When experiencing a very traumatic thing for the first time, it’s hard to figure out what’s going on, hard to think of the next thing, but easy to think the worst. As a hospital worker myself, I knew the ‘what ifs’; I knew what was going to happen or what should happen, but let’s be honest, this is health care, things are slow, things aren’t always done in a timely manner, and there is ALWAYS the possibility something can go wrong—and that’s exactly what happened.

When my dad was having seizures and was taken to a hospital by EMS, then the hospital decided it was time to transfer him to another hospital that was better equipped for someone in my dad’s state; they wanted to transfer him to Wilson. More specifically, Wilson ICU, as my dad was on a ventilator and unresponsive-having seizures. When they told me the news about him being transferred, I called Karen in the transfer center. I knew she would be able to help. Karen listened to me cry on the phone as I was trying to tell her what was going on. She sat on the other end, with compassion, comforting me that she would do everything she could to get him over to Wilson. Karen also told me that she would make it her and her team’s priority to get him a bed, and after 2 days, that’s exactly what Karen did. Karen respected my family and me by not only calling the facility we were transferring from, but she also messaged me to let me know she got us a bed, which was the best news we had that day. 
Karen is a huge factor in the UHS hospital system and is a part that I believe is often overlooked. Karen was there to answer the phone, to talk to me, to listen to me, answer my messages, and keep us informed for multiple days. Not one time did she seem like I was upsetting her. In fact, she messaged me and asked how my dad was doing a couple of days after the transfer happened. Karen is such an asset and, honestly, the “brains” of the hospital bed-board system. She has such a difficult job in managing which place a bed gets, especially when there are no beds to be given, but she gets the job done.

If it wasn’t for Karen, I’m not 100% certain my dad would be where he is today. He’s off the ventilator, moving and talking on his own, and is going to be discharged to rehab to get stronger.

She was touching to my entire family and she never physically got to see us, she only knew our names and numbers. I know she wouldn’t be able to do it without her team. However, Karen is a truly extraordinary person, nurse, coworker, and friend. I believe she truly deserves this award.