Good Samaritan – Kimberly Thompson
Congratulations to Kimberly Thompson, an Occupational Therapist at The Medical Center at Franklin, for being honored with the Good Samaritan Award. Please see the nomination below to see why the Employee Recognition Committee selected Kimberly as an award recipient.
“A good Samaritan is described as a good or charitable person who takes initiative to help others in times of need. Kim always goes above and beyond for her patients, such as staying late for caregiver training because a family member was at work, or utilizing personal funds to assist with obtaining equipment for patients. Recently, we had a patient that underwent an amputation of their right leg. This patient already had an amputation of their left leg and did not have a prosthetic that fit well. Kim spent an extensive amount of time discussing different prosthetic options with the patient and provided them with contact information for different companies in the surrounding areas. The patient noted that their number one goal to achieve before going home was to be able to complete a car transfer safely. Typically, this would be an easy feat; however, the patient was a bilateral amputee, and the vehicle they would be transferring into was an SUV. This lack of support, in addition to the large height difference from the wheelchair to the seat of the vehicle, threw a wrench into the patient’s plan. Kim took this wrench and immediately got to work, forming modified cushions to increase the seat height and allow for an easier transfer. She spent immense amounts of time researching options for the patient and practicing car transfers with them. In addition to her already generous act, she utilized her own vehicle to practice the car transfer with the patient, as their family could not bring their personal vehicle to the hospital. As if Kim couldn’t be any more generous, she offered to wash the patient’s clothing for them, since they were very self-conscious; as a result of their recent amputation, and didn’t feel comfortable wearing a hospital gown. Kim is a true role model, not only for those in the rehab department, but for anyone she works with. It is a joy and a privilege to co-treat with and learn from Kim!” – Gabriele Gregory
