I Have to Go to Work!

Patient walks into the clinic with near syncope and shortness of breath. With no major risk factors what could be causing it? Nurses Announcements Archive

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Friday the 16th of August was a busy day in the clinic. I was on triage duty. Mr Grainer had signed in for shortness of breath and near syncope. I called him in and observed him walking in breathing normally. As he sat down, I noted that he was neatly dressed in summer clothes; shorts and cotton shirt with a straw colored hat that he removed displaying his salt and pepper hair. His ankles didn't have any edema and he did not look like he was in any acute distress. I sat across him observing him as I spoke to him quietly. "Good Afternoon Mr. Grainer! My name is Nurse Annie and I am the triage nurse in the clinic today. How are you doing?"

"I am good! Can't complain. Please call me Carl!"

"Thank you Carl. Why did you come today?"

" Nurse, something's not right."

"You seem worried. What do you mean by something's not right?"

"I am normally pretty healthy and can walk four miles a day but for the last two weeks, I feel like I am going to pass out after walking one block."

'Is this something new? "

"Yes. I never felt like this way before."

"Do you get short of breath? "

"Yes! Just in the last two weeks." My mind went into overdrive as I scanned through his chart. He was a diabetic and hypertensive. In my mind I always equated shortness of breath with the heart in a diabetic until proven otherwise.

Just in case, I asked him questions to rule out a Pulmonary emboli. He had no risk factors, no travel, no smoking or recent prolonged immobilization. I took his pulse manually and immediately figured out what was wrong. His vitals all were great except for one. He had a heart rate of 38 bpm. Probably a heart block but totally asymptomatic! "I have some good news and bad news Carl! Which one do you want first?"

"The good news "

"I figured out what is wrong with you and why you feel this way."

"Why?"

It's your heart. It's beating really slow and any activity puts a huge strain on it."

"What do you mean?"

"For some reason your heart is beating very slow and that is causing your symptoms. I need to send you to the ER right now ."

" Nurse! What about work? I have to go to work tonight!"

I realized that he did not grasp the seriousness of the situation. I had to give him a verbal jolt and be honest. After all we nurses are known to be the most trusted profession! "Carl, let me be very frank. I am surprised that you made it into the clinic after walking four blocks from home. It's only a matter of time before something happens to your heart. Do you think your work will care if you drop dead? At this time you need to take care of you!"

He stared at me and saw the truth in my eyes. "Nurse you are right. OK, I will go. What happens next?"

"Just relax. You are safe here. Let me make a few calls." I called for an ambulance ALS team, informed the front desk and lobby about their impending arrival, printed out his paperwork and informed his doctor that I was sending him. She agreed 100 percent with the plan. I then called our main hospital and gave report to the ED charge nurse who was named Carl too!

I informed Carl what to expect in the ED; Labs, line, EKG, portable chest, being hooked to a monitor, no food and possibly a cardiology fellow visit and a recommendation of putting in a pacemaker. The ambulance crew came and whisked him away to our main hospital. In three hours he went through all that was discussed and was taken to the cardiac cath lab with a second degree heart block and a pacemaker was placed. He went home on Saturday with no complications.

I followed up with him via phone on Monday and got him an appointment for a follow up with a provider the same week and in two weeks with his own PMD. When he came for his first visit, I was out sick and he went around the clinic looking for me. One of my nurses told me. Yesterday, I saw him in the clinic for his two week follow up waiting in a room for his doctor. He jumped out of the room and hugged me and kept thanking me. I went into the exam room, sat down and caught up with the latest in his health. He showed me the dual pacemaker site and I noted that the skin was healing well.

"Nurse Annie, thank you. Thank God you were there that day."

"Carl, lets give all glory and thanks to God! He put me in your path that day and I am glad that I was able to help you."

'Nurse, I want to treat you to dinner!"

"Thank you Carl! That is very sweet but not necessary! "

"Nurse! I want to do something for you!"

"Just say a prayer for my family and do something good for someone else and pass it on!" I left the room feeling grateful and feeling appreciated. It is not often that one gets appreciated in our profession. I reflected how my years of experience kicked in when needed but more than that I marveled at the way our skills are utilized to help others in the grand plan of our lives and in the lives of others. Each person is created in God's image and likeness but we have been given strengths and weaknesses that together as a human race fit together perfectly like pieces of a puzzle. It is wonderful to be a nurse!

I have a question for the readers. Can you share your stories where you felt that you made a difference in a person's life in and out of work? These stories need to be shared with each other and the world!

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