For nearly five decades, the Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) has recognized outstanding healthcare professionals through its prestigious “The Caring Kind” Awards. This annual tradition celebrates individuals who go above and beyond in delivering exceptional care, showing compassion, and demonstrating unwavering dedication to their patients, co-workers, and communities.
Each year, hospitals and health systems across Nebraska are invited to nominate one extraordinary employee who exemplifies the values of service, teamwork, and heartfelt compassion in their daily work. These honorees are the backbone of their organization: quiet leaders who make a lasting impact through their commitment to excellence.
In 2025, the NHA celebrates the 46th anniversary of “The Caring Kind” Awards Luncheon. Over the years, nearly 3,000 healthcare workers have been honored with this distinction – each one a shining example of what it means to care deeply and serve selflessly in health care.
Our staff nominated 10 exceptionally caring employees:
- Alexea Deal, Pole Creek Estates Medication Aide
- Allison Kalb, Acute Care Nurse Aide
- Carlyn Thomas, Pole Creek Estates Nutrition Services Worker
- Connie Frerichs, Dietary Aide
- Lisa Kesselring, Physicians Clinic Scheduler
- Mercedes Heidemann, Pole Creek Estates Nutrition Services Worker
- Michelle Billups, Acute Care Social Service Designee
- Sandi Svacina, Pole Creek Estates Nutrition Services Worker
- Sarah Ockinga, Pole Creek Estates Housekeeper
- Susan Wecker, Director of Pole Creek Estates Nursing
Our hospital is fortunate to work alongside so many compassionate and dedicated individuals. This year, one exceptional team member stood out among the rest – Theresa Simmons, CRNA, has been selected as the recipient of The Caring Kind Award!
Theresa has served at SRMC as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) for nearly 9 years, consistently demonstrating kindness, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to patient care. Theresa will be formally recognized at the annual awards luncheon held during the NHA Annual Convention on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in La Vista, Nebraska. She was nominated by two of her colleagues who praised her remarkable work ethic and the compassion she brings to every interaction:
I am honored to nominate Theresa Simmons for the Caring Kind Award. As an anesthesia provider, Theresa goes above and beyond to care for her patients, making them feel safe, heard, and respected. Whether it be calming an anxious patient before and during surgery to supporting team members through challenging cases, Theresa brings reassurance and compassion into every interaction. Theresa has a gift for using humor to ease anxiety, build rapport, and create a more personable experience for patients and co-workers alike. Yet when the moment calls for focus and seriousness, she leads with calm, competence, and confidence. Her caring demeanor, gentle communication, and unwavering empathy have made a lasting impression on her co-workers as well as patients over the years. The patients may not always remember her name, but they always remember her face and are reassured by her continual care.
Theresa is, without question, one of the most exceptional CRNAs that we have had the privilege of working with. Theresa exemplifies clinical excellence, compassion, and professionalism for every case she touches. She goes above and beyond not only for her patients but for her colleagues and the whole surgical team. Many times, who a patient meets in the surgical suite is easily forgotten about, our faces are hidden behind masks, [and] the drugs quickly make you forget the whole experience, yet many people regularly express their gratitude for her presence during their procedure. It is no surprise that she is consistently requested by both staff and patients alike for her presence during their procedure. This is a true testament to the confidence and trust she inspires. Beyond her technical skills, Theresa brings warmth, reliability, and a spirit of teamwork that calms the entire department. Whether it’s helping a colleague, anticipating needs before they arise, or offering her calming reassurance to a nervous patient, she does it all with grace and confidence. Theresa sets the standard for excellence in care, and we are all fortunate to work alongside her. I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this recognition.
Theresa is deeply honored to have received this special award. “I am honored that people thought enough of me to nominate me for the award,” she shared. “It is very humbling to know enough people agreed with the nomination and that I actually received the award.”
For Theresa, the greatest joy of being a CRNA is seeing her patients comfortable, relieved, and smiling after surgery. Her passion for the operating room began at just 16 years old when she saw her first ruptured appendix in a specimen bag while following in her mother’s footsteps as an operating room nurse. From that moment on, she was hooked on the surgical environment.
Theresa’s motivation to care for each patient comes from her faith and the simple but powerful reminder to “love your neighbor as yourself.” She also draws daily inspiration from her colleagues at SRMC, recognizing that excellent patient care is the result of many dedicated individuals working together toward a shared mission.
Theresa’s supervisor, Julie Shoemaker, shared heartfelt words about her impact: “Theresa is TRULY kind and caring. She goes above and beyond to make sure patients are cared for to the absolute best of her ability. Theresa will come in on her days off if a patient requests her. Theresa loves to practice her trade and takes immense pride in caring for others. If there was ever a person with a true heart of gold, it would be Theresa.”
Julie continued praising her team member by saying, “Theresa slows down and listens. She wants others to not just feel heard but BE heard. She considers all factors when caring for others. Theresa is gentle in all that she does. She leaves a small wake with an enormous impact. The trust that everyone has in Theresa has been earned through her hard work and dedication to her patients and her trade. Just knowing Theresa makes us all better humans.”
Please join us in congratulating Theresa on this well-deserved honor!