The unthinkable happened right here in our facility. A loud noise was heard in a room on 2 South. Seconds after, the OA’s phone rang. She answered from the main desk at the ED. The OA was rounding on the ED staff and assessing the current conditions. After answering the phone, her face changed. The ED staff noticed the difference and asked what happened. There’s a code on 2 South. The ED staff knew by her face that this was no ordinary code. The rest of the events are widely known.

Words and phrases to describe that night consist of:
- Brain Matter
- The smell of gunpowder
- The sound of the bible playing
- Blood everywhere
- Where’s the gun
- Is there a pulse

I would like to nominate the ED night shift staff for the DAISY Team Award. In the nomination form, it states to describe in detail how the care supports Memorial Hermann’s Mission, Vision, and Values. Starting with the system values:
-Community:
-Upon arrival at the scene, the ED staff initiated and provided the “best health care” possible to this patient. They didn’t question the scenario or situation. They just provided care for this member of our community.
-Compassion:
-Compassion shined through when the ED staff treated not only the patient but the present staff with kindness and respect.
-Courage: “To act bravely and innovatively to achieve high-quality outcomes.” Let me outline this one. The mere fact of responding to this unknown situation displayed an act of bravery. Innovation was seen when the nurses, who are not trauma-trained, attempted to apply pressure to the head wound and performed high-quality CPR with the hope of being able to circulate the patient adequately. Although the outcome was not as many had hoped, it was the outcome that was laid out. The patient’s outcome was not related to a lack of effort.

Mission:
“…dedicated to improving health.” The team responded were dedicated. Dedicated to, attempting to improve the health of a patient who was deemed to a tragic outcome.