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“Thank you for all you do — this must be hard for you, too.”

The Nursing Professional Governance Organization honors up to two UVA Health University Medical Center team members each month with a BEE (Being Excellent Everyday) Award.

Chief Information and Technology Officer Robin Parkin and BEE Award Committee Chair Hannah Kolpack surprised Wendy Rivas, Health System Transit Services, with the award. Wendy accepted with an outpouring of emotion. She had been nominated by Emily Massie, RN:

"Wendy came to the eighth floor for a difficult task to handle emotionally for her and others I'm sure, but she handled it with absolute grace. She got up to the floor, kindly held a baby who had passed away and got ready to leave.

"But before she left, she turned around, walked toward me — the RN assigned to the family — greeted me with a hug and said, 'Thank you for all you do — this must be hard for you, too.'

"Wendy, I want you to know how much warmth I felt in my heart in that moment. It is so easy for us to put our heads down and handle sad and traumatic moments without stopping to recognize our own emotions. Thank you for the reminder that we're all human and deserve to feel." 

Know a Deserving Team Member?

The BEE Award recognizes UVA Health University Medical Center team members who work alongside our nurses to impact patients' experiences — just as bees and flowers depend on one another. Submit a nomination.