October WOW Award Winners - Irma S. and Blake P.

The WOW Patient Experience Initiative recognizes team members who engage with patients/families, visitors and employees in exceptional ways, providing a superior level of commitment and reflecting the values of Wood County Hospital. Irma Sifuentes and Blake Price, dietary aids, were awarded as the October award winners for going above and beyond.

In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a patient’s daughter had been staying with her father for three to four days since his admission. During a meal delivery, Blake noticed that both the father and daughter spoke very little English and became concerned that the daughter had not eaten since her father’s hospitalization. Wanting to ensure she was cared for, Blake consulted one of the ICU nurses, who had also noticed the daughter had not eaten since being here.

Determined to help, Blake reached out to his coworker Irma for assistance. Together, they returned to the patient’s room, where Irma (who is fluent in Spanish) spoke with the daughter. Blake and Irma then accompanied her to the cafeteria, where Blake explained the food options available and Irma translated. Irma personally paid for her meal and then brought her back to her father’s room. They then coordinated with the nursing staff to ensure that both the patient and his daughter would receive meals for the remainder of his stay.

Having a loved one in the ICU is an incredibly stressful experience, which was made even more difficult for the family with the language barrier. Thanks to Blake’s quick thinking and Irma’s compassion, they were able to ease that stress and ensure that the daughter was cared for and supported. Their actions reflect what we strive for every day at Wood County Hospital: caring not only for our patients, but also for their families.

Irma, originally from Mexico, moved to the U.S. in 1988 and has been part of the WCH team for more than two years. She’s known for her warm sense of humor and loves to make those around her laugh. To help spread positivity, she is always willing to lend a helping hand and make jokes with customers at the cafeteria. Outside of work, she enjoys babysitting her granddaughter and crocheting. A fun fact about Irma that many might not know is that she doesn’t actually like to cook!

Blake, from Dayton, Ohio, has also been with WCH for two years. A communications major in college, he loves building Legos, spending time with his fiancée and cat, and finding ways to bring happiness to others. Inspired by his mother, a retired RN, Blake has always wanted to help people and make a positive impact. A fun detail about him is that he has a tattoo of a wolf surrounded by stars and planets on his left shoulder. Each star and planet represents a family member, symbolizing the importance of family in his life.