Award winners embody culture of service
The latest Credo Award and Five Pillar Leader Award winners were announced at last week’s Spring Clinical Enterprise Leadership Assembly at Langford Auditorium.
Sondra Blount
Ruthie Mathews
Eric Pittel
Bruce Beyer, M.D.
The Credo Award is given to staff and faculty who exemplify the Medical Center's standards for service and all-around professionalism.
Credo Awards went to Sondra Blount, a staff nurse 4 in the Trauma Unit; Ruthie Mathews, a traffic and parking officer; and Eric Pittel, a program coordinator II in Pediatric Endocrinology.
Blount’s nomination credited her work on prevention of urinary tract infections, her promotion of the Professional Nurse Practice Program, her work on prevention of workplace violence, her longtime participation in the Trauma Unit Board and her work as a trainer for the Resuscitation Program.
“Sondra has brought exceptional leadership to her team and changed a lot of practices on the Trauma ICU,” her award nomination stated.
Mathews’ nomination respectfully refers to her throughout as “Ms. Ruthie,” and casts her as the official ambassador to staff and visitors of the 25th Avenue Garage.
“When you think of a parking garage you can’t really make that necessarily be a happy place — it is nothing more than a gray, cold, concrete structure — but somehow Ms. Ruthie manages to make it feel like a warm and welcoming place. No matter the weather or the attitude presented in her direction, she always manages a smile and happy response,” the award nomination stated.
Pittel recruits study subjects and coordinates participation of Vanderbilt’s far-flung affiliates in the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet research consortium.
“He is simply the best at what he does. Having observed first-hand the individuals who do what Eric does at other institutions, I can assure you that there is no one better,” his award nomination stated.
Pittel was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a high school athlete, and his nomination credits his longstanding volunteer work promoting awareness of type 1 diabetes management.
Longtime faculty member Bruce Beyer, M.D., assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and medical director of the Center for Women’s Health, received the Five Pillar Leader Award, which is given to staff and faculty who exemplify Medical Center leadership standards.
Beyer’s nomination read in part, “He is a walking, talking example of collegiality. He always has a smile on his face, his personality and attitude reflects only the good. He manages everyone up, elevates staff to the next level. … He is known as a ‘champion’ for projects, initiatives and even for everyday issues in the clinic. Although he is a champion to his staff, he is even more so to his patients.”
And there was this, “He has more candy in his office than Russell Stover’s, the Hershey’s factory and any rock candy store in Pigeon Forge put together.”
The Credo Award and Five Pillar Leader Award are conferred every three months.
To nominate someone for either award, please complete a nomination form on the elevate website.