Christine Rivera
April 2021
Christine
Rivera
,
BSN, RN
Home Care
Lehigh Valley Hospital
Allentown
,
PA
United States
Christine, hanging upside down, called the office to let someone know she had an accident and asked if someone could let her patients know that she was going to be late.
Let me begin by describing Christine as amazing, caring, dedicated, compassionate, and the most selfless nurse I have ever met. She is a nurse who not only truly listens to her patients’ questions and needs but also addresses them. Christine quickly develops a rapport with her patients—a very special skill that a nurse must accomplish in a short period of time. Christine is so dedicated to her patients, always striving to do the right thing, to protecting her patient’s privacy, and to keeping her patients updated.
Christine took all of this to another level when she experienced a very traumatic car accident while working in the community. Christine called into the home care office to say she was in a car accident and may be late to her patients. Yes, she said she would just be late to see her patients. Later, it was learned that Christine was hanging upside down by her seatbelt when she called into the home care office that morning. Christine shared with me her story and I’d like to share it with you.
Christine said was traveling between patients when another vehicle ran a stop sign and hit her vehicle rolling it over several times and then landing on its roof with her trapped inside hanging by her seat belt. She said she screamed for help and thank goodness someone was not far from her heard her cries and attempted to help. Christine went on to share how the police officer let her know he was there and was going to help her. She heard him panic when he started to smell gas and tried to get her out of the vehicle but was unable to. She could hear how they were spraying stuff around her to secure the scene from the gas that was all around them. She described how she needed to get to her phone “to call her job” so they could let her patients know she will be late. Yes, she was still thinking she would just be late to see her patients. She was also asking if anyone else was injured and if everyone else was okay.
As the rescue team started to use machinery to free her from the vehicle, Christine, hanging upside down, called the office to let someone know she had an accident and asked if someone could let her patients know that she was going to be late. Christine has taken “keep your patients informed” to a whole new level. As Christine was pulled out of the vehicle, she was concerned about maintaining her patients’ privacy, so she made the officer grab the envelope from between her seat that contained patient information. Christine went on to share that the day of the accident was also the day her grandfather died.
Christine said she felt that her grandfather was looking down over her that day making sure she made it home to her husband and children. Christine shared that it was the thoughts of her husband and children that provided her the will to stay strong and call for help and move the seat belt of her neck before she completely lost consciousness. It was Christine’s selfless acts of concern about her patients, the other driver, her children, and HIPPA that gave Christine the strength and will to make it through this ordeal. I want to acknowledge this amazing nurse for her heroic acts of kindness and selflessness toward others.
Christine took all of this to another level when she experienced a very traumatic car accident while working in the community. Christine called into the home care office to say she was in a car accident and may be late to her patients. Yes, she said she would just be late to see her patients. Later, it was learned that Christine was hanging upside down by her seatbelt when she called into the home care office that morning. Christine shared with me her story and I’d like to share it with you.
Christine said was traveling between patients when another vehicle ran a stop sign and hit her vehicle rolling it over several times and then landing on its roof with her trapped inside hanging by her seat belt. She said she screamed for help and thank goodness someone was not far from her heard her cries and attempted to help. Christine went on to share how the police officer let her know he was there and was going to help her. She heard him panic when he started to smell gas and tried to get her out of the vehicle but was unable to. She could hear how they were spraying stuff around her to secure the scene from the gas that was all around them. She described how she needed to get to her phone “to call her job” so they could let her patients know she will be late. Yes, she was still thinking she would just be late to see her patients. She was also asking if anyone else was injured and if everyone else was okay.
As the rescue team started to use machinery to free her from the vehicle, Christine, hanging upside down, called the office to let someone know she had an accident and asked if someone could let her patients know that she was going to be late. Christine has taken “keep your patients informed” to a whole new level. As Christine was pulled out of the vehicle, she was concerned about maintaining her patients’ privacy, so she made the officer grab the envelope from between her seat that contained patient information. Christine went on to share that the day of the accident was also the day her grandfather died.
Christine said she felt that her grandfather was looking down over her that day making sure she made it home to her husband and children. Christine shared that it was the thoughts of her husband and children that provided her the will to stay strong and call for help and move the seat belt of her neck before she completely lost consciousness. It was Christine’s selfless acts of concern about her patients, the other driver, her children, and HIPPA that gave Christine the strength and will to make it through this ordeal. I want to acknowledge this amazing nurse for her heroic acts of kindness and selflessness toward others.