April Employee of the Month Cynthia Bednar, OTR/L

Here are just a few highlights from Cynthia’s nominations:
•    Cynthia is nominated for Employee of the Month in recognition of her exceptional clinical assessment skills, sound judgment, and unwavering commitment to patient safety.
•    Cynthia is committed to our patients' care and health. She is always flexible with her patients and helps them attain their goals.
•    Cynthia always goes above and beyond to care for her patients and works well with the home health team.
•    Cynthia recently demonstrated outstanding clinical vigilance during an OT visit with a patient who initially had nonspecific complaints of fatigue reported earlier in the day. Upon her assessment, Cynthia immediately identified left-sided neglect and left visual field loss, along with the concerning history that the patient had been refusing prescribed Eliquis. Recognizing the signs of a possible CVA, she acted decisively by calling 911, notifying the receiving Emergency Department, and ensuring the ED team was aware of the patient’s symptoms and medication noncompliance. The patient was admitted and diagnosed with an occipital stroke and required pacemaker placement. Later that evening, the ED charge nurse personally contacted Cynthia to commend her for making an excellent clinical decision that directly impacted the patient’s outcome.
•    In a separate event, Cynthia again demonstrated exceptional clinical reasoning during a telephone call with another patient who reported symptoms of shortness of breath. She recognized the seriousness of the symptoms, advised the patient to go immediately to the Emergency Department, and escalated care appropriately. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with bilateral pulmonary emboli.
•    In both situations, this employee's ability to recognize subtle but critical symptoms, take swift and appropriate action, and advocate for timely medical intervention exemplifies the highest standards of patient-centered care.
•    Cynthia’s actions reflect professionalism, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to patient safety, making her highly deserving of Employee of the Month recognition.
•    Cynthia consistently demonstrates our core values in action, most notably Accountable, Adaptive, Committed, and Empowered. She brings her "A-game" to every patient interaction, but two recent incidents stand out that demonstrate how much she deserves this award.
Congratulations, Cynthia!