A patient was admitted to Mercy with a very difficult home situation. She was currently living with her mother who was in her 80's. They both were immigrants. The patient had a very slow recovery. Shelly spent the next month working with the patient's mother, a close family friend, a sister, a brother, and his wife. Due to the patient's expired green card, placement was not an option. Countless hours of phone conversations and family meetings were had to ensure a safe discharge plan. The patient was eventually discharged with her mother, brother and his wife. The plan was for the family to travel back to Alabama together. The morning of discharge, Shelly came in at 0530. She personally helped walk the family to the door and offered hugs, prayers, and well wishes. The family was provided 4 boxed lunches, a 30-day supply of medications, a bag of ice for their cooler, and Shelly's phone number to call for any issues or questions. This patient and family were treated with respect and dignity. Shelly's communication, compassion and empathy with the patient and family through their entire stay at Mercy is an example of personalized care. Thank you, Shelly, for all that you do!
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Last week I was walking out of work with my co-worker, Shelly Klinkhammer. When we got to the lobby, we noticed that there was a family there trying to comfort an individual who was visibly very upset, crying and wringing her hands. Shelly approached the family and asked them if they were ok and if there was anything that she could do for them. The family explained that they were just waiting for a bed on 2 north and that they had been accepted to the unit as a direct admission from the Doctor's office, but 2 North was waiting to discharge someone, and it could be up to an hour wait.
Shelly immediately at that point knew who the patient was and knew that she was an expected patient on our unit. She then explained to the patient and family that the 2 North staff were discharging another patient on the unit. Then the housekeeper would have to clean the room and finally it would be all ready for them. Shelly then directed the family to the ICU waiting room, which would be more private for them to wait. The family was concerned that the 2 North staff wouldn't be able to find them when the bed was ready. Shelly promised and delivered that she would call the unit to make sure that the staff knew they would be waiting in the ICU waiting room.
In addition to coordinating all this, Shelly was also speaking directly to the patient letting her know that everything was going to be ok and that she was in the right place. The patient and family were visually calmer after the interaction. I was standing in the background offering a few nods and words of encouragement to the family. I am so incredibly touched by the interaction that Shelly has with this family. This is just one example of the countless times that I have seen Shelly go above and beyond for a patient/family member in a similar manner. Shelly consistently and effectively demonstrates compassion and our Values of Commitment to those that are poor. In addition, she successfully established our Caring Model Principals of Knowing the patient. Excellent Job Shelly! You are an asset to both Mercy Medical Center and Psychiatric Services!