I had a patient who was literally a football field away from the nurse’s station. I am an experienced nurse, but I like to keep the charge nurse updated so there are no surprises. Since my patient had a temporary pacemaker in his neck, and he was stating he would pull it out if he didn’t get it replaced with a permanent one; I decided to notify the charge nurse. I was already busy calling doctors, providing emotional support, and educating the patient. Our unit of 55 beds was full.

Jessica did not just make a note of this dangerous situation. She called, texted, and spoke to the patient’s providers herself. She also went down to the patient’s room and had an extended conversation with him. Jess routinely goes above and beyond in this way. Working with her, you always feel the support you need is there. My patient did not pull his temporary pacemaker out. It may take a village, but I know that Jess was a significant part of preventing him from making that rash decision.