Sentara truly understands the importance of recognizing and rewarding employees and volunteers who always strive to provide excellence in patient safety and customer service to patients, visitors, physicians and staff. Sentara recognizes employees through Always Committed to Excellence (ACE) Awards quarterly. Congratulations to the January – June 2010 winners.
Take a look at the winners and submit a comment to the blog to let us know who you think should be the ACE Awards Grand Prize Winner. And, stay tuned to the blog because we’ll be announcing the Grand Prize Winner on Thursday, October 14.
Read their stories to find out why these employees have been recognized for their Sentara Commitments.
Congratulations to all of the winners!
Closing montage for the Oct. 2010 Sentara ACE Awards
Sentara Bayside Hospital/Sentara Princess Anne
Sonya McCoy, administrative assistant – Patients say Sonya’s enthusiastic voice and actions can transition any situation into a positive experience. Even at 5:30 am she is happy and ready to assist patients so they have an exceptional experience. And it’s not only the patients that love her – she was voted most supportive department member by her peers.
Sentara CarePlex Hospital
Dorothy Edwards, RN – ALWAYS is a word that describes Dorothy’s actions every day. She gives 100 percent of her seemingly endless energy and offers her undivided attention to patients, treats them with dignity and respect and keeps them safe. Her consistent commitment to the well-being of our customers and the team she works with every day make her one of the most loved and well thought of nurses at Sentara CarePlex Hospital.
Sentara Enterprises
Diane Najera, team coordinator – Managing the Payroll Department for nearly 1,000 Sentara Home Care employees is a tough job, but you’ll never hear Diane say that. Diane treats the staff with respect and exhibits a great deal of patience as she coordinates the payroll process. Diane always performs her job above expectations.
Bob Martin, delivery/maintenance assistant – Bob always makes customer satisfaction a top priority! Recently, a Sentara Home Care patient was admitted to the hospital. The patient’s physician ordered a rare medication STAT that was unavailable at the hospital. The only supply of the medication at Sentara Home Care was “in transit” to this patient’s home via UPS. Bob relentlessly tracked down the UPS driver who diverted his delivery route and met Bob at the patient’s home so that Bob could take the medication to the hospital for the patient.
Sentara Leigh Hospital
Cip Patac, general maintenance mechanic -If you need Cip’s help, he’s always there for you. Cip takes the time to understand what needs to be done and pays attention to the details that will make the outcome a perfect job. He always communicates before he does a job to be sure his customers are informed of precautions or workflow changes that need to occur. The work Cip does is critical to keeping our patients safe and our mission to Improve Health Every Day.
Sonny Silo, RN – Sonny is committed to excellence and comes to work each day with thefullunderstanding of teamwork that extends beyond the walls of the Emergency Department to all of Sentara Leigh Hospital. Sonny is described as having a plethora of knowledge that he is always willing to share with others.
Sentara Life Care – Currituck
Ruth Crider, activities assistant – Ruth is a remarkable team member who always delivers her best. She is described as having a smile as big as the world and a heart that matches. It’s the extras Ruth provides that create that extraordinary experience for the residents – going to the library, doing light shopping and making cards for special occasions just to name a few.
Sentara Life Care – Virginia Beach
Ofelia Spencer, restorative aide – Ofelia always treats residents with dignity, respect and compassion. She regularly offers to help in any way possible and is always equipped with a smile. She even brings in cakes for residents to help celebrate their birthdays!
Sentara Medical Group
Sentara Family Medicine Physicians – Great Neck
Shani Francis, medical assistant – Shani is an invaluable asset to the practice. She ALWAYS listens and responds to patients and coworkers, ALWAYS has patients interests at heart, ALWAYS volunteers for an unpopular task, ALWAYS keeps her physician informed and ALWAYS keeps her patients and coworkers safe.
Sentara Medical Group
Sentara Family Medicine Physicians – Bayside
Taymi Richardson, secretary – Taymi’s co-workers describe her as an integral part of helping the entire clinic staff provide quality healthcare to patients. Whatever needs to be done, she does it without hesitation. All customers receive a smile and a warm greeting from Taymi. She then listens and goes above and beyond to address each person’s individual needs.
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
Valerie Muffler, MSW – No matter what the situation is, Val can – and will – help. She listens, investigates and formulates a plan in the best interest of the moms and babies. Val keeps those under her care safe, responds to their needs and treats all patients and family members with dignity and respect.
Shauna Redfield, RN – Many of the patients in the Progressive Ventilator Step Down Unit can’t use their voice to speak. Shauna figures out a way to understand each patient’s needs and concerns. She is the first to notice changes in a patient’s condition and immediately takes the responsibility to address and champion the patient’s concerns. Shauna consistently goes above and behind to provide outstanding customer service and quality patient care.
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital – Sentara Grassfield Physical Therapy Center
Rebecca Riley, PT – It’s employees like Becky that quickly get a new Rehab Center on it’s feet! Becky has formed and maintained a flawless rapport with all of her patients by treating each person with the utmost respect and compassion through the entire rehabilitation process to ”graduation day” from therapy. Becky recently attended a local high school soccer game to watch one of her patient’s perform and make sure she was no longer having any issues with her ankle injury.
Sentara Obici Hospital
Debbie Berry, nursing care partner – For Debbie, it’s not simply a job but a passion. She delivers excellent care and is committed to making her patients feel like they are her only concern by caring for each person’s privacy and individual needs. She is ALWAYS Committed to Excellence.
Rachel Holliman, rehab aide – Rachel is a ray of sunshine in the Rehab Department and the patients adore her! Whether it be massaging their shoulders or helping them transfer, patients look for, depend on and seek out Rachel to help them. And she does – every time, joyfully and energetically.
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital
Joe Kirk, RN – Joe is an outstanding critical care clinician who is particularly skilled at working with family members in crisis. There is no better evidence of this than the numerous notes of thanks from patients and family members highlighting his compassionate care, ability to listen to the concerns of family members and efforts to always keep family members informed and involved.
Marie Moerch, LPN – Marie is a patient advocate and an effective listener. Despite our ever-changing environment and acuity level of patients, she always ensures that her patients are well informed and involved in their care, while minimizing their fears and anxieties. Keeping our patients safe and meeting their needs is a top priority for Marie.
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center
Wendy Knotts, RN – Wendy truly exemplifies excellence in all of the Sentara Commitments. She has received numerous complimentary letters from patients, co-workers, and physicians highlighting her commitment to patient safety, dedication to create an extraordinary experience for each patient, willingness to serve as a role model for others, and her countless efforts to serve as wingman for others in any situation.
Optima Health
Brenda Cutchin, case manager – There is no task too big for Brenda. A family was desperately looking for an electric hospital bed for their child. Brenda got busy networking and made it happen. The family is ecstatic that their child can now sleep more comfortably. In an effort to touch as many Optima lives as possible, Brenda shares her knowledge of community resources with others.
Brenda always goes the extra mile for our members. If she has a resource she has for a member-she shares it with others. She is the definition of team player.