Name: Kimberly Clark
Position/Where:
Patient Care Manager at Christian Hospital
Career Highlights:
I started off at Barnes Hospital as a staff nurse in the ICU. I have worked in Indianapolis Indiana. Probably one of the most rewarding times in my career was when I lived in Houston and I volunteered 80 hours of nursing care to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I was a director at the time, but did hands-on nursing and worked in the Houston Astrodome as a triage RN caring for evacuees.
Awards:
2007 Salute to Nurses awardee from The Houston Chronicle
Education:
RN diploma 1993- Jewish Hospital School of Nursing, St. Louis
Bachelor of Arts 2011- Ashford University, Clinton, IA
Personal:
16 year old daughter, 12 year old son, and 5 year old son
Attends Shalom Church City of Peace
St. Louis Connection:
University City High School class of 1990
Journey to success:
I started off watching my grandmother be the church nurse at Westside Missionary Baptist Church on Page Avenue in St. Louis. I looked at her as a hero because she was helping people in the moment of their need. She is the reason why I fell in love with nursing. My grandmother in that moment showed compassion, competence, and a nurturing spirit. That was magic to me. My mom was also a big influence in my career. My mother was a single parent, and really showed me how to work hard. She worked for the F.B.I. and was a minority at that organization. My mom showed me that hard work pays off and you can elevate in your career. I was an average student at University City High, but once I attended Jewish Hospital School of Nursing, I was pushed to excel in my studies. One of my nursing instructors by the name of Susan Grinslade was exceptionally tough on me. At the time, I felt like I was being harassed, but she was just preparing me for the world of nursing as it is more than just writing a care plan, it is actually executing the plan of care and getting your patient to buy into it. Susan taught me to step back from my textbook and step into the realm of the patient and see their illness through their eyes. She was in the military, so her clinicals were much like being in the military, but I definitely appreciated and respected her for her pushing me.
I am a nurse because of the connection that I make with patients. I strive to meet the patient where they are in their life course and nurture them through the course of their illness. My job is to care, not cure. Even in my role now as a nursing leader, my job is to encourage staff to connect the purpose of caring to each and every patient- this translates into delivering compassionate care at the bedside. Whether it is holding their hand as they take their last breath, or giving them an icepack to place on their new knee, patients need and want great nurses. And, I hope that is what my legacy will be; I was a great nurse.
I have never wanted to do anything else besides nursing. I was called to this profession. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a very caring, nurturing soul. I have been blessed to have mentors of all races to assist me with the growth of my professional career. I think that as long as you continue to be hungry for knowledge and never think you know everything, you will be a safe, compassionate, caring professional.
