Patrick Hefner
December 2015
Patrick
Hefner
,
BSN, RN, CEN
Emergency Department
Charles George VA Medical Center
Asheville
,
NC
United States
On a daily basis in the Emergency Department there are patients just needing suture removed to life threating conditions like a heart attack or stroke and the patients that are having another kind of emergency and that is psychological. We don't always know what sets a person off, what experience they had, why they respond the way they do. Our goal is to care for each and every one of them to the best of our ability. This day was no different except for the recognition of one nurse's action and care for a patient who was very angry.
A female patient came into the ER very upset with the VA system and how she was being treated. She had previously been in the ER and because at that time she did not feel she received the care she wanted she threatened to come back and shoot the provider. When this patient returned to the ER there were many concerns from staff about her intentions. ER nurse Patrick recognized that the patient was under increased stress. He spent extra time to establish a relationship with the patient. He spent time explaining every procedure to her making sure she understood the care she was receiving and why. This patient was very upset with the system and at one point she stated she was going to leave prior to being discharged.
Patrick once again was very patient and compassionate with this veteran, took the time to talk with her and was able to convince the patient to stay. By the time of her discharge the patient stated that she had one of the best experiences of any VA visit. Patrick took what could have been a very volatile situation, which would have involved the police and potential danger for the veteran, staff, and other patients and turned it into a positive experience for the patient and staff.
Patrick could have turned his head to this patient's stress and put his guard up due to the threat she made to one of his peers but instead he reached out to her. He recognized she was hurting and needed someone to hear her concerns. He took the time with a very challenging patient and demonstrated to all what ICARE is really about.
A female patient came into the ER very upset with the VA system and how she was being treated. She had previously been in the ER and because at that time she did not feel she received the care she wanted she threatened to come back and shoot the provider. When this patient returned to the ER there were many concerns from staff about her intentions. ER nurse Patrick recognized that the patient was under increased stress. He spent extra time to establish a relationship with the patient. He spent time explaining every procedure to her making sure she understood the care she was receiving and why. This patient was very upset with the system and at one point she stated she was going to leave prior to being discharged.
Patrick once again was very patient and compassionate with this veteran, took the time to talk with her and was able to convince the patient to stay. By the time of her discharge the patient stated that she had one of the best experiences of any VA visit. Patrick took what could have been a very volatile situation, which would have involved the police and potential danger for the veteran, staff, and other patients and turned it into a positive experience for the patient and staff.
Patrick could have turned his head to this patient's stress and put his guard up due to the threat she made to one of his peers but instead he reached out to her. He recognized she was hurting and needed someone to hear her concerns. He took the time with a very challenging patient and demonstrated to all what ICARE is really about.