Colin O'Neill
October 2023
Colin
O'Neill
,
RN, BSN, PCCN
Select Float Pool
Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital
West Chester
,
PA
United States
Colin noticed my color was worse, and I was diaphoretic. Colin called a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner to the bedside, and the decision was made to move me immediately to the ICU. Shortly after that, I was transferred emergently to HUP’s Surgical ICU.
A Patient called the Patient Experience Department in September 2023 with the sole purpose of ensuring Colin O’Neill, RN, was recognized for what he did to save his life, and I would love to tell you the patient's story from his perspective:
I was brought to the Chester County Hospital’s Emergency Department by ambulance for deep abdominal pain. Diagnosed with pancreatitis, I was admitted and stayed for ten days. I was feeling better and discharged home.
Just a few days later, the pain returned worse than before. Vomiting and hunched over in pain, I was again admitted to CCH, this time to the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). The next day, the clinical team perceived I was stable enough to be transferred from the Telemetry Unit to a Med-Surg floor. At 12:30 PM report was called to Colin O’Neill, RN. Shortly after my arrival, Colin realized that I was in distress, and Colin initiated a Rapid Response intervention. Around 4:00 PM, Colin asked the attending MD to assess me. By 6:00 PM, Colin noticed my color was worse, and I was diaphoretic. Colin called a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner to the bedside, and the decision was made to move me immediately to the ICU. Shortly after that, I was transferred emergently to HUP’s Surgical ICU.
Five days into the hospital stay at HUP, I was put into a medically induced coma. On the 10th day of his coma, my wife was called by his doctors and told they did not think he was going to make it. My family came to say their last goodbyes. On day 16 of his coma, I woke up!
I will be forever grateful to Colin, with the belief that if it were not for Colin’s quick judgement to call a Rapid Response and to advocate for the transfer to the ICU, I would not be alive today to share my profound appreciation.
I was brought to the Chester County Hospital’s Emergency Department by ambulance for deep abdominal pain. Diagnosed with pancreatitis, I was admitted and stayed for ten days. I was feeling better and discharged home.
Just a few days later, the pain returned worse than before. Vomiting and hunched over in pain, I was again admitted to CCH, this time to the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). The next day, the clinical team perceived I was stable enough to be transferred from the Telemetry Unit to a Med-Surg floor. At 12:30 PM report was called to Colin O’Neill, RN. Shortly after my arrival, Colin realized that I was in distress, and Colin initiated a Rapid Response intervention. Around 4:00 PM, Colin asked the attending MD to assess me. By 6:00 PM, Colin noticed my color was worse, and I was diaphoretic. Colin called a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner to the bedside, and the decision was made to move me immediately to the ICU. Shortly after that, I was transferred emergently to HUP’s Surgical ICU.
Five days into the hospital stay at HUP, I was put into a medically induced coma. On the 10th day of his coma, my wife was called by his doctors and told they did not think he was going to make it. My family came to say their last goodbyes. On day 16 of his coma, I woke up!
I will be forever grateful to Colin, with the belief that if it were not for Colin’s quick judgement to call a Rapid Response and to advocate for the transfer to the ICU, I would not be alive today to share my profound appreciation.