October Values in Action Spirit Award Recipient - Samantha Jones

An employee since 1989, Samantha Jones was selected as the Western Maryland Health System's Values in Action Spirit Award recipient for the month of October. Samantha, or "Sam" as she is known, is a registered nurse/discharge planner for the Social Work Department on the Braddock campus.

She began her career as a unit secretary in Nursing Services at Sacred Heart. After earning her nursing degree from Allegany College on 1991, Sam chose to work on the High Level Care nursing unit on the fifth floor. In 1997, she joined the Social Work Department in her current position.

Sam's duties include working with patients and families to help transition them back into the community. She works to arrange the appropriate services in order to maintain the continuity of care for her patients. Her typical day includes working to place patients into nursing homes or rehab, in addition to helping them find the financial and personal services they need to get back on their feet. "My job is very rewarding," says Sam about her work. "I let them know that they are not alone and that others have been through these types of situations before. I try to comfort them and let them know that things will turn out all right." Sam is a very good advocate for patients and their families, and always strives to keep their needs first. She has developed excellent skills for connecting patients to the appropriate level of care and services.

Sam works very closely with many departments like Physical Therapy, Care Management, Dietary, as well as the WMHS physicians. She is also assigned to work with the Emergency Department, ICU, CVU and 4 North. "We have such a great team approach to helping patients and everyone steps up to help out," says Sam.

Co-workers describe her as compassionate, resourceful, dedicated, personable and very caring. She approaches her job with a positive, cheerful outlook and she is always the first one to pitch in and help out. Sam works hard to build solid relationships and boost team morale. She is a role model for staff and provides leadership with integrity for her department.

She is a member of the WMHS Community Outreach Committee and is very active with the School Days Drive, Operation Christmas Child and the Christmas Families Project. Sam is also the captain of the health system's March of Dimes WalkAmerica team, which raised over $10,000 this past year.

Sam and her husband, Ed, live in Gilmore and have been married for 12 years. They are the proud parents of two sons - Shawn, 11, who attends Westmar Middle School and plays baseball, soccer and basketball; and Seth, 6, a first-grader at Georges Creek Elementary School who plays baseball and indoor soccer.

Away from work, Sam enjoys scrap booking and reading. The Jones family spends a great deal of time attending the children's sporting activities and Sam also likes to go four-wheeling with her husband. She volunteers as the secretary of Midland Youth Sports and is active in the PTO at Georges Creek Elementary, where she also serves as yearbook adviser. Sam teaches Sunday school at the First Assembly of God church in Lonaconing.

Congratulations, Samantha!