Mary, when assessing the patient, noted one extremity cooler than the others. When the issue was escalated to the physician, there was nothing done initially since there was no great difference in extremity's temperature compared to the others. She kept monitoring (the temperature) given the patient's history of stroke, causing right-sided paralysis. She kept voicing her concern, advocating fervently for her patient to get an ultrasound. The ultrasound was completed eventually and showed clots in two areas of the extremity in question. A heparin drip was started immediately, keeping the patient from having more clots.
Mary's persistence and concern resulted in a better outcome for the patient and may have saved her life.