While there is no doubt that long-term patients with placement issues can present a litany of challenges for staff, we oftentimes forget those disruptive behaviors are oftentimes the result of the stress and turmoil that the patient endures through their personal internment. A Code Purple was called to the unit because this patient who had been on the unit for months and denied placement by multiple facilities began acting out around dinner time. Recognizing that the patient may well have grown tired of the routine from hospital provided meals, this compassionate nurse took it upon herself to explore alternatives to de-escalate the situation to which Protection Services had been called. When she explored what might be the issue, she arranged for her significant other to make a trip to Wendy's to get meal items that the patient hadn't had for months.
Not only had the patient's demeanor changed at mealtime, but the spirit of giving had also inspired him. I complimented him on how much I liked his shirt and he said, "I tell you what, how about I give this one to you, I can always have my daughter get me another one." Needless to say, I found that this same nurse over the past few months of his hospitalization has been regularly shopping for clothes and providing him with a fresh wardrobe to break the monotony of hospital gowns and provide a sense of normalcy to an otherwise institutional existence. Through her compassion, this outstanding nurse has helped this patient to have a semblance of a life and normalcy that one might have had if options for him to live outside of the limitations of a custodial actuality.