Monarch Award

Nominee Title: Patient Care Partner, Emergency Department

Why is the nominee an exceptional caregiver?

Jennifer Lemke has been a Patient Care Partner in the Emergency Department for 4 years but served in other areas of the hospital before starting in the ED. Jennifer is the perfect person to be nominated for the Monarch award because she brings a positive attitude to work every day and is always looking for the good in people she works with and patients she has the opportunity to take care of. The energy and enthusiasm she has, sticks with her through each and every shift, no matter what is going on around her. This helps her to show compassion to each patient, a concern for their welfare, and an extra motivation to find solutions to difficult challenges.

Jennifer expresses a sincere appreciation to her co-workers and has a gentle demeanor when training new staff in the Emergency Department. She is very skillful in IV stars and makes sure to share this knowledge with her coworkers. More than anything though, Jennifer leads by example. She speaks gently and kindly with staff and patients, she is proactive in the tasks she performs, dedicates time and efforts to making sure patient family members are comfortable, and always has her pockets full of "ready to go" items for the next patient. We joke that she should have a fanny pack while at work.

When it comes to community outreach, Jennifer is the first person in the Emergency Department to recognize our patients who served in the military. She is always thanking a veteran patient for their services to our country.

Nominee Title: Registered Nurse, Case Management

Why is the nominee an exceptional caregiver?

Helayne has been providing compassionate, expert nursing care to the Watertown community since 1987 and is a long-time resident of Watertown.  She has worked at WRMC as a registered nurse, nurse manager, and now as a nurse case manager.  She is woven into the fabric that is Watertown, proudly caring for our most vulnerable patients and their families along the continuum of care.  Helayne has an extraordinary gift in engaging patients and their families in understanding their health condition and how to safely transition to their next level of care.  Helayne knows just the right words in supporting a family who has to make a tough decision when their loved one is no longer safe at home.  Using her expert nursing skills, she supports and advocates for patients / families to establish goals of care and become active participants in healthcare.  It’s not enough to say she cares – She has spent her entire career caring for generations of our community as if they are her own family, educating new caregivers and empowering patients and families to become active, educated healthcare consumers.

Helayne has, on multiple occasions, supported patients and families by fielding questions and providing guidance after discharge – even in the local grocery store.  Helayne, due to her intimate knowledge of resources, works beyond what a typical case manager would do to assure her patients have a safe discharge plan and are fully knowledgeable of and involved with community resources.  Helayne does not see her work beyond the walls of the hospital as above and beyond – she says “of course I help!  That is what we do for our community”

Helayne is inspiring as she is always a patient advocate even when the patient / family / social situation is “difficult”.  She is never afraid to ask the difficult question -   Helayne is a trusted expert nurse – trusted by patients, providers, and staff alike.

Nominee Title: Registered Nurse, Primary Care Clinics

Why is the nominee an exceptional caregiver?

Shelby Loomis has worked as a Primary Care Clinic RN for 2 years and has been at Watertown Regional Medical Center for a total of 12 years. She is a team player with a strong clinical skill set.  During the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shelby was instrumental in coordinating the COVID-19 vaccine clinics which included working weekends and evenings, in addition to her regular full-time schedule, to ensure staff could be vaccinated in a timely manner. She continues to hold monthly COVID-19 booster clinics and has taken on the role of helping with the 'Vaccine for Children' program across the clinics.

Shelby has a passion for helping those in need. She is always the first person to volunteer to work with challenging patients, including group home patients. Her calm presence while being faced with a challenge, inspires the rest of the primary care clinic team, and keeps them grounded. She is always helping to boost internal morale by planning fun events like Secret Santa and Baby Showers and enjoys bringing everyone together.

Despite staying busy at work and even picking up extra hours, Shelby maintains close ties with her family. Recently, she served as a caregiver to her dying father. It's important for her to spend time outside of work maintaining those relationships and coordinating family vacations.

Nominee Title: Registered Nurse, House Supervisor

Why is the nominee an exceptional caregiver?

Deanne serves as a mentor and leader during the off shifts (nights and weekends). She is a House Supervisor, preceptor, and clinical expert in medical-surgical nursing. Deanne maintains a calm, professional demeanor regardless of what is thrown her way while on shift. She reliably reports challenges to the right person and is always equipped with a possible solution.

She is deserving of the Monarch award because of the work she does balancing our resources in the house and making tough decisions when unexpected incidents happen to occur. Recently, she was the House Supervisor on duty when a recent Hazmat incident occurred. Although it was not large scale, the safety risk to the staff and patients combined with the infrequency of such events made everyone a bit nervous. Deanne led the team carefully and calmly, keeping in touch with Leanne Seifert (content expert) and Katie Kerwin (her manager) throughout.

Deanne’s leadership is well recognized by her own leaders, those across different departments, and most importantly, by her peers. She cares deeply for her coworkers and patients and is quick to provide comfort to a family or coworker during times of loss. Deanne is an asset to our organization and community.