Good Samaritans – Beth Whalen and Jenna Utley
Congratulations to Beth Whalen and Jenna Utley, RNs 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 Beth and Jenna as award recipients.
“On Wednesday 8/7/24, a swingbed patient arrived to Medical Center Franklin. When the patient arrived, it was apparent his health was declining. Beth Whalen was notified by the patient’s primary nurse. Beth made contact with the patient and his family. The patient had many family at bedside, including his sons, daughter, sister, brother, ex-wife and other extended family. His entire family was so supportive of him, and they were all under the impression he was arriving at Med Center Franklin to receive rehab services, get stronger, and go home. This patient has been battling cancer, and his health was rapidly declining, and his family did not recognize the signs that this was occurring. When Beth Whalen made contact with the patient and family, she made a connection with them. She and the physician worked together to help the patient and his family understand what was happening. Through these conversations, the patient and his family began to understand, and they began to share with Beth that although the patient and his ex-wife had divorced years before, they had continued to act as a married couple. They vacationed together, they lived together, they parented together, etc. The patient and his ex-wife shared with Beth they would like to get married before anything else changed with the patient’s condition. Beth jumped into action. The patient’s nurse, Jenna Utley had a connection to the county clerk in Simpson County. The clerk agreed to retrieve the needed documents from the patient and his ex-wife at the hospital, take those to the clerk’s office, and prepare a wedding license. The county clerk returned the prepared wedding license and had the patient and his ex-wife sign it. Jenna Utley contacted a local minister, Eli Hurt, who agreed to marry the couple at the hospital. While awaiting the documents and minister, many hospital staff pitched in and got balloons, bouquets, flower petals (as requested by the family), a bottle of sparkling grape juice, cupcakes, and prepared a makeshift venue in the back hallway of Medical Center Franklin. There were some hiccups in preparation and some minor issues with the minister, but Beth Whalen and Jenna Utley rolled the patient, in his hospital bed, down the hallway to the wedding ceremony that he requested. The couple was married on Thursday 8/8/24, in a very emotional ceremony. The patient and his entire family expressed their deep gratitude to Beth and the hospital staff for making this happen. I believe Beth planning and executing this wedding ceremony changed the lives of the patient, his wife, and his entire family for the better. This act also positively affected hospital staff and was a wonderful example of the empathetic care we should all strive to deliver” – Brandy Jernigan
