Christina Leann Dillard
July 2025
Christina Leann
Dillard
,
RN
Pre-Operation Holding
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center
Mechanicsville
,
VA
United States
Leann saved this gentleman's life.
On a daily basis, Leann goes above and beyond to ensure that patients are discharged with a clear understanding of the ins and outs of their care at home. She also makes sure the families are involved in aftercare. When she receives patients from PACU, she takes the time to get to know the patients and observe how they are to ensure they are safely discharged home.
There have been multiple occasions when Leann has caught things for patients, and they have ended up staying the night in the hospital for an observation period. She also conducts post-op phone calls the next day after surgery to check in on patients.
On Wednesday, there was a patient who had gallbladder surgery and had to be on blood thinners. Once the patient was admitted to phase two, Leann noted that the patient had oozing from the site. She contacted the surgeon, and he did an ultrasound at the bedside and stated it was a hematoma, and the patient was able to be discharged home. Leann spoke with the patient and his daughter, letting them know the daughter should stay with the patient overnight, or the patient should stay at the daughter's house. On the morning of Thursday, when Leann came into work, she immediately called the patient to check in on him.
I have worked with Leann for a long time, and I will have to say she has a pretty keen Spidey sense when things are just not right. When she spoke with the patient, he stated he stayed at home by himself and was experiencing a lot of pain. Leanne asked him if he felt the need to go to the ED. The patient said he didn't think that he would make it to the ED. Leann then called his daughter and spoke with her. The daughter stated that she had last checked on her dad the night before. Leann stressed to his daughter that she needed to call her dad and check on him, or go by his house and see him. The daughter stated she would call her dad. After about 20 to 30 minutes, Leanne called the daughter back to follow up, and she still had not called her dad. Leann stressed again for the daughter to call her dad. The daughter called back a few minutes later and stated that she had talked to her dad and could tell something was wrong, and she called 911 for him.
The patient was brought back to MRMC ED and ultimately had emergency surgery for internal bleeding. I feel that few would have continued to follow up with the patient and daughter. Leann went above and beyond by continuing to follow up with both the patient and his daughter. Leann saved this gentleman's life. Leann has phenomenal critical thinking skills and uses them daily to make sure that the patients she cares for are safe and comfortable going home.
There have been multiple occasions when Leann has caught things for patients, and they have ended up staying the night in the hospital for an observation period. She also conducts post-op phone calls the next day after surgery to check in on patients.
On Wednesday, there was a patient who had gallbladder surgery and had to be on blood thinners. Once the patient was admitted to phase two, Leann noted that the patient had oozing from the site. She contacted the surgeon, and he did an ultrasound at the bedside and stated it was a hematoma, and the patient was able to be discharged home. Leann spoke with the patient and his daughter, letting them know the daughter should stay with the patient overnight, or the patient should stay at the daughter's house. On the morning of Thursday, when Leann came into work, she immediately called the patient to check in on him.
I have worked with Leann for a long time, and I will have to say she has a pretty keen Spidey sense when things are just not right. When she spoke with the patient, he stated he stayed at home by himself and was experiencing a lot of pain. Leanne asked him if he felt the need to go to the ED. The patient said he didn't think that he would make it to the ED. Leann then called his daughter and spoke with her. The daughter stated that she had last checked on her dad the night before. Leann stressed to his daughter that she needed to call her dad and check on him, or go by his house and see him. The daughter stated she would call her dad. After about 20 to 30 minutes, Leanne called the daughter back to follow up, and she still had not called her dad. Leann stressed again for the daughter to call her dad. The daughter called back a few minutes later and stated that she had talked to her dad and could tell something was wrong, and she called 911 for him.
The patient was brought back to MRMC ED and ultimately had emergency surgery for internal bleeding. I feel that few would have continued to follow up with the patient and daughter. Leann went above and beyond by continuing to follow up with both the patient and his daughter. Leann saved this gentleman's life. Leann has phenomenal critical thinking skills and uses them daily to make sure that the patients she cares for are safe and comfortable going home.