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Hospital celebrates its staff

Employees celebrate years of service, nurses honored

Rock Springs — Awards and accolades for years of service were part of National Hospital Week celebrations at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.Cynthia Harkins

Sweetwater Memorial scheduled the celebration May 6-10 to coincide with Nurses’ Day, which is May 6. Hospital staff were invited to participate in a variety of employee activities, including a service awards ceremony and dinner.

Cynthia Harkins, a lab assistant, and Lola Gebhardt, an operating room aide, each received 40-year service pins.

Harkins has worked at Sweetwater Memorial since August 1978.

“I’ve just always been fascinated with math and science, and I love people,” she said. “The patient interaction is my favorite part.”

Gebhardt started her MHSC career as a certified nursing assistant. She worked as a surgical nurse starting in 1979; moving to the operating room as a nurse in 1986.Lola Gebhardt

“I fell in love with the OR,” she said. “I’m now a scheduler for the OR.”

Those receiving 35-year pins include Lourdes Abram, an outpatient coder; Candace Hendrix, an outpatient coder; and Jeanne West, a case manager.

Other service pins awarded include:

  • 30 years of service: Kristy Nielson, Chief Nursing Officer; Devonna Jetmore, medical laboratory technician; Monica Bennett, registered nurse; Robin Fife, administrative assistant/special events; Doreen Peretti, quality analyst registered nurse; and Yvonne Rockey, Nutrition Services supervisor.
  • 25 years of service: Karen Baumann, Health Information Management technician.
  • 20 years of service: Karen Frost, Central Sterile technician.
  • 15 years of service: Brenda Partain, registered nurse.
  • 10 years of service: Karen Meese, registered nurse; Staci Smith, registered respiratory therapist; Gloria Johnson, Health Information Management technician; Stephen Case, receiving clerk; Megan Gilbert, nursing informatics specialist; Angie Overy, computerized tomography (CT) technician; Janae Gale, Volunteer Services and Community Outreach director; Valerie Boggs, clinical coordinator; Joseph Tong, cook; Shelby Williams, registered nurse; Dr. Steven Croft, anesthesiologist; Angel Bennett; Materials Management director; W. Scott Montgomery, carpenter/drafter II; Deborah DeFauw, Rehabilitation Services director; Kevin Macy, radiologic technologist I (ARRT); Stevie Nosich, environmental safety manager; April Prado, guest relations and auditing; and Tiffany Uranker, trauma coordinator.
  • 5 years of service: Noah Gray, medical laboratory technician; Diane Pfeifer, dietary aide; Dr. William Sarette, pediatrician; Grace Rhodes, registered nurse; Dr. Samer Kattan, obstetrician/gynecologist; Stacey Jacobson, collections clerk; Stacey Nutt, senior network administrator; Brooke Fandrich, nursing informatics specialist; Kathryn Kent, registered nurse; Alisha Mackie, Surgical Services director; Sheridan Schultz, registered nurse; Traci Jones, radiologic technologist I (ARRT); Angelic Ruby, pre-admission registrar; Erin Facinelli, collections specialist; Armando Jauregui, housekeeper; Rebecca Moody, medical assistant II; Ashly Atwood, nursing unit secretary; Jennifer Crowell, medical laboratory technician; Tasha Harris, Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center Director and certified dosimetrist; Holli Beach, registered nurse; Jamie Webb, registered nurse; Nicole Halstead, Dialysis Center director; Brittany Griffin, Health Information Management director; Bryelle Jordan, Central Supply aide; Kayla Peterson, registered nurse/clinic; Shawna Welter, registered nurse; Amber Tyler, radiologic technologist II (ARRT); Melissa Anderson, Acute Care and Emergency Services director; Megan Jacobsen, Obstetrics director.

“I’d like to commend and thank our employees for their dedicated years of service to our patients, our hospital and our community,” said CEO Irene Richardson. “We are so fortunate to have such committed staff and we congratulate them for receiving their well-deserved awards.”

Nurses awarded

Several of Sweetwater Memorial’s nurses also were honored earlier in the week.

The 158 nurses employed by MHSC were asked to nominate one of their peers for the Florence Nightingale Award. They were asked to nominate someone who exemplifies the hospital’s mission, vision and values. Thirty-one of those nurses were nominated for the award and honored during a Nurses’ Day Ceremony on May 6.

Registered nurse Sue Park, an international nurse from South Korea, received the award.Sue Park

“Wanting to help alleviate another person’s pain, be it physical or psychological, is why nurses become nurses,” said Chief Nursing Officer Kristy Nielson.

“Sue’s colleagues witness daily how Sue genuinely cares about her patients, their families and her peers and goes above and beyond in helping others through their time of stress. This is compassionate care. This is Sue.”

To be compassionate is to be nonjudgmental, Nielson said. Someone who is nonjudgmental connects better with others.

“Sue listens,” Nielson said. “She is nonjudgmental, and that is so evident.”

Park began working at Sweetwater Memorial May 1, 2017, working in the Emergency Department and now is in the Medical/Surgical Unit. She was surprised by the award.

“I would have never thought I would be honored like this,” Park said.

Plus, two of Sweetwater Memorial’s nurses were honored as the “Best of the Best” in the Rocket-Miner’s annual Locals’ Choice Awards.

In the best nurse category, Monica Bennett received the most votes, earning a superior rating. Joan Fowler received an excellent rating. Both work as nurses on Sweetwater Memorial’s Medical/Surgical Unit.