December 2024
Sheila
Roach
,
BSN, RN, CCM
Peak Care Unit
CommonSpirit St Anthony Summit Hospital
Frisco
,
CO
United States
I think in the case of the patient described above, the Podiatrist said it best, "I may have saved that man's legs, but Sheila saved his life."
Sheila Roach took outstanding care of a patient this summer. The patient had fallen through the cracks medically and socially. He was living in a motel in a small town in a remote mountain area. The patient had a history of substance abuse, was estranged from his family, and had no resources.
The patient developed extreme cold-related injuries to his bilateral feet after submerging them in cold water. The patient had been seen at a large hospital in Denver the week prior, spent a week at a "transition facility" before being discharged, again, with no continuing resources. By the time the patient presented to our area podiatrist on a Friday in June, his feet exhibited gangrenous decay. The surgeon started making plans to take the patient to the OR first, for an I&D, eventually to amputate both feet mid-foot in hopes of saving the patient's legs. Unfortunately, there were complications communicating and coordinating with the patient, and the surgery was not set to happen until the following Monday.
Sheila was roped in and immediately knew more needed to be done and quickly. She arranged to have a cell phone given to the patient and arranged to have the patient picked up at the motel and driven to the hospital for inpatient care and antibiotics. During the patient's hospitalization, Sheila used her tenacity and knowledge to set the patient up with insurance, connected the patient back with his family, and took the extra steps to ensure the patient was placed in a nursing facility near his family on the western slope rather than the easy option of sending him to Denver. Sheila spent countless hours advocating for this patient, who ended up staying in our facility for 54 days.
Sheila is an amazing case manager. She goes above and beyond for all her patients - this is just one example. She looks to the future, makes plans that make sense, and fights like hell to advocate for the best option for her patients. I think in the case of the patient described above, the Podiatrist said it best, "I may have saved that man's legs, but Sheila saved his life."
The patient developed extreme cold-related injuries to his bilateral feet after submerging them in cold water. The patient had been seen at a large hospital in Denver the week prior, spent a week at a "transition facility" before being discharged, again, with no continuing resources. By the time the patient presented to our area podiatrist on a Friday in June, his feet exhibited gangrenous decay. The surgeon started making plans to take the patient to the OR first, for an I&D, eventually to amputate both feet mid-foot in hopes of saving the patient's legs. Unfortunately, there were complications communicating and coordinating with the patient, and the surgery was not set to happen until the following Monday.
Sheila was roped in and immediately knew more needed to be done and quickly. She arranged to have a cell phone given to the patient and arranged to have the patient picked up at the motel and driven to the hospital for inpatient care and antibiotics. During the patient's hospitalization, Sheila used her tenacity and knowledge to set the patient up with insurance, connected the patient back with his family, and took the extra steps to ensure the patient was placed in a nursing facility near his family on the western slope rather than the easy option of sending him to Denver. Sheila spent countless hours advocating for this patient, who ended up staying in our facility for 54 days.
Sheila is an amazing case manager. She goes above and beyond for all her patients - this is just one example. She looks to the future, makes plans that make sense, and fights like hell to advocate for the best option for her patients. I think in the case of the patient described above, the Podiatrist said it best, "I may have saved that man's legs, but Sheila saved his life."