By: Col Binu Sharma, Senior Vice President- Nursing Services

Columbia Asia hospitals have created an environment that supports nursing practice and focuses on professional autonomy from decision making at the bedside, nursing involvement in determining the nursing work environment, professional education, career development and nursing leadership. The hospital values the contributions of nurses at all skill levels and encourages career advancement. The professional nursing ladder helps nurses grow and advance professionally while focusing on their clinical practice.

They work hard day in and day out by ensuring the patient recovers to health as a caregiver, a nurse works hard as a caregiver by providing hands-on care to patients. They may be physical needs, which can range from total care (everything for the patient) or help a patient with illness prevention. In times of illness, the patient requires someone who not only understands their pains, but also should give them the attention and care like a mother soothing them, the Nurse steps in here with utmost care and consideration.

Below are a few cases showcasing the sympathetic nature and unparalleled attention by Nurses saving lives.

Case 1

On 14th Of October, the emergency Room of Columbia Asia Hospitals received a call from the 17th floor of Saleria apartments Bangalore, about an old lady who had an emergency and needed to be rushed to the hospital. The team of Nurse from Columbia Asia Referral Hospital Yeshwanthpur rushed in the ambulance to reach the patient.

Unfortunately, the lift was not working, therefore the nurse had to walk up the 17 floors to reach up to the patient. The patient being old and overweight challenged this operation furthermore. Carrying the patient who was heavy, aged and unwell all the way down 17 floors was a herculean task.

Kudos to the team of ER nurse Shinto Thomas (ER Nurse), Lakshman (Nurse Aide), Pemmaiyah, Aswathappa (Nurse Aide), Satya Raju (Ambulance Driver), Nurse Aides and ambulance assistant went and climbed up to 17th floor and brought the patient down successfully with utmost care.

Case 2

On 4th March at 11.45 pm, a patient SUKHPAL SINGH was admitted to Emergency Room as a case of Road accident. He was injured badly and was almost unconscious due to the poor GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale).

The patient was working as a labourer at a shop and belonged to a very poor family. They had almost no money to pay the hospital bills. The patient’s father started crying and requesting for help. Emergency Room Staff Nurse, Ms Karamjeet Kaur attending on the patient was moved seeing father’s plight & helplessness whose son was fighting for his life & helped him by depositing Rs10,000 from her own account which helped patient’s companions clear the outstanding amount.

The empathetic approach of Ms Karamjeet Kaur in this situation is commendable.

Case 3

An IT engineer, about 37 years of age working at Manyata Tech park recently visited the clinic with a complaint of giddiness. Staff nurse Tinu, who checked the vital parameters found something amiss as the patient was sweating profusely. She immediately advised him to take ECG, but he refused. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the nurse took the onus and went ahead with the ECG which revealed that the patient had a Myocardial infarction.

she wasted no time and immediately informed the ambulance, hurriedly made arrangements to shift him to hospital. Inspite of the fact that the nurse acted quickly, the moment the patient entered the ambulance he had the cardiac arrest. In the Ambulance nurse Nithin was alone, however she didn’t panic and began giving him continuous CPR throughout the way from the clinic to the hospital.

The patient was revived in the hospital and taken to the cath lab for Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). He was in the ICU on ventilator support, tracheostomy done and shifted to the ward after a week. He was later discharged on 28th Feb 18.

The critical thinking of the nurses saved the life of a young IT tech.

To conclude

Nurses care so much for patients, their presence 24/7 has transformed lives. Nursing is an honorable profession, and nurses are the heart and soul of the healthcare system. A salute to the nurses who play an important role in the medical community.