WMH Nurses of Excellence are honored
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on May 16, 2008 2:22 PM
Fourteen nurses and nursing assistants were recognized for outstanding patient care at Wayne Memorial Hospital Thursday night during the annual Excellence in Nursing banquet.
The pool was narrowed down from 59 nursing staff members nominated for the honor based on character, work ethic, compassion, teamwork and competency.
Recipients carried home the "eternal flame" acrylic award, symbolizing the lamp once carried by nurse icon Florence Nightingale.
The ceremony took place at Walnut Creek Country Club. A panel of outside judges had scored the nominations, which had the names removed. Winners were determined on the basis of highest cumulative scores.
Common themes were shared by many of the nominees -- dedication, knowledge, teamwork, friendship and high quality patient care.
"Without these nurses and nursing assistants, Wayne Memorial Hospital would not be the nursing facility for this community that we pride ourselves to be," said Shirley Harkey, vice president of patient services.
Frances Eason of East Carolina University, a certified nurse educator and fellow in the Academy of Nurse Educators, was keynote speaker. She described excellence as a continuum -- from satisfaction of care to your best care to excellent care.
"Every day I know that you have the opportunity to practice nursing as a satisfactory level or your best level or an excellent level," she said. Those who strive higher, with excellence in mind, she added, "come to work to work."
This year's award winners included:
*Felicia Austin, nursing assistant, Women and Infant Care, 15 years in nursing
*Patty Brookover, RN, ICU, 13 years in nursing
*Kitty Bryan, RN, PEDS, 17.5 years
*Valerie Davis, RN, ERSC, 14 years
*Linda Dixon, RN, oncology, 39 years
*Sonya Grady, RN, behavioral health, 3 years
*Amanda Grant, RN, vascular access, 9 years
*Flo Harrington, RN, second floor, 32 years
*Donald Hill, RN, oncology, 12 years
*Kim Hobbs, nursing assistant, medical/surgical, 16 years
*Dawna Johnson, RN, behavioral health, 23 years
*Crystal Lee, RN, AMU, 2 years
*Ruth Monroe, nursing assistant, AMU, 12 years
*Brooke Utterback, RN, psychiatric case management, 10.5 years.
William Paugh, hospital president, called the nursing staff "the heart and soul of Wayne Memorial Hospital."
"You're all winners," he told the nominees and award recipients. "Not because of what you take home, but because of something that you give every day. The truth is, the community is the winner."