valley west employees receive awards of excellence
May 23, 2011Valley West Maternity Suites nurse Terri Bogden, RN; Cardiopulmonary Manager Glenn Podzimek, RT; and Pam Reifsteck, RT, received honors at the KishHealth System’s Annual Employee Recognition Banquet. The awards were presented May 12, at Northern Illinois University’s Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.
Bogden received the Pamela Lewis Nurse of the Year Award for Valley West. Podzimek received one of the health system’s Awards of Excellence for accomplishments under the People Pillar; and Reifsteck received the top Can Do Attitude award.
Bogden received the Pamela Lewis Nurse of the Year award. The award was created in memory of Pamela Lewis, RN, former manager of the Valley West Medical/Surgical and Intensive Care Units. After her death in 2006, Lewis’ family created the Pamela Lewis Nursing Fund which provides the recipient of the Valley West Nurse of the Year monetary support for continuing education.
Bogden graduated from Waubonsee Community College and began her professional career in nursing in 2004, at Ottawa Regional Hospital before switching to obstetrics while working as a Valley West registry nurse. In 2006, she became a full-time obstetrics nurse for Valley West Maternity Suites. She is also a certified childbirth educator and certified lactation counselor, and teaches several classes through Valley West Community Wellness including pre-natal and breastfeeding classes. She is known by her colleagues as a mentor and preceptor, and is frequently recognized by patients on patient satisfaction surveys.
“Terri consistently models and exceeds our health system standards of behavior. She reaches out to patients, physicians and her co-workers,” says Cheryl Fisher, RN, Assistant Vice President of Patient Care Services. Valley West Manager of Cardiopulmonary, Glenn Podzimek, RRT, received the People Pillar Award. Created to help the KishHealth System be a great place to work, the People Pillar measures leaders who contribute to a positive and supportive workplace, and creates an environment for effective teamwork and employee satisfaction.
“Glenn is an active member of the clinical team, provides education to staff and acts as a resource to team members. He’s always willing to do whatever it takes to take care of our patients,” says Mark Thate, KishHealth System Director of Human Resources, “He came to us as a new leader with a vision, and this vision has impacted his department through his challenge to his team to grow, develop and expand their knowledge and skills. His leadership, collaboration, and technical and people skills were integral to Valley West’s achievement of the Maternity Suites Level II nursery.”
Podzimek began working as a respiratory therapist in 2001, after beginning his healthcare career working as an EMT for a home health company. After obtaining his degree at the University of Iowa, Podzimek worked in home care as a respiratory therapist, and then at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago for five years where he became specialized in pediatric and neonate intensive care, and became a member of the pediatric and neonate transport team. Podzimek joined Valley West as manager of the Cardiopulmonary Department in November 2008.
Pam Reifsteck, Valley West Respiratory Therapist, was the winner of the top Can Do Attitude award. Can Do Attitude recognition was created by the KishHealth System to acknowledge peers, recognize someone for living the health system’s values, and for demonstrating health system’s standards of behavior. From May 1, 2010, through April 30, 2011, nearly 2,300 employees were recognized by other staff, patients and physicians. Reifsteck was recognized for her commitment, initiative, caring and demonstrated “Can Do Attitude” through living the KishHealth System values of integrity, service and community for every patient and every co-worker.
Valley West Community Hospital employees were also recognized for their years of service to the hospital.
Five-year honorees were Kellie Antich, Operating Room; Terri Bogden, Maternity Suites; Luke Brauweiler, Maintenance; Catherine Brunswick, Emergency Department; Rebecca Englehart, Inpatient Care Unit; Rachel French, Pharmacy; Bianca Gilbert, Housekeeping; Mark Jourdan, Maintenance; Anita Killey, Inpatient Care Unit; Kimberly Larson, Diagnostic Imaging; Cathy Lindhout, Emergency Department; Angelica Lopez, Interpreter; Joyce Maldonado, Hospital Supervisors; Nicholle Martinez, Laboratory; William Pesel, Hospital Supervisors; and Lori Peterson, Administration.
Ten year honorees were Mary Bilek, Patient Access; June Mitchell, Health Information Management; Nancy Rumler, Health Information Management; Teresa Russell, Recovery Room; Regina Watts, Laboratory; and Steven Wolf, Professional Practice.
Fifteen year honorees were Mary Black, Hospital Supervisors and Diane Fuchs, Ambulatory Services.
Twenty year honorees were Micki Espinoza, Food & Nutrition Services, and Judith Goodwick, Laboratory.
Linda Fruit, medical technologist, was also recognized for thirty-five years of service. Fruit worked in all phases of the Valley West Laboratory since she was first hired in 1975 as a certified laboratory assistant. In 1983, she became a medical technologist. Over the past 15 years, she has worked primarily in the histology department.
Valley West Community Hospital is part of the KishHealth System based in DeKalb. Visit them online at wwwvalleywest.org.
