Published: December 10, 2024
LANSING, Mich. – A University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Lansing patient care technician was recently recognized as the hospital’s first-ever BEE Award winner for going above and beyond to provide a patient with dementia a sense of purpose and control.
Katelyn Jenkins used her creativity to care for a patient who frequently wandered, hoarded trash and became agitated when told he needed to remain in the hospital while awaiting a court-appointed guardian.
“In order to calm him, and clean his room, Katelyn created fake money to ‘pay’ him for his trash, and keep him content with staying in the hospital,” her BEE Award nomination stated.
This thoughtful approach not only improved the patient’s well-being but also inspired her colleagues to think creatively and go the extra mile in their care.
“This idea was a step above the rest, and she inspires her team to do better and think outside the box,” the nomination said.
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Lansing patient care technician Katelyn Jenkins proudly celebrates receiving the BEE Award for providing creative and compassionate care.
Jenkins began her journey in health care by joining the EMT program at Lansing Community College. However, a traumatic brain injury from a severe car accident temporarily deterred her from pursuing medicine. She later decided to return to school and began working with patients with memory loss and traumatic brain injuries.
“I feel like my experiences gives me an edge while working with our more difficult patients and finding inventive ways to help them and make their stay comfortable,” Jenkins said.
Her dedication and ability to connect with her patients showcases the qualities the BEE Award was created to celebrate.
“A lot of the behind-the-scenes work is really done by techs, and we provide quality care for our patients. That’s something that I really pride myself on,” she said.
The BEE Award recognizes excellence among the clinical support team members who deliver quality, compassionate care. BEE is an acronym for Be Exceptional Every day.
For more information about the leading-edge rehabilitation services provided at UM Health-Sparrow, visit UofMHealthSparrow.org/Rehab.
###
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. Johns, as well as UM Health-Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Care Network, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. UM Health-Sparrow is part of University of Michigan Health. Through the dedication of our 10,000 team members, UM Health-Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. For more information, visit UofMHealthSparrow.org.