Four years ago when I met Kara I knew she was an amazing nurse who would go above and beyond for her patients. I could go on and on about Kara but one story sticks out the most.
When COVID happened, F9 was shut down for about a month in preparation to become the COVID unit. As a result, F9 employees were deployed all over the hospital. Kara was on H8 caring for one of our orthopedic hand progressive patients. The patient was young, about to get married, and had a severe accident that damaged her left hand. The patient was distraught and terrified of losing her hand and not being able to wear her wedding rings. To make matters worse, the patient could not have any family at the bedside to comfort her due to COVID. Kara became her UAMS family. Kara sat in the patient's room and talked with her like they were just a couple of friends getting together. The day the patient received the news her hand was unsalvageable and had to be amputated was devastating. To make her feel better Kara gave her a bath and washed her hair. Washing a patient's hair in the bed is almost impossible, but not to Kara. She put a trashcan at the top of the bed, filled a basin full of water, washed the patient's hair, and poured the water over her head making it where the water fell into the trashcan. The patient was so grateful and was so happy to have a staff member take the time to do something very special for her.
In a very stressful time for all staff, Kara comes to work every shift ready to care for her patients and go the extra mile. It has not gone unnoticed.