Recovering from COVID-19, patient Arturo Acosta Noriega spent a long time in the 1 Main Telemetry Unit, dependent on a ventilator and dialysis. His care staff – led by Michael Jarschke, RN, and Julius Foronda, BSN, RN, CMSRN – all worked hard to get him moving in the right direction. One day, they were able to get him into a wheelchair and over to the window so he could visit his family through the glass. That emotional experience sparked an amazing healing journey.
“After that initial time out of bed and being able to see his family in person after months of being isolated, you could see his will to live shine through. He immediately became more engaged, involved and motivated in his care.”
Laurel K. Black, MSN, RN, CCRN
Clinical Manager of Telemetry-1 Main
“After that initial time out of bed and being able to see his family in person after months of being isolated, you could see his will to live shine through,” says Laurel K. Black, MSN, RN, CCRN, Clinical Manager of Telemetry-1 Main. “He immediately became more engaged, involved and motivated in his care.”
Noriega’s nurses, respiratory therapists (RTs) and physical therapists asked Black if she could get them permission to use a new device the unit had purchased to assist with early mobilization of a ventilated patient. The device was so new that early mobilization protocols and policies were still being worked out.
“I collaborated with Corina [Clark, MPA, BSRT, RRT, RCP, Respiratory Care & Rehab Services Manager] and Charles [Parsons, RRT, RCP, POCC], and we ensured all of the right stakeholders would be at the bedside to carry this out,” Black says. “With the support of the device and our amazing team, the patient was able to walk to the window the next time and see his family.”
Noriega continued with daily walks around the unit with his care team, still on his ventilator, going farther and farther each time. He was soon discharged to a ventilator rehab facility and is now home and doing really well in his follow-ups with SVMH pulmonologists.
