Jacqueline Bouknight
December 2024
Jacqueline
Bouknight
,
RN
ER
Wellstar Douglas Hospital
Douglasville
,
GA
United States
Her thinking was totally “out of the box” as she advised us that “mother was her patient and she could not send her to CT leaking,” her care and attention to my mother was genuine and careful.
On Saturday evening, my mother was transported to the Douglasville Wellstar Emergency Department (ED), and placed in a room, where my 80-yr old dad and myself encountered her assigned nurse, RN Jackie. RN Jackie was nothing short of amazing and this was a praiseworthy encounter for my family. Dealing with my mother’s cancer has put a tremendous strain on the family, and having to endure another trip to the ED added additional stress and frustration. However, Wellstar employees such as RN Jackie truly made our visit to the ED less stressful. RN Jackie was authentic and talkative but professional, which helped us to relax. She took one look at my mother’s leaking PEG tube and began to make her own leakproof dressing, which would not soak through the gown nor onto the bed sheets. Her thinking was totally “out of the box” as she advised us that “mother was her patient and she could not send her to CT leaking,” her care and attention to my mother was genuine and careful.
Nurse Jackie was not finished. Once the Peg tube was removed by the ED doctor, who placed two 4x4 gauze dressings over the leaking, open wound and secured them with paper tape. The dressing was inadequate and soaked mother’s gown, body, and bed chucks. Nurse Jackie went to work again, cleaning Mother up, and thinking of a way to keep her and her bed dry. RN Jackie advised me to be patient for just a moment as she explained her thought of using a colostomy bag as a solution to cover my mother’s wound and prevent further leaking. She advised us that the ED does not carry colostomy bags, however she knew exactly where to get one. When RN Jackie returned, she presented a colostomy bag. She cut the bag so it would fit over Mother’s leaking wound, which again demonstrated stellar thinking, excellent patient care, and ingenuity. RN Jackie placed the colostomy bag at 3 am Sunday morning and it was not replaced again until 5 am Monday morning on the ward.
RN Jackie’s quick thinking and creativity assisted not only her patient but also the ED team and other Wellstar staff, who would subsequently encounter my mother and continue to use her idea. My entire family thank you Registered Nurse Jackie, ED, Douglasville, Wellstar, you are a credit to your profession and to Wellstar ED.
Nurse Jackie was not finished. Once the Peg tube was removed by the ED doctor, who placed two 4x4 gauze dressings over the leaking, open wound and secured them with paper tape. The dressing was inadequate and soaked mother’s gown, body, and bed chucks. Nurse Jackie went to work again, cleaning Mother up, and thinking of a way to keep her and her bed dry. RN Jackie advised me to be patient for just a moment as she explained her thought of using a colostomy bag as a solution to cover my mother’s wound and prevent further leaking. She advised us that the ED does not carry colostomy bags, however she knew exactly where to get one. When RN Jackie returned, she presented a colostomy bag. She cut the bag so it would fit over Mother’s leaking wound, which again demonstrated stellar thinking, excellent patient care, and ingenuity. RN Jackie placed the colostomy bag at 3 am Sunday morning and it was not replaced again until 5 am Monday morning on the ward.
RN Jackie’s quick thinking and creativity assisted not only her patient but also the ED team and other Wellstar staff, who would subsequently encounter my mother and continue to use her idea. My entire family thank you Registered Nurse Jackie, ED, Douglasville, Wellstar, you are a credit to your profession and to Wellstar ED.