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Ambulatory Care Services Healthcare Workers of the Year recognized Ambulatory Care Services held its annual “Healthcare Workers of the Year” reception and awards ceremony on May 11 to honor this year’s nominees and recipients.   Each year, employees, supervisors, and physicians nominate those individuals who exemplify the values of the organization—accountability, respect, excellence, and adaptability—on a daily basis. There are four categories for nominations that are specific to the role of the individual.   Samantha Reese, second from left, is Healthcare Assistant of the Year; Sallie O’Brien, center, is Registered Nurse of the Year; Eunice Brown, second from right, is Licensed/Certified Healthcare Worker of the Year. Congratulating the winners are Dave Neff, administrator, Ambulatory Care Services, Shannon Ravenel, left, director, Clinic Business Operations, and Sherry Gillespie Miller, director, Clinical Services. Congratulating Marilyn Wade, Administrative Support Staff of the Year, second from left, are Peggy Anthony, manager, Hollings Cancer Center; Greg Swant, clinical care coordinator, HCC; and Tamara Bowman, clinical care coordinator, HCC. This year’s winners are: Registered Nurse of the Year: Sallie E. O’Brien, R.N., Endocrine Licensed/Certified Healthcare Worker of the Year: C. Eunice Brown, Pediatric Primary Care Healthcare Assistant of the Year: Samantha J. Reese,  Pediatric Clinics Administrative Support Staff of the Year: Marilyn C. Wade, Hollings Cancer Center   Other nominees were: Susan C. Keller, R.N., Hollings Cancer Center; Rhonda E. Lucas, R.N., Pediatric Primary Care; Jodie D. Powell, R.N., Pediatric Day Treatment; Ashley F. Sabo, R.N., Pediatric Specialty Clinics; Susan J. Oman, certified ophthalmic technician, Storm Eye Institute; Shandelle L. Graham, patient care tech, Hollings Cancer Center; Bernadette S. McNeil, clincal associate, Pediatric Endocrine; Sharon Dupree-Capers, patient registration representative, University Internal Medicine; and Tangela N. Smalls, patient registration representative, Women’s Health.     All nominees were presented with a certificate at the reception. Award recipients were also presented with an engraved plaque, a corsage, and a $75 gift card. Their names have also been engraved on the perpetual plaque that is located on the first floor of Rutledge Tower.   In making the award announcements, Dave Neff, administrator for Ambulatory Care Services, Sherry Gillespie-Miller, director of Clinical Services, and Shannon Ravenel, director of Clinic Business Operations, read excerpts from each winner’s nominations. Some of the comments were as follows: O’Brien—“Accountability: Assesses patient, identifies needs, either meets need or communicates to physician. Respect: Communicates in words and actions that the patient is the center of care. Excellence: Partners with team to assure functional department. Supports autonomous practice, decision making, team efforts. Adaptability: Consistently looks to improve care, promote efficiency, document accurately, facilitate positive outcomes. Physicians describe her as: intelligent, considerate, reliable, great team player, and state that “her years of experience are invaluable both to the individual patient and clinic operations.” Brown—“Eunice quietly develops a good rapport with families and patients during intake and reassures patient and families while giving care. She goes out of her way to make patients feel comfortable and meet family needs during their visit. Also, Eunice will often seek out past immunization records from other agencies/offices for families. She listens carefully to distraught patients and families and obtains assistance from registered nurses and physicians quickly when needed. She has assisted them with understanding schools’ special education services and requirements. During the summer, Eunice worked with a team to provide an interactive educational program on fire safety for children at two Parks and Recreation camps.” Reese—“Samantha is a key member of our first floor team. Her patient care and clinical skills are outstanding. She is thorough and efficient with her patient intake and her computerized charting. She takes an active role in ensuring that all clinics run smoothly. Samantha has an excellent way with children and communicates well with the families. Samantha sought out the opportunity to advance to the clinical associate position and was the first to take the exam. She enthusiastically learned cast tech and phlebotomy skills. She is also taking her nursing prerequisite classes at night and will enter nursing school when finished.” Wade—“Marilyn is an excellent example of accountability because she assumes responsibility for even the smallest task and follows through until it is taken care of. She never assumes that ‘it’s not my job,’ and is willing to assist at all times. She handles all of her duties with the same level of professionalism and has excellent follow-through to make sure things get taken care of in a timely manner. Marilyn is a resource for both the clinical and administrative staff at Hollings Cancer Center. She has represented Hollings Cancer Center in a positive manner by always putting the patient and customer first. She is extremely resourceful in handling unique questions and situations. Marilyn exemplifies caring and concern when dealing with the clinical staff. When we have people out ill, or have a death in the family, she is the first one to ask what can be done to support the staff member.”     Friday, June 2, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.