Bayhealth announces employees of the quarter
Bayhealth Medical Center recently announced its employees of the quarter for Milford Memorial Hospital and Kent General Hospital.
Internal Communications Specialist Kim Wilkins is the employee of the quarter for Milford Memorial Hospital. After more than a decade of service, Wilkins’ value continues to grow, and her contributions help to ensure that community members know about lifesaving medical procedures and services, said hospital officials.
Operating Room Nurse Taj Castles, RN, is employee of the quarter for Kent General Hospital. The multitalented Castles has demonstrated a wide range of skills that are surpassed only by her eager enthusiasm to embrace any project that benefits her nursing team and patients, reported hospital officials.
As the Marketing Department’s internal communications specialist/website coordinator, Wilkins’ duties range far beyond her official job description, and her responsibilities multiplied when the department was down two full-time staffers in the summer of 2009. She was honored for her work for saving her department during a difficult time and for countless contributions during the past 12 years.
“The word ‘outstanding’ was created to describe Kim. Her performance each day is nothing less than outstanding. She’s dedicated and flexible and willing to change her schedule to meet the demands of the department,” said Bayhealth Marketing Communications Manager Ellen Shockley.
Shockley said Wilkins assumed the role of several full-time staff members when her department was short staffed. Wilkins managed media relations duties, facilitated news interviews and produced press releases. She took charge of graphic design for all fliers, brochures, print ads and newsletters. She produced and managed content for the Bayhealth external website and internal Webster website. Wilkins remained active in the Milford Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and continued to lead important Bayhealth committees.
“What’s really amazing about it is how Kim handled all of this. She wasn’t stressed but remained cheerful and positive throughout the entire time,” said Shockley. “Whenever we need somebody to step up, Kim does it.”
Castles, RN, operating room circulating nurse, served patients for six years and quietly volunteered for additional duties to help the team. She was nominated for the award by her nurse manager, Sue Lemmons, RN, BSN, MBA, CNOR.
Lemmons said Castles volunteered to tackle the daunting, two-year task of designing, installing and launching an entirely new website for Bayhealth Surgical Services. The new site allows nurses to communicate clinical issues privately, while allowing the public to learn about the broad array of surgical services provided by Bayhealth. Castles collaborated with Information Services Specialist Jennifer Merritt, gathered information, formatted the web design and produced content for all the web pages.
The website provides valuable clinical information and promotes her entire department. Perhaps the greatest value was to the nurses on her own team, who could share information on new procedures or policy.
Bayhealth employees may nominate other employees for the Employee of the Quarter Award. A special committee reviews and selects an employee of the quarter for each hospital.
The winner receives a plaque, a $100 gift card to a local restaurant and a special employee of the quarter parking spot.
Each employee of the quarter also becomes one of eight finalists for Bayhealth employee of the year, which will be announced in May 2010.
