Isabelle Betts
July 2023
Isabelle
Betts
,
BSN, RN
ED
The Queen's Medical Center Punchbowl
Honolulu
,
HI
United States

 

 

 

I thanked Izzy for advocating for my father. Being a patient or being a loved one who is accompanying a patient in the ED is extremely scary, and Izzy took the time to explain things to me.
On Christmas night, my 85 year old father lost his balance and fell backwards onto the hard cement. He was taken by ambulance to QMC ED where it was discovered that he suffered a proximal humerus fracture on his right side. While he was fortunate that the orthopedic surgeons determined that he would not need emergency surgery or even a painful manipulation to set the shoulder in place, my father was in a great deal of pain. Izzy took care of my father and showed him lots of compassion. What really set her beyond the call was that she advocated for my father in discussions with the orthopedic surgical resident who was on duty that night. While the orthopedic surgical resident wanted to discharge my father with an arm sling and a prescription for pain medications, Izzy recognized that my father was still in a great amount of pain despite given multiple doses of morphine intravenously. Izzy explained to the orthopedic surgical resident her concern about discharging my father in this state with the real possibility of my father returning the next night, withering in pain. Izzy respectfully suggested that they run a course of the oral pain medications to him at the ED and wait to see how the medications managed his pain. The orthopedic surgical resident told Izzy that my father's pain would subside over time and because he did not require hospitalization, he needed to be discharged. The ED physician on duty acted as the "tie breaker" and after hearing both sides and allowing me to offer my thoughts on the matter, decided to run the course of oral pain medications at the ED and see how it managed my father's pain. I thanked Izzy for advocating for my father. Being a patient or being a loved one who is accompanying a patient in the ED is extremely scary, and Izzy took the time to explain things to me. She showed great compassion for my father throughout his entire stay at the ED and even helped him into the wheelchair and into my car to take him home. She went over his discharge papers with me, including his medications, and assured me that my dad would be okay. She treated my dad like he was a member of her own family. Her care, thoughtfulness, and advocacy were outstanding and above and beyond the call. Mahalo Izzy.