Nurses honored for excellence and service

Rome Memorial Hospital honored 14individuals who exemplified commitment to the community’s health.

ROME, N.Y. » Rome Memorial Hospital’s Clinical Services Professional Excellence Committee recently presented the 2018 Excellence Awards to 14 individuals who exemplify excellence and commitment to the health and wellness of our community.

The committee asked nurses and clinicians from departments throughout the hospital to nominate their peers for these prestigious awards. A “Nurse of the Year” was selected for each nursing department. From among this group, a “Nurse of Excellence” was named. In addition, other departments named their clinicians of the year. These dedicated professionals are honored for their caring attitude toward patients, superior clinical skills, and critical thinking ability.

“Most of us have been together as the Clinical Services team for a few years now,” explained Vice President of Clinical Services Durinda Durr, MS, RN, “and as such, we agreed to celebrate as a team during Nurses Week because we are joined together to help one another live up to our vision to be ‘ exceptional people delivering excep- tional care’.”

The 2018 award winners are:

•Jodi Wallace, RN, Emergency Department, Emergency Services Nurse of the Year and Nurse of Excellence;

•Teresa Troia, RN, Continuum of Care, Non-Clinical Nurse of the Year;

•Andrea HamiltonLarry, RN, 2 East, Medical Surgical Nurse of the Year;

•Ryan Vencek, RN, 2 East, Nightingale Nurse Award;

•Mary Reader, RN, Senior Behavioral Health Unit, Behavioral Health Services Nurse of the Year;

•Audrey Wood, RN, Intensive Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit Nurse of the Year;

•John Vander Pyl, RN, Residential Health Care Facility, Long Term Care Nurse of the Year;

•Laura Bambury, LPN, Residential Health Care Facility, Long Term Care Licensed Practical Nurse of the Year;

•Heather Gulick, RRT, Respiratory Therapy, Cardiopulmonary Services Clinician of the Year;

•Laura Lonergan, R.Ph, BCGP, Pharmacy, Pharmacist of the Year;

• Cori Bewick, RN, 2 North, Critical Care Ser- vices Nurse of the Year;

•Shannon Scott, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Peri- Operative Services Nurse of the Year;

•Sarah Fleck, RN, Maternity, Maternal Child Care Nurse of the Year;

•Jan Bass, Continuum of Care, Social Worker/Case Manager of the Year.

“Winning one of these awards is a great honor because you are chosen by your peers,” said Sandra Widieger, RN, BSN, chairman of the Clinical Services Professional Excellence Committee. “Choosing the nurse of excellence is an incredibly difficult task because in each case, you are looking at the best of the best from an exceptional nursing staff.”

Each of the honorees was presented with a personalized keepsake, as well as a certificate of excellence.

“The nursing and clinical services professions offer diverse opportunities across many healthcare specialties and settings,” Durr added. “The clinical services staff at Rome Memorial Hospital is a dedicated group, continually displaying a unified passion for the profession and a strong commitment to the people of our community.”