An elderly male patient presented to the Emergency Department who had no means of transportation and due to his financial situation, had to leave his home daily at 1:00 PM to walk to his job that began at 6:00 PM. The strain on his feet from the frequent long-distance treks caused him to seek treatment for his foot pain.
When Kelly Schmidt noticed the condition of his shoes, with the vast number of holes, she inquired for further insight into his hardships. When she asked the patient to remove his shoes so that she could visualize his feet, she noted plastic baggies over the patients grossly soiled socks to prevent his feet from getting wet due to the holes in his shoes.
After hearing the patient's backstory and noting the condition of his shoes, socks and feet, Kelly took it upon herself to go to a nearby shoe store and purchase three brand new pair of socks and a pair of Nike work shoes, which she presented to the patient in a very discreet, respectful and humble manner. She went above and beyond for a patient in need.
Kelly cared for this patients' holistic needs through the use of her personal time and money and provided excellent, compassionate care.