08/17/2025
Our Employee of the Month for June is Tara Chapman!
"I had to take a moment to personally recognize a PCT here. I wanted to recognize Tara Chapman. She and I worked together 2 days ago 6/18 and had a very difficult patient. The patient was in room 216A and had moved out of IMC. He was in IMC due to Alcohol Withdrawal. He was an individual that also had bipolar and severe anxiety. At the beginning of our shift, patient had a severe panic attack that truly presented like seizure. Tara was in the room when it started. She quickly responded and called me. She reported her observations to me on the phone and was very concerned about patient. I grabbed Byron and Attending provider and we went to bed to assess patient. Tara was in the room compassionately and empathetically providing emotional support to patient. Right after she called me, Tara set up the room accurately with seizure precautions: oxygen nasal cannula, ensured oxygen tree was working, got suction connected and ready, made seizure pads out of his blankets in her bed and was actively turning patient on his side per Seizure requirements. When we arrived to room, thanks to Tara, we had all supplies. Quickly, we all were able to identify that patient was having a panic attack. Dr. Estep was the Attending and he reviewed his home medications with me and Byron and ordered some meds that patient was prescribed for his bipolar disorder. While I went to pull the meds to give patient, Tara stayed with patient. She was so incredible with him. Patient grabbed her hands crying and asking her to not leave his side because he was scared and he said she was helping him so much. Tara was awesome!!! She stayed at bedside with him for about an hour to provide much much much needed emotional support. She even asked patient what his favorite song was and played it on speaker phone for him to listen to. Patient kept saying "thank you so much Tara, thank you so much Tara, thank you so much Tara".
She was truly so instrumental with assessing potential medical attention requiring emergent medical care, she immediately involved me (which led to me involving provider and charge nurse), she got room ready in case he was needing medical attention for seizure, and she provided the kindest most supportive emotional support to patient. She coached him through the panic attack and did not leave his side.
After patient was calm and feeling better, he told me that he would not have made it without Tara. Tara visited the patient many times that shift and is mindset brightened more and more.
I was so humbled by her quick skills and active participation with the patient’s needs.
I have actually worked with Tara at Gainesville for about 10 years. She is always dependable and provides well rounded care. She treats all of her patients with respect, listens to them and goes above and beyond to care for her patients. I trust her. I have always been impressed with her and I just had to recognize her. She is a true asset to HSM!!!"
Thank you Tara for all you do!
