Story by Ryan Gauthier, rjgauthier@health.missouri.edu

Jasmyn Whittler, a senior Radiography student in the College of Health Sciences, was recently nominated for a Boone Health award recognizing her excellent patient care.

A patient nominated Whittler for Boone Health’s BEE Award, which recognizes team members who support registered nurses in delivering exceptional patient care and upholding Boone’s standards of excellence. Whittler said the patient who nominated her had been forced to wait in the imaging room for longer than expected while colleagues worked to get clarification from her doctor.

“I consistently checked in on this patient and did everything I could to make sure she was as comfortable as possible while she had to wait,” Whittler said. “We had an amazing conversation while she waited, and she was very thankful for the hospitality.”

Whittler, a native of Mexico, Missouri, spent much of the summer doing clinical rotations at Boone Hospital. She said being nominated for the BEE Award as a student felt incredibly validating, noting it “gives her more courage and enthusiasm to continue doing better and better.”

Carla Allen, director of the Radiography program at Mizzou, said a student being nominated for this sort of award by a patient is a rare and outstanding achievement.

“Her passion for medical imaging is fabulous, and it has been so rewarding to watch her growth over the past year,” Allen said. “Our health system will benefit from Jasmyn’s caring and concern for providing the highest-quality care possible.”

Whittler will graduate in May and plans to spend time perfecting her imaging skills at a clinical site before potentially becoming a traveling X-ray technologist. She credits a strong support system of family, friends, peers and Mizzou faculty members for helping her thrive in the program.

“My teachers are amazing and are there whenever I need them — they listen and care,” she said. “My peers help me constantly with the many questions and struggles that arise when you are a student. My family supports me in every way possible. I am extremely grateful for them all.”