I would like to nominate an extraordinary nurse on my unit. Rebecca Fitzgerald is my co-worker on the Mother/ Infant Unit here at MRMC. When our floor isn't busy with new mothers and babies our staff will float out to other units throughout the hospital to help where needed. On one such day Becky floated out to be a sitter on another unit. When she arrived on the unit for her assignment there was a 98 yr. old man that she was to sit with for her shift because he was getting up and down out of bed constantly and was a fall risk. Becky arrived there at 0700. From 0700-0745 when the two nurses came in to give bedside shift report, the gentleman had gotten up to try to void in the bathroom a total of 15 times. He just couldn't void but felt tremendous pressure and burning to void. Becky expressed her concern to the two nurses and asked when he had last voided? The nurses told her not to worry about the man that he was fine and that this was normal for him to get up and down. They told her not to worry about it.
Another 30 minutes passed and so did another 10 times that this man tried to void. The nurse came back in to drop off something and Becky expressed concern again that this man was in pain and he needed to void. The nurse told her that she was bringing in some medications that would help him to void and not to worry, he was fine. Becky had to keep calling the nurse to the room and was told she would be right in. Not being totally familiar with that floor and their type of patients, she wanted to give the nurses the benefit of doubt. Maybe the medications would help him to void. The family of the man arrived and saw what was happening and they tried getting the nurse to the room as well. Becky was trying to give the nurse time because we all know how busy nurses can get, but she was so concerned over this patient and wouldn't give up!
She got the nurse into the room and informed her that she had taken the patient to the bathroom 45 times since she started her shift and something was definitely wrong. Becky asked her if she could bladder scan the man to make sure there wasn't a full bladder and possible urinary retention. The nurse agreed and she performed the scan. The man had 1000 ml of urine in his bladder. About that time the doctor came in and Becky told the MD what had been going on with the patient. He ordered that a Foley be inserted. The nurse placed the Foley and emptied 1100 ml of urine. The man got instantaneous relief from having an empty bladder!
He couldn't stop thanking Becky for helping him! I believe that this is a perfect example of what it means to be an extraordinary nurse. When you know in your gut that something isn't right and you keep asking questions and you keep suggesting interventions until you figure out what is going on and fix it! She was told over and over again not to worry about this man and to just do her job, which was to take him to and from the bathroom so he wouldn't fall. Being a nurse you need to always be a patient advocate no matter what your job title is for that particular day. Becky is a RN but that day she was a sitter. I believe as a RN that she brought a particular skill set to the patient to be able to assess the need for additional help. No matter what our job title we should all be heard and not dismissed.
Becky fought for her patient and ultimately helped him. She's an extraordinary Nurse.