Two mental health workers receive Compassionate Care Award

Five years ago, the Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital community tragically lost a 2 South inpatient psychiatry mental health worker, Kelly Young, who was known for his compassionate care. He was posthumously awarded the first Compassionate Care Award. Recently, Mental Health Workers Rickie Rampersad and Edward Grant, were presented with the Compassionate Care Award for 2020.

“Our 2 South staff enjoyed a ceremony including a wonderful musical performance from Toonfoolery and words of compassion from our guest speakers,” says Director of Inpatient Psychology and Training and Compassionate Care Award Committee member Christopher AhnAllen, PhD. “For the first time in six years, we awarded this recognition to two mental health workers who demonstrate compassionate care through their active listening, communication skills and respect demonstrated to our patient community."

Grant and Rampersad were selected by a committee of their peers for the award due to the compassion they exhibited for patients, especially in the context of COVID-19 care. Edward’s nomination read in part, “Ed is a part-time mental health worker that does full-time work. He always has a smile, never refuses an assignment and is a strong patient advocate. He brought his own iTunes to a dementia patient who likes soul music. He gets along with all patients and staff. He often makes great catches if a patient’s meal tray or check status is wrong, he will tell you. He is a very safe worker.”

Rampersad’s nomination read, “Rickie demonstrated good leadership qualities during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was so much engrossed into it so as to save the lives of our patients who were asymptomatic. Rickie epitomizes good behavior in his dealing with patients on the unit. He is very respectful to his colleagues on the unit and he is a team player. Rickie is an emotionally supportive person to patients on the unit.”

At the ceremony, Grant and Rampersad, along with fellow nominees Joseph Akintayo, MHW, Shane Heger, RN, Chris Levesque, RN, Mohamed Sesay, MHW and Leslie Tiffany, RN, were honored by their co-workers, Dr. AhnAllen and Chief of Psychiatry Dr. John Fromson.