Lis took care of an extremely challenging patient on 6 West for over six weeks. This gentleman was Spanish speaking only, in the US undocumented, which meant he had no access to insurance or health care benefits, and had no family at all except a brother in another country. He had cancer, which resulted in him needing extensive surgery, and he ended up with a permanent trach and PEG. (He eventually was able to eat orally, but would need his PEG again once radiation commenced.)

This gentleman was very, very reluctant to learn his own care, and insisted that the nurses provide all of his activities of daily living. Lis, who is fluent in Spanish, began slowly encouraging him and teaching him first how to do his own tube feedings. With much repetition and some "tough love", he finally was successful in that task. Then she moved on to teaching him how to care for his trach, suctioning, cleaning, changing his device daily.

Again, she met resistance, and again she persisted! He learned this task as well! This patient was newly diagnosed as diabetic, and had to learn how to check his blood sugars frequently during the day, and how to medicate himself appropriately. Yet again, Lis stepped up to the plate until he was able to learn this need. The next hurdle was a disposition plan!

This gentleman needed 6 weeks of radiation therapy, (5 times a week for 6 weeks), but he did not require hospitalization. The team recognized that because he lived in a trailer in a very distant part of the state and did not drive, the best option would be to have him go to our Hospitality House and take the shuttle bus each day to receive his radiation treatment. However, he would need to be able to buy groceries somewhere, cook for himself, get on the shuttle bus at the appropriate time, and generally live in a world of English speaking people!

Lis was yet again up to the task. She translated into Spanish (with English translations next to it) key phrases that he could show to people if he needed help ("Where is the shuttle bus?" "Where is the grocery store?" "I feel bad, can you call for help?") as well as his prescriptions, his glucometer instructions, how to connect his phone to wifi....she even helped him call his friend to pick up his last paycheck!

Then on the day that he was to go to Hospitality House, we realized no one could give him directions (few staff over there speak Spanish), so she actually rode the shuttle bus with him, along with our ANM, unpacked all of his belongings, carried his tube feeding cans to his room, and got him settled with learning his new environment. Then she returned to 6W and finished giving report on all of her other patients for the day! She is also precepting a new grad and was teaching her how to manage this complex patient during his entire stay on 6W. I have no doubt whatsoever that this gentleman would still be on 6W (unnecessarily) without the massive efforts of Lis to pull off this complex discharge! She has done a phenomenal job!