Bristol Hospital recently recognized three employees who exemplify the hospital’s mission to deliver quality care to its patients.
Kathy Cutter, Elsa Pasha and Michelle Labbe have been named the employees of the year in their respective areas.
Cutter, a registered nurse, does intravenous therapy at the hospital. She was named the Bristol Hospital Employee of the Year in May at the annual Employee Service Awards dinner at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
“It was surreal,” Cutter said this week, reflecting on when she found out about the honor. “I’ve been a nurse for 46 years.”
From a young age, Cutter said, she knew she wanted to be a nurse and follow in the footsteps of her mother. She said “caring and compassion” always come first in her profession, and that patients very often feel “vulnerable” when they need an IV.
“I try to make them feel calm and comfortable,” Cutter said.
Cutter’s nomination for Employee of the Year was written by her colleague Sharon Kraft.
“Kathy consistently and genuinely greets every patient and their families with a smile,” Kraft wrote.
“Despite her very demanding and busy schedule, Kathy is often seen sitting at a patient’s bedside holding their hand in a comforting manner, before placing the IV,” Kraft continued. “She goes above and beyond to show awareness of her patient’s feelings and needs.”
Pasha works with Dr. Rupalini Rawal-Dhingra in the Ob/Gyn practice in the Group’s Medical Office Building behind Bristol Hospital. She is the first person to win the Bristol Hospital Multi-Specialty Group Employee of the Year.
“It was really great,” Pasha said.
“It’s an honor,” she continued, as she tried to find the right words to describe her feelings. “I was surprised. It’s nice to be recognized. If you work hard and others appreciate your work, it makes you want to come to work.”
Rawal-Dhingra wrote a letter in support of her medical assistant receiving the honors, and referred to her as her “right hand,” crediting Pasha as instrumental in the success of the practice.
“Her patients are quite fond of her too, several having shared kind sentiments regarding Elsa when they’ve completed their satisfaction surveys,” Rawal-Dhingra wrote.
Labbe said she was very pleased when she found out she was the Ingraham Manor Employee of the Year.
“Being Ingraham Manor’s Employee of the Year is extremely humbling,” Labbe said. “I am blessed to work with such wonderful people who appreciate hard work and who are supportive. I hope to continue to grow and make my Ingraham family proud. It is truly a privilege to work for such a fantastic organization.”
“Michelle is an employee who exemplifies hard work, enthusiasm and dedication while maintaining a home- and work-life balance,” Ingraham Manor wrote when announcing she was the employee of the year at the skilled nursing facility.
Labbe’s background includes working in the Dietary department and, currently, as the nursing secretary and scheduler.
“How someone can juggle close to 100 employees’ individual schedules is a testament to organization, fairness and patience,” her nomination letter read.