Sue Burleson, (pictured 3rd from the left) with her co-workers and Joel Silverstein, MD.
Copley Hospital’s Sue Burleson was recently honored as Team Hero. Burleson, a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), is a long-time employee of Copley’s Outpatient Department (OPD). Her colleagues describe her as the backbone of the Gastrointestinal (GI) service where, in addition to working closely with the physician in the procedural room, she is responsible for cleaning and reprocessing every endoscope. The Copley Team Hero award, given out monthly, recognizes an employee who demonstrates outstanding service and who exemplifies Copley’s values of community, respect and compassion, service excellence, and life-long learning.
Outpatient and Infusion Nursing Supervisor, Penny Paquette, RN, CNOR describes Sue’s professionalism as one that shines, stating, “Each nursing activity that Sue performs, whether it’s patient care related or assisting a co-worker, is laced with respect and compassion. Her kindness is genuine and calming, which is truly helpful to GI patients or for someone requiring a sit need.”
Sue strives to provide service excellence, as seen with her willingness to take on tasks not only from her home department but from other departments as well. Her knowledge and skills are transferable throughout most of the hospital. As an LNA, she can take a patient assignment in her home department or in the inpatient Acute Care Nursing Unit (ACNU), provide sit need assistance in the Emergency Department, assist in the Surgical Center with chart prep, help in surgical care with post-op care, or do patient charge entry in Infusion. During the first several months of COVID-19, Sue requested to be re-deployed and took on roles in the hospital’s café as well as uniform (scrub) room.
“Sue’s work ethic, attitude, and loyalty to Copley should not just be admired, it should be envied,” said Paquette.
An LNA at Copley for 28 years, Sue has worked on the inpatient floor, in the Birthing Center, and Operating Room. For 25 of those years, she has been assisting with GI’s. She resides in Belvidere with her husband Bert. Outside of work, Sue enjoys working around the house, including gardening and dabbling in repairs. One of her hidden talents is carpentry, as she has stepped in to help her husband with roofing and more – she says she is good with a hammer! Sue volunteers her time at the annual LACiNg Up for Cancer walk, as well as at a number of Copley’s events. Please join team Copley in congratulating Sue on this well-deserved recognition.