With National Hospital Week being celebrated in May, North Texas Medical Center (NTMC) held their annual Employee Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 8. The ceremony included recognition of employees who reached milestones in service years at NTMC, as well as several special awards.
The Employee of the Year for 2023 was Sandra Walterscheid. The Nurse of the Year was Chris Tidwell. The Director of the Year was Jenny Stuart, and the Dan Wilford Award for Community Service went to Kellie Crisp. Walterscheid was presented her award by Chief Nursing Officer Bonnie Hess. Walterscheid has been with NTMC since 1984 and currently is a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department.
Hess also presented the Nurse of the Year award to Tidwell, who has been employed at NTMC since 1999. He is currently a House Supervisor in the Nursing Administration Department.
The Director of the Year award was presented to Stuart, also by Hess. Stuart has worked at NTMC since 2022 and is currently the Director of Inpatient Services. The Dan Wilford Award recognizes not only an employee’s importance to the hospital, but also the work they do in the community. Hess noted that Crisp, who works in Case Management, goes above and beyond for patients. She has personally purchased items for patients including shoes, phone chargers and clothes. She has even been known to visit a patient’s home and feed their pets if no one else is available to do so.
Several NTMC employees were also recognized for their years of service to the hospital, including four who have worked at NTMC for at least 40 years. Fifteen NTMC employees were honored for five years of service, including Gala Coakley, Crystal Fields, Bailey Green, Randy Grewing, J’Lynne Johnston, Terri Kniss, Matt Knox, Tanner Marcom, Jennifer Martinez, Yazmin Nunez, Marci Record, Cody Reeves, Penny Richter, Bianca Thompson and Brandi Zavala.
Employees honored for 10 years of service included Laine Cawthon, Joseph Christian, Larry Hennesy, Michelle McAfee, Karina Nobles and Tami Thomas. Debbie King was recognized for 15 years of service. JoAnn Hudson was honored for her 25 years of service at NTMC. Lisa Turner was recognized for 30 years of service. Barbie Felderhoff and Rita Motsenbocker were honored for 40 years of service, and Donna Otts and Carla Wolf were recognized for 45 years of service at NTMC.
National Hospital Week is an opportunity to highlight hospitals, health systems and health care workers and the innovative ways they are supporting and connected to their community.
NTMC is celebrating with a safari theme and special treats each day including animal crackers and jungle punch; bananas and nuts; sweet treats courtesy of the NTMC Auxiliary; frozen sips from Happy’s Sip and Dip donated by Cooke County TEAMS; and a hamburger lunch sponsored by Heart to Heart Hospice and Pecan Tree Rehabilitation and Healthcare.
NTMC is an acute care hospital located in Gainesville, Texas. The 125,000-square-foot medical center houses 42 medical/surgical beds, a 6-bed intensive care unit, and a 12-bed women’s center.
Also included in the medical facility are a 15-bed outpatient surgery center, an expanded surgical department and a greatly expanded emergency department (five fast-track, three trauma and three specialty rooms).
NTMC serves the residents of Cooke, eastern Montague, western Grayson and northern Denton counties in Texas and southern Love County, Oklahoma. NTMC is operated by Community Hospital Corporation and owned by Gainesville Hospital District. For more information, please visit www.ntmconline.net.
