October 2022
Lisa
Deboise
,
RN
Hospital at Home
UMass Memorial Medical Center
Worcester
,
MA
United States
Lisa and Melissa spent approximately two hours on their day off with this patient who actively participated in the organization of his room.
On their day off, Lisa and Melissa went to the home of a Hospital at Home patient to assist in cleaning and organizing the patient's room. He was admitted with Upper GI Bleed, Acute Kidney Injury, A-Fib, and Heart Failure. The patient lives in a one-room group home and has no services to assist with ADLs. He does have meals delivered, however, due to hospitalization, all the food was spoiled in his room. Melissa and Lisa removed all trash and food from the room, and all surface areas were wiped down, cleaned, and disinfected. Mouse droppings were cleaned and items were moved to a higher shelf. Floors vacuumed and washed. All medication bottles found and placed in a single cabinet which he may need if prescribed at discharge. He was told not to take any of these medications. All food and drinks were safely stored, and everything expired was removed. Lisa and Melissa spent approximately two hours on their day off with this patient who actively participated in the organization of his room. During this time, they used the opportunity to provide education to the patient regarding his poor eating habits, personal hygiene, and room cleanliness. The patient had admitted to eating McDonald's quite a bit which was evidenced by the significant number of McDonald's bags in his room as well as the bags of empty soda cans. They explained the impact of his diet choices on his chronic illnesses. They also explained the importance of keeping his room clean and neat. They arranged for a nutritional and social worker consult and post-discharge follow-up with VNA to support his discharge medication management. This story is a testament to the compassion and dedication both nurses offer to each and every one of the patients.