Huldah Pimentel
August 2020
Huldah
Pimentel
,
BSN, RN, ONC
A3 Orthopedic/Surgical
Methodist Charlton Medical Center
Hulda came by before she left and explained they were doing "bedside shift report" and found my mother unresponsive, she hugged me tight and said she was scared.
My mother became ill in Louisiana. Immediately, during this critical time, I thought she was COVID+, but thank God she was not. She had osteomyelitis with necrosis to her toes on the right foot. I was able to move my mother to Texas after a week. We have been in the hospital multiple times since this all started. We were at MCMC for the amputation of the 4th toe on the right foot. This is a day I will never forget. We had the amputation done, and mom had two toes amputated (3rd &4th toes) instead of one. We were admitted on the 3rd floor, Huldah was the admitting nurse. Huldah was amazing. She came to the room with the transporter, assessed my mom, and updated us on the plan of care.
As hours passed, my mother started bleeding out, Hulda immediately called the doctor and started to hold pressure/reinforce the dressing. The doctor returned, had to suture, and apply surgicel for mom to stop bleeding. Later, around 2 pm, my mother was transported for dialysis. I decided to leave for the day because I felt very comfortable that my mother was in great hands. I cannot recall every team member's name, but the clinical secretary walked me downstairs because I did not know how to get back to my car by the outpatient entrance.
Later, in the evening around 6 pm, I called Hulda because I knew my mother would be getting out of dialysis soon. I spoke with Hulda via phone asked if she would pass it on to the night nurse to watch for bleeding. Hulda assured me she would pass the information on, and she would make sure that my mom's foot was uncovered so the nursing staff would always see her foot when they enter the room. My mother received 1 unit PRBCs during dialysis.
Around 7 pm is when I received the most devastating call, it was Chaplain Carla. As a nurse, you hear on the phone chaplain, I immediately starting crying, asking what is going on. Chaplain Carla stayed on the phone with me, trying to reassure me I needed to get to MCMC because there had been a change in my mother's condition. I was hysterical. Chaplain Carla met me in the ED and walked me up to the 3rd floor. The code blue team was still at my mom's bedside. Thanks to God, my mother regained spontaneous circulation, was alert, and screaming because she did not recall what had happened. Hulda came by before she left and explained they were doing "bedside shift report" and found my mother unresponsive, she hugged me tight and said she was scared.
The team at MCMC was phenomenal; I met another doctor and the on-call cath team that night (amazing), ICU team post-cath (amazing), IMC step down (amazing), and 7th floor amazing. But I want to share some encounters that I know saved my mother's life, and now my mother lives with me and every night and morning we share how much we love each other. These moments are precious. Also, encounters that I know led to us having a great experience at MMMC.
1. Bedside shift report is how Hulda and night nurse found my mother unresponsive
2. Timeliness by starting CPR, EKG, calling the cath team in and the charge nurse walking with me to cath lab waiting area and calling the doctor (Communication with all of the Health care Team)
3. Daily updates from hospitalist calling me via phone and Dallas Renal doctor
4. I observed charge nurses doing walking rounds during the change of shift, updating the communication board
5. Using patient belongings bag to have Mom's wound care order taped to bag with supplies
6. The team's interaction with me, using words such as "my pleasure," "I will make sure I update the treatment team of your request."
7. Chaplain Carla stayed on the phone with me, allowing the doctor from the code blue team to speak with me once my mother was stable while I was en route to the hospital. Chaplain Carla came back to the cath lab waiting area, prayed with me (this was so meaningful during this time MHS was only able to allow one visitor). My brothers were outside in the parking lot.
8. Day of discharge, the nurse went over Mom's discharge paperwork with me. We had problems with benefits paying for Lidocaine patch (mom had pain from where CPR was performed) he assisted me with communication with the Kroger pharmacy and made sure I had the right number for the doctor for wound care
Today, my mom is doing very well. The wound is healing well.
Thank you to my MCMC family! I can see the personal touch from the MCMC team.
As hours passed, my mother started bleeding out, Hulda immediately called the doctor and started to hold pressure/reinforce the dressing. The doctor returned, had to suture, and apply surgicel for mom to stop bleeding. Later, around 2 pm, my mother was transported for dialysis. I decided to leave for the day because I felt very comfortable that my mother was in great hands. I cannot recall every team member's name, but the clinical secretary walked me downstairs because I did not know how to get back to my car by the outpatient entrance.
Later, in the evening around 6 pm, I called Hulda because I knew my mother would be getting out of dialysis soon. I spoke with Hulda via phone asked if she would pass it on to the night nurse to watch for bleeding. Hulda assured me she would pass the information on, and she would make sure that my mom's foot was uncovered so the nursing staff would always see her foot when they enter the room. My mother received 1 unit PRBCs during dialysis.
Around 7 pm is when I received the most devastating call, it was Chaplain Carla. As a nurse, you hear on the phone chaplain, I immediately starting crying, asking what is going on. Chaplain Carla stayed on the phone with me, trying to reassure me I needed to get to MCMC because there had been a change in my mother's condition. I was hysterical. Chaplain Carla met me in the ED and walked me up to the 3rd floor. The code blue team was still at my mom's bedside. Thanks to God, my mother regained spontaneous circulation, was alert, and screaming because she did not recall what had happened. Hulda came by before she left and explained they were doing "bedside shift report" and found my mother unresponsive, she hugged me tight and said she was scared.
The team at MCMC was phenomenal; I met another doctor and the on-call cath team that night (amazing), ICU team post-cath (amazing), IMC step down (amazing), and 7th floor amazing. But I want to share some encounters that I know saved my mother's life, and now my mother lives with me and every night and morning we share how much we love each other. These moments are precious. Also, encounters that I know led to us having a great experience at MMMC.
1. Bedside shift report is how Hulda and night nurse found my mother unresponsive
2. Timeliness by starting CPR, EKG, calling the cath team in and the charge nurse walking with me to cath lab waiting area and calling the doctor (Communication with all of the Health care Team)
3. Daily updates from hospitalist calling me via phone and Dallas Renal doctor
4. I observed charge nurses doing walking rounds during the change of shift, updating the communication board
5. Using patient belongings bag to have Mom's wound care order taped to bag with supplies
6. The team's interaction with me, using words such as "my pleasure," "I will make sure I update the treatment team of your request."
7. Chaplain Carla stayed on the phone with me, allowing the doctor from the code blue team to speak with me once my mother was stable while I was en route to the hospital. Chaplain Carla came back to the cath lab waiting area, prayed with me (this was so meaningful during this time MHS was only able to allow one visitor). My brothers were outside in the parking lot.
8. Day of discharge, the nurse went over Mom's discharge paperwork with me. We had problems with benefits paying for Lidocaine patch (mom had pain from where CPR was performed) he assisted me with communication with the Kroger pharmacy and made sure I had the right number for the doctor for wound care
Today, my mom is doing very well. The wound is healing well.
Thank you to my MCMC family! I can see the personal touch from the MCMC team.