Ballad Health honors a select group of team members each year with the Scott and Nikki Niswonger Servant’s Heart Award, the organization’s highest honor. These recipients have been recognized by their peers for displaying the heart of a servant by going above and beyond the normal call of duty in helping others at work and in the community. Over the coming weeks, Ballad Health will feature the 2024 Servant’s Heart Award winners through videos, stories and photos — and has opened the nomination process for the 2025 awards.
Annette Silvers, RN, BSN, is a nurse at Franklin Woods Community Hospital in Johnson City, serving in the intensive care unit and the progressive care unit (ICU/PCU). Known as a skilled, confident and caring nurse, she also makes sure to share her knowledge and help develop her fellow team members, particularly the newest ones.
Annette has a sixth sense for quickly identifying issues with patients and expediting their care by picking up on the smallest changes. Her patience and knowledge make for a terrific combination when training the next generation of nurses.
One nurse who was trained by Annette described the atmosphere when the two worked together.
“A sense of calm covered the floor each night I worked with Annette. Her presence, confidence and expertise made everyone feel well-supported and as if each and every patient on the floor was better cared for and more secure just from her being there – even when the nights were busy. Beyond her knowledge of disease processes and nursing interventions, Annette shows extreme dedication to the spiritual and emotional well-being of the patients and their families on her unit. The work doesn’t stop when the patient is saved.”
Annette offers love and support in the form of integrity, affirmative words, prayer, teaching, sharing of hope and honesty with every patient and family member she interacts with. Her ability to make people feel seen, heard and loved almost rivals her nursing knowledge and skill.
Nominate someone for 2025!
Do you know someone who has the heart of a servant and deserves recognition for their great work? If so, nominate them for the 2025 Servant’s Heart Award through the nomination form that is now open through Tuesday, Dec. 31!
