Celebrating Our 2024 Service Year Milestone Honorees
November 21, 2024, MORRIS, IL- Congratulations to the Morris Hospital employees who celebrated milestone years of service in 2024! The Milestone Dinner is a cherished tradition within our organization, and the event took place on November 14 at Jennifer’s Garden in Morris. Employees marking 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and even an incredible 55 years of service joined their coworkers for an evening of camaraderie and celebration as part of the Morris Hospital team. Top honorees included those with 40 or more years of service.
Theresa Carnahan, 2 East – 40 Years
Forty years of service to an organization is quite an accomplishment. For Theresa Carnahan, what’s even more impressive is that she has dedicated her entire 40 years of service to caring for patients right at the bedside as a med/surg nurse. And for that kind of dedication, Theresa deserves a round of applause.
Theresa began her career at Morris Hospital in 1984 after graduating from Saint Joseph School of Nursing. After four years on 2 South, she transferred to 2 East where she has remained ever since, setting the bar high when it comes to patient care.
“Theresa arrives to work early to learn everything she can about her patients before report even starts,” says 2 East Manager Karie Steken. “Her assessment skills, anticipation of patient needs, and coordination of care are top notch. She strives for perfection and is a wonderful advocate for her patients.”
In addition to being an amazing nurse, Karie says that Theresa is an equally amazing co-worker, whether she’s jumping in to help pass meds, answering call lights, or volunteering for admissions when her co-workers are overwhelmed.
As an informal leader on the unit, Theresa has a way of mentoring newer nurses and constantly encourages critical thinking to ensure the delivery of the highest quality of care possible.
“Theresa has achieved the mission of improving the health of countless area residents over the years, and for that we are grateful,” adds Karie.
Katherine Laseman, Radiology – 40 Years
One of a kind. That is the lasting impression Katherine Laseman leaves on her colleagues in Imaging Services. Known for her positivity and quirky sense of humor, Kathy’s coworkers genuinely enjoy working with her every day.
For the past 40 years, Kathy has been a cornerstone of her department. She joined Morris Hospital in 1984 as an X-ray trainee and was hired later that same year as an X-ray Technician. Over the past four decades, she has built a reputation for excellence in everything she does.
Jeff Thompson, Manager of Imaging Services, says Kathy exemplifies the mission of Morris Hospital by always putting patients first and being an outstanding teammate.
“Kathy is a go-getter. She is always the first person to step up and offer help to someone in need. All of us have relied on Kathy to help us get through a busy shift or stressful situation. She does it with a smile and never slows down, even after 40 years.”
Jeff also notes that Kathy has mentored nearly everyone who performs X-rays at Morris Hospital. Her willingness to share her knowledge with others is what makes her a truly special person. This generosity extends to the hundreds of X-ray students and technologists Kathy has worked with throughout her career.
There’s no doubt Kathy’s generosity and commitment to sharing her expertise will continue to benefit colleagues and patients for years to come.
Beth Bomba, Emergency Department – 45 years
Beth Bomba is one of those employees who experience and dedication can never be duplicated. Known for her ability to adapt to any situation, Beth has made a big impact at Morris Hospital over the past 45 years.
Beth began her career at Morris Hospital as a nurse’s aide before becoming a nurse. She spent her first 20 years in various departments, including Medical-Surgical, Emergency, Planning & Quality Management, and Recovery Room. In 1999, she transitioned to the Emergency Department where she has been instrumental in educating and training new staff and physicians while serving numerous roles ranging from Charge Nurse to her current position as Emergency Supervisor.
Director of Emergency and Trauma Services Tony Bucki has worked in healthcare for 44 years and calls Beth one of the best people he has ever worked with.
“Beth is the kind of employee who inspires everyone around her to strive for excellence. She is not only caring and compassionate but also tenacious in her pursuit of providing patients with the best possible experience. We are very fortunate to have someone like Beth at Morris Hospital,” said Tony.
Tony also calls Beth a pioneer in developing downtime procedures well before cyber threats became prevalent. This forward-thinking approach exemplifies her work ethic and commitment to improving processes for the benefit of her colleagues and patients alike.
Sue Brooks, Occupational Medicine – 45 years
When Sue Brooks was a young girl, she lived just a few blocks away from Morris Hospital and always said that was where she was going to work someday.
That someday arrived on August 6, 1979, when Sue started working as a CNA on 2 South at the age of 17. Two years later she became an LPN and spent some time on the obstetrics unit before transferring to Occupational Medicine in 1995. While she knew little about what she was getting into, Occ Med is where Sue found her true passion.
29 years later, Sue is appropriately referred to as the organization’s expert for all things occupational medicine. Ask her anything about a guideline or federal registry, and she can rattle off the statute by number…including all the applicable fine print!
Described as a hardworking, knowledgeable, wonderful, dedicated, caring team player, Sue is especially admired in her department for her willingness to go lengths to meet the client’s needs, her commitment to excellent care each and every time, and her support to others and ability to share her knowledge.
“Patients come looking for Sue specifically to take care of them as she always has,” said Immediate Care/Occupational Medicine Director Kim Smith. “She has impacted many lives as a result of her unwavering dedication to Morris Hospital.”
Deb Button, Cardio Diagnostics – 45 years
Passionate. Dedicated. Mentor. These are just a few of the words used to describe Deb Button throughout her remarkable 45 years of service at Morris Hospital.
Deb’s journey at Morris Hospital began in 1979 when she was hired as a respiratory technician. Seven years later, Deb transitioned to cardio-pulmonary technician when the Pulmonary and Cardiology departments merged. In 2005, her responsibilities expanded further when she became one of the hospital’s first echocardiography technicians—a role now known as cardiac sonographer.
Jori Christensen, Director of Cardiovascular Services, highlights Deb’s invaluable contributions: “Deb brings a wealth of knowledge to our department, and her expertise allows her to wear many hats. We are incredibly fortunate to have someone like Deb, who is not only an excellent teacher but also generous in sharing her experiences with those around her. There is a reason Deb is a two time fire starter winner.”
Deb’s commitment to serving her community goes beyond the patients she sees every day. In 2015, she proposed the idea for the Rhythm of Our Youth program, which today has screened over 11,000 area students for undiagnosed cardiac conditions. Deb continues to play a key role on the team that makes these screenings possible.
Deb’s unwavering dedication all these years has indeed contributed to the success of the Cardio Diagnostics department. Even more significant, her extraordinary commitment to excellence has made an immeasurable difference in the lives of both patients and staff.
Michelle Stewart, Surgery – 45 years
It’s difficult to adequately sum up Michelle Stewart’s contributions to our organization because there are so many. Since joining Morris Hospital as a nurse’s aide in 1979, Michelle went on to become a med/surg RN before transferring to the Surgery department in 1988. Today, she is one of the department’s most dedicated and influential members.
As Charge RN, Michelle facilitates the OR schedule, communicates effectively with the entire perioperative team, ensures trays and implants are here for the next day, assigns adequate staffing for the department, and puts out little fires throughout the day with a little humor at times. A leader in the department, she is well respected by physicians.
As nurse, she advocates for her patients to make sure they are getting the best care possible, always doing what is right for her patients. She puts patients at ease prior to their procedure with her calming voice and conversations.
As team player, she is always there when her co-workers are a bind, willingly staying past her shift or lending a helping hand. She is an awesome preceptor and teacher with a soft spot for new employees, always demonstrating patience and empathy.
“Michelle emulates Morris Hospital’s mission, vision, and values every day and has made an impact on so many lives in your community,” says Amy Snyder, Manager of Surgery, Endoscopy and Sterile Processing. “Nursing is an art, and Michelle has mastered it.”
Cindy Tallman, Surgery – 45 years
Loyal, Generous, Flexible, Witty, Supportive, Knowledgeable. Mentor. A Good Human. That’s how staff in the Surgery department describe Supervisor Cindy Tallman, a respected and admired mainstay in the department for more than 43 years.
Becoming a nurse was Cindy’s dream ever since she was a young girl. When she was 14, she volunteered at Morris Hospital as a candy striper. She started her first job here as an LPN in med/surg and soon transferred to the Surgery department where she served as a scrub nurse.
After completing her RN degree in 1989, Cindy eventually became Charge RN and then Supervisor in 2014. The staff in Surgery has a special appreciation for Cindy’s ability to calm the surgeons, thus earning her the nickname “Doctor Whisperer.” Most importantly, the staff knows that no matter how difficult the day might be, Cindy will always be there until the last patient is out of surgery, never leaving her co-workers until all of the work is complete.
There’s something else extra special about Cindy. A 38-year breast cancer survivor, Cindy has a history of visiting inpatient post-breast surgery patients to answer their questions, relieve their fears, offer exercises for a successful recovery, and provide words of encouragement. She considers her breast cancer outreach among her proudest moments.
From the little girl who helped care for her grandfather to an incredible Surgical RN and leader, Cindy exemplifies what it means to truly love what you do. Morris Hospital and our community are better because of it.
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