Darnell Clay, a nutrition assistant, sure knows how to make an impression.
His dedication to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is obvious to most anyone he encounters — especially the patients he serves daily.
His supervisors have grown accustomed to receiving notifications of his kudos on the Press Ganey patient experience surveys that highlight performance and commitment to service. But a recent recognition propelled him to another designation. Clay is the first in his department to be honored as a Vanderbilt University Medical Center Credo Award winner. The award was presented during the September 2024 VUMC Leadership Assembly.
“I’ve been here since 2010, and he is our first Credo Award winner,” said Carol Lloyd, director of Nutrition Services at Monroe Carell. “He has a way of adjusting his approach so that he can bring that smile out of our patients.
“He really is a great asset to our department and brings next-level customer service. We are just so proud of him.”
Clay, who will celebrate his second year at Monroe Carell in October, said his connection to the hospital is part of why he loves his job. Born at 27 weeks gestation and weighing only 1 pound 11 ounces, Clay spent three months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt in 2002. Now 22, he feels fortunate to work among the teams who cared for him and to be able to provide a service to patients and families like the Drewes family.
In 2023, Matthew Drewes spent a few days in Monroe Carell while recovering from surgery after donating a kidney to his 3-year-old son, Everett. During his hospitalization, his interaction with Clay left a lasting impression on the entire family.
He described Clay as “a ray of sunshine.”
“(Matthew) said he appreciated Darnell taking a moment to ask him how he was doing and if he needed anything from him or the care team before leaving,” said Margaret Drewes, Matthew’s wife and the person who submitted the Credo Award nomination. “He let me know that it was clear that Darnell enjoyed his role, and that happiness translated into a highlight in my husband’s patient experience.”
The pair hoped that their son would also get a chance to meet Darnell during his stay. And he did.
“Darnell made an immediate impact on my son as well,” said Matthew Drewes. “My son could be having a very challenging day, but always got excited to see ‘Dr. Darnell.’ It’s what he calls him to this day.
“Darnell has a great way of reading people and knew on the hard days how best to interact with him. His passion for patients truly comes across in every interaction,” reads the nomination form from the Drewes.
“Service roles such as his can be easily overlooked, but when performed at the level of service Darnell does can truly enhance the patient experience.”
Darnell was taken by surprise by the honor, which was celebrated during a recent department huddle.
“It was interesting because I was trying to get back to work and focused on getting into the kitchen,” recalled Clay of the surprise announcement. “And all of a sudden, Ms. Carol told everyone to gather around. That’s when she said I had been selected for the Credo Award, and she rolled out this huge cake. My parents and my sister were even there.
“Receiving this award made me feel very blessed. This job really means a lot to me. I will keep spreading positive messages and do my best to uplift our patients.
“As soon as I heard ‘Dr. Darnell,’ I knew immediately who nominated me,” Clay said with a big smile. “That made me realize that I am blessed with a gift.”
