Kayla Knox, RN, an inpatient nurse in the intensive care unit at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, has been named the hospital’s April Colleague of the Month.
Knox was nominated by a patient’s spouse who described the “best experience they have ever had at JMH” during her husband’s final hospitalization. The nomination highlights how Knox combined clinical skill with compassion during a difficult time.
Knox took time to brighten the patient’s days with simple but meaningful connections. “Kayla would talk about her two huskies and keep him interested in smiling, enjoying animal stories,” wrote the nominator. Those conversations became a small source of comfort in the middle of an otherwise overwhelming experience.
When the patient was placed in comfort care, Knox put two little stuffed dogs in his arms. Weeks later, when picking up her husband’s ashes, the nominator discovered the two stuffed dogs inside the box and knew immediately who they were from. The nominator shared that while they were grateful to everyone in the ICU, Knox was “essential in helping her and her husband through a rough time.”
Knox has worked for Jacksonville Memorial Hospital since 2012.
The Colleague of the Month award celebrates Memorial Health colleagues who exemplify excellence in their roles and embody the organization’s mission, vision and values.