Caroline informed her manager about a patient that she was caring for who had experienced complications with an incision. When Caroline was doing her discharge teaching and arranging for follow up home care (the patient needed dressing changes and wound packing twice per day) she realized that the patient’s insurance company would only cover one (1) homecare visit per day. Caroline continued to reassure the patient and review the discharge information. Caroline was not convinced that the patient would be able to perform these changes unassisted due to the location of the dressing. Her concern grew when she realized that she did not have family or friends that would be available to help her during her first few days at home.

Caroline sat and talked with the patient for an extended period of time. All the while Caroline was trying to think of other resources the patient may be able to utilize. During this time at the bedside, Caroline and the patient discovered they had a mutual acquaintance and that they lived only blocks from each other. Caroline volunteered her time to the patient and offered to come to her home each day to assist with her second dressing change of the day. Caroline’s compassion and concern for her patients’ well being should not go unrecognized.

After following up with Caroline to see how the patient progressed, it turned out that she only needed to help her a few times. The patient is doing well.

Caroline is an outstanding nurse and her patients are lucky to have her.