I want to take a moment to recognize Ron Redden, RN, for exceptional nursing performance.

A Veteran expressed worsening abdominal pain on the WRU, and Ron alerted me to the situation immediately, even though anyone else might have dismissed the reported pain because the Veteran had explicitly requested a hydromorphone injection one day prior. Ron knew about the prior request for pain medication and still appropriately recognized medical acuity by alerting the Veteran's attending physician. The situation did not meet parameters for a rapid response call; however, Ron's correct recognition of medical acuity and excellent communication skills were critical to resolving the situation. He obtained stat bloodwork for this Veteran and prioritized facilitating the medical workup with vital signs and transport to imaging, such that an unforeseen acute medical condition was definitively identified quickly. The Veteran was urgently transferred to the Medicine service within hours (and ultimately the ICU). While this may sound like recognition of Ron's medical skills, I feel it is also a reflection of his mental health skills in that many mental health professionals would have attributed this presentation to the Veteran's known mental illness, and Ron accurately recognized it was not.

Ron also acted with compassion, attending to the Veteran's needs frequently and appropriately advocating for pain and symptom control without stigma, even before the acute medical diagnosis was known. Ischemic bowel can be fatal if care is delayed, so it seems reasonable to say that Ron saved this Veteran's life in his role as his nurse that day. I am grateful for both Ron's skill and service to this Veteran and all our Veterans on the Warriors Recovery Unit.