A Daughter’s Advocacy, A Nurse’s Expertise
- Сотрудники компании "Саншайн
- 3 hours ago
- 3 мин. чтения
I wanted to share a personal story that really highlights the incredible skills and training of our nursing staff here at Talkeetna Sunshine Community Health Center, especially in foot and wound care.
Recently, my dad was complaining of foot pain and had trouble walking. My family contacted me, and I asked them to send a photo of his foot so I could get a better idea of what was going on. Given his medical history of diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking, he’s at risk for vascular issues like venous insufficiency and peripheral artery disease (PAD). When I saw the purple discoloration on the top of his foot in the photo, I immediately thought it could be vascular. I got his consent to discuss his medical info and then reached out to his healthcare providers. Unfortunately, he had seen multiple providers who treated him as if he was just seeking pain medication. His referral to a podiatrist was six weeks out, and they ordered an X-ray of his foot which does not access vascular or arterial status. Meanwhile, his pain, swelling and redness worsened, and walking became even harder. He could no longer drive.
With his permission, I spoke directly with his clinic, explaining my background in foot and wound care and why I thought this was a vascular issue based on his symptoms and history. The Nursing staff I talked to agreed that his presentation looked vascular. A nurse I spoke with recommended sending him to the ER after consulting with the provider. From afar, I coordinated with family and healthcare providers, and it turned out he needed urgent vascular ultrasounds, which confirmed multiple vein and artery blockages.
He was transferred to surgery and stents were placed in his upper leg, but he continued to have ongoing issues in his lower leg. His condition kept getting worse until he was hospitalized again. I kept advocating for him, pushing for further tests and surgery. Thanks to that, he had a femoral bypass and skin graft, and he’s alive today and still has his leg. He and the vascular surgeon both thanked me for advocating for him, emphasizing how early recognition made all the difference.
This whole experience really boosted my confidence in the high level of expertise our nursing team has here at Talkeetna SCHC. It also made me realize how many nurses at bigger hospitals, even in California, have never heard of specialized foot care nurses or fully understand what we do. What I experienced with my dad is a perfect example of how skilled and dedicated our nurses are. We provide top-notch care that’s on par with, or even better than, larger hospitals.
Even our providers are more aware of these symptoms being vascular. I’ve seen firsthand how our nurses can spot signs of PAD and venous issues during routine visits, which can be lifesaving. My Father now has a new doctor.
I’m proud to be part of a team that maintains such high standards of care and serves a community that benefits from our skills. I hope sharing this story helps highlight the importance of recognizing and supporting the advanced skills our nursing staff brings to the table. Also, that our providers support and trust in our nursing skills.
"My dad told me God put me in his life to be a nurse for exactly this time in his life."
Sincerely,
Layla Micheli, LPN, CFCS, WCC
Talkeetna Sunshine Community Health Center
Общественный медицинский центр "Солнечный свет
1-907-376-2273 (ЗАБОТА)
*Эта статья написана при поддержке AI*.
