Aberdeen, S.D. – Northern State University women's basketball alumna Natalie Braun was recently honored by Sanford Health as the 2020 Sanford Health Clinical Employee of the Year. The award recognizes a Sanford Clinic support services member who consistently demonstrates exceptional performance in a manner that promotes a positive environment involving staff, physicians, patients and visitors.
"Northern State University taught me to strive for excellence with their winning athletic programs. Being an athlete and part of a team taught me how to work together to achieve a common goal," Braun said. "In health care, teamwork is one of the most important pieces we have to help us diagnose and treat a patient. Without the team, we cannot care for the patient alone."
Braun is a member of the Sanford Aberdeen staff, working as a Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) with a specialty in Family Practice. She provides health care to all populations from infants to geriatrics, through wellness exams, sports physicals and well-child checks. In addition, Braun's role includes care for acute problems (fractures, lacerations, etc.) to complicated internal medicine issues (hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, etc.).
"Natalie is deserving of this recognition," said Ashley Erickson, Executive Director of Sanford Aberdeen. "Her compassion and dedication to her patients are unparalleled, and we are so proud to have her on our Sanford Health team and a part of the Aberdeen community."
Braun explained that she was genuinely humbled and honored, but mostly surprised to receive the award. It may seem cliché, she said, but caring for her patients is the best part of her position. Braun added that working with an excellent staff of providers (nurses, CMAs, lab technicians, radiation technicians, PT/OTs), collaborating as a team for the good of the patient, is a rewarding factor with her position at Sanford.
The award itself is not only a personal honor, but means a great deal in her professional career.
"Providing patient-centered care has always been the foundation I have practiced under," Braun said, "-and it feels good having an organization like Sanford to work under who supports and recognizes my mission."
A 2001 graduate of Northern State, Braun has some sound words for current Wolves students: "To work in the medical field you need to have a combination of perseverance, determination, humility, compassion and love for what you are doing. A medical career is more than just a job, it is helping others in their most vulnerable times. It is a privilege to work within this field because of that fact."
Current Northern State head women's basketball coach,
Paula Krueger was instrumental in recruiting Braun to NSU. Krueger was the assistant high school basketball coach in Braun's hometown of Warner and transitioned to the assistant position at NSU during Braun's freshman year.
As both an alumna and current resident of Aberdeen, Braun has enjoyed reconnecting with her alma mater and former coach. She now plays a new role for student-athletes at NSU, providing health care as part of the Sanford Aberdeen clinician team.
"Sanford Health provides sports medicine care for the Wolves student-athletes, so I've enjoyed being able to help support NSU in that way," Braun said. "It has also been fun to get to know the athletes on a personal level, and watch them on the court as they play for Coach Krueger."
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health is the exclusive sports medicine provider of Northern State University. One of the largest health systems in the United States, Sanford Health is dedicated to the integrated delivery of health care, genomic medicine, senior care and services, global clinics, research and affordable insurance. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization includes 46 hospitals, 1,400 physicians and more than 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations in 26 states and 10 countries.
