Auburn, Nebr. (October 29, 2020) — The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) has recognized 75 Nebraska
member hospital employees for their excellence in service by bestowing them with the organization’s prestigious
The Caring Kind award. Nemaha County Hospital (NCH) chose Jere Gravatt, Director of Home Care, as this year’s
recipient. Gravatt has been a staple at NCH for 38 years and helped to build the Home Care team from the
ground up. She also helps lead the decontamination team, teaches CAV classes, runs employee health, and plays
a big role in the infection prevention team.
For 41 years, The Caring Kind award has been given to Nebraska’s most caring and compassionate hospital
employees. The award honors outstanding health care employees who have demonstrated compassion for
patients, cooperation with co-workers and dedication to excellence in their job responsibilities.
“2020 has certainly been a challenging year and we were forced to cancel our annual convention. One of the
highlights is our annual Caring Kind Awards luncheon, “remarked NHA President, Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE.
“This year, we had to get creative to make sure we give our recipients the recognition they truly deserve. The
Caring Kind award symbolizes kindness, caring, dedication and commitment to patient care at our hospitals.
These individuals are so very deserving of our recognition.”
Hospitals across the state each select one The Caring Kind award recipient from within their respective institutions
to be recognized. More than 2,600 caring, skilled and dedicated health care professionals have received this award
since its inception in 1979. In lieu of the annual awards luncheon, this year’s recipients have been recognized with
a special video available online.
“Every Nebraska hospital employee plays a critical role in providing high-quality, cost-effective treatment and
ensuring the safety of themselves, their co-workers and patients each and every day. These honorees are star
performers through their dedication to patients and teamwork, ensuring that care is safe, quality-driven and costeffective for consumers, as well as for the organizations they represent,” said Ms. Redoutey.
The NHA congratulates The Caring Kind award recipients:
- Shelly Allen, Great Plains Health, North Platte
- Deb Andreasen, Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Health Center, Osceola
- Amanda Bach, Pender Community Hospital, Pender
- Michelle Baney, Dundy County Hospital / Quality Healthcare Clinic, Benkelman
- Etta Beaver, Saunders Medical Center,Wahoo
- Melanie Bell, Nebraska Spine Hospital,Omaha
- Rhonda Bredthauer, Valley County Health System, Ord
- Amber Brunow, Jefferson Community Health & Life, Fairbury
- Jan Buchanan, Crete Area Medical Center, Crete
- Maria Calderon, Methodist Fremont Health, Fremont
- Kitt Callaway, Tri Valley Health System. Cambridge
- Doris Deleski, OrthoNebraska, Omaha
- Dillon Dexter, Howard County Medical Center, St. Paul
- Kelly Dohmen, Avera Creighton Hospital, Creighton
- April Einspahr, Harlan County Health System, Alma
- Jennifer Elliott, Sidney Regional Medical Center, Sidney
- Rex Famitangco, Morrill County Community Hospital, Bridgeport
- Melissa Foltz, Columbus Community Hospital, Columbus
- Devyn France, Brown County Hospital, Ainsworth
- Megan Frizzell, Rock County Hospital, Bassett
- Elizabeth Furstenau, Antelope Memorial Hospital, Neligh
- Janice Gengenbach, Cozad Community Health System, Cozad
- Melissa Gragg, Merrick Medical Center, Central City
- Jane Gramke Stevens, Memorial Community Hospital & Health System, Blair
- Jere Gravatt, Nemaha County Hospital, Auburn
- Amanda Gulbrandson, Boone County Health Center, Albion
- Rhonda Harmon, Community Medical Center, Inc., Falls City
- Mindi Jasper, Butler County Health Care Center, David City
- Gena Kile, Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings
- Hope Koester, Pawnee County Memorial Hospital, Pawnee City
- Courtney Kossow, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, Lincoln
- Patience Kramp, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha
- Nikki Kraus, Beatrice Community Hospital & Health Center, Beatrice
- Amber Kussman, Brodstone Memorial Hospital, Superior
- Julie Kvasnicka, CHI Health Lakeside, Omaha
- Claudia Lanuza, CHI Health Schuyler, Schuyler
- Pam Lawver, Friend Community Healthcare System, Friend
- Cindi Layher, CHI Health St. Francis, Grand Island
- Val Lind, Phelps Memorial Health Center, Holdrege
- Pam Livingston, CHI Health St. Elizabeth, Lincoln
- Pamela Matthes, Providence Medical Center, Wayne
- Josette McConville, Kearney Regional Medical Center, Kearney
- Kevin McNichols, West Holt Medical Services, Atkinson
- Jennifer Meiergerd, Franciscan Healthcare, WestPoint
- Lori Menke, CHI Health Midlands, Papillion
- Megan Meyer, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha
- Chris Mills, Chadron Community Hospital & Health Services/Prairie Pines Lodge, Chadron
- Wendy Mueller, Syracuse Area Health, Syracuse Theresa Palik, York General Hearthstone, York
- Colleen Pfeifer, Methodist Women’s Hospital, Omaha
- Paula Plog, Regional West Garden County, Oshkosh
- Sandra Powers, Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Omaha
- Stacy Ptacnik, Johnson County Hospital, Tecumseh
- Regina Rademacher, CHI Health Nebraska Heart, Lincoln
- Katie Ransdell, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha
- Kelly Rasmussen, CHI Health Immanuel, Omaha
- Tierney Reilly, Community Hospital, McCook
- Lola Remmenga, Kearney County Health Services, Minden
- Adam Rensch, MD, Howard County Medical Center, St.Paul
- Mary K Rhone, Lexington Regional Health Center, Lexington
- Kerri Ristine, CHI Health Good Samaritan, Kearney
- Simon Sand, Memorial Health Care Systems, Seward
- Michelle Scheil, Fillmore County Hospital, Geneva
- Theresa Shelden, Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital, O’Neill
- Donna Sluka Smith, CHI Health St. Mary’s, Nebraska City
- Erica Smith, Box Butte General Hospital, Alliance
- Amy Stanley, Banner Health Ogallala Community Hospital, Ogallala
- Taylor Straube, Bryan Health, Lincoln
- Jeff Thompson, CHI Health CUMC Bergan Mercy, Omaha
- Wendy VanSkiver, Thayer County Health Services, Hebron
- Kaylyn Venteicher, CHI Health Plainview, Plainview
- Lynn VonLoh, Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center, Broken Bow
- Chelsie Weidaman, Regional West Health Services, Scottsbluff
- Tim Widhalm, Faith Regional Health Services, Norfolk
- Allyson Wilson, Memorial Community Health, Inc., Aurora
About Nemaha County Hospital
Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area.
