I was in severe pain and could not get medical attention because I couldn't drive, and also couldn't let an ambulance remove me from my assistance animal. No one at SSM cared, or would even talk to me, let alone solve the problem! It was cold, lonely, and frightening! I could barely use the bathroom or move because of the pain, and it seemed hopeless. But I finally found Nurse Kay H. in the Family Medicine Dept. Instead of rushing me off the phone to continue suffering excruciating pain like all the others, she listened, evaluated the situation very expertly, and solved the problem using various tools at her disposal, including a telehealth appointment. Her determination to get me care resulted in not only my own healing -- for which I am so grateful! -- but additional revenue for SSM that wouldn't have happened any other way.

A short time later, and only with Nurse Kay's determination and expertise, I was on a telehealth appointment with an SSM doctor who accurately diagnosed me with quadriceps tendonitis. The physician prescribed an over-the-counter medication, and within hours, I was feeling better. Within a few days, I felt so great I could hardly remember the excruciating pain I had been experiencing, and I became fully functional again! Nurse Kay not only evaluated the situation very professionally and expertly, but was also clearly determined to get me the medical care I needed and relieve my suffering. She connected me with the SSM app, which allowed for a telehealth appointment, and set it up for me. It was complicated technically, but she was determined to make it happen, and it did. Kay was even mindful enough to call me before she left her shift for the day to make sure everything was set up! She cared and went above and beyond.

I think this intelligent, amazing nurse is wonderful. If Kay's goal was to make the world a better place when she chose nursing as her career, she has succeeded wildly. This nurse changed my life, my assistance animal's life, and created a very favorable patient experience for SSM, which did not exist prior. She is intelligent, conscientious, kind, articulate, skilled, and extremely professional. I am grateful to the DAISY Award administrators for making this DAISY Award possible. I can't imagine a more deserving recipient than Nurse Kay H in Family Medicine at SSM Regional Clinic. She is an invaluable asset to SSM, her profession, and our community. Thank you, Kay! You are a wonderful person.