For surgical technologist
Kathy Kraatz, it was a typical Thursday afternoon working at UnityPoint Health-
St. Luke’s. For the rest of the surgery
team, it was the Thursday that their secret was about to come out.
What secret?
Nearly every member of the surgical team went out of their way to nominate Kraatz
for St. Luke’s Employee of the Month and she was about to be honored in a
surprise ceremony.
Kraatz, the
guest of honor, had no idea that dozens of surgical staff and St. Luke’s
leaders were waiting for her to come to the nurses’ station in the operating
area. When she came down the hall and saw everyone smiling and staring at her
she giggled and said “What is this, an ambush?”
Then, she spotted
Lynn Wold, St. Luke’s President and CEO, holding the St. Luke’s Employee of the
Month plaque with her name on it. It was all laughs and happy tears from there.
“This is
totally amazing,” exclaimed Kraatz. “I have been with St. Luke’s for 35 years.
I love this place; it is the only place to work! I get to work with the most
incredible people.”
On the
nomination forms, coworkers described Kraatz as dedicated, knowledgeable,
trustworthy, patient, helpful, hardworking and kind.
Andrea
Northum, a fellow surgical technologist, says “Kathy is intellectually
untouchable in surgery.”
“Kathy is a strong
leader in our department and I am very proud to have her on our team. It has
been great working with her over the years,” says Steve Church, director of
surgery.
As the St.
Luke’s Employee of the Month for May, Kraatz received a special watch from Greenberg’s Jewelers, her own premium
parking space, gift cards to the St.
Luke’s Glass Apple Gift Shop, The Parkview Café and a gift certificate to
be used at an area restaurant. She will also have the chance to be voted as St.
Luke’s Employee of the Year for 2016. That comes with a paid vacation.
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