Tooting my own horn "REALLY" listening to patients...

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Specializes in cardiac, diabetes, OB/GYN.

ok, other night i was called into a pt room by an assistant who told me that the patient was concerned about her edematous feet and thought she should have her iv discontinued...it was a long, busy night and the pt was known to be extremely anxious, especially since her baby had been shipped and casted due to resp problems and club feet....she was one of those needy patients that try your patience...(nice pun..)......so, i go in and explain it is normal to have swollen feet and legs after delivery and that the iv fluid most likely wasn't the cause. listened to her lungs and finally saline locked her more for her peace of mind...she kept telling me the swelling hurt and something caused me to ask her to point to exactly where her discomfort was...as someone who had pih , toxemia and 4 plus edema to the hips with my pregnancies, i was well aware that edema can be painful....something made me pay attention to her level of anxiety...anyway, she pointed to her right calf...did the homans sign...it was positive..listened to her lungs again, no pain on deep inspiration, and clear..bp was up, but she was anxious with a history of elevated bp.....other leg was negative homans sign......no phlebitis or warm or hard feeling to the skin of her calf, but then her mother piped up to tell me that she had had a dvt soon after a fall, and the pts grandmother had also been positive for blood clots...came in the next day and discovered the pt had a dvt.......she had been scheduled to go home that day and her bp was also back up, so she had to go on labetelol....this pt had been labeld needy and whiney and while i don't usually let that sway me from listening, i was close to dismissing her vague complaints as just discomfort from edema...whatever caused me to really listen to her hopefully helped her be diagnosed properly before going home with her new baby....i am feeling kind of proud of myself and even a little guilty tooting my own horn but hey, i feel great about it! any more stories like this one in which you know you made a difference????would love to hear them...

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Good job! Toot Toot!

Noney

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in many.

ragingmomster > to mother/babyRN. Nice catch!

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Way to go ! you helped that mother, the baby and here whole family. nothing wrong with tooting your own horn it's great when you get to do things like that for a family and telling about it is kinda a reward!

I'd also love to hear more stories like this

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Specializes in OB, Telephone Triage, Chart Review/Code.

It drives me nuts when patient's are labeled. Sure, there are some, but I go crazy trying to figure out what is really going on with my patients when they c/o of something.

I'm glad you were on top of it. Toot all you want. You deserve it! And I am sure the patient is grateful to you for your persistence and concern.

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Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

Good for you, -- you did look past labels to listen and respond to the person and her needs, -- not to forget that you used excellent assessment skills! A true professional -- You SHOULD toot your own horn, -- we as a group and individuals don't do it enough!!

W O W!! W O O T ! ! Keep it up!! :D

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Specializes in cardiac, diabetes, OB/GYN.

Awww...thanks! Toot toot!

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To quote Dolly Parton:

"Sometimes you gotta Honk your own Horn honey... Or nobody's gonna know your comming!"

-also-

"Get down off the cross honey; Somebody needs the wood!"

-David

:rolleyes:

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Specializes in cardiac, diabetes, OB/GYN.

Hmmmm. Are you David or Dolly? Interesting moniker-MD Terminator......Poses the question Ego or Excellence????? :)

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