On an everyday basis, Bobbie Jo is a top-notch nurse and a fantastic leader for the Human Motion Institute unit. One day last week, however, she went above and beyond her role to keep patients and staff members safe. There was a challenging patient with an extensive mental health history, who was having an outburst. His hostile behavior initiated a doctor and ART call. The encounter lasted well over an hour. He would not back downand became increasingly more verbally aggressive. He was standing in the hallway, slamming his walker and made numerous threats against the staff, himself, and those passing by. His words were, no doubt, hurtful and humiliating but Bobbie Jo remained calm, kept control of the situation, and was finally able to diffuse the situation through conversation and negotiation.
To any standard, Bobbie Jo was a hero this day. The tense situation was heard and witnessed by many and everyone on the unit was thankful for our charge nurse's quick thinking, cool composure, and strong presence.
Of note, the patient remained on the unit for a few more days. He maintained appropriate behavior, per his contract with Bobbie Jo, and exceeded his physical therapy expectations prior to discharge. This was the best possible outcome for all parties involved.