Submitted photo New Ulm Medical Center Emergency Department Patient Access Representative Maddie Guggisberg received New Ulm Medical Center’s first BEE Award March 26. The award recognizes non-nursing team members whose care touches the hearts of those they serve, going above and beyond any job description.

NEW ULM — New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) Emergency Department Patient Access Representative Madie Guggisberg received the BEE (Being Exceptional Every Day) Award March 26.

She was nominated for the award by NUMC Hospital Patient Access Manager Lisa Westholder “for her extraordinary compassion, intuition and dedication to the safety and well-being of those she serves. During her shift one evening, she made a significant impact in someone’s life through her instincts and staying engaged.”

Westholder said Guggisberg may very well have prevented a tragic outcome, “demonstrating extraordinary empathy, patience, and professionalism that went far beyond any job description. Her actions embody exactly what the BEE Award stands for–being exceptional every day. I am very grateful Madie was working that night. She trusted her instincts, listened with her heart, and cared for this person with remarkable compassion. I am so proud of her and the impact she made.”

Guggisberg said she is the first person a patient sees when they come into the emergency department.

“My main job is to check patients in, verify their information to be admitted to the hospital, make sure they know where they are going and give them a wheelchair if they need one,” she said.

Guggisberg said the favorite part of her job is the relationship she has with her co-workers.

“I definitely found some good friends through it all. I’m preparing for my future with the many different work experiences I have,” she said. “Sometimes, I have to tell people things they don’t want to hear.”

The daughter of Pete and Wendy Guggisberg and a 2024 New Ulm High School graduate, Guggisberg is studying at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

“I hope to work as a state or county social worker with incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities or local jails,” she said.