By Cathy Bealer, RN, MHA, FACMPE – Chief Nursing Officer at Sheridan Memorial Hospital
During Nurses Week this year, Sheridan Memorial Hospital held a celebration to recognize the outstanding work of its staff.
National Nurses Week is May 6-12, with the American Nurses Association recognizing and honoring nurses across the United States in the month of May. As part of the celebratory week, Sheridan Memorial Hospital held an awards ceremony May 8 to recognize the 2024 Nurse of the Year and 2024 Friend of Nursing.
The Nurses Week theme this year of “Nurses make the Difference” is very fitting for our nursing staff. Nurses continue to face challenging times with nationwide staffing shortages, growing technology changes, staying current with advances in medicine and the rising demand for care.
Recruitment and retention of the best and brightest nurses will continue to be a top priority for hospitals. I want to congratulate our exceptional nursing teams for their resilience to meet these challenges.
As we reflect upon the past year, we are proud of our nurses’ commitment, expertise and strength in caring for our patients, their families and our community. I extend my genuine gratitude to each of them for the dedication and fortitude they have shown and am proud of the excellent care they have provided to our patients and their families. Our nursing teams have also created the supporting environment for each other, which fosters a collaborative culture exemplifying the true spirit they bring to their profession.
We honor their contributions, and thank them for the difference they make in our patients lives. Organizational excellence begins with people, and our nursing professionals are an integral part of offering patient-focused care. Thank you to all nurses for their devotion and professionalism as we work together to meet the healthcare needs of our community.
Eleven nurses were nominated by their peers for the 2024 Nurse of the Year award. Nominees included Emma Groteluschen, Kayla Johnson, Edy Homan, Amanda Stach, Lindsey Poniatowski, Tori Milne, Jennifer Keegan, Reagan Stevens, Gail Carlson, Nicole Haley and Shawn Delaney.
Amanda Stach was recognized as the Nurse of the Year. She currently works as a nurse on the hospital’s medical/surgical unit.
“When I think of what a true SMH RN looks like, I think of leading with humility, kindness first, being engaged with process improvement, wanting to learn and grow in the facility… these are all things that Amanda demonstrates daily,” according to Stach’s nomination. “It’s an honor to get to work beside her and watch her grow here at SMH.”
Ten individuals earned nominations from their peers for the Friend of Nursing Award. They included Meeghan Walton, Nina Custis, Jessica Austin, Dr. Mary Bowers, Mike Garneau, Anita Smith, Ethan Sexton, Dr. Elisabeth Scalva, Collette Miller and Amber Clearwater.
Amber Clearwater was recognized as this year’s Friend of Nursing. She works in the Emergency Department as a certified nursing assistant.
“Amber demonstrates on a daily basis kindness, caring and provides excellent patient-centered care to each and every person who enters Sheridan Memorial Hospital,” her nomination stated. “Amber has the unique ability to form relationships with any member of the Sheridan Memorial Hospital team, not just her immediate department team. Throughout the facility, Amber will be seen sharing conversations, laughs, hugs and caring with members of the registration team, EVS, lab, radiology, and outside team members from WREMS, law enforcement and fire. …She can be found working on collecting data for improvement projects for both the Emergency Department and the ICU and assisting with many other extra duties. ”
In recognition of their exceptional dedication, Teresa Beckum and Eileen McCafferty were honored with Certificates of Appreciation for their 34 and 31 years of service, respectively. Their unwavering commitment and care have made a profound impact on our community, and we are truly grateful for their outstanding service.