The ED recently had a patient that reminded a lot of staff of the meaning of compassion. Alissa stands out in this situation because she utilized her own resources to bring distraction to this patient while risking personal loss. A young man removed from his home, removed from what he knew as normal, was placed in the ED for an extended period of time waiting on placement at another facility. In order to adequately provide safety to this patient he was placed in the seclusion room.

Imagine a teen without electronics, no TV, no consistent visitors, no room to roam, and no access to the outside. That alone is enough to cause a teen stress. Alissa brought in her personal iPad for this individual to use. She did this knowing that this individual could damage her device, but this didn’t stop Alissa from going above and beyond. Her kind heart, full of compassion, made this individual’s days seem shorter. A true warrior for patients, showing compassion and willingness to go the extra mile. I’m sure that although the patient may not remember her name he will remember the act of kindness.