Adult Psych admitted a patient that was brought in by the EMS after being evaluated by Mobile Crisis. He had been found living in a tent. He was mostly non-verbal, disorganized, and had poverty of thought. He was not known to SAM or BH department. Renee Schepisi, RN had assumed care of the patient. Renee said she had a weird feeling that there was something more to this patient. She continued to try to gather information from the patient, but he would only respond with one or two words. The only information she could get out of him was that he had a brother and was able to give his name and DOB and his mother was deceased.

Renee enlisted help from another nurse, Abigail Belarge. Abby helped Renee find the patient's brother on Linked In. He owned a business. They called the number, but the business had closed. Renee also looked up the mother's obituary. Renee did not have the patient the next time she worked but could not let go of this feeling that he was a "missing person".

SH, PCT from Gero, had floated down to the unit one evening. Renee had said she had been telling SH about the patient. SH googled the brother's name and was able to locate his phone number. With the patient's consent, Renee, SH, and the patient sat in the treatment room with the phone on speaker, and called the number. A gentleman answered. Renee introduced herself and stated where she was calling from. She asked him if he had a brother named W. She said there was a long hesitation and the gentleman asked why. She told him that W was a current patient on our floor. Renee said there was another hesitation and then the man started crying, saying he had been looking for his brother for 31 years and that he thought he was deceased. The patient, Renee, and SH all began to cry.

The patient was due to be discharged to the Albany City Mission the following day. Renee went to the MD and Social Worker to advocate that we delayed discharge for a couple of days until the brother was able to come from Colorado. She was afraid he would disappear again and be very vulnerable in the community. MD and Social Worker agreed it would be in the patient's best interest to wait. The brother arrived a couple of days later. The brother let us know that the patient was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force when he was in his 20's. He had a psychotic break, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and pretty much disappeared after that. His brother had filed missing person reports. The last time his brother had known he was alive was 2007. The patient's brother took him back to Colorado to help him get set up with services there. He has kept in contact with Renee letting her know his brother's progress.

As of now, the patient is working every day with his brother, has been set up with services, and his mental health has improved significantly. Renee has always been the type of nurse who goes way beyond the call of duty with all her patients. She provides exceptional, patient-centered care to every one of her patients. After 28 years of service with the BH population, you would think her passion would start to fade away. Instead, the passion and devotion continue to grow. Abigail is a true inspiration to all that work in the mental health population.