Jocelyn Shelby
November 2016
Jocelyn
Shelby
,
RN
Float Pool/Admission Nurse
Penrose St. Francis Health Services
Colorado Springs
,
CO
United States

 

 

 

As an admission nurse, Jocelyn Shelby walks into an ER/Floor room introduces herself to the patient letting them know that an admission health history will be updated/reviewed with them. Many times this nurse will ask the patient what they came to the hospital for. In this particular instance, Jocelyn asked this ER patient that very question. He said, "I am doing well except for this leg of mine."
Usually, an acknowledgment of the reason is made to the patient and then the health history questions are asked. For some reason, Jocelyn decided to look under the sheet at the patient's leg and found that the undersheet, top sheet, and pants were saturated in blood and active bleeding was in progress. Jocelyn immediately applied pressure to the bleeding site as she called for help to the staff and doctor. She continued to hold pressure all the way to the OR accompanied by the ER doctor and delivered the patient to the surgeon urgently awaiting the patient in OR.
Jocelyn's critical thinking skills used outside her role of Admission Nurse literally saved this man's life. The ER staff talked about this incident for many hours later and were so thankful for Jocelyn's quick actions taken to help this patient. Jocelyn is a great asset to the float pool and to all she cares for. You are a great nurse Jocelyn!