Lompoc Valley Medical Center Lab Employees named “BEE” Recipients

Two long-time Lompoc Valley Medical Center Laboratory employees have received patient nominated “BEE” awards, for “Being Exceptional Everyday.”

The award recognizes and honors the exceptional skills and daily compassion given to patients by non-nursing staff.

During a ceremony Wednesday at the hospital, BEE awards were bestowed to Laboratory Assistant Amy Misner and Lead Lab Assistant and Certified Phlebotomist Technician Raquel “Rocky” Winter. Amy has been an employee at LVMC since the summer of 1991. Rocky worked for LVMC from 1995 to 2006 and again since 2018.

The BEE Award honors patient care by non-nursing staff who assist a nurse or a patient and his or her family in delivering excellent patient care. The non-nursing staff can include registration staff, patient financial services, Environmental Services, Information Services, Health Information Management, Dietary and more.

The BEE follows the PETALS principle, which stands for:

P: Shows Passion/Compassion in the care they provide every day

E: Establishes a special connection using kindness, sincerity and the emotional support to patients and families

T: Teamwork

A: Always creates the best experience

L: Love for their job as demonstrated in the care they provide

S: Shows respect

Amy was nominated by a patient who has been to the Laboratory frequently since 2016, and is a 60-year resident of the community.

“Every time I’ve seen Amy, she’s been so sweet, loving, caring and efficient,” the patient wrote. “She always remembers me and treats me like I am a member of her family. She smiles and talks to me very nicely.”

The nomination, which gave detailed examples of each attribute of PETALS that Amy exhibits, also noted that Amy interacts with everyone during her duties.

“I’ve seen her as the model team player and she exhibits all the necessary wonderful assets of a perfect team leader,” the nomination continued. “She is supportive, kind, well-trained and helps everyone in a magical or miraculous way. She clearly is a learner for life.”

Additionally, the lengthy nomination indicated Amy is “loving, accurate, soothing and always creates a very smooth, comforting and calm atmosphere.”

Rocky was nominated by a patient who mentioned undergoing two surgeries on his eyes within six months of one another. The patient noted in his nomination that the entire nursing staff “was absolutely wonderful.”

He singled out Rocky for her laboratory finesse. He said he is diabetic and has frequent blood draws, and that Rocky was “one of the best ever” because he felt almost nothing while having his blood taken.

“She is one of two that I have ever had that made the process pleasant and painless,” the patient said. “Rocky should be training everyone in the hospital that needs to put in IVs or do lab work.”

The patient also noted that the other nurses he encountered for his pre- and post surgery “were very attentive and accommodating. They definitely eased the stress of going into surgery and made me comfortable.”

Congratulations to these two outstanding LVMC employees.

Non-clinical staff may be nominated for a BEE award by filling out this form: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/Jarw9Eie0e Submissions may also be made by emailing beeaward@lompocvmc.com.