AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach Recognizes Employee with Starfish Award

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., July 18, 2019 – AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach recognized physical therapist Tawnie Cowan with the Starfish Award.

This award recognizes team members that are not nurses, but still provide impactful, compassionate patient care.

Cowan was nominated for this recognition by the daughter of a patient.

“During Mom's recent admission, she was having a hard time. She was tired of 'being sick' and 'tired of being a burden,’” she wrote in nomination of Cowan.

During a physical therapy appointment, the patient had an accident and Cowan went above and beyond to assist.

“Without hesitation, Tawnie single-handedly got Mom into the bathroom and helped her get cleaned-up, all the while telling Mom how good she was doing and never letting her feel bad. I walked in at the last minute and told Tawnie I would take over, but she told me that everything was fine, and she had it handled,” the patient’s daughter added. “Dad was so impressed with Tawnie and her compassion and caring.”

About AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach
AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach has 109-beds and is one of the six hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the AdventHealth Central Florida Division - North Region. Formerly known as Florida Hospital New Smyrna, the organization’s parent company changed the name of all wholly-owned entities to AdventHealth on Jan. 2, 2019. Based in Altamonte Springs, AdventHealth is a connected system of care. With more than 80,000 team members, AdventHealth is one of the nation’s largest faith-based health care systems with nearly 50 hospitals and hundreds of care sites in nearly a dozen states. With the mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach provides whole-person care to heal the body, mind and spirit. For more information about AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach, visit AdventHealthNewSmyrnaBeach.com.

Photo Caption:
Tawnie Cowan, a physical therapist at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach, received the hospital’s Starfish Award. Pictured from left to right: Dawn Lynch, chief nursing officer; Cowan; Meg Carey, patient experience manager; and Agnes Papa, director of rehab services.