All Pawtucket All The Time

           PAWTUCKET – Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island celebrated National Hospital Week in May. Memorial paid tribute to the dedicated staff at the hospital with a seemingly endless capacity to care.

National Hospital Week focused attention on the numerous contributions hospitals make to their communities and honors the individuals who play an important role in advancing healthcare.

During National Hospital Week, Memorial honored employees at the Employee Recognition event. Kathleen Blackledge, guest representative, Food & Nutrition Department, was named “Employee of the Year 2010.” A Seekonk, MA resident, Kathy began working at Memorial in 1979. During more than 30 years of service, she has been nominated on two previous occasions as the Department Employee of the Year and has established a long record of outstanding job performance, excellent interpersonal skills and unfailing flexibility and dependability.

Kathy started as a diet assistant, where she was responsible for writing therapeutic diets for non-select menus, checking the patient trays for accuracy, processing diet changes, correcting menus, updating patient information and processing telephone calls.

In 1994 Kathy transitioned to the guest representative position she holds today. During the 15 years she has been a guest representative, she has consistently placed the patient’s need as her top priority, with patients often commenting about the excellent service she has provided to them. Since patient satisfaction began being monitored by Press Ganey Associates, the department has consistently ranked above the 90th percentile in overall satisfaction. Kathy’s dedication to meeting her patients’ needs has been a key factor in achieving this success.

Kathy is responsible for collecting patients’ menu preferences, distributing and collecting patient trays, maintaining the floor stock and sanitation of patient unit kitchens and assuring patient satisfaction during meal times. In 2009, Kathy took on new challenges by transitioning from using paper menus, collected one day in advance to a paperless system where patient menu preferences are collected, using portable data terminals, on the same day of service.

Throughout change, Kathy remains cheerful, positive and always willing to help where needed, demonstrating that her interpersonal relationships with her coworkers, supervisors and patients are exemplary. She is an invaluable resource to the Food & Nutrition Department.

As Employee of the Year, Ms. Blackledge received an Employee of the Year plaque, crystal bowl, a day off with pay and a free parking space for one year.

The following employees were also nominated for Employee of the Year 2010: Janet Ackman, Physical Therapy; Donna Burgess, Pathology; Elizabeth Sweetland, Occupational Therapy, Notre Dame Ambulatory Center; Younmi Amaro, Cardiology; Maria Camara, Primary Care Center of Quality Hill; Barbara Triassi, Diagnostic Imaging; Karl Babbitt, Central Processing; Michael Matos, Nursing; Joyce Trottier, The Cancer Center; Frank Mooney, Respiratory Therapy; Kathy Bollesen, Department of Medicine; and Aime Openshaw, Environmental Services.

           One hundred and eighty three employees who have had one year or more of perfect attendance were also recognized.