On the night of December 12, 2024, Kyle was working in triage at our emergency department. A 6-year-old child presented after jumping off a bed and injuring his wrist. During the triage process, Kyle perceptively noticed a subtle finding in the child's anterior neck. He believed it looked like a pulse, which prompted him to obtain a blood pressure reading. The child's blood pressure was greater than 240/140. After checking multiple times in both arms with multiple machines, Kyle promptly notified me (Dr. Keller), and the patient had a workup completed for his hypertension. He was found to have normal blood pressure in his legs, and this was concerning for coarctation of the aorta. The patient's wrist fracture was splinted, and he was transferred to Riley Children's Hospital for further workup of his hypertensive urgency.

After a couple of days in the hospital, it was confirmed that the patient has coarctation of the aorta, and he is scheduled for open heart surgery for correction this week. Had it not been for Kyle's astute observation in triage, this child would have simply had an X-ray, a splint for his fracture, and been discharged home. Instead, this child's life was saved, and Kyle's superior clinical skills are to thank. His hard work and dedication to the emergency department and his patients are matched by no other. He really is the embodiment of what it is to be an excellent emergency medicine nurse.