Kimberly is a phenomenal nurse who deeply cares for her patients in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy center and is a key member of the team. On a daily basis, I receive feedback from patients about her kindness and attention to coordinating their care. Here are some examples that represent the tip of the iceberg.
An Amish family suffered greatly from a rare cardiac disease, which requires close follow up, yet they did not have easy access to a phone to call in to report symptoms and receive instructions. Kim goes beyond to try to coordinate family visits so that multiple members can share a long-distance ride on the same day to come to clinic, saving them hundreds of dollars in transport costs.
An HCM patient felt unwell after going to a cardiac stress test in the clinic. After making the patient comfortable and arranging for immediate evaluation, it was likely the patient was dehydrated from fasting all day. She immediately arranged for a snack and water for the patient and kept checking on her for the afternoon. She likely avoided an admission for the patient.
Finally, all of my patients compliment Kim on her cheerful attitude and responsiveness to their phone calls. (I do too because I am usually forgetful and rely on Kim's gentle reminders to make sure things don't fall through the cracks.