Melissa Ethington
February 2021
Melissa
Ethington
,
BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC
3 East
Sarah Bush Lincoln
If Melissa had not held pressure until help arrived, or wasn't frequently checking on this patient, the outcome would have been dire.
Melissa Ethington has always been a nurse whom I aspire to be one day. Her clinical judgment is far beyond that of a regular nurse. She is one of the most knowledgeable nurses I have met, is always willing to teach, and she always has the time to jump in and help others. With those characteristics in mind, she also made several critical calls that saved not one, but two patients' lives in a single week.
The first patient came in with abdominal pain. He was supposed to be cleared to be discharged that day, but the doctor wanted to keep him for an EGD before going. He really wanted to go home and was about to leave AMA. Melissa sat him down and talked about his frustrations, but told him to please stay and have this EGD, and he'd probably be able to leave afterward. He agreed to stay, and because of her actions, they found a massive bleed during the EGD. The nurse downstairs said he certainly would have bled out at home if not for Melissa convincing him to stay.
The next patient was one who we had just seen in the hospital the week previous, and was coming back for an incisional bleed that was reoccurring. Melissa was assigned this patient both weeks, and when he started profusely bleeding on the second admission, she was calm and immediately held pressure for the patient. When other nurses came in to help, Melissa paged the physician and put in all the orders stat. The patient was moved to CCU before he went to the OR for emergent surgery. If Melissa had not held pressure until help arrived, or wasn't frequently checking on this patient, the outcome would have been dire. She only told me later how she was flustered and scared for her patient. She called the floor multiple times after leaving work to check on the patient because she is just that compassionate for her patients.
Melissa is a nurse that I would want at my bedside because I know that she has excellent clinical judgment, and has that "feeling" about when her patients are not doing well. I know that when Melissa says "we need to watch that patient," that it is serious and they need to be monitored closely. She shows compassion not only with her patients but with her coworkers as well. She is a true DAISY Nurse.
The first patient came in with abdominal pain. He was supposed to be cleared to be discharged that day, but the doctor wanted to keep him for an EGD before going. He really wanted to go home and was about to leave AMA. Melissa sat him down and talked about his frustrations, but told him to please stay and have this EGD, and he'd probably be able to leave afterward. He agreed to stay, and because of her actions, they found a massive bleed during the EGD. The nurse downstairs said he certainly would have bled out at home if not for Melissa convincing him to stay.
The next patient was one who we had just seen in the hospital the week previous, and was coming back for an incisional bleed that was reoccurring. Melissa was assigned this patient both weeks, and when he started profusely bleeding on the second admission, she was calm and immediately held pressure for the patient. When other nurses came in to help, Melissa paged the physician and put in all the orders stat. The patient was moved to CCU before he went to the OR for emergent surgery. If Melissa had not held pressure until help arrived, or wasn't frequently checking on this patient, the outcome would have been dire. She only told me later how she was flustered and scared for her patient. She called the floor multiple times after leaving work to check on the patient because she is just that compassionate for her patients.
Melissa is a nurse that I would want at my bedside because I know that she has excellent clinical judgment, and has that "feeling" about when her patients are not doing well. I know that when Melissa says "we need to watch that patient," that it is serious and they need to be monitored closely. She shows compassion not only with her patients but with her coworkers as well. She is a true DAISY Nurse.