We recently had a hospice patient on our unit with intractable pain. Kim was phenomenal with her care! The patient arrived several shifts prior to Kim's shift with excruciating pain. Kim took one look at this patient and set about making her comfortable. Kim has a background in hospice so is very familiar with the medications and dosages used to make patients comfortable. When Kim first approached the patient, she said her pain was a 10/10. She was on an opiate drip and she could have prn medications as well. Due to the high dosages and frequency of the medications, the other nurses were reluctant to give too much medication, however, Kim knew it was safe to give the medication and immediately got to work on making the patient comfortable. By the end of her shift, the patient would smile each time Kim walked into her room. She was comfortable at last, but more than that, she and Kim had bonded and formed a trusting relationship. The patient knew she would be well cared for with Kim as her nurse.

The patient lit up every day that she had Kim as her nurse. Although most of her care was painful, she trusted Kim enough to allow the care to be done; she knew she was in the best hands and that Kim wanted what was best for her. The patient's family knew they would be cared for as well. For Kim, the family is a major factor in the care of a hospice patient and she shows them the same love and care that she provides to the patient.

This is just one of the many stories I could tell about Kim. Time after time, her patients have told me how much they love having her as their nurse. When asked if anyone has gone above and beyond in their care, the response is always the same, "Yes, Kim!"