Heather Cartee
May 2021
Heather
Cartee
,
RN, MS, PCCN
Emergency Department
UVHN-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
Plattsburgh
,
NY NY
United States
Heather caught the patient's eye and connected. She smiled through her mask. She joked with him. She charmed him. She earned his trust. The patient was able to calm down and work appropriately with us for a while.
I had the privilege to work with Heather Cartee for the last two nights. I generally work the weekends, and she works weeknights, so I don't get to see her often. I sometimes somehow forget how amazing she is. Heather leads from the front. She ultrasounds impossible IVs and cleans behinds. She hangs blood, stocks linen, and runs multiple pressors simultaneously without breaking a sweat. She thinks on her feet about medications and situations. She contributes positively and creatively to medical decision-making. She is happy. She works hard. She is a fantastic team player who encourages and inspires the people around her. She does some dramatic lifesaving medicine on a regular basis.
What I saw tonight, however, was just as impressive. We were caring for a developmentally delayed, 6 foot 5 inch, athletically built teenager who had been yelling at the police, asking them to shoot him. On arrival here, the patient was yelling, threatening staff, picking up, and tipping the bed. Police and security were here. We were all vigorously scratching our heads, wondering how we were going to handle the situation safely. Heather caught the patient's eye and connected. She smiled through her mask. She joked with him. She charmed him. She earned his trust. The patient was able to calm down and work appropriately with us for a while. He had a long night, though. When his stepfather left the bedside, the patient again escalated, and again we all gathered. He was briefly physically restrained. Heather heard this, came into the room, and got his attention. She soothed him. She hugged him. She HUGGED him. What a gamble, but she had judged the situation perfectly. It was exactly what he needed. He melted. He actually smiled. The next thing I knew, the two of them were working out math problems using a dry erase marker on the window.
The patient made it through the night safely and without being restrained 100% because of her. It turned out that his legal guardian was an institution in New York City which he told us had abused him. The psychological harm to him if we had been forced to restrain him would have been enormous. Heather changed his life. For by no means the first time. We could all use to be a little more like Heather. She puts her heart into all that she does. She teaches me something every time I work with her.
What I saw tonight, however, was just as impressive. We were caring for a developmentally delayed, 6 foot 5 inch, athletically built teenager who had been yelling at the police, asking them to shoot him. On arrival here, the patient was yelling, threatening staff, picking up, and tipping the bed. Police and security were here. We were all vigorously scratching our heads, wondering how we were going to handle the situation safely. Heather caught the patient's eye and connected. She smiled through her mask. She joked with him. She charmed him. She earned his trust. The patient was able to calm down and work appropriately with us for a while. He had a long night, though. When his stepfather left the bedside, the patient again escalated, and again we all gathered. He was briefly physically restrained. Heather heard this, came into the room, and got his attention. She soothed him. She hugged him. She HUGGED him. What a gamble, but she had judged the situation perfectly. It was exactly what he needed. He melted. He actually smiled. The next thing I knew, the two of them were working out math problems using a dry erase marker on the window.
The patient made it through the night safely and without being restrained 100% because of her. It turned out that his legal guardian was an institution in New York City which he told us had abused him. The psychological harm to him if we had been forced to restrain him would have been enormous. Heather changed his life. For by no means the first time. We could all use to be a little more like Heather. She puts her heart into all that she does. She teaches me something every time I work with her.