Celebrating Those Who Make a Difference Everyday - Mark Faulkner, President and CEO, Baptist Health Care
5/12/2024
During the month of May, we at Baptist Health Care celebrate several national recognition dates that are near and dear to our hearts. Nurses Week was May 5 – 11, Hospital Week is May 12 – 18, and Emergency Medical Services Week is May 19 – 25.
These events provide an opportunity for all of us to express our profound gratitude and admiration for the tireless dedication of our health care professionals.
At Baptist, we have over 4,400 team members, with roles ranging from clinical to non-clinical, bedside to support services. While we have diverse responsibilities and expertise, we are united in our Mission of helping people throughout life’s journey.
Our team members deliver on the mission through over 1 million encounters each year – often when patients and families are experiencing the most challenging moments of their lives. Our team faithfully cares for patients at work and routinely serves others beyond the walls of our locations.
Baptist team members give their time and talent to benefit others and improve our community through volunteer work and service on the boards of more than 75 local non-profit and community-based organizations. Last year alone, Baptist employees contributed more than 80,000 hours of volunteer service to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.
Nurses embody compassion, expertise and resilience as they tirelessly care for the patients at Baptist day in and day out. Nurses Week is not just a time to acknowledge their hard work; it provides the opportunity to celebrate their commitment to healing, comforting and advocating for those they care for. Nurses play an essential role in ensuring the well-being of our patients and communities.
In addition to our regularly scheduled Nurse Week events, we were able to kick off celebrations a week early with the UWF School of Nursing graduation of many nursing students. Baptist committed to be the sole health care partner of the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) program’s first cohort. This partnership with UWF provides scholarships and preceptorship opportunities to nursing students as part of a matching grant opportunity with the State of Florida.
Hospital Week serves as a reminder of the collective efforts that make Baptist Health Care thrive and an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the dedication, teamwork and excellence that define our organization. No matter how difficult the circumstances we face as individuals or collectively as a community, this amazing team of compassionate professionals stands ready to serve.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week shines a spotlight on the courageous men and women who are the first responders in times of crisis. These heroes rush into action without hesitation, often putting their own lives on the line to save others. EMS personnel are the lifeline of our communities, providing critical care and support during emergencies. EMS Week is a chance to honor their bravery, skill and selflessness. This year marks the 50th anniversary of EMS Week, and we are so thankful for these responders who are first on the scene.
In addition to the work they do 24/7/365, we will be forever grateful for EMS’s support, planning and participation in helping us move patients on September 23, 2023. On move day, 16 ambulances and 38 EMTs/paramedics made 11 convoy trips from the legacy campus to the new Baptist Hospital and six convoy trips to our Behavioral Health Unit. With their support, we were able to complete the extraordinary effort to relocate patients safely, seamlessly and in record time.
All health care workers are a gift, and they routinely bring light to someone’s darkest day. They remind us of the profound impact they have on individuals' lives and our community's well-being. We are grateful for Baptist’s incredible caregivers, all our partners in the area and the health care workers who are dedicated to compassionately serving our community.