Photo by Anne Rayner.
Rose Tinch Calvert, RN, patient care coordinator for the Spina Bifida Clinic at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, received a Credo Award at the December Clinical Enterprise Leadership Assembly for her work in one of the busiest, and growing, spina bifida clinics in the country.
Credo Awards, given quarterly, honor employees who exemplify the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Credo: “We provide excellence in healthcare, research and education. We treat others as we wish to be treated. We continuously evaluate and improve our performance.” Winners of the Credo Award receive $500 and an Elevate gift bag.
“The patients and families love her! She is personable and truly seeks to serve the needs of each and every one of our patients. She is a great resource for families who are sometimes overwhelmed with their child’s diagnosis and treatment plan. She is a committed member of our team and we are truly lucky to have her.”
Many of the families Calvert serves at the Spina Bifida Clinic travel from out of state for their appointments. She makes it her priority to coordinate the care and appointments for patients with spina bifida, a complex medical condition in which the layers of tissue and bone that normally cover and protect the spinal cord fail to close during fetal development. The Spina Bifida Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic that meets for a half day, twice a month.
“Rose works with families, radiology and providers outside of the Spina Bifida Clinic so that families can get more done on a single day,” her nomination letters said. “For each spina bifida clinic, she is the command center. She directs the clinic staff and physicians on what needs to be done when. As a result, we have been able to see more patients in each half day.”
But her work doesn’t end in clinic as she is active in the spina bifida support community, often taking part in community events.
“The patients and families love her! She is personable and truly seeks to serve the needs of each and every one of our patients. She is a great resource for families who are sometimes overwhelmed with their child’s diagnosis and treatment plan…She is a committed member of our team and we are truly lucky to have her,” the letter continued.
“Winning the Credo Award has been very honorable. As the coordinator for the Spina Bifida Clinic, it has been my desire to see the clinic be most effective for both patient families and providers alike,” said Calvert.
“Being nominated for this award is proof to me that those that are part of the clinic are pleased with the way the clinic is coordinated. It’s an honor to be part of such a talented group of people providing excellent care to spina bifida patients. I’m very grateful to those that nominated me and for being chosen.”
To place a nomination for an Elevate Credo Award, Five Pillar Leader Award, or Team Award, visit the Elevate website to fill out a nomination form. Employees demonstrate credo behaviors when: they make those they serve the highest priority; respect privacy and confidentiality; communicate effectively; conduct themselves professionally; have a sense of ownership; and are committed to their colleagues. Elevate award nominations are accepted year round. If a nomination is received after the cut off for quarterly award selection, the nomination will be considered for the next quarter. VUMC Voice will post stories on each of the award winners in the weeks following their announcement.
