Jackie
Meurer
April 2016
Jackie
Meurer
,
RN
Staffing Resource Office
University of Virginia Health System
Charlottesville
,
VA
United States
Jackie has worked on 5 Central quite frequently. I think I met Jackie on her first day there from the SRO. I immediately liked her. As I saw her work either beside her as a colleague or as shift manager, I realized she was an excellent clinician with advanced assessment skills. She is professional, efficient and kind. I trust her to get on with the job knowing she will collaborate with all disciplines and will let me or any other shift manager know when there is a problem or a change in condition.
On this particular shift I think Jackie had a 4 patient assignment including S, who has been a complicated surgical admission on several occasions. She was sick due to a recent NSTEMI and sepsis. She was weak and sometimes somnolent. S's mother was a patient in the MICU. Jackie used her cell phone so that S could discuss her mother's condition with the staff there. Later on in the morning it became apparent that a discussion was needed about goals of care for the mother. Jackie and I helped a weak S into a wheelchair and Jackie accompanied her to the MICU to discuss a plan of care for her mother. They were there quite a long time. I finally got a phone call from Jackie who told me that the mother would have all treatment withdrawn apart from antibiotics and would be discharged from the MICU. She was dying.
Jackie made a suggestion; it was a brilliant idea. Could we get the mother onto 5 Central? Why not? There were obstacles. I collaborated with infection control as both patients were in isolation. We were in luck. They could cohort. I contacted the bed center and as I had a plan to move patients around and free up a single room for an admission, this worked in our favor too. S and her husband lived with her mom so this was to make both patients happy.
I visited with both patients after the transfer and it was so moving to see how they both watched out for each other. A mother is always a mother and she would constantly tell us how her daughter would like things. It was very sweet. It was also easier for the family so they could be with both patients at the same time. S was happy that she was able to be at her mother's side when she passed away a few days later.
Jackie has made a significant impact on two patients' care while still caring for other patients. It was a brilliant idea. I think Jackie, like many RNs and other people in other disciplines, just sees this as doing her job. Well she does it brilliantly.
On this particular shift I think Jackie had a 4 patient assignment including S, who has been a complicated surgical admission on several occasions. She was sick due to a recent NSTEMI and sepsis. She was weak and sometimes somnolent. S's mother was a patient in the MICU. Jackie used her cell phone so that S could discuss her mother's condition with the staff there. Later on in the morning it became apparent that a discussion was needed about goals of care for the mother. Jackie and I helped a weak S into a wheelchair and Jackie accompanied her to the MICU to discuss a plan of care for her mother. They were there quite a long time. I finally got a phone call from Jackie who told me that the mother would have all treatment withdrawn apart from antibiotics and would be discharged from the MICU. She was dying.
Jackie made a suggestion; it was a brilliant idea. Could we get the mother onto 5 Central? Why not? There were obstacles. I collaborated with infection control as both patients were in isolation. We were in luck. They could cohort. I contacted the bed center and as I had a plan to move patients around and free up a single room for an admission, this worked in our favor too. S and her husband lived with her mom so this was to make both patients happy.
I visited with both patients after the transfer and it was so moving to see how they both watched out for each other. A mother is always a mother and she would constantly tell us how her daughter would like things. It was very sweet. It was also easier for the family so they could be with both patients at the same time. S was happy that she was able to be at her mother's side when she passed away a few days later.
Jackie has made a significant impact on two patients' care while still caring for other patients. It was a brilliant idea. I think Jackie, like many RNs and other people in other disciplines, just sees this as doing her job. Well she does it brilliantly.