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St. Luke’s athletic trainer’s act of kindness resonates at vaccine clinic
Carly Gates got more than a COVID-19 vaccine after she arrived at St. Luke’s Plaza 4 last month. She also gained a new respect for the care that defines so many St. Luke’s employees.
Before she left, Gates was witness to an amazing interaction between another patient and Ansley Redinger, an outreach athletic trainer at St. Luke’s. Gates was so impressed by Redinger’s actions, she snuck a few photos and messaged our St. Luke’s Instagram page with details about the interaction.
The patient had explained to Redinger that it was the wedding anniversary of her and her husband, who had passed away in 2009. Redinger comforted the older woman for more than 20 minutes.
“(Redinger) has been talking with her, looking at pictures, asking her nice questions and comforting her with the grace and kindness of a saint,” Gates said. “I just wanted to say thanks and hope she gets a pat on the back for being a great member of the community!”
When word got back to Redinger’s team, no one was surprised. Even though Redinger has been a St. Luke’s employee for less than a year, recently completing her PhD in athletic training, she has shown a special level of passion.
“She’s a good one,” supervisor Kip Dribnak said, adding that she and other athletic trainers have gone “above and beyond” during COVID, working functions having to do with the pandemic but also their usual functions as well.
Athletic trainers have been stepping up to support St. Luke’s vaccination efforts. They are cleared to vaccinate, but they have also worked as screeners in Nampa, Boise and Meridian.
On that day in March, Redinger was supporting rather than vaccinating. She has volunteered across many needs and functions during the pandemic, helping to prepare and distribute iPads and iPhones for telehealth needs, organizing and cleaning trailers, working at multiple vaccination clinics and initiating a mental health screening tool for student-athletes encountered in outreach settings.
About The Author
Randall Post works in the Communications and Marketing department at St. Luke’s.
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