Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City is proud to showcase the following special employees who have been recognized by their peers for their outstanding work. Because these colleagues have demonstrated a superior commitment to patients and co-workers, the hospital gave them its Service First award. Every quarter, Baptist Union City gives the award to an employee who has been nominated by colleagues for excellent work and a caring attitude. These are the stories of just a few of the people who make our hospital special.


Jennifer Borneman, secretary in outpatient rehabilitation
(Baptist colleague since 2003)
Here’s an excerpt from Jennifer's nomination:
“Recently we received a call from a case manager at Baptist Memphis referring a patient for outpatient
wound care to be initiated upon the patient’s discharge from the hospital. Jennifer handled the
precertification and verification of benefits required prior to setting up an initial visit. She remained in contact with the case manager regarding the patient’s planned discharge date. The patient, who
lived in Troy, was diagnosed with extensive cancer and associated medical complications and
received emergency care at Trenton before being transferred to Memphis. She had been hospitalized
there since Feb. 22. The patient was discharged over a weekend and had an appointment
for outpatient therapy on a Monday afternoon. By this time, Jennifer had begun communicating directly
with the family. Upon calling the patient on Monday morning to confirm the therapy appointment,
Jennifer learned that the patient was not residing with the mother in Trenton. The patient’s mother
asked Jennifer several questions regarding medications, follow-up appointments, and physician oversight.
Jennifer realized in speaking with the mother that the patient was on Coumadin, which required close monitoring, and none had been ordered at the hospital discharge. Jennifer contacted the case manager at Baptist Memphis, who said she was no longer involved since the patient had been discharged. So Jennifer then contacted the attending oncologist’s office and spoke with staff, explaining the situation. Through
this contact, follow-up labs were arranged and other needs addressed. Jennifer has maintained
daily contact with this family, and this is just one example of her Service First attitude she
exemplifies daily.”


Debbie Jackson, RN
(Baptist colleague since 1989)
A patient was scheduled for a repeat C-Section on Feb. 4. On Jan. 30, this patient came to the hospital in labor so the surgery crew began preparing for the C-Section around 7:30 a.m. Upon arrival in the obstetrics department, the OR nurse, Debbie Jackson, heard the patient's sister talking with the patient's husband on her cell phone. Her husband was a truck driver on a run to Wisconsin. He was obviously upset that he would not be present for the birth of his child. Debbie had recently seen a segment on the news about a wife who had arranged for her husband stationed in Iraq to witness the birth of their child per computerized streaming video. This memory gave Debbie an idea about how she could involve the father with the birth of his child. After transporting the patient to the C-Section room, Debbie asked the sister to call her brother-in-law and let him listen to the birth of his child. Upon hearing the baby's first cry, everyone broke out in tears of joy. This was a true Service First moment that will remain with this mother and father forever.


Brandi Caudill, coding specialist
(Baptist colleague since 2003)
After spending time answering an elderly patient's questions about her medical records on several occasions, Brandi learned that patient could not drive. She hand-delivered the records to the patient's home and then spent an additional hour just taking the time to talk to her. Even though the patient has trouble with her memory, she remembers Brandi's number and calls her from time-to-time just to talk and Brandi always makes time for her newfound friend. In nominating Brandi for a Service First award, her colleagues noted she exemplifies Service First with all of her interactions with patients, co-workers and visitors, and this was only one example.


Barbara Forsythe, supervisor in Food & Nutrition Services
(Baptist colleague since 1979)
On the morning of Sept. 19, 2007, an older patient using a cane came into the café seeking assistance. A service had transported her to the hospital an hour before an appointment. She wasn’t sure but thought she had left her keys in the door of her home. Barbara immediately returned the paitent to her house, checked the yard and door for her keys, but was unable to find them. Barbara decided to return her to the hospital for her apppointment so she wouldn’t miss it. The patient then looked inside her purse again and brought out a set of keys. Barbara took her back to her house and tried the keys in the lock and they worked. They secured the house, returned to the hospital again for the appointment. Barbara even gave her a ride home after the appointment.


JoAnne Gill, RN
(Baptist colleague Since 1972)
Here's an excerpt from JoAnne's nomination:
"Today a patient with end stage liver disease was being treated. She comes in every two weeks for a paracentesis. She told me the last time she was here during the procedure she was getting anxious and JoAnne sang to her. She said Joanne sang like an angel and had given her a CD she had done. She took it home and played it and stated she was so blessed. She listened to the first two songs and went to sleep. She stated she had not slept in days and said how she has listened to it over and over and every time she receives a blessing."


Gina Ward, ultrasound technician
(Baptist colleague since 1983)
On the night of Jan. 25, 2007, Gina was called at home by obstetrics to come in for a rush ultrasound. Gina was told that the physician wanted the ultrasound machine brought to OB and ready before she arrived. She asked our diagnostic technologist to unplug the machine from the network and take it upstairs. She then came immediately to the hospital without even changing clothes (she was in her pajamas). When Gina arrived and performed the ultrasound, she discovered that the baby and mother were in serious trouble. The mother was taken immediately for a C-section. There were no other family members here to help the father through this very stressful time, so, instead of going home to rest and prepare to come back for her shift at 7 a.m., Gina stayed with the father while the C-section was performed. Gina and the relieved father soon heard his baby’s first cry and mom and baby were OK. According to her colleagues, this was only one example of Gina's willingness to go above and beyond what is expected for Baptist's patients and their families.


Billie Eakes, RN
(Baptist colleage since 1996)
Billie did a great job caring for a 6-year-old burn victim in the ER. The young boy was badly burned and waiting to be airlifted to the Vanderbilt Burn Center in Nashville for treatment. Billie was wonderful calming his fears and coordinating communications with his family in a traumatic situation. As the helicopter crew was getting all the information they required, the boy's mom noticed that her cell phone battery was almost dead and she had no charger with her. Billie recognized the phone as the same model as her own personal phone and swapped out her fully-charged battery for the dead one. This allowed the child's family to stay in contact with the flight crew and other medical personnel as the family made the three-hour drive to Nashville.
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Union City, TN 38261
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