Celebrating 100+ nurses and caregivers for extraordinary service

The annual Excellence in Nursing Awards, held during National Nurses Week each May and organized by Christiana Care’s Professional Nurse Council, spotlights exceptional health system nurses. This year’s ceremony acknowledged more than 100 nurses from across the organization.

“The Excellence in Nursing Awards program is such a highlight of our Nurses Week celebration at Christiana Care,” said Chief Nurse Executive Ric Cuming, Ed.D., RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “Thank you to the Professional Nurse Council for spotlighting our extraordinary nurses as they serve together with excellence and love.”

Acute Medicine Winners

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TJ Czapp – Christiana Hospital ED
Erica Dempsey – Christiana Hospital ED
Katelyn Denham – 5B Medical
Ashlee Edgerton – Wilmington Hospital ED
Kiersten Edmondson – 6S Stepdown
Shannon Ferrari – 6B Medical
Melissa Gandolfo – 3E MICU
Emily Gorrin – 5B Medical
Kristen Graney – Christiana Hospital ED
Christine Hargrove – 4N Medical
Brent Hastings – Christiana Hospital ED
Christina Hoddinott – Wilmington Hospital ED
Jini Hong – Medical Observation Unit
Catherine Kane–Picciotti – Wilmington Hospital ED
Samantha Lewis – 6S Stepdown
Lisa Markiewicz – 6S WICU
Valerie Murray – 6S WICU
Jasmin Orange – 3E MICU
Elisabeth Papaleo – Christiana Hospital ED
Kaci Rainey – Christiana Hospital ED
Emily Riddick – 3D TMU
Lea Robbins – 3E MICU
Kristi Rowe – Wilmington Hospital ED
Lauren Rutecki – 5A Medical Stepdown
Gemma Ryder – Christiana Hospital ED
Justine Shockley – 8S ACE Unit
Joseph Smith – 5A Medical Stepdown
Austin Taylor – 6A ACE Unit
Isabelle Thomas – 4N Medical
Kimberlee Woods – 3D TMU

Surgical Services Winners

Carol Abdill – VAN
Maria Alvarado – 4C Surgical
Cherie Barnes – Christiana Hospital PACU
Rebecca Best – Endoscopy Suite
Maria Brown – 2B TSU
Girlene Carino – Christiana Hospital OR
Betelhem Fitru – VAN
Michonne Frohnapfel – 2A SCCC
Cristina Furtado – 2B TSU
Bethany Hiriak – 2A SCCC
Nick Hrynko – Wilmington Hospital PACU
Amy Matthews – 4C Surgical
Lorie Meck – 4W Surgical
Lauren Neidlein-Gonzalez – Christiana Surgicenter
Jannelle Ransome – Surgical Admissions
Anna Sheets – 2C Surgical Stepdown
Dawn Todd – 4W Surgical

Heart & Vascular Winners

Melissa Alexander – 4E Stepdown
Kelli Augustine – Cardiac Short Stay Unit
Amanda Baez – 4E Stepdown
Marybeth Chambers – HVIS Float Pool
Samantha Drejka – 4E Stepdown
Gabrielle Falkenstein – EP Lab
Caitie Foster – Cardiac Short Stay Unit
Michelle Kline– HVIS
Kaprie Koelle – HVIS Prep & Hold
Shannon Loomis – 5E Stepdown
Jaime McMillan – Cardiac Cath Lab
Patricia Taylor – 2E CVCCC
Gillian Tilley – Vascular IR
Marie Christine Uwamahoro – 2E CVCCC

Women & Children’s Winners

Shelly Alarcon – NICU
Bethany Adkins – NICU
Robyn Crile – 4A Pediatrics
Dara Hall –NICU
Kelsey Nass – NICU
Cindy Nefosky – 4A

Neurosciences Winners

Elaine Farr – 2B TNU
Toni Gilley – 2B TNU
Meghan Hawn – 2D NCCU
Alexandra Kaminski – 6C STAR Unit
Lea Purcell – 2D NCCU

Cancer Service Line Winners

Francina Greene – 6E Oncology
Lorin Hollinger – 6E Oncology
Jewell Joyce – Helen F. Graham Center & Research Institute
Kimberly Long – 6E Oncology

Primary Care & Community Medicine Winners

Lindsey Divel – VNA

Eric Mackrell– VNA
Sheila Ruger – Wilmington Health Center
Kara Welcher – VNA
Ellen Zaccardelli – VNA

Musculoskeletal Winners

Maria Bottino – 7E Joint Replacement/Spine
Nicole Glenn – 7S Joint Replacement Center
Andrea Riley–Desgouttes – 7S Joint Replacement Center

Essential Services Winners

Alissa Infante – Dialysis
Richeille-Anne Ricketts – Radiology

Advanced Practice Winners

Nancy Homan – POETS
Jessica Steiger – 2D NCCU/TNU

Educator Winners

Bridget Bieber – 2A SCCC
Doreen Mankus – Wilmington ED

Leadership Winners

Janice Anderson – Cardiac Rehab
Melissa Crossan – ED Observation
Kellie Kessler – Radiology/MRI
Helenann Mccloskey – Primary Care & Community Medicine
Bridget Ryan – 3E MICU

WISH Champion of the Year

Ronald DeMarco – CVCCC

Dot Fowler Award Winner

Kaci Rainey – Christiana Hospital ED

Preceptor Excellence Winners

Clarissa Bigelow – 7N Behavioral Health
Stefon Coleman – 2C Surgical
Nathalie Miller – NICU
Olivia Ringer – 2D NCCU
Mary Ann Witiak – VAN

Blue Bell Award Winners

Kevin Frazier – Christiana Hospital ED, Patient Guide
Jean Castellani – Ultrasound, Manager
Kimberly Prouse – 3D TMU, ANM
Jung Kim – Employee Health, Nurse Practitioner

Friends of Nursing Award – Patient Escort and Environmental Services

The Excellence in Nursing Awards recognized Christiana Care nurse leaders who are Fellows of the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE).

AONE Nurse Fellows

Patty Blair (2018) – Nurse Manager Fellow
Dennis Harris (2018) – Nurse Manager Fellow
Amy Kohl (2018) – Nurse Manager Fellow
Sarah Flanders (2019) – Manager Fellow
Cynthia Griffin, MS, BSN, RN, CPHQ, CCM (2019) – Nurse Executive Fellow.