PeaceHealth recently unveiled its systemwide Mission and Values Award winners. The annual awards recognize inspiring employees (who PeaceHealth refers to as “caregivers”) who are living PeaceHealth’s Mission and Core Values of Social Justice, Stewardship, Respect and Collaboration, every day.
Five caregivers — hailing from Bellingham and Vancouver, Wash., and Florence and Springfield, Ore.— were selected for this special honor from a group of more than fifty, and recognized during celebrations held in each PeaceHealth community in January.
The winners are:
- Overall Mission & Values Award: Theresa Holcey, Environmental Services lead at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash.
For several years, Theresa Holcey has collected items like warm clothes, blankets, sleeping bags and tents to distribute to the underserved community in downtown Vancouver for several years. On a designated delivery day, Theresa, along with family and friends transport countless boxes of donated items to Share House, a local nonprofit, where they also prepare and serve hot meals that day. Thresa’s ongoing commitment and advocacy to providing this service for her community is removing barriers for vulnerable persons, and inspiring many of her fellow caregivers to join her in this quest. Watch their video.
- Stewardship Award: Vickie Hunt, mammography technician at PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center in Florence, Ore.
After 1,500 mammography films were inadvertently purged, Vickie Hunt took it upon herself to go through the time-consuming task of going through an entire warehouse to search for affected mammography jackets to identify patients that they were overdue for their exams so they could be notified and not miss a scheduled exam. Watch their video.
- Social Justice Award: Anetta Mabe, Patient Team Support at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, Ore.
Anetta Mabe works the nightshift on the Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Unit at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center. Her work unit experienced an overwhelming number of suicide attempts by youth. When these kids arrive, all personal belongings are taken away, they wear paper scrubs and have to use plastic silverware. After sitting with a teenager who had attempted suicide, Anetta went to work on behalf of these patients. As a result of Anetta’s efforts, these vulnerable patients now receive a pillowcase, stuffed animal and journal when they are admitted. Anetta also enrolled in a training for interacting with this patient population to learn more about helping these kids. She prompted her charge nurse to invite the Lane County Suicide Prevention Coordinator to her unit’s staff meetings. Anetta is a strong advocate for these patients. She worked the Term Suicide Prevention booth at a Safety Fair, providing information for parents, friends and those contemplating suicide. Anetta is a strong advocate for these patients, who report Anetta makes them comfortable. Watch their video.
- Collaboration Award: Staci Sturges, social worker in Care Management at PeaceHealth Medical Group in Vancouver, Wash.
Staci Sturges is a social worker who has dedicated her career to helping vulnerable patients navigate the complexities of healthcare. From counseling for behavioral health issues to helping a patient find housing, Staci’s tireless dedication to getting the best outcomes for her patients. She has tracked down local affordable options for things like food and housing, dental care and prescription medications. She spends extensive time on the phone with patients, helping them clear financial hurdles through the Medicare Savings Program or PeaceHealth’s charity coverage. She organized a regional conference for patients to help them understand the process of signing up for Medicare, and she keeps an up-to-date resource folder in the office so that any of her colleagues at the Family Medicine of have access to the same information to help their patients. Staci is also mentoring the next generation of social workers, instructing three local students working on their master’s degrees in social work. Watch their video.
- Respect Award: Rick Seigman, security officer at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Wash.
Rick Seigman is a well-respected caregiver who offers his gifts and skills to provide an essential layer of interdisciplinary care for hospitalized patients. A fellow caregiver described an illustrative instance when Rick empathetically intervened with a patient who was filled with fear, anxiety and an impulse to bolt as medical caregivers attempted to treat his wounds. His colleague reported, “Rick locked eyes with the patient and spoke with firm compassion to allow him to focus on one face and voice, freeing him from the overwhelming sensations that had overcome him.” The patient then settled, listened and agreed to care—due to Rick’s attentive and empathetic de-escalation action. Watch their video.
These five caregivers were honored on Wednesday, March 13, during a special event held at the PeaceHealth System Services Center in Vancouver.
About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has more than 15,000 caregivers, a group practice with more than 900 providers and 10 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission.
