Another week of honoring healthcare workers here in Eastern Iowa is in the books!

In the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare workers are on the front lines. In fact, we found out this week that 22 to 23% of the positive coronavirus cases in Iowa are folks in the healthcare field. Their knowledge, dedication, kindness, and selflessness in the midst of all this chaos has not gone unnoticed. That's why we kicked off a new segment called the 'Healthcare Hero of the Day' a few weeks ago.

Each weekday around 6:45 a.m. we honor one of the many amazing healthcare workers here in eastern Iowa, post the honoree on the 98.1 KHAK Facebook page, and mention them on the air throughout the day. It's just one small way we can support and recognize all their hard work.

Here are this week's honorees:

  • 4/20 - Kerri Feldhauus, nurse manager at St Luke's ICU
    • "Kerri is our nurse manager, but also has become a sudden project manager as she leads team members to ready many more critical care beds for the COVID surge. She is efficiently getting these units prepared, and also keeps herself readily available to our ICU as we await this influx with some fear and anxiety. She will be on the front line helping us conquer this dreaded disease. We're so appreciative of all she is doing to prepare and support each of us, our hospitals, and most importantly, our community. Her leadership and dedication is truly heartwarming!! She is truly an amazing hero!!"
    • Nominated by Donna Prier
  • 4/21 - Jo Herr, communicable disease nurse at Trinity Muscatine Public Health
    • "Jo has been working tirelessly around the clock to care for and monitor patients within the county who are positive for COVID-19. There have been endless nights and long days of work, but Jo always has a smile! She is ready to go and answer the phone to address patients' questions and to ask them how they are doing. In this dark and unknown time, Jo has been an inspiration to many! She truly sees these patients as the individual people they are, not just a statistic or a number on a chart. She truly cares and is the light in this darkness for many people, including me as her coworker!"
    • Nominated by Tyler Baars
  • 4/22 - Roxanne Kula, BSN, RN, and the Director of Health Services for DiversaCare
    • "Roxanne navigates and communicates policy changes to protect residents living in SEVENTEEN long-term care facilities, all in Eastern Iowa. She makes difficult decisions and helps the 17 facilities implement needed changes to protect the loved ones of Iowans. She is making the same sacrifices she is asking healthcare workers to make, like being away from her twin grandchildren during this time. Roxanne has been in long-term care her whole nursing career and through this pandemic, she continues to do all she can to ensure the nursing facilities that are looking to her for guidance are continuing to provide kind, compassionate care."
    • Nominated by Laci Van Dorn
  • 4/23 - Dawn Richmond, Respiratory Therapist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
    • "She's called upon to assist those to breathe, it may be nothing more than a simple wheeze.
      She's always there with Ambu bag ready, and her hands must be steady.
      Sometimes she intubates and places patients on a vent, other times she extubates and knows to heaven the patient will be sent.
      Her role is important and vital to all, which is why she's always perked and is ready for the call.
      So never underestimate the role that she plays in keeping patients safe day after day."
    • Nominated by Brenda Hovey
  • 4/24 - Katelyn Price, nurse practitioner at Jones County Regional Hospital Urgent Care!
    • "Katelyn has worked tireless hours to help transform their urgent care center to a respiratory clinic and COVID testing site. She's dedicated many hours to helping make sure they are ready for the increased caseload and sick patients they expect to treat. She works 12-hour shifts and still offers to come into work if backup caregivers are needed. She does this without thinking of herself and her family. She has 2 children under the age of 3, 2 dogs, and a husband that all wait for her to return safely back to them after work!" - Tracy Hufford
    • "Katelyn works on the front line of this epidemic, screening and evaluating patients for COVID-19 when symptoms first present or when they persist. Katelyn has 2 young girls, both under the age of 5, and therefore is risking not only her own life, but the future of those girls being without their mother, and her husband being without his wife. Her courage and commitment to the well being of her community and each of her patients is an example for all of us at this time. Please salute Katelyn!" - Susan Wall, M.D.
    • "Katelyn Price is an RN at Jones County Regional Hospital in the urgent care unit. She has 2 young children at home. She goes to work with a great attitude. Knowing the risks involved, she “suits up” so that she can safely provide care to her patients and make sure that her family is safe at home." - Catherine Hufford
    • "Katelyn is a very dedicated nurse and cares deeply about those she serves. She has demonstrated selflessness during this pandemic, working tirelessly to help others. She is a mother of two young children, which I would think would make the decision to go to work that much more difficult, but she hasn’t let that stop her. Katelyn is very hardworking and genuine, and she cares from the heart for those around her. Jones County is lucky to have her!" - Rosanne Hopson
    • "I recommend Katelyn because she is on the frontlines Of COVID-19 testing and works long hours with a smile on her face and two very young children at home. She cares about her patients!" - Carol Deely
    • "Katelyn is married and has two wonderful daughters who are the love of her life. Katelyn works very hard at her job taking care of the ill and has been working long hours along with her peers trying to help us through these trying times." - Scott Wolfe
    • "Katelyn has a young family and her husband Winston nominated her. Her daughters are Lennie (1), and Blakey (4), who are the loves of her life. She is very hard-working and, in this pandemic, she leaves her own family to care for others. She is my niece and a very kind and compassionate person. She is very worthy of this honor." - Julie Donohoe

You can view more local winners below:

Click HERE to nominate another Eastern Iowa healthcare worker!

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