Marion General Hospital brought back a tradition Thursday, handing out awards to top employees as part of the National Hospital Week festivities.
Recipients included Nurse of the Year Carla Thornhill, Nurse Technician of the Year Michelle Fish, Provider of the Year Dr. Jeff Johnson, Leader of the Year Brooke McCain and We C.A.R.E. Employee of the Year Susan Murphree.
“We have a lot of wonderful people who work here, and I think it shines through every day to our patients,” Hospital Administrator Alania Cedillo said at the ceremony held during Marion General Hospital Auxiliary’s annual employee tea.
Murphree is the face of the hospital to many visitors from her spot in the front lobby. Her job title is cash application coordinator and duties include answering the phone, taking payments and calling references for human resources.
Patricia Henry, team lead over patient accounts, praised Murphree for truly embracing the hospital’s philosophy of “We Care.” She said Murphree is willing to go above and beyond her job duties and cleans and vacuums the front lobby all day.
Murphree, who has lived in Columbia since moving here in 1963 in the fourth grade, said she has never won anything like this before.
“I’m so proud of it, but I was not expecting it,” she said.
In the Nurse of the Year award, Director of Nursing Laura Miley said Thornhill always shows compassion and courtesy when working with patients, visitors and families. Miley said Thornhill takes action when things are needed. For example, she filed a written request for an automatic door at the entrance to help people with wheelchairs get in and that led to the Auxiliary funding that project.
Miley said Thornhill also spoke with a family recently who told her their loved one was passing away, and Thornhill spoke with Miley and arranged for waters and snacks to be delivered to the family while they were waiting.
Thornhill, who will celebrate her 22nd year with the hospital June 10, thanked everyone for the award.
“I really don’t feel like I deserve it because there are people here who are better than I am, and I’ve learned from the best,” she said.
For the Nurse Technician of the Year, Dorinda Martin, RN patient care manager, said Fish is dedicated, rarely missing a day of work. She said Fish, who is a cardiac monitor technician, has a positive attitude whenever asked to do a different job and is the ultimate team player.
Fish said she was honored to receive the award and that it comes from a love of patients.
Cedillo presented the Provider of the Year to Johnson, saying he not only has a great bedside manner with patients but also teaches employees well.
“Marion General loves you,” Cedillo said.
She also bestowed the Leader of the Year honor to McCain, saying the voting on that was nearly unanimous and that McCain’s supervisor said they could think of no one more deserving.
Caption: Susan Murphree reacts Thursday to being named the employee of the year at Marion General Hospital. She’s the first face many visitors see from her position in the front lobby, and officials said she truly embraces the hospital’s motto of “We Care.”
