Katie worked an overnight shift, but because of a call-in that resulted in short staffing with an already overwhelmed ED, she volunteered to stay past her scheduled time until another nurse could be floated from Wilson ED. As she was giving a report and getting ready to go home, a patient had harmed themselves in the BGH ED. This patient and Katie clearly had a rapport from the past. It was very evident that the patient trusted Katie and was willing to talk to her about why she was in the ED.

Katie spoke incredibly kindly to the patient and was instrumental in getting the patient to explain her feelings, and most importantly, Katie was able to leverage the trust the patient had in her to get the patient into a safe environment. Katie did all this well past the end of her scheduled shift when it would have been much easier for her to go home and say “Not my problem.” In a high-stress and overwhelming environment, she did not make the patient feel like they were a problem or burden or just “in the system” waiting for the next step; she showed compassion and respect to the patient, sacrificing her own weekend time (and much-needed rest) to help the patient get into a safe place, both physically and mentally. Watching that interaction reminded me that even in the hectic chaos that is the emergency department, patients still rely on, and trust, their nurses with their well-being. She truly displayed the best of the UHS values that morning.