I would like to share my story and recognize Nickie because she consistently goes above and beyond to provide the best patient care and to achieve the best outcomes for our patients. There are many examples, but one special case involved an indigent and homeless patient facing discharge. He was unable to go home due to lack of home health supplies and equipment. He was very frightened and did not want to leave the hospital or move to Columbia for care. We all know the challenges to provide resources in these cases and how our Case Management department works diligently to secure these resources. At times or sometimes, KH has admissions of the homeless as well as those suffering from mental health conditions. Nurses realize that homelessness is often due to mental illness, and this plays a large role in patient care and discharge.
This patient with one BKA was facing amputation of his other leg. His only possession was a truck. The nursing team knew that disposition would prove difficult, but the case manager worked hard for him. She spent numerous hours of her days working to help the patient prior to discharge. She found a safe place in Columbia to offer him a bed, transportation and a place to go during the day and enrolled him in vocational rehab to help him find employment. This wonderful case manager arranged for the prosthetic rep to provide free prostheses with teaching instructions. The nurse scheduled voc rehab and the prosthetic rep to visit the patient while in the hospital to assure him that he would do well in Columbia after discharge. She arranged for him to keep his truck, arranged handicap conversions and accessories for the truck, and helped him secure a driver's license so he could continue to drive.
This nurse has taken the time to follow-up with the patient, and he is thriving and doing well as a result of the compassionate, skillful, and excellent care that Nickie provided.
A big thank you for all you do for our patients, hospital, and community!