Kelly Hoopingarner
May 2021
Kelly
Hoopingarner
,
RN
Case Management
Terre Haute Regional Hospital
Terre Haute
,
IN
United States
But Kelly didn't stop there. She took time out of her busy day to drive the check to the funeral home.
An 18-year-old female was brought in as a Trauma 1. We learned that she was in a motor vehicle crash where she had sustained fatal injuries. Kelly responded to this trauma. She provided support to this patient's mother who had just heard what she thought to be the worst news that a parent could ever receive. As this case continued to unfold, the patient's mother disclosed to Kelly that her daughter was very proud of her "Organ Donor" designation on her Driver's License. Kelly made sure that this was communicated to staff, as this was so important to the patient's mother that we honor the patient's wishes.
During this time in the Emergency Room the patient's mother was updated.....her son who was 16 years old was also in the car and he was pronounced dead on the scene. Kelly and A, LSW were both present and provided emotional support to this mother. It was communicated that the 16-year-old was at another facility. The mother stated that he, too, had designated himself to be an organ donor. Kelly asked this LSW to call the Hospital to advise their staff that he was an organ donor. She also asked that he be cleaned up and presented to his mother in the Emergency Room and not the morgue, as she felt that this would be even more traumatic for the mother.
The same evening I received a phone call from Kelly. She was tearful. She stated that she could not stop thinking about this mother and that she will now have to plan the funerals of her only 2 children. She wanted to do more. She felt that she must do more. That evening she began making calls to Medical Staff. By the next day she had a sizeable check to provide to the mother to assist in the funeral costs. She felt that that was the very least that we could do to help support this mother and family. But Kelly didn't stop there. She took time out of her busy day to drive the check to the funeral home. She was able to meet the mother at the funeral home and provide her with emotional support and the check. This was over and beyond the call of duty. This was extraordinary. She not only provided emotional support on the worst day of this mother's life, but she also made sure that we communicated what was important to her and her children at this most devastating time. Kelly then went a step further and was able to ease some of the worry and financial burden for this mother; Kelly is a wonderful leader, but even a better human being.
During this time in the Emergency Room the patient's mother was updated.....her son who was 16 years old was also in the car and he was pronounced dead on the scene. Kelly and A, LSW were both present and provided emotional support to this mother. It was communicated that the 16-year-old was at another facility. The mother stated that he, too, had designated himself to be an organ donor. Kelly asked this LSW to call the Hospital to advise their staff that he was an organ donor. She also asked that he be cleaned up and presented to his mother in the Emergency Room and not the morgue, as she felt that this would be even more traumatic for the mother.
The same evening I received a phone call from Kelly. She was tearful. She stated that she could not stop thinking about this mother and that she will now have to plan the funerals of her only 2 children. She wanted to do more. She felt that she must do more. That evening she began making calls to Medical Staff. By the next day she had a sizeable check to provide to the mother to assist in the funeral costs. She felt that that was the very least that we could do to help support this mother and family. But Kelly didn't stop there. She took time out of her busy day to drive the check to the funeral home. She was able to meet the mother at the funeral home and provide her with emotional support and the check. This was over and beyond the call of duty. This was extraordinary. She not only provided emotional support on the worst day of this mother's life, but she also made sure that we communicated what was important to her and her children at this most devastating time. Kelly then went a step further and was able to ease some of the worry and financial burden for this mother; Kelly is a wonderful leader, but even a better human being.