Beth has only been a UPMC employee for 4 months and in that short period of time has become an important part of the Wound Care Team. She is always willing to lend a hand when patients and or co-workers are in need.
Beth's skills were called upon when there was an issue with a patient's colostomy on the 2nd floor in the OP clinic. The staff had contacted the wound center to assist in finding a way to help a patient with severe excoriation surrounding his colostomy site and open surgical incision site. The patient was in pain and very disgruntled over the idea that his colostomy was continuously leaking, causing more excoriation to peri-wound and causing more pain. The nurse practitioner had asked for additional support from the wound care staff. Beth readily accepted the challenge! She assessed the situation and without hesitation had easily fixed the problem. Beth performed a teach-back with the patient, caretaker and the nursing staff in the OP clinic, on how to handle situations such as this one. Beth provided extra supplies for the patient to go home with and typed a step-by-step plan for the patient and caretaker to follow to securely attach the stoma and bag to the patient without experiencing much pain.
The patient and caretaker were extremely satisfied with the extra delicate care and professional experience that Beth displayed while caring for their loved one. This was a positive experience for all involved!
A few weeks after the visit, the family called Beth to thank her and tell her how well the wound looked and how things were working out.
Kudos to Beth for all she did to turn a negative experience into a positive one!