U.S. Military honors Park Nicollet
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Press release
7/25/2011 –
Matt Lechner
When Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital nurse Glendy Trujillo was preparing for deployment overseas as a member of the Minnesota Army Reserves 452nd Combat Support Hospital based at Fort Snelling, she thought a lot about the people and things she had to leave behind. One thing she didn’t have to worry about, however, was her job as a Park Nicollet nursing assistant, which was waiting for her when she returned from a year’s duty as a military nurse in Qatar.
Trujillo’s gratitude for the professional support she received resulted in the presentation of the Patriot Award to Park Nicollet in a ceremony held on July 25th at Methodist Hospital. Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad, United States Air Force (ret.), presented Park Nicollet with the award, which recognizes employers who contribute to national security and protect liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force.
Park Nicollet CEO David Abelson accepted the award, along with Angela Holte, RN, Trujillo’s supervisor and an associate nurse manager on 5 West.
Trujillo nominated Park Nicollet for the award herself to express her gratitude for the support she received at work. “I nominated Park Nicollet and Angela because my military duties sometimes required me to leave my job and travel places on very short notice,” Trujillo said. “Everyone at Park Nicollet has been so supportive and understanding. I have felt the love.”
“The work of Glendy and Angela is a wonderful example of what it means when we work with Head + Heart, Together,” said Abelson. “My thanks go out to both of them and to everyone else who provided the professional and emotional support that made it possible for Glendy to serve our country and return to Park Nicollet.”
Trujillo returned from Qatar in early 2010 and resumed her duties in the Methodist Hospital Intensive Care Unit, where she is now a nurse. While Trujillo’s year away challenged her emotionally, she says it inspired her professionally.
“I was constantly surprised to see people come together and work seamlessly to do what was needed to be done to save a life,” she said. “The cohesiveness of the medical teams was something great and inspiring to watch.”
Holte says the decision to support Trujillo while she served overseas was easy. “I have family and friends who have served our country and I truly feel it is our obligation to show our gratitude,” she says. “All employers should support our colleagues in the military because they are serving all of us so we can continue to go to work every day in a free country."