Ashley G Taylor
August 2024
Ashley G
Taylor
,
RN
Day Surgery
Atrium Health Pineville
Charlotte
,
NC
United States
It is not every day that a nurse knows that she herself is responsible for saving a patient’s life. Without a doubt, Ashley saved this patient’s life that day.
It was another busy afternoon in day surgery. Ashley was juggling multiple patients as well as helping other nurses with their tasks when she got the call for report on another patient ready for discharge. This patient had undergone an extensive GYN-related surgery and had completed her PACU stay, our phase 2 discharge area would be her final stop before she headed home with her family for the day.
The patient was brought into the unit, and immediately upon attempting to transfer her from the stretcher into the recliner, the patient felt faint and nearly fell— Ashley was right there to assist our healthcare tech in getting the patient safely into her seat. She immediately sprang into action to check the patient’s vital signs and make sure that she was stable following this near miss incident. The patient’s blood pressure was slightly low, but nothing that would cause immediate alarm. Ashley decided to keep the patient on the monitor and continue to trend her blood pressures while she got the patient’s family members back to join her and begin the process of gathering discharge paperwork.
Ashley began to get concerned as the patient’s blood pressure continued to trend downward and the patient became increasingly sleepy. Ashley checked the patient for all the key markers of anything suspicious in a hypotensive post-op patient. Ashley was extremely thorough in her care and assessment of this patient, taking time to ask her what her blood pressure would typically be and ensuring she was not having any excessive bleeding. Ashley reached out to the anesthesia provider after a gut feeling that something just did not seem right. On paper her blood pressure was not terribly low, and she had no signs of anything critical, but Ashley just knew something was not right.
The anesthesia provider placed orders for some small-scale interventions for the patient. Ashley completed the orders and closely monitored the patient the whole time— willing something to change for her. After several rounds of interventions, she had the anesthesia provider come and see the patient. He immediately knew Ashley’s instincts had been correct. This patient was supposed to be going home but instead her surgeon, and his team were very quickly wheeling her back into the OR for suspected internal bleeding.
As nurses, we know that every day we have the opportunity to make an impact on patients’ lives, often times that impact may be small but still meaningful. It is not every day that a nurse knows that she herself is responsible for saving a patient’s life. Without a doubt, Ashley saved this patient’s life that day. The patient went on to receive several blood transfusions in the OR and remained in the hospital for extra days to recover. Ashley was the advocate that this patient needed, it was because of her critical thinking, quick action, and deep care that this patient is alive today after making a full recovery.
The patient was brought into the unit, and immediately upon attempting to transfer her from the stretcher into the recliner, the patient felt faint and nearly fell— Ashley was right there to assist our healthcare tech in getting the patient safely into her seat. She immediately sprang into action to check the patient’s vital signs and make sure that she was stable following this near miss incident. The patient’s blood pressure was slightly low, but nothing that would cause immediate alarm. Ashley decided to keep the patient on the monitor and continue to trend her blood pressures while she got the patient’s family members back to join her and begin the process of gathering discharge paperwork.
Ashley began to get concerned as the patient’s blood pressure continued to trend downward and the patient became increasingly sleepy. Ashley checked the patient for all the key markers of anything suspicious in a hypotensive post-op patient. Ashley was extremely thorough in her care and assessment of this patient, taking time to ask her what her blood pressure would typically be and ensuring she was not having any excessive bleeding. Ashley reached out to the anesthesia provider after a gut feeling that something just did not seem right. On paper her blood pressure was not terribly low, and she had no signs of anything critical, but Ashley just knew something was not right.
The anesthesia provider placed orders for some small-scale interventions for the patient. Ashley completed the orders and closely monitored the patient the whole time— willing something to change for her. After several rounds of interventions, she had the anesthesia provider come and see the patient. He immediately knew Ashley’s instincts had been correct. This patient was supposed to be going home but instead her surgeon, and his team were very quickly wheeling her back into the OR for suspected internal bleeding.
As nurses, we know that every day we have the opportunity to make an impact on patients’ lives, often times that impact may be small but still meaningful. It is not every day that a nurse knows that she herself is responsible for saving a patient’s life. Without a doubt, Ashley saved this patient’s life that day. The patient went on to receive several blood transfusions in the OR and remained in the hospital for extra days to recover. Ashley was the advocate that this patient needed, it was because of her critical thinking, quick action, and deep care that this patient is alive today after making a full recovery.