Community Hospital Staff Celebrates Top Nurse/Caregiver

Community Hospital Staff Celebrates Top Nurse/Caregiver

Community Hospital’s celebration of Nurses Week culminated with a ceremony to recognize the most outstanding nurse and top patient caregiver, as voted by their co-workers. Lynda Burgeson, a registered nurse on 3 South Medical unit has received the “2016 Nursing Excellence Award,” and Jayson Jenkins, a patient care technician in the Radiation Oncology department, is recipient of the “2016 Patient Caregiver Excellence Award.”

“Our nurses place the care of our patients first and foremost before anything else we do,” said CEO Don Fesko. “We are proud to have such a dedicated group of outstanding nurses and caregivers making a difference in the lives of our patients.”

Jenkins and Burgeson were nominated by their peers at the hospital for going above and beyond in their respective patient care areas.

To meet the criteria for the Patient Caregiver Excellence award, the staff member must demonstrate excellence in the areas of Dignity, Compassionate Care, Community, Quality and Stewardship. These standards and values set the foundation for the hospital’s mission to bring quality care to everyone in need.

Jenkins, a Gary resident, has worked at Community Hospital for more than 19 years and can be found transporting patients to and from the Radiation Oncology unit.

Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics Director Jacqueline Katz said Jayson is a valuable team player who smiles all the time and finds a way to lift everyone’s spirits even though cancer treatment is a serious matter and the patients he transports aren’t feeling their best.

“Jayson always find a way to craft a solution for any challenge given to him,” she said. “That makes him more than dependable or reliable; it sometimes makes him a miracle worker. Patients often can’t do what we need them to do during treatment, but Jayson helps his peers help the patient so we can care for them. He’s creative, thoughtful and kind. You’d never know if he was having a bad day because he’s never upset; he smiles through everything and brings his “A” game to work each and every day.”

A Highland resident, Burgeson has been working at Community Hospital for 36 years. Nurse Manager Samantha Kranz on 3 South said Burgeson’s care and compassion extend well beyond her daily work into the lives of everyone she touches.

“Lynda serves as a charge nurse, preceptor and strong team leader, practicing with the highest ethical standards,” she said. “She recognizes the diverse spiritual, cultural and social needs of her patients. She is always thinking of opportunities to share her knowledge and develop the caregivers of the future. Lynda is an active member of the unit council and has been a positive influence in the development of coworkers in every role. She fosters the intellectual growth of all those around her – young, old, novice, veteran. She forces us to ask not only ‘why’ but ‘why not?’ Her dedication to her profession has been a constant source of inspiration to us all.”

“I am proud of all the nurses, certified nursing assistants, patient care technicians and nurse externs who are committed to excellence at Community Hospital,” said Chief Nursing Officer Ronda McKay, DNP, RN, CNS. “Lynda and Jayson are two wonderful examples of an entire staff that provides compassionate care to our patients, day in and day out.”