Healthcare Worker at Kansas City’s Kindred Hospital Northland Receives ScionHealth’s Highest National Award for Caregivers

CNA Chante Edwards was honored with the Monarch Caring and Community Award, which recognizes exceptional caregivers from among the health system’s 92 hospitals across the country.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Oct. 8, 2024) – Chante Edwards, a Certified Nursing Assistant at Kansas City’s Kindred Hospital Northland, was honored Thursday, Oct. 3, as one of only two recipients nationally of ScionHealth’s 2024 Monarch Caring and Community Award – the highest annual honor the health system presents to caregivers who work in its 92 specialty and community hospitals.

Edwards was selected from more than 90 award nominees within ScionHealth, which has approximately 25,000 total employees nationwide and operates hospitals in 28 states. She received the award during the closing event of the ScionHealth Caregiver Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, where the company is headquartered. 

The Monarch Caring and Community Award recognizes exceptional ScionHealth caregivers who consistently go above and beyond to deliver excellent patient care, elevate the patient’s experience, and support their colleagues and communities.

“I’m truly honored and happy to be recognized,” Edwards said. “I love my hospital, and I love what I do. I know I’m on the right path. I see people on their worst days, and I just try to make them happy, make them feel good, make them think they’re not in a hospital.”

The 25-year-old Edwards, an Ohio native who has worked at Kindred Hospital Northland for 3½ years, is responsible for a range of tasks that support and assist the medically complex patients of the 50-bed long-term acute care hospital located at 500 NW 68^th St. Edwards checks patients’ vital signs and helps them with their meals, bathing, grooming, and movement in and out of bed and around their room.

In particular, Edwards’ coworkers and supervisors who contributed to her nomination praised her for the time and effort she dedicates to helping patients brush and style their hair, an activity that boosts their spirits and dignity.

“Chante is an employee you wish everyone was like,” said Kindred Hospital Northland CEO Laura Inge, who nominated Edwards. “She cares not only about her patients but our staff and her coworkers. She will never let anyone fail. When I talk to patients, they say, ‘She treats me like a family member, like if my sister was taking care of me, or if my mom was taking care of me.’ She anticipates their needs and delivers things to them before they even know they need it. She sees that they are so well-taken care of, and the outcomes are there. When Chante is taking care of them, you see patients get better.”

Kindred Hospital Northland provides in-depth care to patients who may require weeks or months to recover from serious illness, injury or medical conditions, including respiratory failure, stroke, heart attack, serious infectious disease, complex wounds and brain injuries.

“Our hospital does such amazing work,” Inge said. “When we have patients come in who are so sick, and then they leave and are so much better, it is exciting to see. It’s like miracles every day.”

Edwards is the lone Monarch Award recipient from ScionHealth’s 75 specialty hospitals nationwide. The other award-winner was Christine Kelsey, a nurse at Watertown Regional Medical Center in Wisconsin.

Both Monarch Award recipients received a framed certificate and crystal award.

An additional video about Chante Edwards can be found on Vimeo here: Monarch Caring and Community Award Winner: Chante Edwards

To learn more about ScionHealth’s Monarch Caring and Community Award, visit www.scionhealth.com/monarch-caring-and-community-award.

About Kindred Hospital Northland

Part of ScionHealth, Kindred Hospital Northland is a 50-bed long-term acute care hospital, that provides specialized care and rehabilitation to medically complex patients. It offers the same in-depth care patients would receive in a traditional hospital, but for an extended recovery period. Kindred Hospital Northland features a six-bed high-observation unit for patients who need extra attention. Kindred Hospital Northland is located at 500 NW 68^th St., off Highway 169. For more information, please visit www.khnorthland.com.