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Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin - Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien strives to provide a work environment where humor is appreciated, teamwork is encouraged, and honesty, integrity, and demonstrating care for each other are second nature. Their vision is to achieve the best outcome for every patient every time in an environment where patient expectations are exceeded, physicians want to practice, caring people want to work, the community sees a source of pride, and the region associates their name with high quality.

Each year, Crossing Rivers Health presents Ambassador of the Year awards to individuals who represent their core values of joy, unity, integrity, compassion, and excellence; along with awards for Ambassador of Leadership and Ambassador of Provider Excellence. Nominations are submitted by employees and presented to the Senior Leadership Team for selection.

This year, the following individuals were recognized with a Crossing Rivers Health Ambassador award:

• Ambassador of Joy – Karol Nelson, Wound/Ostomy/Foot Care RN. “Karol spreads joy wherever she goes and makes work fun for everyone. When you look up the definition of the word JOY, there should be a picture of her bright smile looking at you. She has a positive attitude no matter what the situation is. She is often heard saying “I love what I do!” Also, her patients love her! She can make the sickest of sick smile and laugh when she comes into the room. She will go above and beyond for her patients in order to provide the care they need to heal or for anything else they may need. Frequently, patients ask for her by name stating they NEED to see her. Many times they do not need to see her for medical reasons. It is more that they need to see her to cheer them up and to tell them that they are doing great! She is truly deserving of the JOY award. She is an asset to Crossing Rivers Health and has impacted many patients and staff lives with her joy and positive attitude,” stated her nominator.
• Ambassador of Unity – Deb Smith, RN. “Deb is a phenomenal nurse and employee! She is kind, caring, compassionate, organized, and funny all while being respected by everyone she works with. Her patient care skills are excellent. She can deliver unpleasant news to a patient or family in the most professional way that makes them feel supported and cared for. She is an excellent team player and a hard worker. She is always on the go and always finding things to work on. She is prompt with her charting and as soon as her required tasks are complete, she is off and running onto other projects. She participates in hospital committees and her input is greatly valued. She is not just excellent on her best days, but on every day. You couldn't ask for a better employee. She is well-deserving of the ambassador of unity award and we are lucky to have such an amazing person caring for our friends and family,” shared her nominator.
• Ambassador of Integrity – Sherry Ariss, Executive Assistant. “Sherry is honest and very well respected within the organization. She follows her moral and ethical convictions and always does the right thing in all circumstances, even if no one is watching her. She has remarkable skills in organization, communication, compassion, information management, and shares this knowledge with every Crossing Rivers Health team member. In her role, she supports administrators, department leadership and staff. She hits every deadline and ensures those she supports meets their deadlines as well. She is not afraid to ask for clarification and goes above and beyond to make sure all team members receive timely and accurate information so that goals can be met. She is always available to ask questions, her deep knowledge of the organization has provided information that guides policies and procedures to meet Joint Commission and CMS standards,” commented her nominator.
• Ambassador of Compassion – Emily Wetter, Social Worker. “An individual is defined as being compassionate if they show kindness, are caring, and have a willingness to help others. Emily is a team member that fulfills this definition each and every day, both in and out of the work setting. She is compassionate even when no one is looking and even when it is difficult. No matter someone’s background or personal choices, she is able to provide unbiased compassionate care for them to the fullest extent possible. She truly wants the best for every individual she encounters and is willing to help no matter the circumstance. She supports patients and their loved ones when they feel they are losing hope. She knows just when to listen and just when to provide encouraging words of support to help them feel like they can keep moving forward. She is truly an ambassador of compassion,” explained her nominator.
• Ambassador of Excellence – Katie Skemp, Medical Assistant. “Katie is someone who comes to work each and every day with a positive attitude, ready to give her best, making sure the patients, the providers she works with and her peers are supported, giving 100% of her time and talents, as well as providing excellent quality of care to each. She is willing to go above and beyond; no matter the circumstance and strives to make every patient feel welcome and respected. Patient satisfaction survey comments frequently support the quality of work she provides. She is willing to do whatever is needed to improve processes within the department, support the provider's needs and make the patient experience the very best. She exemplifies the standards of behavior with a smile, has a warm presence and highest quality of care. She is truly a valuable team member,” exclaimed her nominator.
• Ambassador of Provider Excellence – Dr. Kristina Thompson, Board-Certified Podiatrist. Dr. Thompson’s nominator shared, “This year’s Provider of Excellence deserves this award because she is an outstanding example of our values. Joy - She has a quick, quiet laugh. Her sense of humor flies under the radar and contributes to the awesome teamwork she fosters in her clinical team. She shares her personal joy and success in a professional, yet real manner. Unity - She understands the importance of creating a trusting relationship with her team and includes the patient in this team. She is continually motivating her patients and her team to accomplish what is best for the patient. Integrity - She ensures that her documentation is correct and accurate. She expects the nursing team to complete their assessments and completes her documentation immediately. She goes above and beyond for her patients. Compassion - The simple things are what patients remember. Examples of compassion occur daily in her practice. She is able to relate to all ages of patients - children trust her and the elderly love her kind and quiet manner. Excellence - She is always striving to review evidence, embraces new techniques and finds resources to help with difficult clinical situations. She strives to advance her practice by initiating outreach opportunities and additional certifications. Leadership - Her extraordinary leadership is quietly present. She is extremely vested in the success of the organization. She has great ideas, supports her team, and is a shining example of the best care.”
• Ambassador of Leadership – Maria Mathis, Primary Care Clinic Director. “Maria is an outstanding leader. She displays a high level of professionalism and remains extremely approachable to all staff. She is very warm and welcoming to all staff to share their concerns, improvement ideas, and observations. She is greatly respected in her position and forward-thinking in regards to growth and sustainability. She is a great advocate for her entire staff and has a passion for excellence in patient care. She has an open-door policy and is a great listener. She puts in countless hours at work and strives to accommodate staff and provider requests. She demonstrates joy, unity, integrity, compassion, and excellence in her work every day. We, at Crossing Rivers Health, are privileged to have her as our leadership ambassador,” shared her nominator.