Prescil D. Chan
May 2023
Prescil D.
Chan
,
Oncology Nurse
Oncology Daycare Unit
Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital
Taif
,
Makkah
Saudi Arabia
The critical thinking and immediate response of Ms. Prescil reassured the patient, resulting in greater trust in the health care workers.
A new patient started her first cycle of chemotherapy. Medications were given to the patient, but upon removal of patient's IV cannula, she complained of fish bone stuck on her throat, she is eating fish fillet, food supplied from the dietary. Immediately, Nurse Prescil hooked the patient up to vital-signs monitoring and asked the other nurses to call the physician for help. The patient received Oxaliplatin that day, and one of the side effects of the medication is oropharyngeal spasm, which can present as tightness in the throat. A mild reaction, but a very frightening experience for the patient. With immediate action by Ms. Prescil, the primary physician arrived, medications were given to the patient for the spasm, the patient was reassured, and stabilized. Proper education given to the patient to avoid the recurrence of the same side effects. The patient was transferred to the ER after the incident for an ENT consultation to reassure her about the sensation of a fishbone in her throat. The critical thinking and immediate response of Ms. Prescil reassured the patient, resulting in greater trust in the health care workers.