Among Delaware Today’s Top Nurses, 57 nurses — 44% of all honorees — are from Christiana Care Health System. This annual special issue of Delaware Today recognizes nursing excellence in Delaware.
Academic Educator
Deborah Lykens, MSN, RN-BC, nursing professional development specialist.
Advancing and Leading the Profession
Ric Cuming, Ed.D, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, chief nurse executive.
Danny Hamm, BSN, RN, clinical practice coordinator, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute.
Tiffani Lee, MSN, RN, PCCN, NE-BC, SCRN, nurse manager, 6C Medical.
Andrea Sweeny, MSN, RN-BC, nurse manager, 4E Cardiovascular.
APRN
Janelle Bradway, BSN, RN-BC, nurse facilitator, Medical Aid Unit.
Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, director, Nursing Professional Excellence.
Pritiben Desai, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, endocrinology specialist.
Christina DiMarco, MSN, FNP-BC, nurse practitioner manager, Cardiology Short-Stay Unit.
Kathryn Hook, MSN, FNP-C, BSRT, CCRN, TCRN, trauma nurse practitioner.
Kristine Jackson, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, family nurse practitioner.
Thomas LaJudice, MSN, C-ANP, nurse practitioner, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery.
Steven Larrimore, MSN, FNP-C, CCRN, TCRN, ATCN, trauma nurse practitioner.
Dannette A. Mitchell, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, clinical nurse specialist, Medical Critical Care.
Vani Ramdoss, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, nurse practitioner, Acute Care of the Elderly Unit.
Jessica Smallwood, MSN, APRN, NP-C, nurse practitioner, Oncology Hematology.
Catherine Donahue Smith, APN, CDE, nurse practitioner, Endocrinology.
Jessica Steiger, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC, nurse practitioner, Neuro Critical Care.
Behavorial Health
Nataleen Bauer, BSN, RN, assistant nurse manager.
Maria Antoinette Clemente, BSN, RN, psychiatric mental health nurse. *
Margaret Rafal, MS, BSN, RN III, direct patient care.
Case Management
Deborah L. Bartell, BSN, RN, senior clinical analyst.
Kristin Papiro, MSN, RN, CAPA, Performance Improvement program manager, Nursing Quality and Safety.
Education Mentorship
Christine Marie Brown, MSN, RN-BC, OCN, nursing professional development and education specialist and team leader, Patient & Family Health Education.
Maria Brown, BSN, RN III, PCCN, Surgical and Musculoskeletal Service Line Magnet master.
Danielle Coyne, MSN, RN-BC, nursing professional development specialist.
Stephanie Lowe, MSN, RN-BC, CCRN, nursing professional development team leader.
Tara Miles, MSN, MSM, RN, CCRN, SCRN, nursing professional development specialist.
Mary Neeman, BSN, RN III, CCRN, 3E ICU.
Colleen Schwandt, BSN, RN-BC, 6E Oncology.
Patricia Yancey, MSN, FNP-BC, pediatric primary care nurse practitioner, Christiana Care School-Based Health Center.
Emerging Nurse Leader
Nataleen D. Bauer, BSN, RN, assistant nurse manager, Behavioral Health inpatient nursing.
Paige Hilberg, MBA, MSN, BSN, RN-BC, assistant nurse manager, Medical Observation Unit.
Sawdia Letnianczyn, BSN, RN, CHFN, assistant nurse manager, 5E Surgical/Shock Trauma.
Paige Merring, BSN, RN, CCRN, 3E Medical Intensive Care Unit.
Nicole Moody, MSN, RNC-NIC, ACCNS-P, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Grace W. Ngamau, MSN, MSM/HCA, RN, staff nurse, 3B, 3C and 4B.
Alison Purner, MSN, RN, CCRN, nurse manager, Heart & Vascular Interventional Services.
Gina Waithe, MSN, RN II, CNOR, Perioperative Services.
Hospice Care
Jeanne Bach, RN, OCN, case manager, Christiana Care Visiting Nurse Association.
Martha Collins, RN-BC, COS-C, clinical educator, Christiana Care Visiting Nurse Association.
Stephanie Zimmerman, BSN, RN, RN-oncology/IV Specialty, Christiana Care Visiting Nurse Association.
Inpatient
Valerie Salmon, BSN, RN, Gerontology.
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Dennis Asubonteng, MBA, MSN, RN-BC, CRRN, assistant nurse manager, Center for Rehabilitation at Wilmington Hospital.
Guirlene Clervoix, MSN, FNP-C, Christiana Care Visiting Nurse Association.
LPN-Clinical Practice
Barbara L. Elliott, LPN, Endocrinology.*
Stephen Savage, LPN, Emergency Department.
LPN-Home Health
Ellen Zaccardelli, LPN, Christiana Care Visiting Nurse Association.
Nurse Innovator
Mary Ciechanowski, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN-K, coordinator, Comprehensive Stroke Program.
Susan Foster, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, nurse manager, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Nursing Legend
Pat Fenimore, CCRN, CNRN, BSN, RN, Neuro Critical Care Unit.
Public Health, Ambulatory
Sarah M. Hinkle, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CCRN-K, nurse practitioner, Neurology.
Stacie Holdinsky, MSN, FNP-C, Primary Care at Christiana-MAP2.
Penny Lewis, DNP, FNP, BC,* Medical Aid Unit.
Theresa Shelley McVey, BSN, RN-BC, nurse supervisor, Primary Care, Wilmington Health Center.
Victoria Varga, MSN, RN, APRN, FNP-C, Primary Care at Wilson.
Volunteerism and Service
Shannon L. Guzman, MSN, MSM, RN, RN-BC, NE-BC, assistant nurse manager.
Michelle Wheeler, MS, BSN, RN, CNML, clinical operations director.
* Top Nurses Category winners from Christiana Care
- Maria Antoinette Clemente, RN II, behavioral health category.
- Barbara L. Elliott, LPN, endocrinology specialist, clinical practice category.
- Penny Lewis, DNP, FNP, BC, in the public health, ambulatory category.