February 2021
Nancy
Pecca
,
RN
Emergency Department
UVMHN/Porter Medical Center
Nancy spoke to him softly and rubbed his back until he relaxed and was able to lay down in bed and fall asleep.
In the Emergency Department, we had a mental health patient who was very anxious and suicidal. The patient was given several medications to help calm him down but the patient kept pacing in the department and hyperventilating due to his extreme anxiety. Nancy took it upon herself to guide the patient to the bed and wrap him in a warm blanket. Nancy spoke to him softly and rubbed his back until he relaxed and was able to lay down in bed and fall asleep. Nancy was very patient, kind-hearted and did not rush this process. This patient had been in the emergency department for 2.5 hours and had been continuously pacing.