Bayhealth Announces Employees / Leader of the Year

Bayhealth Medical Center has announced its 2009 Employees of the Year and 2009 Leader of the Year. 

Plant Operations Director Mike Metzing has been named Leader of the Year, while Clinical Educator Kathy King is the Northern Division Employee of the Year, and Post Anesthesia Care Nurse Nancy Leighty is the Southern Division Employee of the Year.  They each receive an engraved crystal award, a $500 savings bond, eight hours of paid time off, and dinner for four at a local restaurant.  Metzing, King and Leighty were among those Bayhealth employees honored during the Employee Service Awards at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover this week.  Also honored were 324 full-time employees celebrating five, ten, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service at the hospital.  Bayhealth also paid special tribute to Post Anesthesia Care Nurse Helen Maloney, who celebrates 50 years of service at Milford Memorial Hospital and is still an active nurse. 

The theme for this year's Bayhealth Employee Service Awards was "Outstanding Service from Outstanding Employees."

"When we say 'outstanding,' we're not only talking about our employees' clinical and professional skills, but we're also talking about their outstanding commitment to serving others and making a difference in our community," said Bayhealth President & Chief Executive Officer Terry Murphy, FACHE.

Here is a brief profile of this year's Employees and Leader of the Year:

Northern Division Employee of the Year

Kathy King, BSED, RN

Clinical Educator

Kent General Hospital

Kathy King - Nancy Leighty Kathy King has served at Kent General Hospital for 28 years.  She was a psychiatric nurse for nearly two decades, helping some of Delaware's most vulnerable populations.  She then became a clinical educator, serving as an invaluable resource for co-workers, patients, and community members.  King takes a lead role in training other clinical staff on new electronic documentation systems, and continues to educate the community about healthy lifestyles. 

"(Kathy) is a team player not only because she looks for ways to assist everyone else, but she also seeks avenues to improve as an educator and become a more valuable resource," said Education Director Kate Salvato, RN, MSN.

Salvato notes that King completed the Hispanic Culture and Diversity Certification Program at Wilmington University so she could better communicate with her Latino clients with limited English skills.  In addition, King is lead staff instructor for the Emergency Management of Violent Behavior (EMVB) course, training clinical staff on how to diffuse "Code Gray" situations in which a patient or visitor may potentially become violent.  She teaches the CPR for Infants Class, is a Certified Aromatherapist, and is a facilitator for the Bayhealth Tobacco Cessation Program.

"I just believe it's important to help other people and in treating other people the way I'd like to be treated," King said.

*****

Southern Division Employee of the Year

Nancy Leighty, RN

Post Anesthesia Care Unit Nurse

Milford Memorial Hospital

After a nearly four decade nursing career at Milford Memorial Hospital, Nancy Leighty, RN, continues to prove her value to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. 

"Her clinical expertise and flexibility are essential for the nursing staff and patients in the PACU.  She is diligent in promoting a team spirit, making the PACU a great place to work, and ensuring patients receive quality care," said Perioperative Services Nurse Manager Heidi Pettyjohn, MSN, RN, CNOR 

Since she began serving in the Milford PACU in 1974, Leighty has accumulated clinical knowledge which makes her an excellent resource for the entire department.  She began as a nursing assistant in the Intensive Care Unit, and then served as an LPN in the ICU before moving to the PACU.  After earning her RN credentials, Leighty served in the Operating Room, became a relief charge nurse in the Medical-Surgical Unit, then returned to the PACU in 1990.   In 2009, she assumed the duties of a charge nurse, offering guidance and mentoring to her peers in PACU.  Leighty is President of the PACU Shared Governance Council, overseeing assignments, scheduling, performance improvement initiatives, and Joint Commission compliance in her department.  She also serves on the Pharmacy Committee and is a member of the American Society of Perianesthesia Nurses (ASPAN).

Leighty credits all this success to her teammates in the PACU.

"They're all top notch, they all work very hard, they all know what they're doing.  They always put the patient before anything else.  When you work with that kind of staff, you're going to look good," Leighty said.

*****

Bayhealth Leader of the Year

Mike Metzing

Director of Plant Operations

Kent General Hospital / Milford Memorial Hospital

Mike Metzing - Jon McDowellIf you want to know why Mike Metzing is a great leader, all you had to do was watch him during the Great Storm of 2010.  

When a series of massive snowstorms paralyzed Delaware in February, Metzing braved the weather alongside his team to ensure that hospital patients could continue receiving lifesaving care.  Metzing lived at Kent General Hospital for nearly a week, supervising snow removal, ensuring vital supplies and utilities were available, and working nearly around the clock to support his staff.

Mike Metzing personally grabbed a shovel and cleared snow from the sidewalks and parking lots at Kent General

"He's the Director of a very large department, but Mike Metzing is also a leader by example.  He won't ask any of his team members to do anything that he personally would not do himself," said Bayhealth Senior Manager of Plant Operations Gil Roberts.

Roberts notes that Metzing moved into the hospital on a snowy Friday morning, and didn't go home to his family until the following Monday.  When a second snowstorm barreled into Delaware on Tuesday night, a bleary eyed Metzing returned to the hospital and labored alongside his staff for an additional two days.

"By keeping the power on, by keeping the rooms warm, by making sure patients with emergencies could reach the hospital, (Mike Metzing) had a very direct role in ensuring that patients continued receiving lifesaving care," said Roberts.

Yet, Metzing insists his efforts were no different than any other member of his staff.  He says virtually all of his staff members "lived" at the hospital during the storms, and all of them made sacrifices to keep patients safe.

"What I did during the storms was what many, many others did - that is, we did what we had to do to keep Bayhealth open, for that is our duty to the communities we serve," said Metzing.  "I am blessed to be surrounded by multiple groups of individuals who have servants' hearts. They know their work is important to the (patients) and they want to make a difference in the lives of others."

Metzing says, in many ways, the heroics of his staff during the storms were no different than what is done every day by Plant Operations, but on a different scale.

"When extraordinary events occur, our efforts stand out. The truth is there are many singular tasks performed daily around our two campuses that are worthy of honor," he said.

Metzing's daily contributions --- while less dramatic --- have an equally important role in patient care.  Metzing makes daily rounds in all areas to ensure operations are running smoothly and that "customers" are happy.  He provides support to many projects and departments, gives his staff the flexibility to solve problems, and he remains a teacher and mentor for his entire team.  He recently spearheaded the implementation of a new Customer Service Center that coordinates Plant Operations, Environmental Services and Clinical Engineering.  He has inspired many during his five years at Bayhealth Medical Center.

"I accept (Leader of the Year) on behalf of those good people who quietly ...keep Bayhealth's facilities clean, safe and ready to meet the healthcare needs of the people we serve," he said.