On November 16, a patient presented in the Endoscopy department for a procedure. His appointment was not until the following day. When I asked if he had completed prep for his procedure, he shared that he did not understand what that meant.

I grabbed Karen to help me with this situation. She immediately came to help without hesitation. While talking to him, she realized that the patient did not have his prep, did not have any instructions for the procedure, did not know when to start fasting, and did not know the date and time of his procedure. Instead of telling him to call the doctor’s office, she took him into an office, completed a pre-op visit, and spent time educating him about the procedure.

The patient was grateful and set at ease, and came the next day prepped and ready for his procedure. Throughout all this, Karen was polite and accommodating. She showed no hesitation in helping this patient. During the interaction, the patient explained that English was not his first language and that he had difficulty reading and writing. She respected this by being professional and checking in periodically to confirm his understanding.

Colonoscopies are not the most fun procedure to have, but screening can save lives. Because Karen took extra steps to educate and help this patient, he received the care he deserved. I am impressed and proud to work in the same department as such a helpful nurse!