2022 Excellence in Nursing Awards Celebrate Shining Stars

A traditional highlight of Nurses Month at ChristianaCare is the Excellence in Nursing Awards. At the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Professional Nurse Council members found safe and creative ways to honor their colleagues, nominated by their peers for extraordinary care and commitment to serving with love and excellence. In May 2022, the Excellence in Nursing Awards ceremonies returned with four campus-based celebrations, with masking, social distancing and lots of cheers and excitement.

Celebrating at the Wilmington Campus.

The awards honored more than 100 ChristianaCare nurses in seven categories for excellence: Clinical Nurse; Clinical Nurse Expert (at the RNIII and RNIV levels); Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; Educator; Leader; Preceptor; and the Dot Fowler Award.

Nallely Zavala of the Transitional Care Unit at Wilmington Hospital with Ric Cuming, Ed.D., MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN.

“Wherever you practice—whether it’s in our hospitals, our outpatient practices, or in our community—you are one of the biggest reasons why people trust ChristianaCare with their lives and the lives of their families,” said Ric Cuming, Ed.D., MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, chief nurse executive and president of ChristianaCare HomeHealth.

“The Excellence in Nursing Awards are special because awardees are nominated by their peers. The Awards demonstrate the trust ChristianaCare nurses have in each other.”

Congratulations to the 2022 Excellence in Nursing Awards honorees

Winners Honored at the Christiana Hospital Celebrations

  • Anthony Vu, Clinical Nurse, Cardiology Short-Stay Unit
  • Caitlin Thomas, Educator, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
  • Stephanie Mozher, Clinical Nurse, Cardiology Short Stay Unit
  • Jennifer Swarter, Clinical Nurse, Ambulatory Infusion Center
  • Kaitlin Marinelli, Clinical Nurse, Ambulatory Infusion Center
  • Kira Hoefler, Clinical Nurse, 6A
  • Lauren Speakman, Clinical Nurse Expert, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
  • Lauren Vivolo, Clinical Nurse, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
  • Madison Ireland, Clinical Nurse, Transitional Neurology Unit
  • Virginia Hoinowski, Clinical Nurse, Catheterization Lab
  • Carmen Pal, Nurse Leader, Information Technology
  • Melissa Gandolfo, Clinical Nurse, Ambulatory Infusion Center
  • Lee Schiavoni, Clinical Nurse Expert, Middletown Emergency Department
  • Amanda Joie, Educator, Patient & Family Health Education
  • Amanda Latina, Nurse Leader, Surgical Critical Care Complex/Transitional Surgical Unit
  • Amy Tuer, Educator, HomeHealth
  • Andrea Simon, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Trauma/Surgery
  • Becky Green, Clinical Nurse, Electrophysiology Lab
  • Brett Lieske, Clinical Nurse, Prep & Hold & Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
  • Bridget Ryan, Nurse Leader, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Christine Anderson, Clinical Nurse, 4E
  • Colleen Schwandt, Clinical Nurse, 6E
  • Currine Brown, Clinical Nurse, 5C
  • Danielle Coyne, Educator, 4E/5E
  • Danielle D’Ambrosio, Clinical Nurse, 3C/3D Transitional Medical Unit
  • David Hoehn, Clinical Nurse, 6A
  • Denise Lottero, Nurse Leader, 4B
  • Dennis Sullivan, Clinical Nurse, 3C/3D Transitional Medical Unit
  • Eileen Evangelista, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Neurosciences
  • Elanna Manco, Clinical Nurse, 5C
  • Elizabeth Crowder, Clinical Nurse, Heart and Vascular Interventional Services
  • Emily Link, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Cardiology Consultants
  • Hannah Manzo, Clinical Nurse, NCCU
  • Jamie Loose, Clinical Nurse, Float Pool
  • Jessica Tagliaferro, Nurse Leader, 3C/3D Transitional Medical Unit
  • Jessica Toner, Clinical Nurse Expert, 7E
  • Jill McGurk, Clinical Nurse, 5E
  • Joseph Smith, Clinical Nurse Expert, 5A/4C
  • Karen Mazei, Clinical Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Kate Scarff, Clinical Nurse, Transitional Surgical Unit
  • Katherine Shepard, Clinical Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Kathleen Di Guglielmo, Clinical Nurse Expert, 3C/3D Transitional Medical Unit
  • Kelly Coppola, Clinical Nurse, Float Pool
  • Kim Pensel, Clinical Nurse, Interventional Radiology
  • Kristen Green, Clinical Nurse Expert, 5B
  • Laura Dechant, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Heart and Vascular Interventional Services
  • Leanne Erickson, Clinical Nurse, 4E
  • Lindsay Sanderson, Nurse Leader, 4D
  • Lorin Hollinger, Clinical Nurse Expert, 6E
  • Marsy Russell, Nurse Leader, Float Pool
  • Mia Kudish, Clinical Nurse, Gastrointestinal Lab
  • Michelle Chau, Clinical Nurse Expert, 6M Pediatrics
  • Misoon Kim, Clinical Nurse, 6A
  • Pamela Braithwaite, BSN, RNC-OB, Nurse Leader, Labor & Delivery
  • Ronald DeMarco, Clinical Nurse, 5E
  • Shannon McCoy, Clinical Nurse, 3C/3D Transitional Medical Unit
  • Shauna Morrison, Clinical Nurse, 3C/3D Transitional Medical Unit
  • Susan Koch, Clinical Nurse, Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Lab
  • Trina B. Haywood, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Center for Women’s & Children’s Health
  • Valerie Jennings, Clinical Nurse Expert, 5A/4C
  • Veronica Witt, Clinical Nurse, 6E
  • Ade Esaka, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Cardiology Short Stay Unit
  • Amanda McCloud, Clinical Nurse, 3B
  • Amanda Spence, Clinical Nurse, 7E
  • Bernadette Baker, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Thoracic Surgery/Lung Health Screening Program
  • Cherie Barnes, Clinical Nurse, Prep & Holding
  • Courtney Hogan, Clinical Nurse, 5B
  • Ena Nickens, Nurse Leader, Cardiology Short Stay Unit/Wilmington Cardiology Care Unit and Radiology
  • Gina Scott, Educator, Labor & Delivery
  • Jennifer Mulford, Clinical Nurse, Labor & Delivery
  • Jessica Belmar, Clinical Nurse Expert, 3E Medical Intensive Care Unit
  • Kaitlin O’Connor, Clinical Nurse Expert, 2E/Cardiovascular Critical Care Unit
  • Kathy Boyer, Educator, Patient & Family Health Education
  • Lesley Tepner, Educator, Postpartum
  • Maribel Martinez, Clinical Nurse, 6M/7M Postpartum
  • Nancy Homan, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Newark Perianesthesia/Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
  • Samantha Lewis, Clinical Nurse, Heart and Vascular Interventional Services
  • Sarah Black, Clinical Nurse, Labor & Delivery
  • Victoria Varga, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Primary Care at Linden Hill

Winners Honored at Union Hospital Celebration

    • Lindsey Safian, Clinical Nurse, Maternal and Infant Center
    • Renee Funk, Clinical Nurse, Surgical Specialty Unit
    • Anna Massimiano, Clinical Nurse, Infusion Center
    • Chris Lenz, Nurse Leader, Union Nurse Manager
    • Chrissie Hilaman, Clinical Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit

Clinical Nurse, Maternal and Infant Center

  • Heidi Smith, Clinical Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit
  • Katherine Spencer, Clinical Nurse, Intensive Care Unit
  • Kerry D’Alessandro, Nurse Leader, Medical-Surgical Unit
  • Stephanie Roberts, Clinical Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit

Winners Honored at Wilmington Hospital Celebration

    • Lauren Allaband, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
    • Stephanie Neifert, Clinical Nurse Expert, Wilmington Emergency Department
    • Alexis Poczynek, Clinical Nurse, 6W
    • Labrini Carabetsos, Clinical Nurse, 4N
    • Lindsey Divel, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
    • Alexandra Colin, Educator, Medical Group
    • Angel Lynch, Clinical Nurse, Psychiatric Emergency Services
    • Angela Drenth, Clinical Nurse, Wilmington Intensive Care Unit
    • Arlene Pierce, Clinical Nurse Expert, 6S Stepdown
    • Barbara Gillis, Nurse Leader, CareVio
    • Barbara Taylor, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
    • Brianna Buzzuro, Nurse Leader, Wilmington Emergency Department
    • Dana Estrada, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
    • Dawn Setting, Nurse Leader, CareVio
    • Denise Vance, Clinical Nurse, William J. Holloway Community Program
    • Doreen Nord, Nurse Leader, Wilmington Emergency Department
    • Ellen Rombach, Clinical Nurse, CareVio
    • Heather Grogg, Clinical Nurse, Primary Care at Linden Hill
    • Janet Kucera, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
    • Jennifer Huebner, Clinical Nurse Expert, Wilmington Intensive Care Unit
    • Jody Fennell, Nurse Leader, HomeHealth
    • Karen Angelo, Clinical Nurse, Thoracic Surgery
    • Karen Lindale-Potts, Clinical Nurse Expert, HomeHealth
    • Karen Milillo, Clinical Nurse Expert, 6W
    • Lauren Calvert, Clinical Nurse, 6W
    • Lauren Turner, Clinical Nurse Expert, Wilmington Prep & Holding
    • Linda Pereira, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
    • Loretta Walls, Nurse Leader, HomeHealth
    • Melissa Crisconi, RN, Clinical Nurse, Primary Care at Lantana Square

Clinical Nurse, 6S Transitional Care Unit

  • Nichole Mitchell, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
  • Regina Tyler, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
  • Ruthie Bice, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
  • Samantha Shaiman, Clinical Nurse, 7S
  • Sandy Wakai, Nurse Leader, 7S
  • Shannon Coble, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
  • Sharon Saliman, Clinical Nurse, Wilmington Critical Care Unit
  • Sherry Baines, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth
  • Shiann Smith, Educator, Medical Group
  • Susan Straughn, Nurse Leader, Medical Group
  • Tara Agwu, Clinical Nurse, Wilmington Emergency Department
  • Vanessa Massia, Clinical Nurse, HomeHealth

Winners Honored by the Education, Development and Advancement Council

Ellen Alvarez of Christiana Hospital’s Medical Intensive Care Unit won the Dot Fowler Award, an honor named for ChristianaCare nurse legend Dot Fowler, MSN, RN-BC Emeritus, APRN Retired, a nationally respected leader in nursing professional practice and education.
  • Preceptor Excellence Award (change throughout) – Eileen Reddington
  • Education, Development and Advancement – Katie Quirk
  • Education, Development and Advancement – Lindsey Safian
  • Education, Development and Advancement – Marlena Gastunas
  • Education, Development and Advancement – Kelly Souder
  • Dot Fowler Award – Ellen Alvarez
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