January
Role model for CNS values.
Mae Johnson

Mae Johnson, our January Employee of the Month is a perfect representation of a CNS role model. She has been part of our nursing team for only five months but in that short time has proven to be one of the best. She has a keen willingness to educate herself on the specialized needs of her clients and when she is “clinically stumped”, reaches out to others for direction. Words such as humble, caring and peaceful soul best describe Mae and we all agree that if we ever require nursing assistance at home we will most definitely call on Mae. Congratulations Mae and thanks a bunch for all you do!
 

February
Helping with organizational needs; precepting;
orienting; training; public speaking and outreach.
LeAnn Teixeira

Helping with organizational needs including training, orienting and outreach were considered when selecting LeAnn Teixeira, our February Employee of the Month. Like Evelyn, LeAnn accepted an interim position with CNS and was instrumental in developing a process for delegating cares to non-licensed caregivers at the schools our children attend. She willingly agreed, we think, to speak her thoughts on the CNS videos and over the years has helped train and orient many nurses. For all that and more we honor and thank you LeAnn for all you do.
 

March
Work recognized by others; praise from families and colleagues; kindness; going above and beyond expectations.
Anne Pierce

When it came time to select the employee of the month for March, we read the criteria...Work recognized by others; praise from families and colleagues; kindness; going above and beyond expectations and immediately thought of Anne. She is one of the most genuinely kind and considerate individuals we know. Her clients and their families adore her and sing her praises. Anne not only takes care of the day-to-day obligations but can also be found assuming the role of school nurse, accompanying clients to therapy and Dr. appointments, ordering medical supplies, taking on the role of primary nurse and going above and beyond our wildest expectations. Thank you Anne for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g♥
 

April
Refers others to CNS; assists with
marketing efforts such as brochure, video, etc.
Gretchen Dennison

This months selection of Employee of the Month was most definitely a no-brainer since Gretchen Dennison is most definitely our biggest and boldest supporter. If we’re looking for nurses...Gretchen has a friend that’s looking for a change; When we needed a financial consultant...Gretchen knew of a perfect match; Need an in-service topic...just ask Gretchen. There is nothing Gretchen would not do to ensure the success of CNS and she is never shy when it comes to spreading the word about how wonderful we are. So please join us in thanking Gretchen for all the free advertising and her incredible commitment to Children’s Nursing Specialties, Inc.
 

May
Dependability; Least number of
absences and tardies.
Lynell Tucker

Dependable, reliable, and devoted to her clients is why we selected Lynell Tucker as our Employee of the Month for May. We put on our “mathematical” thinking caps and calculated hours worked divided by hours staffed, and discovered that Lynell has worked 99.99% of her shifts scheduled with CNS with the only cancellation coming during the horrendous snow storm this past winter. Lynell works an average of 40 hours per week and has never-ever been late to a shift. We can always rely on Lynell to get us what we need...when we need it. So for her commitment to the clients and her work with CNS, we thank Lynell and congratulate her on an honor well deserved.
 

June
Flexibility; picks up additional shifts and
willingness to make changes on request.
Laura Hamilton

Flexibility was what we were looking for when we went searching for the Employee of the Month for June and Laura Hamilton is where we found it. She is a scheduling joy and her requests are few and far-between. And when we call her to ask about switching this day for that, she most always is accommodating. Now, while the word flexible also means “stretchy”’ and “elastic”, we did not take into account Laura’s bending ability. But since the word also means open and compliant, we did consider those...which Laura is both. She has recently agreed to take on the role of primary nurse and is always looking to improve her nursing skills by seeking guidance and feedback. And...she , along with her husband, are raising three young girls. A task that most definitely requires flexibility.
 

July
Meeting performance standards.
Rachel Brewster

“Meeting Performance Standards” was the catch all phrase used to select Rachel Brewster, the CNS Employee of the Month for July. This past month, while reviewing Rachel’s charting in preparation for her annual review, Evelyn noticed that Rachel “shines”. She follows policy and procedure when performing her daily tasks; has an excellent attendance record; has taken on the primary nurse role, and very seriously we might add; and does an exceptional job with documentation. So for all that and more...thank you Rachel and congratulations!
 

August
Volunteer Spirit; willingness to help out;
committee volunteer.
Patti Sadowski
 

Volunteer spirit; willingness to help out; committee volunteer were the “bench marks” used to unanimously select Patti Sadowski as our August Employee of the Month. Patti has been with CNS for just 8 short months but in that time has done volumes in support of the Organization. She was the clinical brains behind the transition from in-home to home-health licensure and spent the first few months with CNS on that alone. Patti has been at the forefront of two committees, Professional Policy Making and Quality Assurance and was able to round up volunteers without bribery or physical force. She has been a true joy to work with and is always and forever jumping in whenever and wherever needed. And just so you know, this is the first time in her 33 year career that she has received the honor of Employee of the Month. .So for that and much, much more, congratulations Patti and thank you for all you do.
 

September
Meeting documentation standards.

Alice Wacker

We had known for some time that when September rolled around we would select Alice as the Employee of the Month. Based on the criteria "Meeting Documentation Standards", Alice was the obvious choice. Alice has worked for CNS since the inception in March of 2005 and as far back as we can recall, has never-ever-ever made a documentation error. For the past few years CNS has acknowledged those with perfect documentation at our biannual in-service. And guess what...Alice is always recognized for her perfection. We also want you all to know that Alice not only has flawless documentation but has a near perfect attendance record and has never been tardy to a shift. And last but certainly not least...Alice is loved and cherished by her client Javad and his entire family. So thank you Alice for making out job easier and congratulations on an honor well deserved. 

October
Timeliness; returning paperwork, availability, feedback, evaluations in a timely fashion.
Julie White

Timeliness; returning what’s asked of you in a timely fashion; and open communication with the office staff was the focus when choosing this months star employee. We selected Julie as the October Employee of the Month for all those reasons and more. Even though Julie lives in Salem and travels over 100 miles to and from her clients home, she is seldom late. And if she is late, it’s usually because the highway has shut down...and than she always calls. She does what we ask and expect of her and always with pleasantries. Congratulations Julie and thanks for all you do!
 

November
Professional development;
pursues continuing education.
Brion Lutz

For the month of November we were looking for an employee that purses professional development and Brion fit the bill. He is a seeker of clinical wisdom and knowledge and when he is unsure about a particular clinical process or procedure, he immediately educates himself on what is the “best practice”. He is always searching for ways to improve his skills and if he doesn’t know something...he asks. So thank you Brion for your determination and perseverance. We appreciate all you do!!

2009 Employee of the Year

Rachel Brewster
Click on Rachel's name for a better understanding of why we selected her as our
2009 Employee of the Year