Kelly Smith; Geline Curameng, RN
Congratulations to these Great Catch winners for modeling HRO safety behaviors and taking action to improve patient safety.
Kelly Smith, patient care associate, Cardiac Holter Lab, was recognized for attention to detail and 200% accountability when reviewing Holter monitor reports returned from an outside vendor. After printing the reports for the attending physicians’ review, Smith noted that multiple reports contained the wrong procedure date, and the patients’ activity logs also indicated no entries. She escalated her concerns to the vendor, who determined the cause of the errors and implemented staff re-training on the importance of accurate log entries.Smith’s use of CHAMP behaviors prevented incorrect information being provided to the physicians for interpretation.
Geline Curameng, RN, Emergency Department, was recognized for practicing a questioning attitude and escalating her concerns about a patient brought to the ED by emergency medical services. The patient had been complaining of abdominal pain and shortness of breath, but after her evaluation, Curameng suspected a more serious situation than EMS had initially assessed. She shared her concerns up the chain of command and the patient was ultimately diagnosed with a dissecting aortic aneurysm. By listening to her “internal smoke detector,” Curameng expedited lifesaving surgery for the patient.
