August 2022
Nikki
Whitworth
,
BSN, RN, CPEN
Emergency Department
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital
Memphis
,
TN
United States
Nikki talked to the patient's mother via phone countless times during her stay and advocated to find the patient insurance coverage.
We recently had a behavioral health patient in the Le Bonheur Emergency Department for whom we had difficulty finding placement. She remained a patient for six days. Due to some aggressive behavior at the beginning of her stay, many staff were nervous to interact with her or spend very much time in her room. When Nikki met her, she made an instant connection. In a soothing, but firm way. Nikki set limits with this patient and came up with incentives to foster cooperative behavior. She collaborated with child life and security and medical social work to ensure the patient had stimulating activities that would not put her in danger. Nikki talked to the patient's mother via phone countless times during her stay and advocated to find the patient insurance coverage. She helped the patient contact loved ones and ensured she was showered with fresh undergarments each day. She discovered what kinds of food the patient liked for each meal and hand-delivered them so the patient felt she had some control over her situation. Nikki displayed incredible compassion and dedication during this patient's stay and made a connection that was so very important to this patient's well-being and our staff's safety. Thank you, Nikki, for living out our MLH values each and every day.