Meaningful Recognition

Alana Carlyle, PSS II, Food and Nutrition Services, UWMC Montlake

Alana’s exemplary commitment to patient care and teamwork sets a standard of excellence that inspires those around her. Patients consistently commend Alana's exceptional kindness and empathy. They often express gratitude for Alana's ability to listen and reassure them during moments of uncertainty. Colleagues appreciate her willingness to identify creative and unique solutions to support patient care and access no matter what comes up.

Amy Calderwood, PSS Supervisor, Pain Clinic, UWMC Montlake

Amy fosters a supportive work environment for her team, encouraging them to consider their wellbeing in addition to the needs of colleagues and patients. She demonstrates respect and compassion and manages problems by focusing on process improvement over individual blame. She is quick to step outside her role and assist in others' workloads when they need it. Her colleagues appreciate how she leads by example at all times.

Chantelle Dykstra, RN2, 7SA, UWMC Montlake

Chantelle exemplifies UWMC's service culture by going above and beyond for our patients and their best interests. She regularly advocates for patients, coordinating with other teams to make sure they get the care they need in a timely way. Chantelle also serves as a leader and mentor to many new graduate nurses. She helps them solve problems and think of the big picture, helps them advocate for patients by teaching communication tools and collaboration strategies, and makes sure to proactively reach out for inclusion in procedural teaching moments.

Jamie Garza, RN3, 4SE, UWMC Montlake

Jamie manages the flow of patients coming from many different departments, including ICRU, ED, and PACU. It is a hard, unpredictable, stressful job, and can easily lead to friction between departments. Not on Jamie’s watch; she is incredibly proactive, communicating clearly about what is going on and helping set expectations so patients get the best possible care. Best of all, she does it with the most positive attitude. She is a fantastic partner to colleagues and makes it easier to get through the hard points in any day.

Kelly Gardner, RN2, Cardiac Procedures Prep and Recovery Unit, UWMC Montlake

Kelly goes above and beyond to support her patients and the staff working with her. She is a great role model, always treating patients and their families with respect and compassion, acknowledging cultural differences, and showing complete accountability in providing excellent care. Her colleagues appreciate her attention to detail and strong communication skills, especially when she serves as charge nurse for the unit. She shares her IV insertion expertise readily and supports technical skill training opportunities for other staff.

Netsanet Hailemichael, Sterile Processing Lead, Central Processing, UWMC Northwest

Nasi is amazing! She has worked at Northwest for over 25 years and knows so much. She is an inspiration and teacher to those around her. She fixes problems with an efficient approach, doing what is best for both patient and doctor. Her positivity is contagious, and she is always courteous and kind. To know Nasi is to love her, and her team is grateful for everything she does to support the team, patients, and other hospital colleagues.

Andrew Barnes, PharmD, Oncology ICU Pharmacist, UWMC Montlake

Dr. Barnes is a team-focused provider; during rounds he joins as an active participate of the multidisciplinary team. After introductions with patients and their family, he participates in clinical decision making for the patient, involving them in the conversation, and addressing any concerns they might have. He consistently values the opinions and views of patients and families and integrates these perspectives into the care he provides. Dr. Barnes makes himself constantly available by sharing his contact information and generously offers to help even outside work hours. His modeling of the power of an integrated pharmacist model and compassionate care cascades broadly through his teaching and mentorship.

Diane Doerner, MD, PhD, Hospitalist, UWMC Northwest

Dr. Doerner epitomizes service culture by always putting the needs of patients, learners, and other members of the healthcare team first. She is a compassionate and dedicated physician, with a long history of working exceptionally long hours to make sure that other members of the team are supported. Diane Doerner gives everything she has to those around her and asks for nothing in return. She is an inspiration to her colleagues, a tireless advocate for her patients, the soul, and the conscience of the hospitalist team at NW campus and when she eventually retires, she cannot be replaced.

Duncan Hussey, MD, Nocturnist, ICU, UWMC Northwest

Dr. Hussey strives to communicate with all his patients and families with the utmost respect. In conversations with patients at bedside he listens to their concerns and wishes and does his absolute best to provide the best care for his patients. He does this by having a collaborative approach with the nursing staff and other team members. In stressful situations he always remains calm and positive, which in turn, keeps the team he is leading calm as well.

EChing Bertelsen, PA-C, Bone and Joint Center, UWMC Roosevelt

EChing is exactly the kind of provider patients want to see. She covers many services, including Hand, Hip/Knee, and Spine. When she is in the clinic, you can count on her positive attitude, her fun laugh and possibly a small gift left on your desk (especially if she finds out there is something you like). EChing is thoughtful, caring and so genuine. She cares deeply for her colleagues and patients, and she is committed to doing what is best for her patients, their families and UW Medicine.

Sarah Niles, PA-C, Neurological Surgery, UWMC Montlake

Sarah Niles’ colleagues think she is a ROCKSTAR. She demonstrates a strong commitment to her work and consistently goes above and beyond expectations, especially with her patients. She works well with EVERYONE and is constantly inspiring and motivating colleagues through her actions and attitudes. Sarah explains complicated medical procedures or treatments to both patients, families, and employees in a respectful, and often 'fun' manner so the patients and employees understand and are properly informed.

Sara Toppin, PA-C, Radiology, UWMC Montlake

Sara goes above and beyond every single day to ensure efficient, safe, and effective care for patients with an emphasis on best practices. Patients feel safe and comforted in her care as she consistently demonstrates extraordinary skill and compassion. Many of her patients cite her active listening and collaborative approach with other members of their care team as her greatest strengths. She always demonstrates a “can-do” attitude and is willing to help with any issue that may arise.

NICU Fun Committee, 4SA/NICU, UWMC Montlake: Ellie Hietpas, Erika Hanus, Madison San Fellipe, Jamie Harper, Emily Lingen, Eliza Lagerquist

This is a diverse multidisciplinary team which includes members from Nursing, Dietary, Patient Care Technicians, and an Operations Supervisor. They are dedicated to staff engagement and team building in the NICU. The Fun Committee has supported NICU staff over the last several years, with the goal of decreasing burnout, increasing staff recognition, and well-being. They promote unit-activities, staff recognition, nursing education, and charitable events. During the past year, the NICU staff and greater community have benefited through the team’s participation in community activities, outings, and recognition programs, ranging from fun social events to fundraising for community organizations and charitable causes.

4SE Patient Care Technicians and Nurse Technicians, 4SE, UWMC Montlake: Aly Abraham, Evans Bacani-Barrientos, MaryAnn Bagdady, Angie DeCastro, San Juana Gaytan, Rama Gueye, Suzeth Herrera, Kai Hubbell, Linh Khuu, Sean Madden, Evangeline Magpayo, Kiran Meier, Paige Munsey, Emmanuel Obaweki, Annie Roth, Maya St. Sebastian, Azael Tello Castro, Mellissa Torres, Romee Wu

This is an incredibly resilient group of individuals that work endlessly to keep our patients safe and comfortable during their stay in the hospital. Their support and expertise are appreciated by all on the unit. The PCTs have been so helpful in making new graduate nurse hires feel comfortable and teaching them a lot of great tricks. They have also been vital in supporting the recent increase in high-acuity patients on the unit. The PCT team works diligently to ensure patients have whatever they need, and this continues to mean so much to the rest of the care team and the patients themselves.

CVPU Leadership Team, Cardiac Procedures Unit, UWMC Montlake: Adam Alcaraz, Ashley Beirlink, Chris Jakubowski, Heike Trcka, Jesse McFarland, Lisa Ornelas, Mike Kearney, Olivia Mora, and Teresa Dinsmore

This team is dedicated and hardworking, adapting strategies to meet increased need in recent months. They work collaboratively, are organized, consistent and focused on developing best practices both efficiently and effectively. They achieve rapid turnover because the team works efficiently together and can provide procedural care without delay for early discharge. So many behind the scenes activities for every role are involved in every patient, from admission to discharge. The process seems straightforward, but it takes a village to run one procedural case.

Trina Banks, MDiv, Spiritual Care Provider, Spiritual Care

One of Trina's primary values as a spiritual care provider is hospitality. She aims to warmly welcome each person who walks through the hospital doors and support them to feel as comfortable as possible during what is often highly traumatic experiences. I saw her do this by waiting to holding doors open, greeting each person in the hallways with friendly eye contact and a gentle hello, and offering directions to those who appear lost -- simple gestures of kindness that go miles to remind us all of our own dignity and humanity. Trina currently focuses her energies on the NICU and Labor and Delivery, where she brings her skills and grounding affect to some of the hospital's most vulnerable and distraught patients and families. For all of these reasons and more, it is with my sincere hope that you will consider Trina for the UW Medicine Cares award. I know no one who deserves it more.

Melissa Bassett, Patient Service Specialist, Montlake Information Desk

Melissa's actions are just one example of how she consistently looks for ways to be of service to others. Her empathy, attentiveness, and proactive approach make her a role model for other mbers. She not only meets the expectations set by our Service Culture Guidelines but also exceeds them daily, creating a positive and supportive environment for everyone at UW Medicine.

Jennifer Greenwood, Assistant Director, Lab Med/Path - Genetics

Jennifer has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead with empathy and respect. Her approach to cross-institutional communication is rooted in a deep understanding of the diverse perspectives and needs of all parties involved. By actively seeking and incorporating feedback from stakeholders at every level, she has built a collaborative environment where every voice is heard and valued. Collaboration and teamwork are at the heart of Jennifer's leadership style. She excels at bringing together diverse teams and fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation. Her ability to unite different perspectives and expertise have been instrumental in the success of this project, leading to innovative solutions that benefit our patients and institutions alike.

Araba Kabaro, Medical Assistant, Digestive Health Center

Araba is a wonderful asset to our department. He is responsible for checking off all the staff for scope washing, and he performs the very important role of infection prevention and proper care of the equipment that we use. Araba treats everyone with courtesy, honesty and respect no matter what is going on. He foresees others' needs and he is a great ambassador and representative of UW Medicine. Araba promotes interdisciplinary and interdepartmental cooperation, since we often need to borrow equipment from OR or other departments, and he covers for the bronchoscopy department as well as an MA.

Sarah Lemke, MOT, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist, Autism Center

The nominator requested that the text of their nomination not be shared.

Chi Pham, LICSW, Social Worker, Social Work & Care Coordination

Chi does an amazing job helping to bring along her residents and NCC who is newer to her services in learning what is possible, how to collaborate, and building a team spirit over and over again as staff rotate. I hear her on the phone gentle guiding her team around touch social issues to understand the realities of our system while always being kind and respectful - even though she has done this a thousand times. She holds a lot of the moral distress of her teams and NCC as the social worker.

Marites Almachar, ARNP, Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care Cardiology

For UW Medicine to meet its single mission of improving the health of the public, the organization needs its world-class nurses to be accountable for excellence. Marites embodies excellence in all her work as evidenced by the several poster and podium presentations she has been selected for at the Seattle Nursing Research Consortium over the years, including topics related to the 4-hour workshop, “Committee Leadership: What It Takes.” With intentions to help future CCLPC co-chairs and others new to shared governance, Marites and I recorded this interactive workshop that is still utilized today by members of the Professional Practice Council.

Joshua Benditt, MD, Medical Director, Respiratory Care Services & Northwest Assisted Breathing Center

Witnessing the way Dr Benditt is with his patients is inspiring. He is the physician who truly listens, knows the names of patients' kids and pets. I am thinking about a specific patient of his that has worked with him for 25 years. She has other health challenges then her neuromuscular disorder. Dr Benditt has consulted and collaborated with other physicians for procedures and surgeries. He is a physician who has given his time, heart, and knowledge to UW Medicine, from being an attending physician/professor mentoring and guiding fellow physicians to excelling at the care of every patient he sees. I work here because of him. Being part of his team and impacting each individual in a positive impactful way is why we do what we do!

Sindhu Cherian, MD, Pathologist, Lab Med/Pathology

Dr. Cherian is an outstanding pathologist and a leader in our field - her work has revolutionized the way we can diagnose patients with leukemias and lymphomas, and provides a one-of-its-kind national reference laboratory service to the entire country. Although working "behind the scenes" of direct patient care, every patient's sample is handled with the utmost care for the patient, and she considers the plethora of clinical notes, other clinical testing and laboratory results when approaching a patient's pathology diagnosis. Dr. Cherian always proactively reaches out to teams and discusses diagnoses or differentials, all while teaching students, residents, fellows and other faculty - and all with an ease, grace, and dedication that is so rare! UW and patients are so lucky to have Dr. Cherian as a pathologist!

Cassandra Chiao, MD, Fellow, Nephrology The nominator requested that the text of their nomination not be shared.

Sophia Jeannot, ARNP, Nurse Practitioner, Orthopedic Surgery

Sophie is an extraordinary health care provider and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to the safely, outcomes and care of our total joint replacement patients. She routinely goes above and beyond to ensure that their needs are attended to, and ensures our patients have the best possible experience we can offer. Her communication skills are exemplary, and the relationships she has developed with our other nurses and staff on the orthopedic floor are unparalleled. Her dedication to our patients is what truly distinguishes her. We are incredibly fortunate to have her at the University of Washington.

Marissa Marolf, MD, Nocturnist, Hematology/Oncology

Marissa is more than just a good doctor. She is exceptional. She is the standard by which we measure all other doctors. Receiving a new cancer diagnosis is terrifying. Some of our patients find themselves in a new city, an unfamiliar environment, and are left reeling with the journey that awaits them. Then Marissa appears with a warm greeting and compassionate bedside manner. She explains things in a language they can understand, patiently answers all of their questions, and leaves them feeling like someone cares about their concerns, because she does. She engenders their trust and gives them confidence that she will act in their best interest.

GIMC RN Team (Kate Featherston, RN 3, Karen Rini, RN2, Jane McNulty, RN2, Eppie Williamson, RN2, Leah Shonick, RN2)

…Jane worked with a patient with incredibly complex needs - she had issues with electrolytes, feeding, infections and numerous other comorbidities. Every week she coordinated with obtaining laboratory studies done elsewhere and working together with her PCP and the patient's specialists at UWMC. Sadly, this pt ultimately passed away this year but Jane's consistent care week in and week out helped keep her as healthy as she could.
…Leah consistently follows through on outreach to some of my most challenging patients, encouraging their follow up, supporting their efforts in self-management. wonderful care partner!
…I care for a husband and wife who both have significant medical complexity, they often call and require extensive care coordination as well as support about how to manage medical problems at home. Every time they come for visits, they tell me how much they appreciate Karen's support, her frequent check-ins and thorough medical advice.
…Eppie coordinated with virology and pharmacy to support starting our first clinic patient on injectable cabotegravir for PreP. This took quite a bit of leg work. Then, when the patient received unexpected charges, she researched alternative ways we could continue to provide PreP for them, while also revisiting protocols with virology for fine tuning the protocol.

NW Lab Management Team, NW Laboratory (Heather Berger, Amanda Holloway, Ryan Spaeth, Marivic Leapaldt, Nick Styke, Bryce Smith, & Leanne Gilly)

The nominator requested that the text of their nomination not be shared.

Perinatal Substance Use Centers of Excellence Certification Team (Amber D. Pattison, Ying Zhang)

The foundations for Perinatal Substance use work are Eat Sleep Console (ESC). ESC is a family-centered approach to assessing and treating Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) and focuses on an infant's ability to eat, sleep, and be consoled, prioritizing nonpharmacological interventions. The goal is to reduce the need for medication and hospital stays, while also keeping the mother and baby together and empowering families in their infant's care. After only 6 months going live in the Childbirth Center at UWMC-NW, there was a significant improvement in the amount of morphine given to infants and an incredible decrease in length of stay.