Teah Bland was the primary nurse for a patient in the Emergency Room. The patient was seen by the physician and discharged home. Teah states she did not feel comfortable discharging the patient home because she felt there were some abnormalities in his blood work. She spoke with the physician who stated it was ok to discharge the patient home. Teah went through all the discharge information and education with the patient and his family and the patient went home.
After leaving, she conveyed her concerns for the patient and stated she had a gut feeling something was wrong. She called the patient to inquire how he was feeling upon returning home. The wife answered and said the patient was worsening. Teah told the wife to bring the patient back to the ER immediately. Teah was waiting for the patient when they arrived and began a new assessment. New labs were ordered showed worsening of the previous abnormalities. The patient was ultimately admitted to the IMU with sepsis.
When speaking with the patient he said as soon as he got home he started feeling worse. He said, "it hit me like a ton of bricks." Teah states this is when she got her gut feeling something was wrong and decided to call and check on the patient. The wife told Teah, "That gut feeling was Jesus." The patient and his family were very pleased with the care and concern that Teah showed to them.
In this encounter, Teah acted as an advocate for her patients, showed critical thinking skills, and showed compassion by calling to check on her patient. This proves that her nursing care is patient-focused.