Kim Anderson is a licensed practical nurse that has been in healthcare for 31 years, with the past five years working for Supplemental Health Care as a school nurse. While she appreciates being recognized as the Care More Spotlight winner, Kim takes even more pride in the appreciation she gets from her students.
“What I love most about my job are the students,” she explains. “To have them run up to me and give me a hug is the best part of my day. I have students stop by my office just to say ‘hi’ or just for a hug.”
Having that connection with her students is not surprising to those who know and work with Kim. She was nominated for the Care More Spotlight by her recruiter, Kelsey, who described how she exudes the “Care More” attitude.
“Kim has always shown wonderful nursing skills and always goes above and beyond for her students. She is always so happy and bubbly, and so approachable to those children!”
Kim loves helping others and recently, had a major impact on a student’s health. The student came to Kim’s office complaining of pain on his right side and told her it had been on and off for a few days. He told her that today, the pain was constant and sharp.
As Kim began her examination, she was very concerned about how painful it was for the student when she touched his side. She immediately called the boy’s parents and relayed the situation. When the mom said she would try to get an appointment with his primary physician, Kim stressed that he needed to be seen as soon as possible.
The student was picked up from school and had emergency surgery that same evening. The next morning the student’s mom called Kim and thanked her for being so persistent in urging her to take him in, as they were able to perform the surgery before his appendix ruptured.
Kim’s supervisor summed it up best when she recounted the situation. “Kim has great intuition and nursing judgment. She is awesome and I am lucky to have her on the team!”
When asked to describe her motivation to always go above and beyond the call of duty, it all comes back to helping the students understand their own health. “It’s about taking the time to talk and educate my students about what is going on with their bodies.”
Kim shares that she’s fueled to do this work by believing that what she does every day can make a difference in someone’s life. She also wants to ensure that even though she was recognized for the Care More Spotlight, it isn’t an accomplishment she earned alone.
“My support system is amazing,” she explains. “Everyone is great, starting with my recruiter, my supervisor, all the way to the building staff I work with daily. We are a team and that’s what makes my job here at Supplemental so enjoyable!”
Her exceptional nursing skills and commitment to care have led to her to this Care More Spotlight award and we could not be happier to have her on the SHC team! If you’re interested in school nursing, you can learn more about careers or reach out to us to get started.
