Leanne Conner Gastro, Intestinal Technician of the Center for Digestive Health (Endo Labs), and Barbara (Barby) Alfredson, Environmental Services (EVS) Technician, of the New Porter Regional Hospital were both recently named Diamond Award Winners.
Susan Kloss, Director of Training and Development of Porter Regional Hospital, gave a brief description of The Diamond Award.
"The Diamond Award is presented to associates who model our performance standards and go above and beyond their normal job expectations to create an outstanding patient experience. The demonstration of the criteria is expressed by the stories of the individuals and how this person has impacted their lives," she said.
Conner received the award for Sense of Ownership Responsiveness and Safety. She received the honor because her quick move to action that was paramount to saving a man's life.
Kim Bos Courier, the wife of the man recently wrote about Conner stating, "In early May, my husband, Daryl, was keeping statistics in the dugout for the LaCrosse Tigers during a baseball game against Morgan Township. Halfway through the game, my husband collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. Almost immediately Leanne Conner and another nurse from Morgan Township, who were in the stands watching the game, raced to the dugout and began CPR. Leanne continued to administer CPR for several minutes on Daryl, who still was not responding or breathing on his own, until First Responders arrived and were able to shock is heart back into rhythm. Once Daryl's condition eventually stabilized, Leanne approached me with his eyeglasses and said, 'I didn't know that was your husband!' You have to understand I see Leanne often on my courier routes to Endo Labs for the hospital. Despite this, she had no idea the man she administered CPR on was my husband. To her it was a stranger in need of medical attention and she didn't hesitate to step in and take action. My husband – also a father and grandfather – is here today because of Leanne and her selfless, compassionate and courageous act. I am confident that Daryl is still with us today as result of Leanne's actions that day. My family would like Leanne to know we are forever grateful for what she did in early May. Thank you!"
Leanne was grateful to have achieved the honor but humbly did not help that stranger that day for the honor but did it because she saw someone in distress. She did it because it was the right thing to do and was truly honored to be singled out for the Diamond Award.
Barbara Alfredson received the Diamond Award for Sense of Ownership, Positive Attitude and Responsiveness. The award was achieved for acts of kindness and compassion for a patient and his family in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MIC or ICU) at Porter Regional Hospital.
Debbie Wilson, Assistant Unit Director of Environmental Services said of her associate, "When interacting with patients, Barby goes above and beyond just cleaning a patient's room. She displays a lot of compassion for the patient and the visitors by taking responsibility for the entire patient experience. Barby had a patient in the ICU that looked forward to her cleaning his room everyday because of her positive attitude and great smile. She engaged him in conversation, made him laugh and always asked if there was anything else she could do for him before leaving his room. The patient told his family how much he 'loved' his housekeeper. The patient then took a turn for the worse and slipped into unconsciousness. The family told Barby they had to make the heartbreaking decision to 'let him go.' Barby put together a bouquet of flowers along with an EVS business card and gave it to the patient's daughter, gave her a hug and told her she just wanted to send the family home with 'a little love.' The patient passed away that evening and the next day an ICU nurse told Barby that her acts of kindness and compassion really meant a lot to the family."
Darlene McCrammer, RN, MSN, Director of Chandana Surgery Center and Center for Digestive Health said of Conner and Alfredson, "I have the privilege of working with both of these Diamond Award Winners. I'm not surprised – both Leanne and Barby are high achievers and would do anything for anyone. I think Diamond Status comes with these type of people; always looking out for others, kind and genuine with a true commitment to co-workers. Both Leanne and Barby are positive people and have that 'OK, no problem attitude.' I am excited for them. Congratulations to both of them! They are truly Diamond material."
As a ValpoLife Coverage Team Member I was approached by one of my editors to write about my award. At first I was apprehensive but ultimately I agreed. I felt it was important to bring light to the character of the associates Porter Regional Hospital wants to have working in their facility. I was honored to receive the Diamond Award. I was also humbled by it. I never expected to receive such an honor for "just being me." I try to bring a smiling face and positive attitude as well as compassion and understanding to all my patients. As housekeepers we are not just there to clean the patient's rooms but we provide hospitality with a smile on our face. We engage in conversation because we want to, and if we are able to talk to them about our families, a good book, or maybe even the beautiful flowers in the room we can bring a little bit of "sunshine" to our patients during their stay our hospital.
There are a lot of wonderful, positive, and compassionate people working at Porter Regional Hospital. I am very fortunate to be associated with people like Leanne Conner.
Photo 1: Barbara Alfredson pictured with Leanne Connor
Photo 2: Barbara Alfredson pictured with Stephen Lunn Porter Health Care System CEO
