Melba Burwell Named 2017 Joan Fernbach Kingson Award Recipient

Congratulations to Melba Burwell, a Nursing Assistant on the 4 South Irving oncology unit, who was selected as the 2017 recipient of the Joan Fernbach Kingson Award.

Nominated by Maggie Race, a registered nurse on the unit, Melba was noted for her hard work and willingness to lend a hand, but above all, her compassion and kind heart.

Maggie said of Melba, “If I could describe her in three words it would be that she is ‘Simply the Best’ and I know that I am not the only person who thinks this about her.”

Practicing the ‘Momma Test’
Melba is known to take her time with each patient, caring for each as if they were her own family. She takes the time to do simple things that can make a big difference. A patient noted, “She was a pure delight and made me feel very well taken care of.”

In addition to Melba’s name being added to the Kingson Award plaque that is housed in our display cases on 1 Memorial, she received a $500 gift.

The award is presented each May during our Employee Service Recognition Week. Joining Crouse Health President and CEO Kimberly Boynton for the presentation were members of the award committee, along with Dr. Eric Kingson, Joan’s husband. Dr. Kingson also presented Melba with an autographed copy of his book, Lessons from Joan.

Values of Care
A nurse and educator, the late Joan Fernbach Kingson was a patient at Crouse in 2001, and her family and friends established this award in her memory to recognize a Crouse Hospital service or technical worker whose special interactions with patients and families give vivid expression to the values of care which Mrs. Kingson was committed to in her work with children and families.

Those values include treating each patient as an individual; respecting the social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical needs of others; and welcoming families, especially the young, into the caring process.

The often unseen gifts of service and technical workers acknowledged by this award include the gift of careful listening, the simple joy of human-to-human conversation, the sharing of silence, or the warmth of touch.

In giving of themselves so generously to others, awardees help sustain the essence of humanity and exemplify the best traditions of Crouse Hospital.

Through her commitment to our patients and her co-workers, a caring and positive attitude and great enthusiasm for what she does at the hospital, Melba brings Crouse’s mission, vision and values to life each day through her work.

Many Nominations
This year, there were many nominations, which come from fellow employees, physicians, volunteers and students. Joan Fernbach Kingson Award Committee Chairperson Nancy Williams, director of patient and guest relations and volunteer services, described the 2017 selection process as “challenging.” The members of the committee were Cheryl Abrams,Tom Anderson, Phyllis Devlin, Diane Furfaro, Adam Gaal, Julie Hall, Pye Howell, Erick McCarthy, Matt Spano, Stacy Varre, and past award winners Helen Bain and Marie Hinds.