Nurses Week provided an opportunity to honor the dedicated men and women who play an integral role in patient care. This annual celebration, which ran from May 6 to May 12, offered unique opportunities to recognize the hard work and unwavering commitment of nurses at Saint Mary’s. The week included a line-up of activities focusing on recognitions, professional development, community engagement and self-care.
The highlight of the week was a special Nurse Recognition Ceremony to honor outstanding nurses who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and compassion in their work. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, each honoree was recognized for their invaluable contributions to patient care. The Nursing Department presented the DAISY Award, Sunshine Award, and Nursing Excellence Awards, as well as a recognition of the 2024 Nightingale Award recipients.
The DAISY Award recognizes nurses for their clinical skills and extraordinary compassion provided to patients. Nurses are nominated by anyone in the organization, patients, or family members. This year’s recipients included Kimberly Beres, RN, WIC; Katherine Giroux, RN, ED; Christina Gizzi, RN, ED; Nathan McCooty, RN, OB4; Steffy Sengphachanh, RN, OB7.
The Sunshine Award recognizes nursing support staff for showing passion and commitment in delivering exceptional care to their patients and performing their work above and beyond. This year’s recipients included Angelina Alverez, OB7; Maria Moreira, SH5; Vanessa Ndreu, ED.
There are three categories for the Nursing Excellence Awards. Rising Star is presented to a nurse who graduated into practice within the last two years and has exceeded the expectations of their employers or colleagues and demonstrates excellence in nursing. This year’s recipient was Nickolas Marchinkoski, RN, Intermediate Care.
Excellence in Nursing Practice is presented to a nurse who demonstrates excellence in nursing practice in the categories of knowledge, clinical decision-making, professional accountability and responsibility, and Evidence-Based Practice. This year’s honoree was Katrina Monagas, RN, ICU.
Excellence in Nursing Advocacy is given to a nurse who has made outstanding efforts in advocating for health benefits to a specific group or in advocating for health system change. This year’s winner was Sylvia Velez, RN, SH5.
Saint Mary’s 2024 Nightingale Nurses were also recognized. The Nightingale Award celebrates and elevates the nursing profession by honoring nurses who demonstrate excellence in clinical practice, leadership, and/or education. Samantha Whiteside, BSN, RN, Emergency Department and Dawn Ertl, BSN, RN-ONC were selected for this honor.