Chief Nursing Officer Jayme Thompson-Mason (left) and The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays honor Daniela Leon Morado with the award for ambulatory nurse of the year.
Mid-Columbia Medical Center (MCMC) celebrated National Nurses Week with their annual Nurses Awards May 10, the first time since 2019 that they were able to host the awards publicly due to previous COVID restrictions.
Chief Nursing Officer Jayme Thompson-Mason (left) and The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays honor Daniela Leon Morado with the award for ambulatory nurse of the year.
On May 10, Mid-Columbia Medical Center (MCMC) celebrated National Nurses Week with their annual Nurses Awards. This year’s award ceremony took the form of a luncheon, and marked the first time since 2019 that they were able to host the awards publicly, rather than privately within departments due to COVID restrictions.
At the luncheon, Chief Nursing Officer Jayme Thompson-Mason gave out six awards, each representing one of the “Six Cs of Nursing.” The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays then announced the inpatient and ambulatory nurse of the year.
The first C of nursing is courage, which Thompson-Mason awarded to Infection Prevention Coordinator Connie Jubitz. In particular, Thompson-Mason mentioned Jubitz’s work in keeping the hospital and surrounding areas safe and infection free throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“[Jubitz] is compassionate about public safety and went above and beyond to communicate the latest and ever-changing guidelines on COVID, masking, etc.,” Thompson-Mason said. “She does this with so much courage and she never gets tired … This organization is a much better and safer place with her here.”
The next C is communication, which was awarded to Paula Riley, a registered nurse clinic case manager in the pediatric clinic. Thompson-Mason cited Riley as a great advocate for pediatric patients, working hard to become familiar with resources for patients, and helping facilitate conversations and problem solving between children and parents.
“Paula works to identify barriers and helps parents come up with solutions that meet the needs of not only the child, but the family as a whole,” Thompson-Mason said.
Thompson-Mason then awarded the third C, competence, to oncology nurse Judy von Borstel, who has worked at MCMC for more than 30 years. According to Thompson-Mason, von Borstel was previously a nurse in pediatrics on acute care, helping to found Hospital Land, MCMC’s program for children that works to take the mystery out of coming to the hospital. In the past year, von Borstel completed her national oncology certification, with a goal of increasing her knowledge for her patients, Thompson-Mason said.
“What exudes from Judy is her compassion for her patients and her co-workers. She has genuine empathy and love for people that makes those around her feel accepted and cared for,” Thompson-Mason said. “Through some very tough times at Celilo Cancer Center and through COVID, she brings compassion, encouragement and positivity to work every day with patients and co-workers alike.”
Thompson-Mason then awarded Nekeita Strength-Stevens, an intensive care unit nurse, for commitment, the fourth C of nursing. She mentioned Strength-Stevens’ advocacy for both her patients and coworkers, saying that she is always looking for ways to learn new things to provide best practice care for her patients. Strength-Stevens is one of the hardest working nurses on the floor, Thompson-Mason said, and is also always willing to explain something or teach someone something new.
“Nekeita exemplifies all the characteristics within this award,” Thompson-Mason said. “Not only does she consistently go above and beyond to deliver excellent patient care, but she is also especially unique in that she is able to see her patients as the people they are beyond the hospital. She treats them with respect and dignity.”
Mid-Columbia Medical Center (MCMC) celebrated National Nurses Week with their annual Nurses Awards May 10, the first time since 2019 that they were able to host the awards publicly due to previous COVID restrictions.
Alana Lackner photo
The fifth C for nursing is care, which Thompson-Mason awarded to endoscopy nurse Rene Chance. According to Thompson-Mason, Chance previously worked in the emergency room before moving to endoscopy, but the change didn’t affect her attitude toward her patients and coworkers, which has always been kind, understanding and respectful.
“The last three years have been super challenging for our nurses, and it did not change her calm, caring and professional demeanor,” Thompson-Mason said of Chance. “What a wonderful example of Planetree and an excellent nurse to follow and learn from.”
Thompson-Mason then awarded the final C, compassion, to Hillary Julian, lead hospital nurse in surgical recovery, who has worked at MCMC for more than 20 years in a variety of departments, including the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and the cardiac care unit. She also works as a certification instructor at MCMC, teaching both basic life support and advanced cardiovascular life support.
“Hillary is a hard worker, cares deeply about her patients, and is fully committed to her department and this organization,” Thompson-Mason said. “You will not find a better person or a better nurse.”
Following Thompson-Mason’s presentation, The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays took the stand to award the nurse of the year awards. Mays explained that there were more than 50 entries for nurse of the year and that, which he believed said a lot about the quality of nurses at MCMC.
Mays said that while reading the descriptions of the winners for nurse of the year, he saw there were certain words that stood out, things like understanding, trust, smile, positive attitude, but there were three descriptors he noticed that both nurses had in common: Patient, caring, and kind. He noted that many of the nurses at MCMC have those traits and thanked the hospital for the work it does in the community.
The first nurse of the year was the ambulatory, or outpatient, nurse. This award went to Daniela Leon Morado, lead nurse in urology. Mays said that Leon Morado is actually the only nurse to three providers in urology, but rarely says no when asked to fill in for other clinics.
Leon Morado’s nomination explained that she is a hard worker with a heart of gold, doing whatever she can to help her coworkers and patients. She approaches her patients with love, compassion, care and trust, Mays said, and makes them feel heard and understood.
“A coworker said this, ‘I wish I could be more like her,’” Mays said. “‘Everyone should. She is such a beautiful soul inside and out. She is so patient, caring and understanding. She is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. I think if everyone could be a little more like her, the world would be a better place.’”
The final award of the day was for inpatient nurse of the year, which went to acute care nurse Sean Barnett. Mays said that in every nomination, Barnett was mentioned to be a great team player, always taking the time to help patients, their families and his coworkers, even with tasks that might not be part of his role as an acute care nurse.
Mays went on to say that Barnett is a “shining example of interdisciplinary collaboration,” understanding the interconnections and importance of every discipline at MCMC, from dietary and pharmacy to lab and radiology.
“[Barnett] has an infinite patience for family members, taking time when there seems to be none to listen, console and educate in a manner that is sensitive to the communication style and emotional state of those he works with,” Mays said. “He works well under pressure and leans into a problem to create solutions with his coworkers.”
The luncheon also featured free food for attendees and a musical performance by Victor Johnson.
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