Beacon Bremen, Elkhart General, Memorial hospitals honor nurses, other caregivers during Spirit Awards

Community Hospital of Bremen COVID Screener Marilyn Cunningham, center, "comes to work every day with a smile on her face and ready to meet any challenge set before her. She greets everyone that comes through our doors with a smile and makes each person feel at ease."

Community Hospital of Bremen OR Nurse Michelle Shupert, center, "is known for being an amazing team player who connects with heart with not only her patients, but with her co-workers."

RISING STAR: Viviana Acevedo, Environmental Services at Elkhart General Hospital, "came to us with zero work history, but we took a risk on her because she interviewed so well. The reward has highly surpassed the risk! She is a near perfect employee. She displays Beacon's values in every interaction she has. She has such a positive attitude and is so eager to learn new things. She covers nearly every area of the hospital and adhered so well to her training. She is an exemplary employee in all areas. She picks up a ton of extra shifts and is willing to shift her schedule around to help cover the needs of the department. Her coworkers have raved about her since she started with us."

RISING STAR: Katelynn Gates, RN, Elkhart General Hospital Critical Care, "is such a hard worker! She gives 110% every time she works. She is thorough, caring, compassionate. She is really developing her skills, and has great work ethic. She has come in extra to help numerous times. She is one that never see sitting down when there is work to be done. She loves to learn and has joined most of our core teams we have. She is a team player and is dedicated to our patients and our unit goals. She is on unit council and has volunteered to make a video on proper waffle mattress inflation that was shared with the whole hospital. "Katelynn started off her career in the midst of the COVID pandemic. She however did not let this stop her from rising to becoming a great nurse on Critical Care. She has jumped in and is part of our Unit Practice Council, has gone above and beyond in making educational videos for staff (CCC and Housewide) on the proper way to inflate and check for proper inflation of the waffle mattress. She has become core in CRRT and soon to be Neuro in the short time that she has been a nurse. She is a great asset to Critical Care and Elkhart General. Her positivity and enthusiasm for nursing in evident in the way she practices."

BEACON VALUES: Elaine Hagen has been a Clinical Dietitian at Elkhart General Hospital for almost 29 years. Elaine is that person that LOVES her job and everyone she works with. She is a perfect example of someone who exudes our Beacon values of trust, respect, integrity, and compassion. She prides herself in knowing everyone she works with and EGH and goes out of her way to ask how your doing. Her compassion for her patients is something we should all strive to have.

BEACON VALUES: Denise Kimsey, RN, Oncology at Elkhart General Hospital, “epitomizes the Beacon values of Trust, Respect, Integrity, and Compassion. Her experience in the field of nursing allows her the ability to share her vast knowledge with her peers, which she so often does with a funny story from her past. She frequently takes on the "mom" role on our unit. Sometimes she gives you "that look" over the top of her big designer glasses. Staff know they can trust her to provide sound clinical advice. It's rare to see Denise in a bad mood. She is almost always smiling, even when it's been a tough shift or she's emotional about a patient that is not doing so well. She connects with patients on a personal level and provides such compassionate care to them, mind and body. Denise acts as a great role model on our unit not only for the Beacon values, but also for patient safety and outcomes. She always wants to "Do the Right Thing" and she wants those around her to be held to that standard as well. It's very important to Denise to keep the lines of communication open with peers and she treats everyone with respect. We appreciate Denise and thank her for her contributions to the Oncology unit and to Beacon.”

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE: Amy Williams, Elkhart General Hospital Cardiac Cath Lab Tech, "is one of the best Cath lab techs I've ever worked with. She is asked for by name, by physicians, on many occasions to participate on their procedures. Her technical skills are superb not only in Interventional Cardiology but Electrophysiology as well. She is someone can always count, when the procedures are tough, to step up and tackle anything that comes her way. She is ambitious and is always excited to be a part of the new procedures and technology that appears in the Cath lab. She has been an instrumental part in out Structural Heart program. She is always willing to stay and help out not only for the patients but for her peers as well. She was more than willing to use her skills to work down in IR when needed during the COVID crisis. Amy always goes above and beyond in her job here. Amy's knowledge, critical thinking ability and dedication to the Cath lab has made EGH a better place."

BEACON VALUES: Nichole Warp, RN, Elkhart General Hospital Palliative Care, "is a well respected nurse across EGH. Her experience in many different roles at EGH has made it possible for her to have many positive, engaging relationships with nurses and physicians across many departments. In her new role as our Palliative Care nurse this has proven to be very advantageous in building that rapport with the team while advocating for her palliative patients. She has always been someone who holds herself to very high clinical and personal standards. She holds herself and others accountable for their actions, especially when it ties to patient care. Palliative Care is a very specialized type of nursing and since September she has embraced this role and worked hard to grow referrals for this program. Physicians respect her opinions and knowledge and she is a very strong patient advocate. She shares her knowledge with the nursing staff and offers to provide education on the difference between Hospice and Palliative Care. She looks beyond the patient to also include their support system/family of the patient. She is positive proponent of living by the Beacon Values!"

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE: Kelly Shafer, LPN, Oncology at Elkhart General Hospital, “offers so much for our oncology unit and the patients. She is dedicated to providing exceptional care to each and every one the patients. She takes the time to get to know the patients and personalize the care to meet their needs physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She communicates well with other team members and advocates for the patient. The oncology unit is very fortunate to have Kelly as part of the team! Thank you Kelly for helping make each day the better for all of our patients! Keep up the good work.”

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Holly Kaczmarek, Elkhart General Hospital Pharmacy, "was instrumental in the success of the EGH COVID vaccine clinic. From day one, she took ownership of everything that had to do with covid vaccines. Holly's amazing organizational skills came shining through as she devised a great workflow, labeling system, and dispensing station for the vaccines. She made sure the pharmacy portion of the clinic adequately staffed each day and volunteered her time to staff it as well. She came in early mornings to make sure the team had enough thawed out vaccine ready to go in advance for the 7am start time. She spent countless hours receiving vaccine stock, as well as ancillary supplies and made herself available anytime there was a need. Holly's attention to detail and dedication to the clinic helped to make the operation a well oiled machine and a success!"

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Tricia Coatie, RN, Oncology at Elkhart General Hospital, "has been a staple for the entire oncology program for over 28 years. She started off in our infusion program many years ago, has worked in the home care infusion domain, back to inpatient oncology, leading as a shift coordinator, then moved towards our Thoracic Oncology, which she runs along with dabbling in survivorship care planning, being a nurse program navigator and filling in for the infusion center as needed. Most recently Trish has been running the CT lung screening program, which is an avenue to identify lung cancers early so they can be presented in our Thoracic Oncology Clinic. This program has been nationally recognized through American College of Radiology for allowing patient participation in a multi-disciplinary format with specialty physicians: in which they receive their final diagnosis and treatment plan in one setting. She has recently led an initiative to review different software systems that would allow better tracking of the lung screens and follow up for patients. She is assisting in writing up the proposal for approval of this clinical enhancement. Trish has always been a quiet leader who will do anything asked of her. She is deserving of this outstanding achievement award because of her unwavering passion to serve our oncology patients and walk beside them on this journey that takes many twists and turns. She has a very giving spirit and it shines through to anyone who meets her."

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: “If there is one person you can always count on, it's Dean [Christner, Radiology Tech in Elkhart General Hospital’s Cardiac Cath Lab.] Although Dean's title is Cardiology Coordinator, I don’t think people understand what that encompasses. Dean takes care of all product and equipment here in the Cath lab and the Hybrid OR. He is ever busy talking to vendors to get the best product as well as pricing for us her at EGH. Not only the supplies we use, but he takes care of our service reps and our equipment as well. He is our liasion between other department as well as other hospitals. Dean spends a significant amout of time on staff education and development, making sure we are comfortable and knowledgable in all that we do. He is the go-to man when ANYTHING needs fixed. He is instrumental in so many areas it's hard to list. From Merge to Spacetrax, from the Hybrid OR to all new technology and procedures, Dean is a part of it. He's trustworthy and compassionate. He can be a shoulder to cry on or a board to vent to. There are many times, if were him, I'd change my name! Dean spends many hours here making the Cath lab the best it can be and he truly deserves a note of praise for all he does for us here at Beacon.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Lindy Jones, Laboratory at Elkhart General Hospital, “is a rock star! During COVID, she successfully completed her eCrew project, obtained her Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science. She did all this while juggling her family life and the stress of COVID testing within the lab. She assisted the supervisor with validations for COVID testing. She also provides leadership and shares her knowledge with the technical students during their Clinical's. Due to all the work she has done to improve her knowledge base she was also promoted to senior technologist in the laboratory!”

Kim Henke, Education, Elkhart General Hospital, “is an outstanding member of the education team and is continuously putting the patient at the center of all educational activities. She is available to staff and often helps out on ICC, CCC, PCU, and 6NE. She is a resource for both staff RN's, CNA's, and others in the education department. She keeps current on all literature pertinent to her areas and beyond and attends professional conferences and other educational offerings to advance her knowledge and those of the nursing staff. Kim is a role model. She is certified in her field (she holds 2 certifications) as a CCRN and CSRN.”

LEADERSHIP: Becky Lange, Cardiac Diagnostic, Elkhart General Hospital, “is a great leader and has a way of engaging her team and bringing them together. From her dedication to being present for her team on a daily basis, to the innovative ways she creates excitement and recognition at her department meetings. Becky is a leader that models the Beacon value of respect and knows how to engage and build a team. She takes the time to get to know her staff and cares deeply about them. Becky's departments work collaboratively, helping each other out when needed, this is a direct result of her role modeling the same behavior. Most recently, Becky is co-leading the effort in the implementation of Cardiocares, a software that will help to identify patients for Beacon's structural heart program. When asked to take on a project she always approaches it with a positive attitude, willingness to collaborate, and great ideas.”

LEADERSHIP: Terra Morauski, RN, Med Neuro, Elkhart General Hospital, "goes above and beyond for all of our nursing units at EGH. She takes great pride in assisting the Nursing Supervisors daily to be sure the units are staffed appropriately. Terra is our team lead for Teletracking. Terra is willing to jump in wherever is needed. Over the last unit, she assumed the role of Nursing Manager for Med-Neuro along with her role as Manager of Float Pool and Nursing Supervisors. Terra is very flexible (sometimes too flexible) to be sure she is available to staff. She doesn't hesitate to jump out and help Med-Neuro when needed, answering call lights, turning patients, walking patients, discharging - whatever is needed. Terra has a very calming and positive attitude. Terra's team trust and respect her and know that is there for them whenever needed. We are very blessed to have Terra on our team. Thank you Terra for all that you do for our patients and staff!"

RISING STAR: Jasmine Eagan, Memorial Epworth Hospital "This award acknowledges a team member that has two years or less experience and exceeds all expectations of a new nurse. This person stands out in the unit in areas such as teamwork, clinical skills, work ethic, and dedication to achieving patient and unit goals, despite the limited time that they have been a registered nurse. This person continuously strives to learn more to better the unit and themself. This nurse has proven to be an irreplaceable asset to the unit and displays limitless possibilities in what they might be able to achieve in the future."

EDUCATION: Alissa Soboleski, RN, Memorial Hospital 8 South "This is for a registered nurse who contributes to nursing's body of knowledge through formal nursing education, skills training, or continuing education. A person who guides, supports, or influences a nurse's career development in meaningful and measurable ways."

CERTIFIED SURGICAL TECH OF THE YEAR: Sari Hogg, Memorial Hospital "This award is in honor of a certified surgical tech who has distinguished themselves by their outstanding contributions to their department and the overall organization. This person goes above and beyond to create exceptional patient care experiences, is an outstanding team player, and is a role model to other team members. This award winner exemplifies the Beacon values: trust, respect, integrity, and compassion."

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE, ADULT PATIENT SERVICES: Lori Geartz, LPN, Memorial Hospital 11 South "This is for an exceptional team member that serves as a role model of professional practice for their peers. Someone who exhibits excellence in nursing practice as evidence by a comprehensive assessment of each patient's needs and developing/implementing a plan of care specific to meet those needs. This award is given to someone who is a knowledgeable resource, a strong patient advocate, and skilled at early detection of acute changes in their patients. This team member contributes positively to the professional nursing practice and the environment of their unit."

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE, WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S SERVICES: Allie Boyle, RN, Pediatrics, Memorial Hospital "This is for an exceptional team member that serves as a role model of professional practice for their peers. Someone who exhibits excellence in nursing practice as evidence by a comprehensive assessment of each patient's needs and developing/implementing a plan of care specific to meet those needs. This award is given to someone who is a knowledgeable resource, a strong patient advocate, and skilled at early detection of acute changes in their patients. This team member contributes positively to the professional nursing practice and the environment of their unit."

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE, SURGICAL SERVICES: Tanya Myer, RN, Surgery, Memorial Hospital "This is for an exceptional team member that serves as a role model of professional practice for their peers. Someone who exhibits excellence in nursing practice as evidence by a comprehensive assessment of each patient's needs and developing/implementing a plan of care specific to meet those needs. This award is given to someone who is a knowledgeable resource, a strong patient advocate, and skilled at early detection of acute changes in their patients. This team member contributes positively to the professional nursing practice and the environment of their unit."

MHT OF THE YEAR: Jodi Newkirk, Memorial Hospital 2 North "This award is in honor of a MHT who has distinguished themselves by their outstanding contributions to their department and the overall organization. This person goes above and beyond to create exceptional patient care experiences, is an outstanding team player, and is a role model to other team members. This award winner exemplifies the Beacon values: trust, respect, integrity, and compassion."

LEADERSHIP: Chris Uy, Memorial Hospital 11 South "This nominee can be an informal leader such as an educator or advance practice nurse. It can also be a staff nurse that portrays the characteristics of a leader. This individual is an advocate for staff; a catalyst for change to promote an environment in which high quality care can be provided; a visionary for the future and can articulate it with key members of the team; enthusiastic about nursing and maintains mutual respect while promoting collaboration with all members of the health care team; and a team builder who engages staff to promote a healthy work environment."

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Dorothy Mitchell, RN, Memorial Hospital Infusion Center "Nominees for this award must be an RN that has 20+ years of service and currently employed at Memorial Hospital. The nominee has made outstanding contributions to his/her area of expertise. The nominee demonstrates high professional standards and is a working example of Memorial's values of compassion, integrity, respect, and excellence."

HEALTHCARE HERO: Sarah Samson, Memorial Hospital Spiritual Care "This award is in honor of the above and beyond work done while connecting with patients in crisis. This person stepped up to the challenge, helped to take amazing care of patients during much uncertainty and was a resource and role model to all. This person’s honor, dedication and commitment to our patients and community if a bright shining light in the organization."

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Yolanda Emley, Memorial Hospital 8 South "Nominees for this award must be an RN that has 20+ years of service and currently employed at Memorial Hospital. The nominee has made outstanding contributions to his/her area of expertise. The nominee demonstrates high professional standards and is a working example of Memorial's values of compassion, integrity, respect, and excellence."

Wound Care Clinician Olivia Hildreth received a special honor from Memorial President Larry Tracy: a Memorial Hospital Challenge Coin.