Clinical staff struggled to treat a behavioral health patient who didn’t speak English and was experiencing severe psychiatric challenges at UCHealth Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center in Fort Collins. They were about to call an ambulance to take him to UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH) Emergency Department when Min Greenwell, BSN, RN, offered to step in.

“I went in and said ‘hi,’ to him,” she said, adding that both happened to speak the same Asian language. “He just responded to me right away. He told me he was hungry and scared. He had no idea where he was.”

Greenwell offered clean clothing, food, water and medication, and the patient accepted. She also adjusted the room temperature to his preference. The patient was on a different unit from hers, but she stayed late to make sure he took the necessary medications and was in a stable condition before she went home. Greenwell encouraged colleagues to call her mobile phone if they needed additional help.

“I had my days off, but I just tried my best to make sure he got through that critical period of time,” she said, adding that she offered to work with the patient in the future.

Greenwell previously worked as a nurse in her home country in Asia and was able to connect with the patient through shared cultural experiences. The compassion and dedication for the patient’s well-being led to Greenwell receiving a DAISY Award, which recognizes extraordinary nursing care.

According to a colleague’s award nomination: “Despite the availability of translation services, the patient remained withdrawn and unresponsive until Min stepped in. Through empathy and genuine human connection, she was the first member of the nursing team to successfully communicate with him. She was able to gain his trust, understand his needs and advocate for his care in a way that no one else had been able to do.”

Before she became a behavioral health nurse, Greenwell worked in the neuro-spine and intensive care units at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies. She said she enjoys the opportunities in behavioral health to see which approaches work best so she can connect with her patients.

“You have to gain their trust, then they open up to you, and you can really help them out,” Greenwell said. “If you work from your heart, you can make a difference.”

Greenwell plans to graduate with a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree from the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing in 2027.

In the fall of 2025, the services previously offered at Mountain Crest moved to Poudre Valley Hospital, where Greenwell now works at the inpatient behavioral health unit. She was able to apply her previous experiences to help with the transition, such as setting up medical supplies for rapid response team events.

 

The visual companion to our 2026 Nursing Year in Review showcases the print edition’s visual storytelling with connections to all of the articles.