Congratulations to our Constellation Award recipients, Vicki Laywell and Stacey Oppenheimer!

The Constellation Award recognizes strong teams that come together to serve patients and each other. They demonstrate a calling to care, live the organization’s values, and show exceptional performance as defined by Kettering Health’s Standards of Behavior.

Continue reading to see why Vicki Laywell and Stacey Oppenheimer received this award.

Vicki Laywell and Stacey Oppenheimer — Respiratory Care and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Kettering Health Main Campus

“I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation to Vicki Laywell, respiratory therapist, and Stacey Oppenheimer, RN in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), for their exceptional compassion and quick action yesterday, embodying the core values of Kettering Health. Over the past two weeks, our team in the CICU has had the privilege of getting to know a patient who was non-verbal and autistic while providing care and support to him and his family. On Thursday, something truly special happened. The patient was awake and engaging with his loved ones when Vicki noticed him signing “ride” to his mother. It became clear that the patient longed for an outing, something he often enjoys with his family. Vicki and Stacey orchestrated a plan to accommodate the patient’s wish without hesitation. They arranged for him to be safely transported outside in his hospital bed, allowing him to feel the breeze and experience the beauty of spring. Witnessing the joy on the patient’s face and the gratitude from his family was incredibly moving. It reinforced our commitment to patient-centered care and making meaningful connections.    I’m truly proud to be part of a team that goes above and beyond to ensure the well-being and happiness of our patients. This week’s experience serves as a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do.”