As a restorative State-Tested Nursing Assistant at The Village at Marymount, Katie Walsh faces many challenges meeting the needs of residents. But as one of her co-workers succinctly said, Katie possesses a magic inside of her that allows her to transform a resident’s routine day into an extraordinary one.
This unique gift helped Katie to win The Village at Marymount’s August Franciscan Spirit Award. Katie, who has worked at Villa St. Joseph since it opened in 2007, also displays a positive attitude and always manages to bring a smile to a resident’s face.
“When no one else can get through to a resident, Katie can,” said Pat Roberts, herself a restorative aide and one of Katie’s nominators. “She has what I call that magic inside of her. If one of our residents is having a bad day, Katie can make them feel better 99 percent of the time.”
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“Katie truly is a special person and an outstanding restorative aide,” said Dan Storey, Villa St. Joseph administrator. “She also does many wonderful things for our residents that sometimes go unnoticed, or that she doesn’t want credit for.”
The Village at Marymount’s administrative team surprised Katie with the presentation.
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“I wasn’t expecting this,” said Katie, a resident of Old Brooklyn, when she was presented with the award. “A rehab facility or long-term care is the last place that most people want to be, so I try to treat our residents like they are my own family – with dignity and respect. I try to make them happy and comfortable, and target where they are and the problems they have or face.”
Katie also praised her co-workers. “I love all of the aides and nurses that I work with,” Katie said. “I think we all work really well together, and I have a lot of respect for them. Everybody has an important role here. They are all wonderful and equally deserving of this award.”
In addition to Katie, other nominees for the award include Sheron Robinson, STNA; Tinhuni Watters, STNA; Laquita Beasley, STNA; and Stephanie Christy, STNA.