Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital observed National Nurses' Week in May and presented the annual Florence Nightingale Awards to several nurses. The awards, named for the founder of modern nursing, comprise three different annual nursing recognition awards: Excellence in Nursing, Advancing and Leading the Profession and Community Service.
"Nurses are a unique blend of the compassionate care and clinical skills they use to support and care for their patients. Exceptional nurses and nursing teams take that combination to a higher level and provide superior professional care that truly makes a difference in the lives of our patients," said Patty MacDougall, DNP and Nurse Executive at Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital recently. "This year's outstanding recipients are leaders in our system, and I'm so proud of this team." She continued, "These awards recognize nursing excellence within Riverside and honor exemplary nurses who consistently demonstrate the Riverside Care Difference –the way in which they provide patient-centered care and respect in everything they do."
The Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing recognizes outstanding quality and safety in patient care, superior clinical skills, and extraordinary compassion. The selected recipient possesses exceptional communication skills, leads and mentors effectively as well as acts as a role model for nursing professionals. Cheryl Warren, BSN, RN, CCRN in the Intensive Care Unit was the recipient of the 2016 Excellence in Nursing award.
"I was so surprised to be this year's honoree –I work with so many wonderful and deserving nurses. To be chosen by my peers is a real honor. I recently attained my bachelor of science in nursing degree after working as a registered nurse for almost 30 years, and it has transformed how I view the profession. I have a new perspective on nursing and know that I can make a difference in patients' lives in many different ways. I tell everyone to become as educated as possible and to put that education to work in practical ways," commented Warren.
Along with being an ICU nurse, Warren co-chairs the Pathways to Excellence committee which supports patient care through a focus on an optimal nursing environment. Her commitment to this important project over the past year has helped the hospital and the nursing staff document their successes as well as reach a higher level of professionalism. A native of the Eastern Shore, Warren has been with the hospital for more than 31 years and is active in the community.
The Nightingale Award for Advancing and Leading the Profession is awarded to a nurse for having led, advanced, or strengthened nursing, either as a profession or in the delivery of patient care within and beyond his or her own health care facility. This year's recipient was Ellen White, BSN, RN, CMSRN, CDE.
White explained, "I'm excited and honored –recognition by one's peers means so much to me. I love being a nurse, and I love learning and teaching. Knowledge gained only makes a difference if it is shared. It's so very important, and I hope to never stop learning." White, a Shore native, has worked with the hospital for 14 years and is a wife, mother and grandmother as well as being very active in the community.
The final award, the Nightingale Award for Community Service, recognizes the nursing team that has made significant professional or voluntary contributions to the community. The 2016 award was given to the Maternal Child Health Unit of Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital for their work with the March of Dimes. The unit raised $2,800 for the cause and had more than 25 team members walk to support the fund raiser.
Team manager Ann Pruitt accepted the award on behalf of the unit and commented, "The Maternal Child Health Unit strives all year long to connect with our community. We look for ways to give back to the community that supports us. This acknowledgement is truly meaningful, and we are delighted to be recognized for our efforts. Our department provides pre-natal, birth and delivery support as well as post-natal pediatric services to our patients. We love our work and our families bringing new life into the world is always exciting and a challenge, but we work together as a team to give our patients the highest care possible. Our team members have big, generous hearts and genuinely care about our community."
Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital Administrator John Peterman further commented, "Our hospital and our nurses are inseparable. They're the faces that interact most often with patients and families, and they are in a unique position to change lives. I'm pleased to recognize these nursing leaders, and I congratulate them for jobs well done."