I was taking care of a veteran with mental health issues. He was sent to have a 302 commitment (that did not get approved). He was paranoid and angry. He came from a nursing facility that he was at for 6 months and he was too paranoid to let anyone care for him. He said he has not been bathed for several months and the condition of his clothing and his hygiene showed the same. He would not speak to me or anyone else that went in to see him. His facial hair was caked with dead skin and old food. His hair was overgrown.

When I was sitting outside his room charting, Rachelle went in to try to get him to cooperate. Rachelle has a way with the rougher crowd. I think it came from her years bartending before becoming a nurse. Just by being herself, she was able to get this extremely paranoid veteran to tell her his story and she was able to make him laugh. He allowed her to get his IV and blood. She got him so comfortable that she was able to shave his face with the STEMI clippers and give him a hair trim (She's a former beautician as well).

The ER was busy that day. She had so much compassion for this man whom it appeared that nobody had the time or energy for prior to arriving here. I and a couple of other staff members were beyond impressed and heart warmed to see this man who was so untrusting of everyone become so comfortable to the point that he did not want to leave. By the end of his stay, he was relaxed, clean, and joking with staff.

The care that she gave to him when he was not even her assignment was far beyond emergency room care but absolutely necessary. She deserves to be recognized. He had no family to witness the care she gave. But I and a couple of other staff members were beyond touch by the care she gave him.