Reading Skills for Healthcare Workers

Erin heard a loud, crashing noise in Mrs. Samuelson’s room. When she got in the room, she saw that a vase had fallen and broken. Mrs. Samuelson was on the floor trying to pick up the pieces. Erin saw blood on Mrs. Samuelson’s hand, slacks, and sweater.

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Erin’s first thought was to check to see if her patient had fallen. As Erin went towards Mrs. Samuelson, Mrs. Samuelson began to stand up and told Erin she hadn’t fallen, but she had a little cut on her hand. It wasn’t a little cut. There was a large amount of blood draining from her palm near her wrist.

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Erin began to follow what her training had taught her. First, Erin pressed the call button to get help. Her next step was to put on gloves. She grabbed Mrs. Samuelson’s arm and held it up over Mrs. Samuelson’s head while applying firm pressure. This was to try to slow down the bleeding. By that time, Steve, another nursing assistant, came in. He saw what was happening and went to get some gauze. Erin guided Mrs. Samuelson to a chair in case she became light-headed from blood loss.

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When Steve came back, he had gloves on, and he placed the gauze over the cut and applied light pressure. After a few minutes, the bleeding slowed down enough that Erin could call for a wheelchair to take her patient to the emergency center to have her cut looked at by a doctor.