Alyssa Buzzelli
November 2024
Alyssa
Buzzelli
,
BSN, RN, CNOR, RNFA
Operating Room
Children's Mercy Kansas City
Kansas City
,
MO
United States
This is just one example of how big of an advocate Alyssa is for our patients and families and how much she truly cares about doing what is best for them, even if it is not the most convenient!
Alyssa is an outstanding nurse! She comes to work every day with a patient-first mindset, and this particular day was no different. OR nurses often go unrecognized because people don't get to see the passion and handwork that they put in every day since they are so isolated from the other units in the hospital.
On this day, a patient was coming in for surgery through same-day surgery. In talking through the procedure with the surgeon and what they were doing, Alyssa identified that the patient may not have needed anesthesia to figure out if surgery was needed. The patient had what was believed to be a stent left in that had not passed yet. To determine if the patient did need to go to surgery, Alyssa asked if it would be possible to get a KUB instead to check to see if it had passed. Same-Day Surgery would not be able to accommodate this request due to their walls not being x-ray-safe. Alyssa did not accept this response and felt strongly about determining whether or not this patient needed surgery prior to taking them back and charging the family for a possibly unnecessary OR and anesthesia bill.
In true Alyssa form, she kept searching for alternatives and called radiology to see if they could squeeze this patient in. Radiology was behind schedule and unable to accommodate this request, so Alyssa collaborated with one of our OR radiology techs to get a KUB done in the PACU holding area. Alyssa took the patient and family from the SDS area to our holding area, where we bring our inpatients for surgery, and had one of our OR radiology techs meet her there. From the holding area, the KUB was obtained, and it was noted that the stent had passed on and surgery was no longer needed! This was a huge relief for this patient and family and saved the child from going through an unnecessary procedure and anesthesia, not to mention a huge bill! This is just one example of how big of an advocate Alyssa is for our patients and families and how much she truly cares about doing what is best for them, even if it is not the most convenient!
On this day, a patient was coming in for surgery through same-day surgery. In talking through the procedure with the surgeon and what they were doing, Alyssa identified that the patient may not have needed anesthesia to figure out if surgery was needed. The patient had what was believed to be a stent left in that had not passed yet. To determine if the patient did need to go to surgery, Alyssa asked if it would be possible to get a KUB instead to check to see if it had passed. Same-Day Surgery would not be able to accommodate this request due to their walls not being x-ray-safe. Alyssa did not accept this response and felt strongly about determining whether or not this patient needed surgery prior to taking them back and charging the family for a possibly unnecessary OR and anesthesia bill.
In true Alyssa form, she kept searching for alternatives and called radiology to see if they could squeeze this patient in. Radiology was behind schedule and unable to accommodate this request, so Alyssa collaborated with one of our OR radiology techs to get a KUB done in the PACU holding area. Alyssa took the patient and family from the SDS area to our holding area, where we bring our inpatients for surgery, and had one of our OR radiology techs meet her there. From the holding area, the KUB was obtained, and it was noted that the stent had passed on and surgery was no longer needed! This was a huge relief for this patient and family and saved the child from going through an unnecessary procedure and anesthesia, not to mention a huge bill! This is just one example of how big of an advocate Alyssa is for our patients and families and how much she truly cares about doing what is best for them, even if it is not the most convenient!