Sutter hospital thanks employees for effort

By Erin Gallup-Main, Journal Staff WriterAfter working almost 60 hours this week to care for Auburn residents, Registered Nurse Lydia Ledesma-Elder got a chair massage Thursday.Vernon Sahara, the director of the laboratory at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, ate a free hamburger Tuesday at a barbecue. And Certified Nurse Assistant Jim Currier piled on the whipped cream onto his ice cream dish he received at an ice cream social at the Auburn hospital Thursday.The gifts to Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital employees were a part of the celebration of National Nurses? Week this week and National Hospital week, next week.Robin Montgomery, Sutter?s spokesperson, said the hospital combined the two celebrations to have all the activities in one week.And hospital workers seemed appreciative.?It?s cool that they care,? Currier said Thursday.Mitch Hanna, chief administrative officer at Sutter Auburn, said the hospital administrators organized events during the week to commemorate health care workers and volunteers for being part of the ?miracle of health.??Their knowledge, talent, care and commitment inspires greatness and makes our hospital a marvel of daily care,? Hanna said.Ledesma-Elder said she does get tired when she works almost 60 hours a week at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, but it is worth it.?I work the day shift in the Emergency Room and also per diem in recovery and ambulatory surgery,? Ledesma-Elder said. ?Lately I?ve been working extra shifts.?She said the growing population within Placer County, means a growing population at Sutter Auburn.?Today the hospital is full and we have to hold patients in the Emergency Room while we wait for people to get discharged,? Ledesma-Elder said. ?The hospital is at full capacity all the time, but compared to big hospitals, it has just as good medical care.?She said she likes the administrators, who are thoughtful and say, ?thank you,? when she works extra shifts.?I feel like they are recognizing us for our contribution,? she said.Montgomery said many Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital employees also won prizes from a raffle of items donated from local businesses such as The Pizza Place, Casa Blanca, Hilda?s Pastries and Pasquale T?s.Cathy Lopez, assistant cook, helped put on the ice cream social.?It is nice to get a little treat in the middle of a stressful day,? she said.The Auburn Journal?s Erin Gallup-Main can be reached at ering@goldcountrymedia.com.