Pandora Lau
July 2021
Pandora
Lau
,
RN
5 North Acute Care Unit
UCSF Medical Center at Mt. Zion
San Francisco
,
CA
United States
Pandora informed the primary team, who assessed the patient and ordered an ultrasound, which showed an inguinal hernia.
We had a gentleman arrive for an elective arthroplasty. The surgery went well, and he was moved to the unit for observation overnight. That night he was complaining about pain in his right groin. When the nurse Pandora Lau came in and learned about this patient’s symptoms, she assessed the groin and noticed a lump on the right side. She asked specific questions, and identified that four days prior to surgery, the patient was lifting a heavy object and injured his groin causing a small lump. The pain has steadily progressed since then, and the size of the lump had increased and was much more painful. Pandora informed the primary team, who assessed the patient and ordered an ultrasound, which showed an inguinal hernia. The patient was taken to the OR and had surgery. This was a great catch on the floor and really shows the teamwork we have at Mt. Zion.