Hicuity Health has skilled and compassionate team members that provide virtual monitoring and care to patients day-in, day-out, 24/7/365. Every so often there is an encounter – whether directly with a patient or in support of their colleagues at the bedside – that sticks with our team members. These interactions not only have significant impact on patient outcomes, they are evidence of the power of virtual care, and instill a further sense of purpose in the work they do and the care they provide. We asked a few team members to share their stories of the “Save that Sticks With Me.” Below are their stories.
Because Every Heartbeat Matters
“The med-surg patient appeared stable—normal sinus rhythm, nothing out of the ordinary. Things changed quickly – ventricular fibrillation with no prior indication. It’s a life-threatening arrhythmia so I had to act quickly. I immediately called the bedside nurse, who was grateful for the alert. I then used the Connexall system to page the rapid response team, ensuring the code team reached the patient’s bedside without delay.
Because of my vigilance, the patient was quickly transferred to the ICU, treated with the appropriate medications, and successfully brought back to a stable rhythm. This is just one life-saving intervention I’ve had the privilege of contributing to.”
Janice C.
Remote Telemetry Technician
To Catch What Others Might Miss
“The monitor wasn’t alarming. It was a patient with brady whose heart rate had dropped into the low 30s—but no alerts were sounding. This seemed odd to me, so I checked the alarm settings. The alarm threshold had been lowered to 28 bpm—below the typical range. There was no documentation on file to substantiate the change, so I knew I needed to follow up.
I created an event strip and had my partner call the bedside team. When they picked up, the staff stated they weren’t aware of the parameter adjustment—and hadn’t received any directive to change it. They moved quickly to treat the patient. That diligence made the difference in a cardiac crisis. The system didn’t sound the alarm. My partner and I did.”
Michael K.
Remote Telemetry Technician
“The patient was in and out of A-fib RVR with PVCs to SR back and forth nonstop. Their heart rate hit 187 bpm. The bedside team told me that they were aware of the issue. I kept a close eye on the patient and their heart rate remained elevated for 10 additional minutes. I knew something wasn’t right, so I called the bedside again, and advocated that the patient needed attention.
The nurse took a closer look at the patient and asked the provider to order a 12-lead. I don’t know the outcome, but I knew it was important to persist for the patient’s sake and ultimately have the nurse escalate the situation to the provider.”
Charles S.
Remote Telemetry Technician
So Nothing Gets Lost in the Noise - or Goes Unnoticed
Because Every Second Matters
“The CICU patient had just been intubated and sedated—minimal Propofol, heart rate in the 50s, and respiratory rate in the 20s. But something wasn’t right. The bedside nurse couldn’t obtain blood pressure readings in any of the four extremities, so she called me for help. I suggested she try the Doppler and got on camera to provide real-time support.
Together, we discovered a systolic blood pressure of only 78. The situation was critical. I immediately helped coordinate care, ensuring the provider received prompt notification. Within just 17 minutes, we had vasopressor orders and an arterial line placed for continuous monitoring.
I’m glad I was there to support the bedside nurse and help quickly get the patient the care they needed.”
Ninfa I.
Virtual RN
