Jamestown nurse earns JRMC Legend Award for steady leadership

Korri Aesoph has been named a JRMC Legend, a top employee honor that reflects the kind of calm, dependable care Jamestown families rely on when they walk into the Emergency Department at Jamestown Regional Medical Center.

Aesoph, a registered nurse in JRMC’s Emergency Department, was recognized for steady leadership in a fast-moving unit where patients and families often arrive frightened, in pain or waiting for urgent answers. JRMC said the Legend Award is meant for team members who exceed expectations and leave a lasting, meaningful impact, with compassion, courage and commitment forming a legacy that endures. In emergency care, that standard is more than language on an awards program. It is the difference between a chaotic shift and a team that can move with confidence when time matters most.

Her colleagues Katherine Barta and Catherine Kautz nominated her, saying Aesoph is a highly qualified nurse with years of experience and a key resource for staff during emergencies. They also said she helps younger nurses build confidence and critical-thinking skills, a role that matters in a department where quick judgment and steady teamwork shape the patient experience from the first greeting to discharge or transfer.

JRMC launched the Legend Award in 2012. Since then, the hospital says more than 40 people have been named Legends and nearly 150 nominations have been submitted. Aesoph’s recognition places her among a group of employees singled out not just for doing the work, but for strengthening the people around them.

The honor also fits into JRMC’s broader recognition culture. The hospital’s Leaf Award uses a peer-to-peer system built around attitude, communication, compassion, ownership, respect and teamwork. JRMC said employees exchanged more than 1,500 handwritten and virtual leaves in 2025, showing how active that culture has become. At the annual Golden Gala on Jan. 16, 2026, JRMC recognized years of service and named the 2025 Legend Award recipients, including Nikki Mack, Cindy Kutz, Mason Ankenbauer, Kirk Holdburg, Krista Ames and Paige Wilen.

JRMC listed Aesoph as marking 25 years of service in Emergency in its 2026 Golden Gala milestone list, adding another layer to the recognition. The hospital said it celebrated 90 years of service in 2025, and Aesoph’s award underscores how long-serving frontline employees remain central to care in Jamestown and across Stutsman County.