BayCare compassion at work, it’s not just a buzz phrase, it is what makes BayCare, and our team members stand out from the rest. And this has never been more true, than by the selfless compassionate care provided by one of our team members. On Wednesday, while taking care of her patients, she was called into a patient room. Her patient indicated that someone was on the room phone that needed help. The patient did not know who the person on the phone was, but just answered the phone when it rang. This nurse took the telephone call, introduced herself, and asked the patient who he was and how can she help him.

The patient on the phone who was very upset stated that he was going to hurt himself. He said that he was a patient in the hospital. He was there to detox but he did get upset and left the hospital AMA and he was somewhere outside the hospital. He informed this nurse that he was sent to the hospital from another facility where he was to receive treatment. He said he called that facility and because he left AMA the center said that he couldn’t return to them. He was very upset and said he didn’t know what to do and that he was going to hurt himself. 

This nurse immediately told the patient not to do anything to hurt himself and that she was going to help him. She asked the caller to tell her exactly where he was. Thinking the patient was outside of our facility. To her surprise, the patient said “HCA”. She then said to look for a sign of where he was now, and he told her “HCA Brandon Hospital “. The fact that this patient was not a BayCare patient here at South did not deter this nurse for one second. In fact, it escalated her concern even more that he was in great need of assistance. She continued to support the patient telling him that she was going to help him and to stay on the phone with her. In speaking with him, she found out his name, his mother’s name, and phone number, and the unit where the patient was previously admitted while she was on the room phone with the patient, she used her Patient Safe phone to call Brandon Regional Hospital and the unit he had been admitted. She was able to speak to a nurse on the unit who informed her that yes he had been their patient but that he left AMA. She told the nurse that he was outside somewhere, and he had threatened to hurt himself. She told the unit that she was going to instruct the patient to go to the Emergency Department. She then spoke to the patient and told him that it was ok for him to return to the Emergency Department so that he could receive the help he needed. She stayed on the line until he said he was in the Emergency Department. She then called the Emergency Department to inform them of what transpired and to verify that the patient had checked in and was now under the care and supervision of the Brandon Regional Hospital ED team. 

This nurse, while in the midst of a busy day on the floor with her own patient team, did not deter from stopping everything spending almost an hour to connect with this patient in crisis, who was not even near St Joseph Hospital South. She made sure that the patient was not alone and from her St Joseph South 4 East unit location directed him and stayed with him until he was in a safe hospital environment to receive the treatment and care that he desperately needed. She also proceeded to call the patient’s mother upon his request, without success. And even the following day, attempted to reach out to this patient’s mother. I cannot express how proud we are to have her as a 4 East team member. Though we are not surprised because this is the type of individual she truly is. She takes on the responsibility of a respected Relief Charge and is a preceptor for both our Clinical Nurse Residents and new team members. She is a true representative of the values of BayCare and is a true DAISY Nurse.