Dukes-Taylor Receives March Service Excellence Award

COURT HOUSE —Nurse Joanne Dukes-Taylor, of Villas, is the Service Excellence of the Month recipient for March, 2010.
Dukes-Taylor was nom-inated by Alicemarie Lees of the Social Work/Case Management Department. She states, “Joanne is a nurse who does the “little extras” that go a long way in making our patients happy. On one occasion, there was a very ill patient who was admitted holding a stuffed animal. She was quite distraught when we needed to take it from her for sanitary reasons.
Many staff members tried to console her with kind words, but to no avail; Joanne decided to take action. She went to the Medical Center’s EtCetera Shop and came back with a stuffed tiger for the patient, which gave her comfort. It is gestures like this that make Cape Regional Medical Center such a great place to work and truly make a difference in the eyes of our patients, their families, and the community.”
Her co-workers joined Dukes-Taylor as she accepted this honor from the Service Excellence Committee. Deborah Baehser, vice president of Patient Care Services, presented her with the Service Excellence of the Month pin, $100 Visa Gift Card, a Cape Regional Medical Center duffel bag and beach towel and a three month membership to the Fit for Life Fitness Center at the Medical Center.
“I think my face is turning red!” exclaimed Dukes-Taylor during the presentation. “I love my work and understand that meeting our patients’ emotional needs is an important part of caring for the whole person. Thank you for honoring me in this way.”
Dukes-Taylor was hired in December, 1995 as a Unit Clerk/Nurse Aide for the Intensive Care Unit. She graduated from the Nursing Program at Atlantic Cape Community College and in July 1996, became a Registered Nurse on the 3 East Patient Care Unit. She currently works on the Progressive Care Unit.
Dukes-Taylor and her husband, Rick, live in Villas and have three children, Amanda, 22, Kayla, 12, and Justin 11. She enjoys orienting new nurses, biking with her family, going to the beach in the summer and skiing in the winter. When asked about her favorite hobby, she shares, “My family is my favorite hobby; we enjoy spending time together.”