During a discharge-readiness evaluation, physical therapist Mabelle Medina noticed that a patient was short of breath. A check showed the patient’s oxygen saturation at 75 percent to 86 percent; 92 percent or lower can indicate hypoxemia. The patient denied having symptoms, but Medina recognized a change from the previous day’s evaluation. Medina immediately alerted the patient’s surgical physician assistant. Stat scans showed pulmonary emboli, for which the patient was treated and discharged four days later. Medina’s clinical skills and questioning attitude helped identify a potentially life-threatening condition.
