Our clinical supervisor, Rebekah (Bekah) Oelkers, embodies Atrium's mission to improve health, elevate hope, and advance healing for all, with a heavy emphasis on the 'all' part of our mission. Bekah's qualities, which make her a superb leader - empathy, respect, and communication (just to name a few) - are what allow her to live and work our mission. We had a dispiriting patient situation where a young mom of three was made a Lifeshare (organ donation) patient. This situation was very heavy for the staff over the several days we had with her and her family, and Bekah stepped up to support not only the patient's family but her staff. She made the time to offer assistance with watching the patient's young children while the patient's partner and family could spend the little time they had left uninterrupted. She also worked with the house supervisor and the spiritual care team to arrange meals for the family as well as other physical needs, so they could focus solely on their emotional needs. When the family brought in the oldest daughter to say goodbye to her mother, Bekah stayed after her shift to ensure she was taken care of when she had a panic attack and had to be taken to the ER. Bekah did not leave her side. Although the patient is gone, I know she appreciates Bekah being there for her daughter and family in the darkest of hours. It was over the next several days Bekah continued to check in with her teammates to offer support and encourage teammates to express their feelings about the situation. A true haven for our unit.

This is just one of the more recent examples that exemplifies the type of leader Bekah is. She fosters an environment where we encourage one another to do the right thing for our patients and each other, while also holding each other accountable when we fall short of expectations. She is an adaptable leader that can analyze a situation and quickly determine the best approach, which has proven to be vital given the changes in healthcare we have seen over the last three years. Bekah deserves this award because she inspires her colleagues through her dedication to the patients we serve.