|  "Kathy looks out for patients' welfare and comfort," said the 
			anonymous co-worker who nominated Hopwood for the honor. "She is 
			always busy, whether assisting a patient, asking staff if they need 
			help, or even straightening shelves in the storage area. She gives 
			constant attention to our patients and the Acute Care staff." Hopwood's association with ALMH began early as she was born at 
			ALMH when it was located on Eighth Street. She started her career at 
			ALMH in Acute Care. Hopwood found the right calling in nursing as it provides her the 
			opportunity to help people and meet a lot of people. "I really enjoy interacting with everyone who comes through the 
			doors of ALMH. I love spending time with patients and their 
			visitors, working next to skilled employees, and providing a great 
			experience," said Hopwood. 
			 Hopwood is also grateful to ALMH for the educational 
			opportunities she has had available to her from the beginning of her 
			career. "I've been lucky to work in health care for most of my life. 
			After graduating from high school I took a career path that afforded 
			me many on-the-job training opportunities. After completing my 
			certified nursing assistant certification, I remain committed to 
			higher education in my field. Part of the spirit of ALMH has always 
			been providing the best care, and they give us the knowledge and 
			skills to make that happen," said Hopwood. 
			[to top of second column] | 
 
			 As a nurse technician, Hopwood spends the majority of her days 
			working directly with patients. She also coordinates with the 
			nursing staff to provide medical and personal care to all the ALMH 
			patients. Hopwood would recommend a career in nursing and offered this 
			advice to those interested in the field: "CNAs are vital to a hospital and are always needed. Earn your 
			CNA certification and look into nursing school," she said. "If you 
			love being a CNA, like I do, then stick with the job and take 
			advantage of educational opportunities. Helping people is a great 
			career choice, and I would seriously encourage anyone interested to 
			fully explore all of the great things about becoming a CNA. Also, I 
			would tell them to invest in a pair of really comfortable shoes!" 
			said Hopwood. ALMH, at 200 Stahlhut Drive in Lincoln, is a 25-bed 
			critical-access hospital affiliated with Memorial Health System. The 
			hospital employs 315 in a variety of roles. For more information, 
			visit www.almh.org.  
            [Text from file received from 
			Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital] 
            
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