Outstanding members of the Ohio’s Hospice staff are recognized each quarter with Bouquet of Recognition Awards for Excellence. Honorees personify the qualities found in the mission and vision of Ohio’s Hospice and are the foundation upon which a remarkable patient experience is built. These staff members consistently demonstrate excellence through their expertise and extraordinary compassionate support for patients and families. They are recognized as outstanding role models in the Ohio’s Hospice community. These are the recipients for the first quarter of 2021. 

Carnation Award

Afton Gross, pharmacy services coordinator at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, was awarded the Carnation Award, given to a mission support staff member each quarter. 

Afton was nominated by Deb Jorgenson, pharmacy services coordinator at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, for her positive attitude and ability to jump in to help team members at all Ohio’s Hospice affiliates. 

“Afton is a good example for our department when she helps nurses with formulary decisions or helps process a billing claim to expedite access to medications for our patients,” Deb wrote in the nomination letter. “She is our peer, mentor, shoulder to cry on, and the first person I turn to with a question. She shares her knowledge selflessly and helps us to learn.”

Congratulations to Afton on being recognized with the Carnation Award and thanks to her for her support of the Ohio’s Hospice mission. 

DAISY Award

Mary Ann Stemley, RN care manager at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, was recognized with the DAISY Award ® for providing outstanding care to patients and families. 

Sara Christenson, RN care manager at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, nominated Mary Ann for her care and building a strong connection with a patient and their family. 

“The patient happened to be getting better and no longer needed hospice services. Mary Ann took extra steps to celebrate the accomplishment and make a certificate of achievement for the patient,” shared Sara in her nomination letter. “Mary Ann is respected in her facilities and a valuable asset to the team. She always goes above and beyond for her patients.”

Ohio’s Hospice is proud to be a DAISY Award® partner, recognizing its nurses with this special honor. At Ohio’s Hospice, DAISY Award honorees are nurses who consistently demonstrate excellence through their clinical expertise and extraordinary compassionate care. 

Congratulations to Mary Ann on being recognized with the DAISY Award and thanks to her for her support of the Ohio’s Hospice mission. 

Sunflower Award

The Sunflower Award honors personal care specialists who take care of a patient’s personal needs with dignity, compassion and empathy. They provide quality nursing assistance to patients, assist patients’ families with care and work with the interdisciplinary care team. 

Cathy Gipson, personal care specialist at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, was recognized by Ann Katz, RN care manager at Ohio’s Hospice, for her amazing care for a patient and his mother. 

“A recent patient was a young man of 35 with major health problems and limited mobility. With tears in her eyes, the patient’s mother told me that no one had ever cared for her son the way Cathy did. The respectful, compassionate, deliberate care restored something in that man that had been missing for a long time,” Ann wrote in her nomination letter. “Cathy gave this man so much more than a bath. She gave him his dignity back and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award.”

Congratulations to Cathy on being recognized with the Sunflower Award and thanks to her for her support of the Ohio’s Hospice mission. 

Tulip Award

Janet Dickens, medical social work liaison at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, was recognized with the Tulip Award, which recognizes chaplains, social workers, therapists, counselors, physicians, pharmacists and other patient care professionals at Ohio’s Hospice. 

Janet was nominated by Lori Schmerr, admission care liaison at Ohio’s Hospice, for her kindness and thorough conversations with patients through the admission process. 

“Janet goes above and beyond with each of her visits to explain the hospice philosophy and services provided, and I am so grateful for her. My visit can then be focused on symptom management and transport and contacting other in the admission process,” Lori wrote in her nomination letter. “Janet is an example of why social work professionals are so respected and so essential to hospice work.” 

Congratulations to Janet on being recognized with the Tulip Award and thanks to her for her support of the Ohio’s Hospice mission.  

To nominate a staff member, click here.

To learn more about careers at Ohio’s Hospice, click here.