As part of National Health Care Week, SSM Health Recognized five staff members with Health Care Hero Awards on Tuesday afternoon.
Team members at SSM Health perform heroic work every day, said Joshua Allee, director of mission services.
The award was offered through SSM Health for the first time this year to recognize employees, providers and community partners who have exemplified the health provider's values throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Allee told about 50 employees gathered in the hospital cafeteria.
Each received a certificate and $100 gift card. Presidential coins are to be delivered to honorees later.
Winners were all nominated by co-workers.
Casey Bradley, a radiation therapist, covered three job duties (other than hers) over the past nine months, and also became a first-time mother. Patients and co-workers took note of her work among them, her nomination letter said.
The pandemic brought a lot of emotions and changes. And, co-workers are grateful Casey helped them through it all, Allee read.
Bradley explained she gives cancer patients their treatments - actually inside the Jefferson City Medical Group building.
"We no longer had a nurse, and we no longer had a receptionist. So, I was seeing patients from the get-go, registering them," she said. "Then, I'd go 'room' them for the consult. And, then take them back for the rest of the therapy portion."
It was an ongoing process for a long while, she said.
"I just got a letter that said I was nominated. It's awesome. And, I loved getting to hear the words of my co-worker," Bradley said. "That was amazing - to hear how she felt."
The second recipient was Jennifer Crutsinger, a registered nurse in employee health.
Crutsinger, Allee read, not only assisted with employee and volunteer screenings, but was an active member of the Mid-Missouri Incident Command team. She remained on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, since March 2020.
"She literally slept with her laptop and phone at her side for the majority of 2020," Allee read. "We could not have survived here without her. She took every call, responded to every email, attended every meeting and provided tender loving care and protective sternness to every single employee - both in Jefferson City and Audrain."
When she finally took time off during Thanksgiving, Crutsinger remained on call. She diligently reminded everyone about masking, social distancing, receiving annual flu shots and other precautions.
A registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, Paula Gerhorst never backed down from challenges that COVID-19 brought to the ICU, Allee read.
"No matter how difficult her day was, she remained strong for both her patients and co-workers," he read. "I know that on more than one occasion, Paula pulled her co-workers aside and reminded them that we're in this together."
There were days when staff was "done" and wanted to walk away from the bedside, he continued.
"Paula told that if she didn't show up every day for her patients, no one would be there for them," Allee read. "Her courage provided hope for the staff to come back day after day."
Gerhorst said she and her team were in charge of caring for the sickest patients during the worst of the crisis.
"We took care of a lot of COVID-19 patients and did our best to get them better," she said. "My co-workers felt like I was kind of the morale-booster for everybody, keeping everybody going when things were really, really, really bad - just trying to keep their spirits up. Let them know that we are needed."
Jackie Glover, a registered nurse in infection prevention, had responsibility on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 26, 2020) to educate the hospital's safety leaders on the coronavirus that was spreading across the world, Allee read.
She educated leaders on social distancing, limiting meetings and taking other precautions to slow or prevent the spread of the disease.
"Yet, COVID-19 hadn't come to Mid-Missouri, and we didn't have any patients yet," he read. "Many people did not believe this - and even laughed at her. I was one of those people. Within a few days, everything changed."
The hospital was not equipped to do outdoor testing but had a plea from the St. Louis Health Department to test a symptomatic college student.
"Jackie immediately gathered supplies and arranged to meet and test her in the parking lot. Soon, a handful of others were sent to Jackie by a local health department until testing tents were opened," Allee said. "She did this at a time when fear was very high among staff and providers, but Jackie stepped forward courageously."
Chaplain Bobby Reed was committed to providing bedside spiritual care since the pandemic began, Allee read.
"He has demonstrated both courage and dedication to our mission, to our patients and to staff's needs since our first COVID-19 patient was admitted," Allee said.
"Never for a minute did he prioritize his own concerns above those of our patients and staff. In the height of the pandemic - which occurred in November - Bobby (and other chaplains) responded to 42 COVID-19 expirations," Allee read. "I've heard that the chaplains were given the opportunity to provide care remotely, and Bobby spoke up, and said it was for times like these that he was inspired and ordained."
Reed said the chaplains provide spiritual support for patients, family and staff. In doing so, they were on call 24 hours a day.
"There was a time during the height of it that required quite a lot of extra time to come in and support staff as well, and families," Reed said. "Families weren't able to see members of their family as they passed. It was a rough time."