Shannon was the primary admitting nurse for a patient transferred to CIC who had been unresponsive in the Emergency Department. Emergency treatment required cutting the patient’s clothing.

Once the patient’s condition stabilized and she was conscious, she asked about her clothes. Shannon informed her of the necessity of the emergent removal. The patient became emotional, explaining that she did not have the financial means to replace her clothing. Shannon immediately recognized the patient’s concern regarding her basic needs and took several steps to resolve the issue: she first contacted the case management team to secure replacement clothing for the patient. When case management confirmed they lacked clothing in the patient’s size from their stock, Shannon independently purchased clothes for the patient after her shift.

I ran into her at Walmart buying clothing for her patient. Then, Shannon subsequently began organizing a clothing drive to replenish the stock of clothing available to case management for patients experiencing similar needs. She had a flyer made for a clothing drive within a few hours and had escalated the needs to the unit-based council and proposed taking it to the hospital-wide professional governance team. Shannon’s response to a patient’s distress extended beyond her paid duties. Her initiative not only assisted one patient with a basic need but also addressed a potential resource gap for the unit through the launch of the clothing drive. These actions demonstrate a commitment to comprehensive patient care and compassion.