Aurora CNA earns Angels in Action Award

St. Francis honors Becky Graham

  • Aurora native Becky Graham, center, was named the first winner of what will be the annual Angel in Action Award at CHI Health St. Francis. Pictured with her are Kiley Grzywa, left, vice president of patient care services, and Sarah Williams, Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit manager.
    Aurora native Becky Graham, center, was named the first winner of what will be the annual Angel in Action Award at CHI Health St. Francis. Pictured with her are Kiley Grzywa, left, vice president of patient care services, and Sarah Williams, Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit manager.

    Aurora native Becky Graham was recognized as CHI Health St. Francis’ first recipient of the Angel in Action of the Year award during Patient Experience Week.
    Graham is a certified nursing assistant in the inpatient rehab unit, where she assists patients with daily living and supports their physical and occupational therapy.
    She graduated from Aurora High School in 1998 and continued her education at Central Community College in Hastings, studying early childhood education. After taking a CNA course, Graham primarily worked in Aurora until she started at CHI Health St. Francis in 2019.
    Sarah Williams, the nursing manager in the inpatient rehab unit, said Graham’s ability to connect is what makes her stand out on the floor.
    “She is really good at making a connection with every patient,” Williams said. “It’s mid-Nebraska, and I feel like even though everyone doesn’t know everyone, everybody knows someone that you know, so she is always able to make some kind of a connection with her patients.”
    The connections Graham made didn’t go unnoticed. Over the past year, she was recognized by 56 different patients and their families.
    The recognitions were gathered during morning leadership rounds with patients. Each time a patient or family member mentioned that a staff member had gone above and beyond in their care, it was recorded, and Graham’s name came up again and again.
    With nearly three decades of experience, Graham said her passion for caregiving has never faded.
    “I enjoy helping people succeed and get better, to go home or wherever the plans may be,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for 27 years, and it just brings joy.”
    Being recognized as the Angel in Action of the Year has meant a lot to Graham, who said it was an honor.
    “I have a connection with all of my patients, and to be recognized for that is beyond words,” she said.
    Over the years, Graham has also cared for family and friends, including both of her grandmothers and an aunt. Her personal experiences help her bring even more compassion to her work.
    “CNAs are the bread and butter of the medical field,” Graham said. “You have to have the heart and compassion to take care of a patient. It’s not always the highest paying position, but it is the most rewarding.”