Nicole Branson joined the nutritional services team at Coffey County Hospital a year ago. She brings new ideas and initiatives that benefit the entire CHS family, and today she received Coffey Health System’s BEE Award (Being Excellent Everyday).
“This award honors those non-nursing team members who consistently go above and beyond to care for and support our patients, our residents, and each other,” said Chief Executive Officer Stacy Augustyn. “Whether it is a member of EMS, environmental service techs, dietary staff, lab techs, medical assistants, patient care coordinators, or any of our other invaluable staff members, the BEE Award recognizes their dedication, compassion, and commitment that help our entire team succeed. These individuals may often work behind the scenes, but their impact is felt every single day.”
In Branson’s nomination, a colleague wrote, “Nicole is a respected nutritional services employee who is not afraid to try new things and came up with the idea of making breakfast pizza and then expanded to making lunch pizza. Cafeteria customers enjoy having these additional options available….She (also) took on the added responsibility of making flavor-infused water. Cafeteria customers miss the infused water when she is not at work.”
Branson is a team player who can be counted on to take on additional tasks and step up to help when extra hands are needed. The nomination continues, “Hardworking and dependable are two adjectives that describe this individual. She is a self-starter who looks for things to do around the kitchen to keep busy. You can find her baking cookies, making a dessert, putting away dry goods floor stock after completing her assigned refrigerated goods, helping wash dishes, doing extra cleaning, etc. You can count on her to come in and help the afternoon cook prepare meal trays when the patient census is high.”
During this six-month period, seven employees were nominated. In addition to Branson, the following staff were nominated by patients, residents, or staff: Darwin Doerr, environmental services; Gaynel Ventura, lab; Heidi Ferrara and Ladonna True, Coffey County Medical Center; John Rolf, The Meadows; and (not pictured) Jim Edwards, Coffey County EMS.