Kansas City, Kan- Becky Smith thought she was having a heart attack. It turns out she needed emergency surgery because her bowel was obstructed. She reveals it was more than medicine that got her through this difficult time. It was her nurses on Unit 51.

Becky Smith, patient

• Becky describes her pain and how she questioned if it was a heart attack since women can have more than just chest pains when having a cardiac event.
• She expresses her gratitude to the team on Unit 51 and describes her stay filled with nurses advocating for her needs and supporting her through painful moments.

Unit 51 Nurses, The University of Kansas Health System

• Nurses explain pain can be worse at night for patients for a variety of reasons.
• They discuss the importance of movement for patients and how they support that with a walking path around the unit. 20 laps equal a mile.
• Nurses discuss the importance of getting patients back to normal through everyday conversations and simple things like showers.
• The University of Kansas Health System is magnet recognized by the American Nurses Association.

            Dr. Jennifer Hartwell, Section Chief Emergency Surgery, The University of Kansas Health System

• Dr. Hartwell explains Becky had scar tissue from a prior surgery that stuck her bowel together causing the problem. They removed a few inches of nonviable bowel to solve Becky’s problem.
• She explains patients often ask how to prevent scar tissue and complications but unfortunately there is no diet or exercise to prevent this. A patient’s best course of treatment is to seek help when they have symptoms of nausea, pain and vomiting.