Kayleen Williams-Lyons
June 2025
Kayleen
Williams-Lyons
,
BSN, RN
Labor-Delivery
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
North Plainfields
,
NJ
United States
Her persistence and her warmth allowed for this patient to feel ready to share her story and ask for help, something that is not an easy task under her circumstances.
I submitted a great catch, but I wanted to share the story a little more in detail. I was the nurse in charge on Friday, June 13th. I received a call from the front desk around 5 pm, and quickly realized it was not a normal triage patient. She asked the front desk ladies to please let her up to labor and delivery because she needed to talk to the providers. She had been in our triage the day prior and said she had “lied” to the doctor about the swelling they noticed on her face.
This immediately raised some red flags for me, so even though she did not have any OB complaints, I decided she should come up and talk to me. When she arrived at the unit, she was very withdrawn, very nervous. We had a language barrier, so she asked to use her friend on the phone for interpretation help. In normal circumstances, I would push for a Martii, but I decided she needed to trust me, so I said yes.
After speaking with her with the assistance of her friend on the phone, she confessed she was experiencing intimate partner violence, that her spouse had been beating her, but she was afraid to say anything the day before because she didn’t want to get him in trouble and was afraid we’d take her baby. She explained that she felt scared, but the nurse the prior day replayed in her mind all day, and she decided to come back and ask for help, because that nurse encouraged her to come at any time immediately if she didn’t feel safe.
Even with her not telling her the whole story, Kayleen picked up on the situation and made this young lady feel safe to come get the help she needed. Due to that snowball effect, we were able to comfort her, feed her, and help her feel better. Our provider that day kept her for a social hold and also made sure she got the assistance she needed. I wanted to recognize Kayleen for this catch.
Her persistence and her warmth allowed for this patient to feel ready to share her story and ask for help, something that is not an easy task under her circumstances. It allowed for the rest of us to work together to get her what she needed. This is a great example of how much we care for our patients’ safety and wellbeing. It’s a great example to follow, not only here but everywhere else in our facilities. If you feel something is wrong, follow your instincts. She respected the patient's boundaries, all while letting her know we were here to help.
This immediately raised some red flags for me, so even though she did not have any OB complaints, I decided she should come up and talk to me. When she arrived at the unit, she was very withdrawn, very nervous. We had a language barrier, so she asked to use her friend on the phone for interpretation help. In normal circumstances, I would push for a Martii, but I decided she needed to trust me, so I said yes.
After speaking with her with the assistance of her friend on the phone, she confessed she was experiencing intimate partner violence, that her spouse had been beating her, but she was afraid to say anything the day before because she didn’t want to get him in trouble and was afraid we’d take her baby. She explained that she felt scared, but the nurse the prior day replayed in her mind all day, and she decided to come back and ask for help, because that nurse encouraged her to come at any time immediately if she didn’t feel safe.
Even with her not telling her the whole story, Kayleen picked up on the situation and made this young lady feel safe to come get the help she needed. Due to that snowball effect, we were able to comfort her, feed her, and help her feel better. Our provider that day kept her for a social hold and also made sure she got the assistance she needed. I wanted to recognize Kayleen for this catch.
Her persistence and her warmth allowed for this patient to feel ready to share her story and ask for help, something that is not an easy task under her circumstances. It allowed for the rest of us to work together to get her what she needed. This is a great example of how much we care for our patients’ safety and wellbeing. It’s a great example to follow, not only here but everywhere else in our facilities. If you feel something is wrong, follow your instincts. She respected the patient's boundaries, all while letting her know we were here to help.