2016 Excellence in Nursing Awards spotlight extraordinary staff

During National Nurses Week in May, the Excellence in Nursing Awards, organized by Christiana Care’s Professional Nurse Council, once again filled the main auditorium of the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center in the annual celebration of exceptional nurses at Christiana Care Health System.

The ceremony acknowledged:

• More than 90 nurses hailing from all nine Christiana Care Service Lines, plus special awards for nurses in various categories, including Advanced Practice, Educator, Leadership, Mentoring, and the annual Dot Fowler Award.
• Nurses newly promoted to RN III and RN IV, marking professional advancement on Nursing’s clinical ladder.
• Recognition of DAISY Award-winning nurses, nominated by patients and colleagues for being expert, caring partners in health as part of the national DAISY program introduced at Christiana Care in 2014.
• Administrative assistants, who support all that nursing accomplishes, were recognized through the annual Friends of Nursing Award.

Congratulations to the following colleagues who were recognized for Nursing Excellence and other awards:

Acute Medicine

• Kate Armstrong – Wilmington Hospital Intensive Care Unit
• Alexis Bellon – 5B
• Linda Biggs – Direct Care Expert, Middletown Emergency Department
• Mathew Crane – 6A Christiana Hospital Acute Care for the Elderly
• Charles Evans – 6S Stepdown
• Alison Fenstermacher Smith – Medical Intensive Care Unit
• Deborah Ford – Middletown Emergency Department
• Jackie Grau – Direct Care Expert, eCare
• Shannon Guzman – 3D Stepdown
• Alyssa Hancock – Direct Care Expert, 6S Stepdown
• Kennisha Holloman – 6D/Medical Observation Unit
• Lindsey Hoosty – Direct Care Expert, Medical Intensive Care Unit
• Brandon Hoskins – Christiana Hospital Emergency Department
• Farwa Jafri – Wilmington Hospital Acute Care for the Elderly Unit
• Lindsey Jordan – 6E
• Sarah Joy – Direct Care Expert, 3D Stepdown
• Krista Kerr – 5A
• Mary Koether – 5C
• Catherine Lopez – Christiana Hospital Emergency Department
• Beth Miller – Direct Care Expert, Christiana Hospital Emergency Department
• Debra Mingoia – Direct Care Expert, 5B
• Marsy Nau – Direct Care Expert, 5B
• Sara Palmer – 5B
• Eva Smith – Direct Care Expert, 6E
• Joseph Valentine – Christiana Hospital Emergency Department

Behavioral Health

• Stephanie Cressman – Psychiatric Nursing
• Lisa Mack – Direct Care Expert, Psychiatry
• Fawn Palmer –  Behavioral Health

Cancer

• Danielle Carter – 6B
• Teresa Cunningham – Direct Care Expert, Bone and Marrow Transfer Unit
• Allie Kimmick – 6B
• Karen Sites – Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute

Heart & Vascular

• Rupa Abraham – Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Marybeth Chambers – Center for Heart & Vascular Health float pool
• Amie D’Amore – 4E
• Whitney Dixon – Direct Care Expert, 4E
• Diane Drummond – Direct Care Expert, 5E
• Lauren Duddy – Cardiology Short Stay
• Tyler Greenfield – 5E
• Helen Hawyrlack – Direct Care Expert, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Jennifer Holding – Direct Care Expert, 5E
• Jeffrey Lee – Heart & Vascular Interventional Services
• Kelly McClure – Cardiac Cath lab
• Kate Romanowicz – Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Joseph Walsh – Vascular Interventional Radiology

Musculoskeletal

• Jennifer Shearer – 7E

Neurosciences

• Elaine Farr – 6C
• Valerie Pruitt – Direct Care Expert, 6C
• Patricia Fenimore – Neuro Critical Care Unit
• Rebecca Mears – Direct Care Expert, Neuro Critical Care Unit

Primary Care & Community Medicine

• Jody Fennell – Visiting Nurse Association
• Amy Hughes – Visiting Nurse Association
• Mary Matsumoto – HIV Primary Care
• Lauren Whaley – Visiting Nurse Association

Surgical Services

• Joy Allen-Coleman – Wilmington Hospital Surgicenter
• Lauren Cahill – Wilmington Hospital Prep/Hold Observation
• Blyss Galizia – Christiana Hospital Operating Room
• Elaine Good – 4C Surgical
• Nora Jingeleski – 4W Surgical
• Lorie Meck – Direct Care Expert, 4W Surgical
• Kelly McGraw – Transitional Surgery Unit
• Penny Miller – Hemodialysis
• Jaime Murray – Direct Care Expert, Hemodialysis
• Lauren Neidlein-Gonzalez – Christiana Hospital Surgicenter
• Deanna Perno – Direct Care Expert, 4C Surgical
• Christine Potocki – Surgicial Critical Care Complex
• Laura Schenck – Christiana Hospital Operating Room
• Ashley Thompson – Wilmington Hospital Operating Room
• Katherine Tirador – 4C Surgical
• Kelli Troyer – Christiana Hospital Post Anesthesia Care Unit
• Caroline Urian – Perioperative Evaluation and Preparation
• Tina Velasco-Greer – Center for Heart & Vascular Health Wilmington Hospital Post Anesthesia Care Unit
• Lynn Vitalo – Christiana Surgical Service
• Marie Wilson – Direct Care Expert, Surgical Critical Care Complex
• Sharon Wooldridge – Direct Care Expert, Wilmington Hospital Post Anesthesia Care Unit

Women & Children

• Nicole Allen – Direct Care Expert, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Megan Cronshaw – Labor & Delivery
• Tamie Hotchkiss – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Julie Rowe – Labor & Delivery
• Katie Scott – Labor & Delivery

Advanced Practice

• Dannette Mitchell – Wilmington Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Lori Shiflett – Nurse Practitioner, Trauma Program

Educator

• Kathy Cook – Staff Development Specialist, Perioperative Services
• Kim Mattison – Staff Development Specialist, 3D Stepdown

Leadership

• Debbie Ayres-Harding – Assistant Nurse Manager, Behavioral Health Inpatient
• Paula Smallwood – Nurse Manager, Surgical Critical Care Complex

2016 Nurse Mentor Award

• Jennifer Marschalok – 5A (winner)
• Nancy Lowinski – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (nominee)
• Lisa Mack – Behavioral Health Inpatient (nominee)

2016 Dot Fowler Award

• Helen Hawrylack – Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex (winner)
• Sarah Joy – 3D Stepdown (nominee)
• Megan Smakulski – 3D Stepdown (nominee)