Agnes Abeleda, RN, CTICU
Nominated by Linda McGinnis, RN, BS, MA, Critical Care Division
Agnes is a natural born teacher. In addition to performing her regular duties as a coronary care nurse, she also devotes a considerable amount of time to teaching nursing students “on the job.” According to Linda McGinnis, Director of Critical Care, “Agnes has a profound influence on the nursing students. She is highly successful at teaching them how to be superior clinicians and at the same time, compassionate and caring. Agnes sets a high standard for herself and inspires her students to do the same. It's no wonder why the students are always requesting to spend just 'one more day' with Agnes.”

Gwendolyn Gray, RN, F-Yellow
Nominated by Susan Palma, PCC (weekends)
Dedicated. Reliable. Professional. These are just a few of the many ways patients and their family members describe Gwendolyn. Besides providing outstanding patient care, anxious families often report how Gwendolyn's kind and sensitive demeanor have helped to calm them down and provide reassurance during their dark and difficult moments.

Virginia Greco, Emergency Department
Nominated by William Muirhead, EMS
Virginia is a highly enthusiastic, positive force in our hospital's emergency department. She greets all those who approach her with a warm smile and friendly attitude. She is often praised for being reliable and helpful. William Muirhead, an EMS paramedic, said it best. “I can always count on Virginia to help me with virtually everything from knowing a zip code to medical administrative assistance. Dealing with her makes my day brighter every time. She acts in the highest tradition of service for all.”

Sheldon Hoo, Laboratory and Pathology Medicine
Nominated by Catherine Susan Delia, Laboratory and Pathology Medicine
Catherine Delia, Sheldon Hoo's director, was bursting with pride as she recounted the following story. “Sheldon was hard at work in the lab when he heard a hissing and popping sound. When he looked up, he saw smoke and flames raging from the back of the refrigerator. He immediately grabbed the fire extinguisher and doused out the flames. In my mind, Sheldon deserves the highest recognition for his quick thinking and bravery. I'm truly proud to have him on our team.”

Torlan Hopkins, Linen Department
Nominated by the staff of the Cardiac Cath Lab
Most people know “T” by his ready smile, warm disposition and stylish glasses. But what they may not always see is the great care and sense of pride he shows when delivering the linens to the very busy Cardiac Cath Lab. The staff report that Torlan provides exceptional service and is particularly sensitive to their needs. Regardless of the request, he is always willing to help. For these reasons and more, the Cardiac Cath Lab salutes and recognizes Torlan Hopkins!

Raymond McDowell, NA, SICU
Nominated by Linda McGinnis, RN, BS, MA, Critical Care Division
Raymond is a true professional. Compassionate and caring, he spends a considerable amount of time reassuring and comforting patients. He senses when patients are feeling agitated and elects to spend extra time sitting with them, often missing his dinner breaks. Family members regularly ask for him by name and request that he take care of their loved ones. As a nursing assistant, Raymond's efforts don't stop in the SICU. He often volunteers to run outside errands and assist the nurses when they're too busy to leave the floor. Raymond is the SICU's “energizer bunny” with the golden heart!

Katy Morello, RN, Emergency Department, Trauma Area
Nominated by Linda McGinnis, RN, BS, MA, Critical Care Division
Katy, a trauma nurse, is extraordinary in her ability to balance the role of patient caregiver and teacher. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, she manages to carefully instruct student nurses and med students, answer their questions and at the same time provide the highest level of patient care. Katy is compassionate, courageous and a true inspiration to all those around her.

Dushaun Morris, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Nominated by Yvonne Silver, Patient Transport
Dushaun is always the first to offer his assistance to those in need. If he sees a situation where help is needed, he offers his services quickly and without hesitation. Recently while on H-Yellow, he observed five nurses who were having difficulty moving a patient. Immediately, he jumped in, offered to help, and comfortably and safely moved the patient to where he needed to be. This is not the first time Dushaun has provided such assistance. Professional. Proactive. Quick-thinking. That's our Dushaun!

Joan Odum, RN, UMD Care
Nominated by Lois Hull, Patient Advocacy
Joan is an extraordinary person. She is able to focus on the needs of the patient regardless of any and all distractions. She is calm in the face of chaos. Her demeanor is always professional, genuine and compassionate. No amount of confusion derails her; no combination of obstacles deters her. The myriad of challenges the clinic generates simply motivate her to broaden her knowledge and extend her reach. She is never too busy to be courteous and thoughtful. She frequently assists patients who have difficulty reaching the clinic by phone by calling them to solve their problems. She patiently explains about treatments and medications to patients who are confused or frightened. Her concern is genuine and patients recognize this and respond to it. Lois Hull, Patient Advocacy, sums it up best. “Joan's exceptional performance rates five stars. She has my eternal respect and gratitude.”

Andrew Quinn, Marketing and Media Relations
Nominated by Kitty Donohue, Service Excellence
Most people know Andrew Quinn as University Hospital 's webmaster “extraordinaire.” Some of his many accomplishments include the:

· Sleek, new redesign of TheUniversityHospital.com which now attracts more than 1 million visitors annually. www.TheUniversityHospital.com

· Award-winning redesign of HealthLink, UH's online magazine, which upon completion was awarded the 2004 silver Aster Award for Excellence in Medical Marketing. TheUniversityHospital.com/healthlink

· New and improved Physician/Services Directory, which now allows visitors access to critical information in a more efficient and dynamic manner. TheUniversityHospital.com/directory

· Emergency/Disaster Bulletin, a password secure, web-based application that was designed after the attacks on September 11 th and was developed to meet the challenges of communicating critical information in the event of an emergency. TheUniversityHospital.com/disaster

But what you may not know is that Andrew never refuses a request for help. Kitty Donohue, Service Excellence reports, “In the almost two years that Andrew has been at UH, he has provided me with a wealth of information and guidance on several different computer programs, digital photography and website operation. Whenever I have a question, I call Andrew and in no time flat, he's providing assistance by phone or in-person. Andrew is talented, kind, creative and blessed with a great sense of humor. We are all fortunate he is here!

Kervin Spann, Environmental Services
Nominated by Joaquin F. Coronel and Rothmond Tero, Cardiorespiratory Services
Kevin Spann is a consummate professional! Recently, he was asked to strip and wax the floors in the Cardiorespiratory Department. The staff members reported that Kevin's work was extremely impressive. Every corner of the room was spotless and the floors were shining! Rothmond Tero from Cardiorespiratory reports, “After Kevin was finished cleaning, the environment was so uplifting, we all felt inspired. Kevin did the job with grace and professionalism. He is a highly dedicated employee and we truly appreciate his efforts.”

Annie Williams, Radiology
Nominated by Juliann Kinney, Environmental Services
In her own gentle way, Annie Williams helps co-workers, supervisors, and patients everyday. As a receptionist in the Radiology Department, she encounters scores of people, many of whom are upset, difficult or just lost. Annie treats each of them with dignity and care. Recently, Annie encountered a patient was very upset and frightened. She escorted her to a private area and calmly sat her down to talk out the issues. Before long, the patient was giving Annie a big hug. You could see the look of relief and hope return to the patient's face. This was just one of the many people who have been the recipient of Annie's warmth and compassion.
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