A Day in the Life… “This is a Job that you take to your heart”, says Jo, 20 year employee of Harry Meyering Center, who has worked in the Semi-Independent Living Services program for the last nine years. Jo’s heart is very much in her job. But one man owes his life to that fact that Jo’s knowledge, experience and intuition are also very much on the job. One evening, Jo received a distraught call from one of the clients served in the SILS program, whose much treasured bike had been stolen. The police were on their way. Jo quickly began the drive to his home to provide support. On her way, John, another client with whom Jo has worked for two years, called to tell her that he had a stomach ache. Though she was on her way to a crisis, Jo sensed anxiety in his voice. And, according to Jo, “health always comes first”. She turned around and drove to John’s apartment where he answered the door. Jo said, “I took one look at him and I knew we were headed to the doctor”. John’s face was flushed and he was in obvious discomfort. Jo quickly drove him to Urgent Care. Once there, John’s condition was taken seriously and he was wheeled to ER where an assessment was completed. Jo was asked for detailed medical information on John. Though her role with John is limited to errands, laundry assistance and meal assistance, she had all of the face sheet information readily available because she was also on call. A cardiologist very quickly sized up the situation and determined that John was having a heart attack, requiring an emergency heart procedure. Since John is not his own guardian, Jo and the cardiologist endured tense moments trying to locate contacts who could give consent after hours. John did receive a stent that evening and later a second procedure. He is back in his apartment and working on his rehab therapy, with Jo doing it along side him. Jo’s sensitivity to John’s phone call, her clarity about priorities and her quick action saved John’s life. And even in crisis, Jo had the presence of mind to arrange for another staff to assist the man with the lost bike crisis.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 18:49:42 +0000
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