Tammy James
Little did Tammy know that when she came to work on a Thursday in May, she would be caring for an extremely challenging patient. The patient was a 47 year old war veteran with a history of a GSW to the head. He was actively psychotic, paranoid, and had a medical need that required IV antibiotics. He was aggressive, swearing, yelling, and wandering, all of which are not normally seen on a med-surg unit. Tammy was the only person who was able to develop a rapport with the patient. He was calm when she was present and he listened to her when she spoke to him. He allowed her to give him his much needed medication, which lead him to being calmer. He stated that she was a "lovely lady with a good soul." Tammy showed great patience and compassion to this patient. In spite of having a full assignment, she never rushed or made the patient feel that he was not the most important patient on the unit. Her calm and caring manner prevented the situation from escalating into a major disaster and assured that this patient and the other patients on the unit were kept safe. These types of patients are very difficult to care for on a regular med-surg floor, but Tammy was able to overcome barriers and her concern for her own safety and provide compassionate care to this very needy man. She is very deserving of this award.