Taylor Turner
August 2023
Taylor
Turner
,
RN
Emergency Department
UAB Hospital
Birmingham
,
AL
United States

 

 

 

Taylor remained calm and continued reassuring her. Taylor pulled up scripture and carried on an unbiased conversation with the caller.
A. received a call from the Call Center Operator regarding a patient being suicidal. The patient admitted to having a gun and was going to kill everyone in her household, including her two children and two cousins. A. asked for her address and recorded it. The patient was then asked if she had the ability to call 911, A. said he would call for her. He also asked who was in the house and if there were weapons, to which the answer was, yes.

A. recommended walking away from everyone else and distancing while they were on the phone. The patient was tearful. A. initiated the help of Taylor. Taylor got on the phone and initiated a conversation with the caller, while A. was on the phone with 911 giving information about the household. Taylor asked for the children's names, ages, and medical history. She kept the patient occupied during this time and the patient started crying and begging for help. Taylor reassured her help was on the way. Taylor began praying as the patient stated she had a gun to her head. Taylor remained calm and continued reassuring her. Taylor pulled up scripture and carried on an unbiased conversation with the caller.

The location was reconfirmed with the patient calling another family member to ask for the address. The patient was kept on the phone for 20 minutes or more until emergency services arrived. The police arrived and spoke with Taylor, and she discussed transporting to the facility where she was admitted for ED emergent psychiatric evaluation.