May 2025
2N
at Atrium Health Mercy
2N
Atrium Mercy
Charlotte
,
NC
United States
At Atrium Health Mercy, there is a dedicated group of healthcare professionals who deserve to be recognized for their outstanding clinical excellence. 2 North is a medical-surgical unit with 16 beds that range from observation patients to long-term patients that are difficult to discharge due to placement barriers. The DAISY Team Award recognizes that to achieve better patient and family outcomes starts with a nurse and takes an entire team to implement successfully. This award should be given to 2 North staff including nurses, healthcare technicians, and the clinical care management. Each of these individuals displayed Atrium Health’s Core Values: Teamwork, Commitment, Caring, and Integrity. The amazing staff went above and beyond for a particular complex patient, K.F, that spent over a year on the unit. She was eventually discharged to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF); however, K.F returns frequently with different episodes as she has an array of medical diagnoses including an extensive mental health history.
When having a patient on the unit for quite a long time, the patient becomes part of the “2 North Family.” Everyone works together to create the best possible outcome and improve the overall quality of care. K.F. is a 63-year-old lady with a past medical history of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and catatonia that requires Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This medical treatment involves passing electrical currents through the brain to induce a brief seizure and is beneficial for treating severe mental health conditions that have not responded to other treatments. When K.F. was admitted to the unit, she was unable to communicate and was in an unresponsive state even though she was awake. The staff at 2 North had to provide specialized care as she was unable to take care of herself. The staff made her feel safe in an unfamiliar environment where she was nonverbal, paranoid, and scared. The staff contributed a lot of time and energy, which resulted in an enhanced outcome for this patient. Everyone enjoyed taking care of her. Staff took her outside as she loved to visit the Healing Garden, played gospel music for her, and learned what really mattered to her. Staff learned her quirks and ticks, her favorite foods, and advocated for different therapies. She loved to eat oatmeal with brown sugar, egg salad sandwiches, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Staff bought her baby dolls, coloring books, search and find books, knitting supplies, clothes, snacks, treats, and so much more. She would get regular manicures and pedicures from staff. Her room looked less like a hospital room and more like a cozy, living area with flowers and pictures.
The staff advocated for medication changes, increased ECT treatments, and collaborated with other holistic approaches. Pastoral Care was an important part of her well-being as she loved to pray and would pray for everyone on the unit. Chaplains came by daily to check on her, bring her new clothes, fresh flowers, take her outside, and make conversation. Musical Therapy was consulted as she loved music and singing. The musical therapist and interns would visit her daily to play instruments, make up songs, and play her favorite gospel tunes. Healing Touch was also consulted, which is a gentle, energy-based therapy used to promote healing by balancing the human energy field. It often reduced her anxiety, promoted relaxation and gave her a sense of calmness. When she first arrived, Physical and Occupation Therapy were needed daily to help with her activities of daily living. With time, she would improve and no longer needed PT or OT yet everyone would come say hello to K.F even if she wasn’t assigned to them that day. 2 North used team nursing with K.F as even though she might be assigned to one nurse, and healthcare technician, everyone pitched in. The clinical care management nurse spent countless hours finding a discharge plan that would be the most appropriate for this patient. Her Healthcare Power of Attorney is her daughter who is also a nurse practitioner with the Airforce who travels globally and unable to be physically part of her mother’s plan of care. Her daughter is extremely particular about the care her mother receives; however, always updating and collaborating with her is a task within itself.
Her most recent admission was heartbreaking as she was admitted with altered mental status due to a urinary tract infection. She was in a state of psychosis, completely different from how she typically presents in a catatonic state. She was physically aggressive and violent, which required restraints and a net bed. Staff worked really hard to keep her safe and comfortable. She was a danger to herself and others and required multiple teammates at all times. She had a sitter one-to-one to keep her safe as she was constantly pulling at her implantable port, which was necessary for intravenous antibiotics and ECT treatments. Mental health medications are a challenge as the onset of action takes time, along with treating UTIs with antibiotics. She required a positive and steady stream of encouragement. Even though she knew all the staff, it took a lot of compassion and energy to gain her trust. Without a doubt, 2 North went above and beyond to advocate for K.F.’s most recent admission. These individuals who care for her are more than healthcare providers; they are her “2 North family,” who love to see her healthy and happy.
When having a patient on the unit for quite a long time, the patient becomes part of the “2 North Family.” Everyone works together to create the best possible outcome and improve the overall quality of care. K.F. is a 63-year-old lady with a past medical history of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and catatonia that requires Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This medical treatment involves passing electrical currents through the brain to induce a brief seizure and is beneficial for treating severe mental health conditions that have not responded to other treatments. When K.F. was admitted to the unit, she was unable to communicate and was in an unresponsive state even though she was awake. The staff at 2 North had to provide specialized care as she was unable to take care of herself. The staff made her feel safe in an unfamiliar environment where she was nonverbal, paranoid, and scared. The staff contributed a lot of time and energy, which resulted in an enhanced outcome for this patient. Everyone enjoyed taking care of her. Staff took her outside as she loved to visit the Healing Garden, played gospel music for her, and learned what really mattered to her. Staff learned her quirks and ticks, her favorite foods, and advocated for different therapies. She loved to eat oatmeal with brown sugar, egg salad sandwiches, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Staff bought her baby dolls, coloring books, search and find books, knitting supplies, clothes, snacks, treats, and so much more. She would get regular manicures and pedicures from staff. Her room looked less like a hospital room and more like a cozy, living area with flowers and pictures.
The staff advocated for medication changes, increased ECT treatments, and collaborated with other holistic approaches. Pastoral Care was an important part of her well-being as she loved to pray and would pray for everyone on the unit. Chaplains came by daily to check on her, bring her new clothes, fresh flowers, take her outside, and make conversation. Musical Therapy was consulted as she loved music and singing. The musical therapist and interns would visit her daily to play instruments, make up songs, and play her favorite gospel tunes. Healing Touch was also consulted, which is a gentle, energy-based therapy used to promote healing by balancing the human energy field. It often reduced her anxiety, promoted relaxation and gave her a sense of calmness. When she first arrived, Physical and Occupation Therapy were needed daily to help with her activities of daily living. With time, she would improve and no longer needed PT or OT yet everyone would come say hello to K.F even if she wasn’t assigned to them that day. 2 North used team nursing with K.F as even though she might be assigned to one nurse, and healthcare technician, everyone pitched in. The clinical care management nurse spent countless hours finding a discharge plan that would be the most appropriate for this patient. Her Healthcare Power of Attorney is her daughter who is also a nurse practitioner with the Airforce who travels globally and unable to be physically part of her mother’s plan of care. Her daughter is extremely particular about the care her mother receives; however, always updating and collaborating with her is a task within itself.
Her most recent admission was heartbreaking as she was admitted with altered mental status due to a urinary tract infection. She was in a state of psychosis, completely different from how she typically presents in a catatonic state. She was physically aggressive and violent, which required restraints and a net bed. Staff worked really hard to keep her safe and comfortable. She was a danger to herself and others and required multiple teammates at all times. She had a sitter one-to-one to keep her safe as she was constantly pulling at her implantable port, which was necessary for intravenous antibiotics and ECT treatments. Mental health medications are a challenge as the onset of action takes time, along with treating UTIs with antibiotics. She required a positive and steady stream of encouragement. Even though she knew all the staff, it took a lot of compassion and energy to gain her trust. Without a doubt, 2 North went above and beyond to advocate for K.F.’s most recent admission. These individuals who care for her are more than healthcare providers; they are her “2 North family,” who love to see her healthy and happy.