Devoted to caring for others, nurses don’t always pay the same amount of attention to themselves. Fortunately, however, they look out for one another. That’s what Leslie Haas, RN, did, likely saving the life of a fellow team member.
Haas’ coworker hadn’t felt very well that day, but went about her regular duties and even took on extra duty in the afternoon when an over-booked manager asked for help. As the day wore on, her vision blurred. She looked forward to the end of her shift so she could go home.
Haas, cardiovascular coordinator at JPS, had a different idea. She put her coworker through a BEFAST exam to look for signs of a stroke, checking balance (the B), eyesight, face and arms (looking for asymmetrical muscle control), and speech. The T in BEFAST stands for time, which is vital because the amount of permanent damage caused by a stroke can depend on how long it goes untreated.
Haas was determined to lose none of that precious time. Her coworker wanted to go home, but Haas was persistent, getting the team member into a wheelchair and to the Emergency Department. She was also correct: Her coworker was having a stroke.
“If she had gone home, she very well could have died,” said P4 Manager Nancy Radtke, RN. Instead, she got treatment that likely saved her life.
Good Catches happen when JPS team members act or speak up about a process or situation that could result in potential harm. To share a Good Catch, click on the Midas tab on the intranet home page.