Clinical Excellence: Training becomes critical in Instacare life-saving moment

On June 25, Meria and her daughter Cheryl arrived at the Pahrump Instacare Clinic in Southern Nevada. Meria wasn't feeling well because of what she thought was an allergic reaction to her breakfast that morning. 

Medical assistant Lizet Herrera happened to walk by the front desk when Meria arrived, and she noticed several symptoms that stood out. "She looked really pale," she said. "I noticed that she was holding her chest." With the RN on lunch, Lizet offered Meria a wheelchair and checked her vitals. "Her heart rate was all over the place," she remembered.   

Lizet and her team brought her back for further testing.  An EKG showed concerns with her heart, so Lizet shared the information with medical director Ashley Juste, who agreed the patient needed a higher level of care and escalated the situation. Meria was transported to a hospital in Pahrump, then flown to a hospital in Las Vegas where she was treated for a serious heart attack. 

Meria is now stable and recovering. Cheryl complimented the Instacare team for their fast work while maintaining their composure and for keeping her calm as well. "They were very nice to me," she said. "I was panicked, trying to manage what's going on. and it's hard to think in those moments." Cheryl added this was their first time at the Pahrump Instacare and was amazed by the compassion the team showed them, saying, "they truly did a good job." 

Lizet credits her team for helping escalate this patient's care. In particular, she highlighted Ashley for quickly jumping into the situation for leadership and guidance, and registered nurse BobbyJo Cartee-Coolidge for improving the clinic staff's ability to spotting potential red flags with monthly trainings (tailored for different situations within a caregiver's scope of practice).   

BobbyJo credited Lizet for her quick thinking, saying it moved her to see the positive ripple effect of this enhanced work. "Teaching and sharing my knowledge are my passions," she said. "I am so proud to see what I have shared with my colleagues is making a real time impact on their ability to recognize and provide excellent patient outcomes."