May 28, 2015
SVSU honors outstanding nurses
Saginaw Valley State University celebrated the valuable contributions of six registered nurses in the Great Lakes Bay Region during the fifth annual Carleen K. Moore R.N. Nursing Excellence awards Tuesday, May 19.
Established by SVSU's Department of Nursing, the honor recognizes the continual dedication, quality service and front-line leadership exhibited by nurses in clinical practice, education, leadership, and community service. Awards were presented in the categories of acute care, nurse educator, long-term care/rehabilitation, and nursing in the community.
The 2015 recipients include:
• Tami Best of McLaren Bay Region, who was one of three recipients of the Acute Care Nursing award. A nomination letter described how Best's expertise has saved lives. The letter describes Best's work with one particular hospital patient who was initially treated for a stroke. Over time, Best noticed subtle changes in the patient's condition and notified a neurologist, who discovered a life threatening hemorrhage. "Her demonstration of clinical excellence and caring is why she deserves this award," her nomination letter reads. "She does it each and every day."
• Bethany Corner of MidMichigan Medical Center, who was a recipient of the Acute Care Nursing award. Colleagues describe Corner, a staff nurse in the neurosurgical/neuromedical unit, as a hard worker, mentor and team player. She developed a staff education tool that emphasizes safety and accountability of staff nurses. "A day doesn't go by that I do not hear positive comments from patients, families and coworkers about her nursing skill, bedside manner and ability to teach at the bedside," her nomination letter reads.
• Nancy Dole of Covenant HealthCare, who was a recipient of the Nursing Education award. Dole is a patient services central educator and pediatrics educator. "Her indomitable spirit has buoyed many individuals," Dole's nomination letter reads. "She teaches that, as nurses, a therapeutic connection is our responsibility and that providing authentic, compassionate care to another human being is a privilege."
• Diane Hogan of Marlette Regional Hospital, who was a recipient of the Long Term Care/Rehabilitation Nursing award. A nomination letter describes how Hogan goes beyond her job responsibilities in an effort to care for residents. Last summer, she gathered staff to help fulfill an elderly resident's wish to rest in the grass and enjoy the outdoors, as the patient did as a youth growing up on a farm. "Diane personally improves the quality of life of our residents on a daily basis," her nomination letter reads.
• Bonnie Khabir of MidMichigan Urgent Care-Clare, who was a recipient of the Community Nursing award. Since 1998, she has served as manager of the only urgent care facility serving Clare County. Her nomination letter reads: "It is no exaggeration to say that she is revered by those who work most closely with her. She is consistently steady regardless of the situations or difficulties she encounters."
• Ashlee Knoll of St. Mary's of Michigan, who was a recipient of the Acute Care Nursing award. A nurse manager, Knoll was nominated by Jill Loftus, director of St. Mary's of Michigan's Orthopedics and Neurosciences. Loftus said this about Knoll: "Ashlee is a one-of-a-kind individual who, by her polite and quiet demeanor, has the ability to coach and mentor those in need. Ashlee can find the silver in the lining and run with it."
All six recipients were honored during an awards ceremony at SVSU Tuesday, May 19. Each received a crystal Waterford rose bowl and a check for $300.
The selection committee included Ellen Talbott, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer for McLaren-Bay Region; Terry Moore, retired CEO for MidMichigan Health; Judy Ruland, SVSU dean of the College of Health and Human Services; and SVSU nursing faculty members Karen Brown-Fackler, Sally Decker, Andrea Frederick, Ava Lewis and Suzanne Savoy.