MacKenzie Elliott
November 2020
Mackenzie
Elliott
,
RN
Coronary Care ICU
Tampa General Hospital
Tampa
,
FL
United States
She coordinated in person with multiple physicians to assure the proper notes and orders had been placed, she went up the chain of command here at TGH as needed, she spoke with numerous social workers to make sure placement referrals had been sent, and she coordinated with multiple Sergeants at the Air Force Base to ensure that this patient would finally get the proper mental health care that he deserved.
In October 2020, we received a patient who had tried to commit suicide at home. I will not get into the details of his story, but his wife found him in time and began CPR. When the patient arrived at TGH, he came to CCU to undergo target temperature management since he was considered post-cardiac arrest. The patient has served for over 15 years and was still on active duty at the time of his suicide attempt. He had served multiple tours in the Middle East and was trying to seek help for his PTSD. This was his 5th suicide attempt.
Mackenzie Elliot had this patient from the day they extubated him up until the day he was discharged from our unit. She worked 9 days in a row, picking up overtime, as it was available. Because of this, the patient and his wife became very comfortable and confident in her. This patient was cognitively and physically back to his baseline shortly after he was extubated. He was walking the unit with physical therapy and talking to Mackenzie about how he wanted to get the right mental health. With the patient being Baker Acted, it came as a challenge to get him to the appropriate psychiatric facility as he is active-duty military and is entrusted with classified information.
He had expressed that he would feel more comfortable going to a military facility where he can speak freely about the things he had seen while fighting for our freedom. Mackenzie took the challenge. She coordinated in person with multiple physicians to assure the proper notes and orders had been placed, she went up the chain of command here at TGH as needed, she spoke with numerous social workers to make sure placement referrals had been sent, and she coordinated with multiple Sergeants at the Air Force Base to ensure that this patient would finally get the proper mental health care that he deserved.
After countless phone calls and face-to-face conversations, her tenacious and relentless compassion for this patient paid off. He was discharged on his 32nd Birthday. He and his wife left with EMS to go to a military psychiatric facility with the proper clearance he required to freely speak of his burdens. For a man who fought for our country and sacrificed his health and mental wellbeing, it was a privilege to watch her fight for him.
Mackenzie Elliot had this patient from the day they extubated him up until the day he was discharged from our unit. She worked 9 days in a row, picking up overtime, as it was available. Because of this, the patient and his wife became very comfortable and confident in her. This patient was cognitively and physically back to his baseline shortly after he was extubated. He was walking the unit with physical therapy and talking to Mackenzie about how he wanted to get the right mental health. With the patient being Baker Acted, it came as a challenge to get him to the appropriate psychiatric facility as he is active-duty military and is entrusted with classified information.
He had expressed that he would feel more comfortable going to a military facility where he can speak freely about the things he had seen while fighting for our freedom. Mackenzie took the challenge. She coordinated in person with multiple physicians to assure the proper notes and orders had been placed, she went up the chain of command here at TGH as needed, she spoke with numerous social workers to make sure placement referrals had been sent, and she coordinated with multiple Sergeants at the Air Force Base to ensure that this patient would finally get the proper mental health care that he deserved.
After countless phone calls and face-to-face conversations, her tenacious and relentless compassion for this patient paid off. He was discharged on his 32nd Birthday. He and his wife left with EMS to go to a military psychiatric facility with the proper clearance he required to freely speak of his burdens. For a man who fought for our country and sacrificed his health and mental wellbeing, it was a privilege to watch her fight for him.