“Tessa goes above and beyond for her patients as well her co-workers,” said Molly Lennon, a registered nurse in Emergency Services. “She is always willing to help in any situation, no questions asked, and is one of the most hard-working employees in the ER.”

Besides performing extra tasks, team members often notice Widen asking other nurses, providers and technicians if they need help, as she is always willing to lend a helping hand.

“Tessa shows a great amount of compassion and empathy to each patient she sees. If she notices a patient is feeling down, she is right there to try to cheer them up; and if she sees someone who needs a helping hand, you bet she will be in that room to offer any help she can,” said Kayla Anderson, a patient care technician in Emergency Services.

Widen is passionate about her work and continually makes a positive impact on each patient she cares for, along with a positive impact in the department.

“We rely heavily on Tessa to perform a great deal of personal cares with our ED patients: collect specimens, perform EKGs, and clean and stock rooms. She manages her time impeccably, and with the ability to prioritize tasks without direction,” said Rikki Goshorn, a registered nurse in Emergency Services. “She consistently assists with and offers help with every ambulance patient, every trauma, code, and critically ill patient … and she also displays this same level of care and compassion for the less acutely ill patients who present to the Emergency Department.”

The ROSE Award stands for Recognition Of Service Excellence and is handed out to patient care technicians who consistently demonstrate excellence through clinical expertise, extraordinary service and compassionate care. They are recognized as outstanding role models in the nursing community.

Patient care technicians can be nominated for the ROSE Award by patients, their family members or team members at UnityPoint Health.