It’s the start of a busy day on a long-term care unit. Staff are gathered in the small report room for morning huddle. People are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their coffees, trying to mentally sort through all the tasks coming their way.

The charge nurse has just asked if anyone has safety concerns before they start rounds. A new care aide, Priya, hesitates for a moment and then speaks up. She explains that she’s noticed a resident’s transfer belt is often missing from their room, and she worries that people might be improvising when they’re in a rush.

Before Priya can finish, Renee, an experienced team member, lets out a loud eye-roll and says, “Here we go again,” under her breath—but loud enough that a few people hear. The room goes quiet. Priya immediately looks down at her hands and stops talking. A couple of people exchange glances, and the charge nurse quickly moves the huddle along to the next topic.

Sam, another care aide, watches this happen and feels their stomach drop. They’ve been encouraging newer staff to speak up about safety, and this is exactly the kind of reaction that makes people second-guess themselves. Sam can see that Priya looks embarrassed, and the moment passes without anyone really addressing her concern.

As the group breaks up and people head to their assignments, Sam is left with a knot in their chest. They want to support Priya and they also know Renee has been under a lot of stress. Sam doesn’t want to embarrass Renee in front of the team, but they also doesn’t want this kind of reaction to become “normal” in their workplace.

Sam starts to think: What could I have done differently in that moment? And how can I follow up with Renee in a way that builds a more respectful team culture, instead of adding more tension?