Erica Altman, RN

Ms. Altman was instrumental in building rapport with a developmentally disabled, nonverbal patient who had seemingly insurmountable barriers to discharge. She learned what the patient's vocalizations meant and how to best provide support, easing her anxiety and fears and meeting her needs.

Ms. Altman participated in virtual screening assessments with OPWDD Group Home(s) - sharing with them all that Ms. Altman knew about patient idiosyncratic behaviors and helping the assessors understand the patient better - resulting in the patient receiving a bed offer! Ms. Altman spent time providing crucial information to the psychologist for the purpose of completing the patient's admission psychological evaluation.

Without Ms. Altman's passion for nursing, respect for patients, and service to the community, this patient's 511-day hospitalization would have been much longer!