Adventist Health and Rideout Honors May 2024 BE Award Recipients

The BE award recognizes associates who exemplify Adventist Health "BE" statements (Be Love, Be a Force for Food, Be a Mission Owner, Be Welcoming, Be Curious, Be Brilliant). All Adventist Health and Rideout associates at the hospital, outpatient clinics and skilled nursing facility are eligible for nomination.

BE Award Recipient: Angie Rivera
Department: Employee Health
Submitted By: Char Jones
BE Statement: Be Welcoming

From Co-Worker: I started working with Angie in February of this year. I was a little scared to start a new job after 12 years with another organization, learning a new job after all these years seemed like it was going to be a challenge. Angie has made me feel overwhelmingly welcome in all aspects of my new role here at Adventist Health. She has made sure that I have the resources to do my job to the best of my ability and never makes me feel bad if I make a mistake. Angie does most things with a smile on her face, and she has no idea how comforting that is to me and the people around her. I've never felt so welcomed at a new job as I do here, thanks to Angie. I'm so happy I made the choice to join the Adventist Team.​

BE Award Recipient: Brandon Boyd
Department: Respiratory Therapy
Submitted By: Note from a patient, Sukie Gill
BE Statement: Be a Force for Good

From Patient: Brandon is an amazing person. Brandon’s whole philosophy is that of a servant's heart and he truly believes in performing great care every time. ​I would like to commend you and your extraordinary health care team for the excellent care that my mom, Gurminderjeet Gill, received during her recent admission. ​From the time she arrived at your ER until she was discharged 5 days later, she was taken care of with love, respect, and knowledge from all your staff. Everyone from the ER MD, RN, all the staff on 2 East, and the amazing team of RT's. ​

I would like to nominate one particular RT, NOC shift, Brandon, for any internal award you may have. Sometimes the NOC shift is the most challenging for patients and has a bulk of new grads. Brandon, RT NOC shift, was such a dedicated new grad. He was passionate about his area and took so much pride in delivering the care. He took time to educate my mom on what he was doing and the reason why. His style of practicing medicine is rare these days. I applaud him and he makes me believe that people in healthcare still do it because they love it and want to heal others. Your team of healthcare hero's is even better with the addition of Brandon. ​

You should be so proud to lead such a stellar team. Keep doing what you do as I can see it's making a difference. Brandon, “Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.” – Unknown​
Thank you for making a difference.​

BE Award Recipient: Dr. Dhugga
Department: Family Medicine
Submitted By: Ravinder Chahal
BE Statement: Be a Mission Owner

Dr. Dhugga is a prime example of a mission owner. In the hospital setting there is always changes being made and different goals that need to be accomplished that require effort made by nurses as well as physicians. Dr. Dhugga always makes it a point to champion new changes. A recent example being trying to minimize the use of telemetry and really evaluating its need for our patients especially on 3W. In his role as the admitting hospitalist this week he took the time evaluate that need on all his admissions, allowing us to maximize the number of patients admitted to 3w while staying under our goal of 8 tele for the unit. Dr. Dhugga continues to be an advocate for his patients while also being a great collaborator with the rest of the care team.

BE Award Recipient: Dr. Daniel Ferguson
Department: Obstetrics
Submitted By: Emily Fennell
BE Statement: Be Brilliant

In February 2023, Amy Gill woke up in the middle of the night with intense discomfort. She and her husband, Sunny, planned to deliver their second child, a baby boy named Chandan, at a hospital in Sacramento, as they did with their firstborn. But they quickly realized that Chandan had other plans, ruling out the possibility of reaching Sacramento in time. Instead, they rushed to our hospital located in Marysville, CA.

Upon arrival, Amy recalls a nurse rapidly pressing the elevator button, underscoring the urgency of the situation. They discovered the baby was breach, a situation where the unborn child is positioned feet or bottom first in the uterus. Dr. Daniel Ferguson recommended an emergency caesarean delivery (C-section) and, despite the rapid turn of events, maintained a calm demeanor and clear communication to reassure Amy.

As they rushed Amy to the operating room, nature intervened and there was no time for a C-section. Dr. Ferguson skillfully delivered the baby breech, with Amy expressing her disbelief at the speed of the process.

“From the moment I woke up, to the moment Chandan was born — it had been under two hours,” she said.

Being born a month premature, baby Chandan was quickly taken to the Level II NICU. Amy found comfort in the assurances from a nurse that everything was under control, and they were taking great care of baby Chandan.

“I just remember my nurse kneeling next to me and letting me know he was doing great, and we were both in great hands,” she said.

Amy and Sunny expressed their immense gratitude for the care they received at our hospital. She shared about moments with her nurse when she felt like a dear friend or family member.

“While larger medical centers have their merits, the personalized care and follow up services I received here completely exceeded my expectations,” Amy said. “When I hear anyone on the fence or talk about delivering out of town, I always recommend Adventist Health and Rideout based on my wonderful experience.”

The positive experience extended beyond the delivery, as our hospital continues to provide valuable follow-up support and resources to Amy and her family. Weekly breastfeeding support classes have been particularly impactful for Amy and baby Chandan.

“I am so thankful we have Adventist Health and Rideout here locally,” she said. “I don’t know what we would have done without them that night.”

BE Award Recipient: Jessica Lopez
Department: ENT
Submitted By: Michelle Martinez
BE Statement: Be a Force for Good

The ENT clinic would like to recognize Jennifer for always going above and beyond for the patients and her team. She is a go getter, never sits down, always jump in to help her co-workers, and never has to be asked. She does great with the patients, and they all love her. She communicates clearly with the patients, team, and provider. She is always willing to learn new things and provides great input for clinic workflows. We are extremely lucky to have her as part of our team. Great work Jennifer!!​

BE Award Recipient: Sherri Swenson
Department: ICU
Submitted By: Tram Reynaga
BE Statement: Be a Mission Owner

I have been fortunate enough to work alongside some truly amazing individuals in the ICU, including Sherri, who stands out as an exceptional charge nurse. Her knowledge, compassion, and unwavering support have helped countless new nurses navigate the challenges of the job with confidence and ease. I was once a new grad struggling to find my footing, but Sherri was always there to answer my questions and lend a helping hand. She truly embodies what it means to be a supportive and caring colleague, and I have no doubt that she is appreciated by all who have had the pleasure of working with her.

On numerous occasions, our unit was left without a resource nurse. Fortunately, Sherri took on the role of a charge nurse, a resource nurse, and an educator all at once. Whenever we needed assistance, we knew we could count on her. She was always available to answer our questions and provide guidance. Despite her busy schedule as a charge nurse, she always found time to help attend to patients' needs. From cleaning up and turning patients, to tending to their blood sugar levels, she did it all with positive energy. She helped keep them comfortable and addressed the patients’ needs when other nurses were busy. In times of crisis, if a patient's condition declined; she consistently provides assistance. No task was too small or insignificant for her.

Her dedication and compassion truly made a difference in the lives of those she cared for. Her knowledge, understanding, and dedication to patient care are truly remarkable. I feel privileged to work with her, and she sets a shining example of what it means to be a truly exceptional nurse.