We had a patient in the ER through last night and most of the next day awaiting behavioral health placement. This individual pulled many heartstrings after finding themselves in a very sad and hopeless situation. Amanda McCallum was assigned (or volunteered) to sit with this patient in the ER. She started her time with the patient by bringing them a snack, introducing herself and approaching the patient with a caring and nonjudgmental attitude. It didn't take long for the patient to open to her and tell her things hidden from staff, doctors, and even the mental health assessor.
Amanda was then able to share important information with the rest of the team to better care for this patient. She was able to make the patient feel relaxed and to look forward to making the most of the treatment they would be receiving. Without sounding too dramatic, her care and concern for this patient gave the patient a little hope even though things seemed pretty hopeless to them. Beyond that, I feel like God answered my prayers for the patient by sending Amanda to sit with the patient today. Nurses do amazing work every day, but somehow these stories get missed and never spoken. Amanda makes me very proud of our profession.