Kim Cole
May 2018
Kim
Cole
,
RN
Progressive Care Unit
Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital
Wyandotte
,
MI
United States

 

 

 

Kim Cole is an extraordinary nurse. She will pick up on early warning signs of a patient's worsening condition, things others might miss because she really knows her patients. Kim will always advocate for her patients and, not advocate for them like a nurse for a patient but more like a family member advocating for the patient. You cannot teach or put a price on that type of compassion and care.
There have been countless times Kim has gone above and beyond what most would do. Once, she had a patient who was near death and was desperately wanting a Maltese desert. While the family was at the bedside, they were too overcome with the situation to think about finding a treat. Kim is not Maltese, but she did recall driving by the Maltese American Club in Detroit before. So, on her own time, with her own money, she went down and bought not only the dessert but also Maltese snacks for the patient and family to enjoy together one last time.
On a different occasion, she had a patient that was going to be discharged home on hospice. The patient told her how he had lost contact with his siblings who lived in Colorado and would love to reconnect but had no way of doing so. She then made it her mission to locate these long-lost siblings to let them know they had family that was looking for them. Not only is this a feat on its own, but it was also made that much more difficult by the fact she had to (and successfully did) maintain HIPPA during her search.
Kim very recently had a patient and family that many would describe as "difficult". They were educated many times on a particular treatment plan, but when they still seemed to be confused or lacked the full understanding, she contacted nursing education to loan her the supplies to allow the family and patient to see the supplies used in person. To feel the way they worked, to see them set up. Those are just a few of hundreds of stories of ways she's not your standard edition nurse.