TUPELO, Mississippi—Critical Care Unit case manager Walter Armstrong has recently been recognized by his peers as North Mississippi Medical Center’s Star of the Year 2022.

Last year, Armstrong was named Star of the Month for October and received three Stars Online nominations as well as an acknowledgment. The selection committee cited his care, compassion and dedication to patients, teammates and the organization.

When a coworker had to leave work early because of a family emergency, Armstrong jumped in to assist with her patients. Just as it was time for Armstrong to leave for the day, a patient was discharged home directly from the CCU – an unusual occurrence—and required home health services as well as medical equipment for his home.

“Walter contacted the patient’s family, arranged for them to pick up the recommended medical equipment from a vendor in town and arranged home health care,” a coworker wrote in his nomination. “Walter went above and beyond, making sure that the patient had all recommended resources while making sure his coworker was able to care for her family... Walter’s tireless selflessness is an inspiration to other coworkers, and his dedication does not go unnoticed.”

On another occasion, Armstrong assisted a family member from out of state who was staying with a patient and had arrived with no personal belongings. He gave the individual bath supplies and purchased clean clothing for her to wear.

When a young patient passed away and her mother expressed concern over funeral expenses, Armstrong collected contributions from NMMC staff to help cover costs. In his nomination, a coworker wrote, “Walter is a perfect example of compassion with the heart and servitude that North Mississippi Health Services strives to offer to our community, as well as an example of selfless excellence in service among coworkers.”

A teammate also recognized Armstrong for stepping in to support a family that was receiving bad news about their loved one in the Critical Care Unit. “Thank you, Walter, for seeing a need and responding to be there for our patients and their families,” she wrote.

A graduate of Park Place Christian Academy in Pearl, Armstrong earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Mississippi State University in December 2020. He joined the NMMC staff in October 2021.

For more information about joining the NMMC team, visit www.nmhs.net/careers.