference daily in the lives of patients at Covenant!
The patient did not want to go on the stretcher, so Jennifer took her in a wheelchair because that is what the patient wanted. Jennifer has such a kind and sweet spirit; her patients always respond positively to her. She has a servant heart in her interactions with patients. When they got down to the CT scan room Jennifer put on her lead apron to protect herself as much as possible and got up on the table and held the patient. The two of them played on her phone playing Candy Crush. This fragile patient who had been so terrified and angry, had her CT scan done without general anesthesia thanks to Jennifer going above and beyond to help get his test done. Jennifer then discharged the patient from Radiology because no medications were given during the procedure and this is what needed to bedone for the patient.
When I spoke to Jennifer today she told me the patient's mom was in the control room the whole time and she did not even know it and was shocked to see her come out after the test was complete. Jennifer gave her name to the mom and told her if they had to come back to Radiology for any more testing to call and make sure she was working that day so she could help with the patient.
Jennifer's actions reflect the values we talk about here at Covenant in this one patient encounter alone. I am so happy Jennifer is here on our team making a difference daily in the lives of patients at Covenant!