Two Baptist Memorial hospitals recently honored their Service First Champions for displaying kindness, compassion and empathy toward their colleagues and the community.
Baptist Tipton recognized Debra Curran, RT, as a Service First Champion. Debra was nominated by a colleague who said she works many long hours in the Respiratory Department and is always polite and pleasant, even when the workload seems overwhelming.
“One weekend Debra went above and beyond to show care for her co-workers. The volume of work was high. Debra ordered and paid for enough pizza to feed the ER staff, Radiology and Lab. She even ordered enough to feed incoming shifts. This act of kindness and generosity was very appreciated on this stressful day. This act is just one example of how Debra cares for others,” said her nominator.
Baptist Union County honored Deanna Thornton, RN, as a Service First Champion. Deanna is a nurse in the medical-surgical unit and Wound Care Center. She was nominated by a colleague for going above and beyond to start a support group for ostomy patients in North Mississippi.
Deanna worked with state and local agencies to initiate the support group, which met for the first time in June.
“Deanna recognized a need for support for patients with ostomies. She researched resources in the area and discovered there are few available to these individuals. Deanna’s care and concern for these patients is apparent by her willingness to step outside her comfort zone to help them. Our community members will benefit because of her commitment and empathy,” said Deanna’s nominator.
“Deanna’s compassion for others exemplifies what a Service First Champion should be,” said James Grantham, CEO and administrator of Baptist Union County. “It is outstanding team members like Deanna who truly make a real difference at Baptist Union County.”
