Kelle Ingram

(l-r) Dr. Barbara Summers, CNO; Kelle; Patty Johnston, Director of Clinical Nursing

Nomination:

When you think of Kelle Ingram, you think of a loud, energetic, full-of-life and colorful-Firecracker.  From miles away, you can recognize Kelle by her unique laugh which she uses to put a smile on her patient’s face. She uses her cheerleading skills to pep up and encourage patients and family members into thinking that ‘All things are possible’ if one just believes. Her excellent assessment skills and intelligence is exuded in her recent act of quick, critical thinking when she saved her patient’s life who coded. She sent the patient to ICU and received her when she came back days later. I don’t think that Kelle realized the impact she made until she saw that patient walk out of the hospital a new person.

Kelle is a knowledgeable resource and great mentor. She is involved in her church as an educator there as well as here on the unit. Her positive energy and willingness to take on nursing students and mentor new nurses are admirable. She is like our big sister who is full of experiences and advice. She is a patient educator and takes time to explain her thought process and even includes the interdisciplinary team members into the explanations. Kelle has been one of my role models and I continue to seek her for answers to nursing questions and life questions as she is not shy to share her “two cents.”

Kelle is an extraordinary nurse by nature with a BIG heart.  She has grown very close to several patients and their families on a first name bases. She shares as much of herself as her patient’s share of themselves. Her father passed recently and Kelle used her struggles to share with the patient’s, their families and her colleagues. Kelle allowed her vulnerability to help others who were struggling and in return she developed great relationships which I know are priceless to her.

To me, daisies are flowers that are beautiful, colorful and extraordinary. Kelle Ingram is a beautiful, colorful and extraordinary nurse. She is very deserving of this acknowledgement and MD Anderson is blessed to have her on-board!

Nomination:

Kelle’s name always comes up during leadership rounds. The patients and family members often rave about how pleased they are with the care she provides. They say she’s the best nurse they have ever had that she’s caring, gentle and very approachable. What’s best is that she injects humor and radiates a positive attitude which always makes patients and families feel at ease. Patients also appreciate her knowledge and her effective communication skills; Kelle keeps them informed of the treatment plan and explains procedures, treatment, etc. at a level that patients and families can easily understand and relate with.

Here are a few specific examples of why Kelle is very much deserving of this award:

Kelle cared for a young female sarcoma patient who was newly diagnosed, but had a very poor prognosis. The patient was from out of state and did not have any support in the Houston area except for her fiancé who was a surgeon. Kelle from day one made a wonderful impression on the couple as she explained the treatment plan to them in a very thorough manner. She continued to interact with the couple and asked them how they were doing even when she was not assigned to the patient as she usually does with any patient on the unit. Kelle provides sunshine to any person who walks our floor through her pleasant and welcoming demeanor. This particular patient was discharged and care was transferred to her doctor in her home town. After two months, the patient passed away. I received a call from the patient’s fiancé, who is a surgeon, who was experiencing the saddest moment of his life, but took the time to compliment the care they received on the unit naming Kelle as the person who made them feel most welcome as well as provided them with support all throughout their stay. The patient’s fiancé sent over a formal letter and video for Kelle to watch stating that he wanted Kelle to see the highlights of the patient’s life. He said he wanted to share the patient’s video with significant individuals who have touched their lives.

Kelle also leads by influencing patient outcomes through communication and collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team. On several occasions, she has affected positive change through remaining vigilant and serving as an advocate for the patients and families. An example of which was when one of her patients had a wound with multiple bleeding tumors on his leg. The patient was embarrassed about the intensity and odor of the wound. Kelle then comforted the patient and explained to him that she had managed several patients with complex wounds. She also consulted the wound ostomy nurse (WOCN) and both collaborated to come up with a plan of care for the patient. The WOCN then later sent me a letter stating the following:

"Kelle has exhibited collaboration with the WOCN by anticipating the patient's wound care needs and then finding out what she could do to meet the patient's need. She didn't just relinquish the wound care to the WOC nurse, but worked to empower herself with the knowledge so she could provide quality care. She is known for her problem-solving skills and willingness to jump in." The patient was then able to get out of his room and walk around the pod without having to worry and feel embarrassed about his wound. Not only did Kelle care for the patient’s wound, but she also took the time to teach the patient’s family how to change the dressing themselves at home. Kelle manifested excellent clinical judgment and positively impacted patient results.

Last month, Kelle took care of a newly diagnosed, highly anxious patient with family members who were as edgy… and then they met Kelle. The wife stated, “Kelle is the best, she works and thinks fast, is caring, and is a good teacher. She explains everything clearly to me and my husband. I have learned so many things since my husband was diagnosed with cancer, but Kelle truly knows what is going on with my husband and I feel very comfortable with her as my husband’s nurse.” She further propositioned Kelle to move to Geneva, Switzerland with them to be her husband’s private duty nurse. I later found out that this patient required several diagnostic procedures and Kelle collaborated with numerous departments and the primary physician to ensure that everything gets done in a timely manner as she does for all her patients. She explained all the procedures to the wife, who was very pleased with the information, customer service and diligence. Kelle made sure that the patient was picked up and dropped off to his multiple procedures on time to alleviate the patient/family’s anxiety.

Kelle provides a level of caring and commitment that is unparalleled. I am honored to work alongside her and truly value her contributions to our patients, families, the team, unit and institution. She serves as an excellent role model to our new nurses as she is very well-rounded. She possesses excellent clinical, critical thinking, coaching, and communication skills which make her a great bedside leader.