Over the past year, Monique has provided wound care this complex post liver transplant patient with an open abdominal wound. This patient's wound consisted of an open abdomen measuring 14cm x 26 cm x1cm, with multiple fistulas (approximately 8), and an ileostomy bag. The wound consistently have an output of 1-3L each shift. Currently, there is not a product on the market available to accommodate this wound, making it very challenging to change and manage, even for our wound care nurses. 

Due to the complexity of her open abdominal wound this patient had scheduled dressing changes with the wound nurses on Mon, Wed, and Fri. Often, over the weekend the patient's wound required an additional dressing change due to leaking. The patient was often in great distress when leaking from her wound became unmanageable requiring another change. Over the last year, Monique spent 1-2 hours each weekend changing this wound dressing in place of the wound care nurses. Monique would step in when the bedside nurse was no longer able to seal the areas of the wound. Monique did all of this while also being the charge nurse of 5/6A and even having a patient assignment herself.

Thanks to Monique's talent for wound care, and her willingness to learn the detailed steps of this complex dressing change, this transplant was kept comfortable over every weekend when limited wound care resources were available. We are thankful and proud to have such a talented nurse serve our transplant patient population. Nurses like Monique are what make our transplant unit so successful.