Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital hosted an event Wednesday, where employees and staff enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, watermelon, games and more.
Ashley Black, director of Business Development at Encompass, said the event was in partnership with the American Heart Associated.
She said it was a statewide event called Encompass Health Day that they hope to do annually. It involved all four of Encompass’ hospitals in West Virginia.
“We will be celebrating the success of rehab champions, educating the community on stroke prevention and having fun activities planned in-house for patients and employees,” Black said prior to the event.
Along with the fun, though, two nurses were recognized for their hard work.
Kristen Mullenax and Laura Martin were honored with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.
The nomination for Mullenax reads: “A patient who was a DNR. I believe the plan was for him to be discharged with hospice. Unfortunately he did not make it home and he passed away here with us in the early hours of the morning. My first instinct was to call Kristen, as it happens she was already walking into the building. She called the patient’s wife to tell her the news, and I have never witnessed a more beautiful, compassionate display than what I saw that morning. I do not have the words to give justice to the way that Kristen spoke to that patient’s wife. I remember thinking in that moment that if I could be half the nurse that she is then I would feel accomplished in my life. Anyone that knows me would tell you that crying or displays of emotion are not my forte, but that day it was hard not to be emotional listening to Kristen deliver the worst kind of news in the most amazing way.
Martin’s nomination reads: ” I would like to start with saying that you have a wonderful staff. Every department has the most amazing people but one made a meaningful impact in my rehabilitation and exceeds all my expectations. I would like to see her recognized as she took the time to recognize me as a
person.
“During my stay and with her as my nurse she helped me in so many ways and showed great respect for all of her other staff. I cannot pick out one specific instance as there were so many. During my stay, I actually thought she was assigned to just me as she would do many tasks and at times it was like she was reading my mind.
“Nurse Laura took so much care for me assuring my water was fresh, fixing my bed linen, listening to me complain while assuring she answered all my questions. She never seemed rushed and even took the time to water my flowers.
“From my room I watched Laura tirelessly go back and forth, stopping in to assure I did not need anything. I watched all the staff and saw how busy everyone was, but I felt like I was the only one around because of her.
“Thank You, Nurse Laura!
“I am forever grateful for her and ones like her. She definitely goes above and beyond.”
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
Tim Newton, chief nursing officer, said, “We are looking for the best way to help nurse satisfaction and retention. It is the great nurses that work for our facility that make Encompass the facility of choice in the community for rehabilitation needs. We welcomed the DAISY as that recognition that is prestigious and identifies a high standard we expect from our nurses and that they pass along in their daily care.”
