Download Katrina Adams - Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement

2017 Award Nominee
Katrina Adams
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Mona Carico:
It is with great pleasure that I nominate Katie Adams for the Clinical Leadership of the Year. Katie works
in the Oncology Services Department and is known for her high standards of performance, leadership, and
compassion. She always goes the extra steps for her patients and makes sure they are safe. She decided to
specialize in Oncology and worked hard to get Nationally Certified as an Oncology Nurse. She is a great
asset to our organization. Katie is highly respected by her peers and loved by her patients. She is a positive
member of the team and is efficient and thorough with her work. She was recently promoted to the
Supervisor position and her experience, great clinical thinking skills, compassion, integrity, and teamwork
makes her a role model to others. Katie provides excellent care to her patients, often going the extra step.
She believes in doing what is right for her patients and fights for it. She is also a member of PI committees
in our organization to help improve patient care and safety. She shows great concern for the welfare of
others and finds solutions to difficult challenges. Katie has shown great leadership skills and is always
finding the good in everyone. She is never short of praising her team and always encourages them to be
the best. She loves educating and talking to our new grads and give them lots of support. And, no matter
what kind of day it is, Katie is always smiling and laughing and it is contagious. Thank you for considering
Katie Adams for the Clinical Leadership Nurse of the year Award..
2017 Award Nominee
Victoria Adkins
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Anna Mcguire:
Victoria Adkins leads by example as our Charge Nurse. When you start your shift she greats all staff with a
smile and a hello. She shares the same friendly spirit with all of her patients. She is a wealth of knowledge
and is happy to share information with other nurses. She is quick to jump in to help. When a patient comes
in with SVT, Vicki is in the room starting an IV. If a patient presents with sepsis, Vicki is there helping
draw blood cultures. I think one of the most common phrases I hear is, "Don't worry, I'll help you."
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
I nominate Vick for the NNNOA because she is a remarkable nurse. She has a way with her patients that
helps them feel comfortable. She can go into a room and joke with the patient bringing humor into their
care plan. She will brighten up her co-workers days also. Every day she is on she makes me laugh. Being
able to bring humor and happiness to an area that can be very gloom is a rare talent.As charge nurse Vicki
helps to move patients through the department. She is a good leader and nurse. She is friendly and treats
patients like they are her friends.
2017 Award Nominee
Martha Aiyuk
Cancer Care Specialist
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Tammy Winn:
It is impossible to summarize in a few words what kind of new nurse practitioner this nominee is to the
hematology/oncology outpatient office. Starting in 1998, this nominee has devoted the last 18 years of her
life to caring for a unique and complex group of patients. She is a natural born leader, and has made
countless contributions to make oncology what it is today. She is an instrument in the facilitation of family
centered care, and embraces challenges and change with innovative strategies. This nominee's most
notable quality is her leadership skills and patient education. Within a few months of starting work as a
nurse Practitioner she has already contributed to growth and development of the nurses. She saw a need
and took the opportunity right away. She created an education list of different cancer treatment by disease
site and assigned it to each nurse to review and provide information for others to learn. She believes that
when nurses are empowered to research information and teach others, they too intent learn from the
work. She makes the nurses she works with feel supported. She is loved by staff and peers and especially
the doctors she works with. The doctors say she timely with her notes, and very accurate. It is obvious her
patients love her. Patients in the infusion talk highly of her. They say she is very thorough in reviewing
their case, on time and convey a genuine love for her patients. Whether it be staying late to help nurses
finish their work, talking you through port access issues, or managing high patient flow and room
shortages, this nominee is the person you want at your side when times become challenging. More recently
she took her commitment to quality patient care further by covering for another provider who had a family
emergency. She picked up an extra shift to help cover patients so that our cancer patients have no delay in
their treatment. Martha has been invaluable in this role as a nurse practitioner, and works tirelessly to
enable her patient are given great care and have better outcomes. She also provides need education to
patients prior to them receiving their chemotherapy treatment. This has made patients more at ease in
receiving their treatment and has helped the infusion nurses tremendously. As a nurse, she was recognized
for her leadership skills and worn many awards including healthcare hero, Outpatient nurse of
achievement 2008 Saint Mary's leadership award two years in a role. She is the is the backbone of our
Office. Her leadership, knowledge, family centered approach, and innovation, have shaped and impacted
numerous nurses, patients, families, and other individuals. I am honored to have gotten the opportunity to
learn and work with this nominee, and look to her as a role model for what I want to be in the future. I
cannot think of another person who is more deserving of award for nurse practitioner, because simply put
she is an extraordinary nurse
Nomination from Lisa Thayer:
Martha Aiyuk has been my mentor for most of my 6 years as an oncology nurse. Her knowledge of our field
is unsurpassed by few. Martha was head of outpatient oncology at Saint Mary's Regional Medcial Center
before she was named head of both inpatient and outpatient oncology. For almost 5 years Martha did an
amazing job as a Saint's employee. Now that she is a Nurse Practitioner her knowledge is used for direct
patient care in the oncology offices of Cancer Care Specialists. I am lucky enough to have worked for her
as a floor nurse as well as being her coworker at CCS.Because of Marha's immense knowledge of
everything oncology, she is my go to for questions. She has great knowledge of radiation protocols because
of her previous position as manager of the radiation department at Saints. As an instructor of the
chemotherapy/biotherapy class for ONS, she gained great knowledge of all the protocols and side effects
associated with those treatments. As a floor nurse, earlier in her career, she was known as someone who
was not afraid of work and could get an IV into the hardest sticks around.I have always looked up to
Martha and feel so lucky to have her be a part of my professional life. She loves to teach both patients and
nurses and my education will never end as long as I am working with her. Because of all this, I feel Martha
deserves the Advanced Practice Nurse of Achievement Award this year.
2017 Award Nominee
Jackie Alexander
VA SNHC
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Jeanine Swygman:
Dr. Jackie Alexander NP works daily at the Reno VA to manage resources and facilitate safe, effective and
efficient care. She has rectified egregious system errors on a near daily basis in client care and service
gaps. Case in point: A 98 year old veteran residing in a Carson City Nevada dementia care facility had to
be taken to an ENT appointment by his daughter who flew in from Arizona. Upon clinic arrival they were
told his appointment was cancelled and were directed to go to primary care. Once at primary care, this
veteran and his daughter were informed he could not be accommodated and was directed to the ED. His
daughter was in pain with a casted broken foot, so the 98 year old veteran was provided a wheelchair so
he could push his daughter from Primary Care Clinic all the way to the opposite end of the hospital to the
ED. Dr. Alexander was able to quickly examine and get to the root of his ENT issue by retrieving the
hearing aid piece stuck in his ear canal. Given Dr. Alexander's Army training as a hearing conservationist,
afforded her the ability to provide care most ED providers would not be able to do. She was able to clean,
repair and reset his hearing aids. They patient and his daughter were also pleased that Dr. Alexander took
the time to irrigate all the wax out of his ear canals to stave off another event of a hearing aid piece getting
stuck in his ear canal again. Dr. Alexander addressed all questions and concerns in a compassionate,
professional, effective and efficient manner. She also ensured that an ED staff member took the daughter
with the casted broken foot back to their vehicle via wheelchair. Dr. Alexander provided exceptional
patient care and accomplished an excellent customer service "save."Dr. Alexander provides innovation and
flexibility to workload management in her work environment within the often inflexible VA system. She
surveys the needs of her unit, workload flow, assists her peer physicians and residents, and even assists
the nursing and ancillary staff to facilitate safe, effective and efficient care. An example is that even though
she has clinic appointments, she still assists the team physicians with scheduling surgeries, places special
consults and prosthetic orders, answers patient phone calls, and even precepts medicine residents in the
outpatient clinic. She is responds to requests for assistance from the Sacramento, Palo Alto and San
Francisco VA's, as well as the Reno Primary Care and Specialty Care team members immediately. She
frequently accommodate overbookings and walk-in patients into her busy schedule, making patient care a
priority. She never asks anyone to do anything that she is not willing to do personally, and consistently
accomplishes any necessary tasks and deals with any problem within her broad scope of practice to meet
the demands for care and accommodation within her department and the VA system to provide world -class care to our nation's heroes.
2017 Award Nominee
Brittney Allen
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Brittney Allen has been an outstanding member of our care team since 2015, almost 2 years. She began
her nursing career as a nurse apprentice, and then continued as a new graduate nurse. Brittney has
exceled in her career in just two short years. She has become one of our strongest nurses on the unit,
using her solid critical thinking skills to improve patient experiences and outcomes. Brittney has the ability
to sense when her patient may have a clinical problem, before it even happens. She uses her well
developed skills to see the entire, holistic picture of her patient, and uses this to assist in her clinical
judgments. Her clinical skills are very strong, and she excels in learning new skills. She has a constant
hunger for knowledge, which is evidenced by her continuation of her nursing degree. She is currently
seeking her Master's Degree in Nursing, with the hopes of becoming a nurse practitioner. I know that she
will be very successful in this endeavor, just as she has been successful in the first few years of her career.
She has a strong sense of self, which is extremely important in an advanced nursing career. She uses this
to set goals, achieve goals and go above and beyond. Brittney is always willing to help her teammates
when they are behind, or even in a critical situation with a patient. She truly excels during these moments,
and I feel she will have a strong career in critical care nursing. Brittney's patients constantly compliment
her, whether by letter or in person. Her patients appreciate her advocacy, kindness, and superb patient
care. We are very lucky to have Brittney on our unit, and hope to assist her to advance her career even
further. Please strongly consider her for the rookie of the year nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Deborah Allison
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Lyle Engler:
Deb is a nursing supervisor for our agency. She role models great clinical leadership everyday. With her
strong clinical background and her drive to always do the right thing, she ensures that our patients are
receiving the best care possible. Staff say that she is always available and she always follows through on
what she says she is going to do. She is calm and fair. Her ethics drive everything she does, ensuring that
our patients and staff get what they need when they need it. She is not afraid to have the important
conversations with staff or her leadership team to make sure that the correct actions are happening for our
patients and our agency.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Allen
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Amy Murphy:
I have worked at Renown for four years and have seen a lot of changes. I can not say how wonderful it has
been to see Jennifer come into the ER and change staffing and flow for the better. Our ER at South
Meadows rocks. We have a ten bed unit and we see 80+ a day. She has made it a seamless process by
picking to right person for the job and also preparing and backing her staff. She is an outstanding leader.
She is well versed and respected and accepts any challenge placed in her path. I am so impressed with her
work ethic and the way it trickles down to her amazing staff.
Nomination from Julie Strachan:
I would like to nominate my Manager at South Meadows ER for Nurse of Achievement. Although she has
been a leader within Renown previously, it is her Leadership at South Meadows that I would like to
recognize. In the time she has been with us, Jen has done AMAZING things to improve the culture and
work environment of our Department. She promotes an environment of mutual respect and accountability
which enhances employee engagement. She is ALWAYS smiling, rounds frequently with patients AND staff,
and is not afraid to jump in at the bedside when needed. At staff meetings, she shares patient/family
feedback , both positive and negative, which , in turn is discussed so we can not only improve our patient
experience, but also continue to provide quality care to the patients in our community! I appreciate your
efforts, respect you as a Leader, and enjoy working in the environment you are creating !
2017 Award Nominee
Denise Altick
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Colleen Lawson:
And the Lifetime Achievement award goes to... Denise Altick! If I were at the podium, I would be
announcing your name. For more than thirty years, you have been providing care to patients of all types.
You have been such a big inspiration to me, sharing your vast knowledge and being an outstanding role
model for all of us that have been so lucky to have worked with you. Steadfast in your practice, never
compromising safety and providing high touch care. No matter how technically challenging the computer
can sometimes be, you have never lost the art of human touch, care and compassion in your day-to-day
nursing. Your patients know and can feel that they are in excellent hands. You may not know about this
story, but since it touched my heart, I wanted to share it. On September 16, 2011, the day of the air race
crash, I was sent to the ED to help in any way that I could. The victims were unrecognizable covered in jet
fuel, burnt, blackened and peeling skin, cruel amputations by the blades of the propellers. So many doctors
and personnel descended upon the ED to help do what we could to help, to comfort family members or to
be with patients who were not part of the crash scene. I'll never forget that day of devastation and the
disbelief of what we were witnessing. One patient that sticks in my mind was a man whom you had
occasion to take care of after he had been through multiple surgeries. Months after his discharge, one of
his Reno physicians mentioned to me that he had been keeping in touch with this particular victim. He
made mention that the patient always asks about you by name Denise. This because you made such an
impression by being the first person to shower all the jet fuel, dirt and debris off of his skin when finally
allowed by his plastic surgeons. He felt human again. It seemed like a new beginning to his forever
changed life. Something as a basic shower, human touch, caring and compassion made a difference in his
life. I was so impressed and proud when I heard this story. I know this is what you value in nursing Denise.
Making a difference in someones life. I know you aren't looking for accolades but you should be celebrated
and acknowledged for your lifetime of commitment and achievement in patient care. So many stories that
go untold by the people you have affected. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, care and compassion
with me. I know that I speak for many, many people when I say, you make us strive to be better nurses just
by being you. You are most deserving of this award and I count myself as blessed to have you as a friend
and colleague. You have made a difference in my life and in my nursing career. Colleen
2017 Award Nominee
Jenna Alvarez
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Teena Thomas:
Jenna Alvarez is THE nurse that brings our unit together. She manages to lift spirits and stay positive even
when the day may be crazed. Jenna functions as a preceptor, leader, mentor, cheerleader and exceptional
nurse. Jenna has taken on many challenges and opportunities to improve and educate the unit. She
recently became our Infection Control champion and was solely responsible for educating all of the staff on
central line dressing changes and sterile technique. Jenna has also taken an active role in precepting and
mentoring new preceptors to the role. At the bedside Jenna provides compassionate and expert care to all
of her patients. Jenna is a joy to work with and have as part of our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Keith Alvarez
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kelly Dawley:
Keith is very fun to work with, he has a very bubbly personality. He is very good at making his coworkers
laugh. He is always willing to help a coworker out when they need it. Keith's patients absolutely love him.
He is very good at advocating for his patients. He is amazingly good at starting IV's, even the patients that
are an extremely hard stick. He works very well with his coworkers, operating room staff, anesthesiologist
and the surgeons. Everyone generally loves him a lot. He is really good at finding things to do and
completing them in a timely manner.
2017 Award Nominee
Flyne Anderson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kelly De Jong:
I am honored to nominate Flyne Anderson for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award in
Critical Care. Flyne is a caring and compassionate nurse. She goes above and beyond to make sure her
patients receive the best possible care. She has a special ability to calm patients and families in the midst
of intense stress. Flyne is a positive influence on our unit and frequently orients students and new
graduate nurses. She is also takes on the charge nurse role and is an excellent liaison between nurses,
doctors and families. She receives frequent complements on her ability to manage the unit on even the
most stressful days. She is a great resource and we are so glad to have her in our work family.
2017 Award Nominee
Michele Anderson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
(Considered for award in Medical/Surgical, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Samantha Bagshaw:
I have had the pleasure to work with Michele for the past 6 months. Michele is truly and amazing nurse. I
watched as she learned how to be a circulating nurse in the operating room. Michele would look up case
and come in early to make sure she had supplies needed. She was eager to learn and always asked
questions to make sure she completely understood what was going to happen. Michele remained positive
even in the trying of situations. She would smile and connect with patients to make them feel special so
they knew she would be looking out for them. I am truly grateful that Michele joined our team and enjoy
working along side her.
2017 Award Nominee
Jillian Arevalo
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Jillian has recently become a clinical nurse supervisor in the Sierra ICU; and although she is new to her
role, she has truly shined! She always makes sure to say hello to everyone and genuinely cares about
hearing what everyone has to say. She has taken on unit committees involving improving patient care
through improved skin projects. Whenever she is asked to do something, she says yes with a smile and gets
things done in a timely manner. Jillian is wonderful to work with and her staff loves having her as a
resource. Thank you Jillian for being a wonderful nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Veronica Arevalo
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Marissa Camarena:
I'd love to nominate Veronica as rookie of the year because she shows so much respect, dedication, and
truly gives 110% everyday to each and every patient she comes into contact with. If she sees something off
just one bit on her patient, she jumps right on it to make sure they are well taken care of and always
follows up with them.She is really great at talking patients who are anxious being in a hospital and really
makes them feel comfortable staying here.She also makes sure her patients really do genuinely understand
their plan of care.She will stay late, skip her break, or come in on a day off to put others first and to me
that shows so much passion for her job.
2017 Award Nominee
Nancy Arredondo
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jillian Arevalo:
I take great pleasure in nominating Nancy for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award in
Critical Care. She has been a nurse in the trauma ICU for the duration of her nursing career and is known
for her high standard of performance. Nancy cares for her patients and family members with respect and
dignity and is a great asset to the Intensive Care, as well as, Renown. Nancy is well respected by her peers
and appreciated by her patients because of the way she treats others. Nancy passes through each highly
stressful day with ease. She takes on change and adapts to the fast paced, trauma driven environment, as
if she has been a Critical Care Nurse her whole life. Nancy strives for excellence in problem solving and
patient care. I take pride in having Nancy on our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Samantha Arreguini
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Lynette Rubbo:
Sam is an outstanding example of professional nursing. Since I met her working on Medical Nephrology I
knew she was an example I wanted to learn from. She is caring, professional, efficient with all patient and
family interactions as well as with her peers. Sam leads by example and always jumps into her work and is
willing to go the distance. Sam does not leave work undone and will ride it out no matter the issues. I have
always admired her work ethic and she inspires me to want to do more and be better in my role. Sam has
mentored me when I was a baby nurse. She was stern yet gentle. If there is a procedure to be done, she is
the first to say, "well let's go get it done" without hesitation or concern for what it is. I still will ask for her
advice with our new role of Hospitalist RN because she is steadfast and accurate with her work. There was
a time she needed help to move a patient in bed and a physician said no to assisting her. She was
absolutely mortified because Sam would never in her wildest nightmare refuse to assist someone,
especially a patient that needed help. She is my role model and I appreciate what she dose and how much
she has grown all the while teaching me to also be a better nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Samantha Bagshaw
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Ryan Rasmusson:
Samantha Bagshaw is an amazing nurse. When I first came to the operating room to train, I knew that she
was a person that I could learn a lot from. She was my preceptor one day and the pre-op nurse didn't have
our patient ready yet. Instead of complaining, Samantha offered her assistance to speed up the process.
The pre-op nurse and the patient were very grateful. Samantha was responsible for a great catch earlier
this year as well. She had a patient that had a facial fracture and needed surgery. Everything for this
patient stated that they were to do surgery on a certain side. The note by the surgeon and the consent said
the same thing. Sam noticed that the patient had two black eyes and wanted to verify that they were doing
surgery on the correct side. She knew what the consent and what the note said, but she did not stop there.
She opened the patients x-rays and took a look. She noticed that the opposite side was the side with the
fracture. Samantha then notified the surgeon about her findings. The surgeon then consulted with a
radiologist and found out that his note and consent were wrong. If not for Samantha, they would have done
surgery on the wrong side for this patient. These are two of many examples that show just how great of a
nurse Samantha is. She is committed to providing great patient care. She is an extremely valuable member
of our team.
Nomination from Rick Williams Rn:
I would like to nominate Samantha Bagshaw for Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in the category of
Medical/Surgical. Samantha came to the OR from the Emergency Department where she was a supervisor.
Samantha brought with her great critical care skills and has transferred those over to her surgical nursing.
Samantha quickly picked up the skills needed to perform as an OR nurse to where she can do specialties
from open heart to robotic surgery to orthopedics to neurosurgery. She is always helping others when not
assigned and shares her vast knowledge with everyone. She always has a positive attitude and jumps into
the toughest cases. She is requested by multiple surgeons to run their line.
2017 Award Nominee
Jackie Bailey
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Carolyn:
Jackie is an outstanding nurse. She is very knowledgeable at what she does. She is willing to help out when
things get tough on the floor. All her patients lover her and the employee love working with her. She
always comes to work ready to go. Her hard work and positive attitude is refreshing. You can really tell she
cares about her patients. She got nominated last month for service excellent award and totally deserved
that and so much more. Whenever a nurse needs assistance and help, Jackie will be the first one to help
out. No matter if it's her patient or not, Jackie will go into the patients room and assist the patient. Thank
you so much Jackie for all that you do for this unit and all of your hard work.
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
Jackie is a vibrant nurse with a charming congeniality that endears her to her patients. Her patients tell us
they love her. She is kind, thoughtful, thorough, and compassionate. Not twice, not five times, but eleven
times in one month patients recognized Jackie as being the best! "She took time with me" , "She didn't rush
me, answered all my questions", "Jackie is a peach", "I had the best experience ever", "Jackie was a lifesaver, she made a list and answered everything, absolutely everything", "When I left dad, Jackie said, "I'll
be here, I won't go far, and I'll take care of him like he was my dad. I cried all the home, not because I was
said, but so relieved for dad. I got the sleep I needed and came back to find Jackie holding dad's hand. I
cried all over again" Nurses are the best gift."
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Bakke
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Chelsea Zielinski:
This nomination is for Jessica Bakke, the current NICU manager at Renown Regional Hospital. Jessica
started her nursing career in the NICU at Renown, and has grown into a true role model for the
department. The unit underwent major changes this past year, with the loss of the current manager and a
supervisor at the same time, Jessica as a supervisor was left as the only leadership for the entire unit.
Despite the burden of running the entire unit, she immediately stepped up to the plate and accepted the
challenge. Despite countless 50-60 hours weeks, she was determined to keep things running smoothly, and
to create a new leadership team which the staff would admire. Within a short time, Jessica had recruited
two new supervisors, and applied for and attained the manager position. The leadership team that has
been formed is now truly one that the staff respects and looks up to. After years of struggle to form a
strong leadership team for the NICU, Jessica has achieved that goal. Her dedication to the unit, and her
commendable decision-making skills have completely turned around the entire culture of the NICU. The
staff and leaders have finally become a cohesive team. Jessica's dedication to making the NICU an amazing
place to work has truly made an everlasting different. She is an amazing leader, and is flourishing as the
manager.Each and every staff member would agree with these statements regarding her commitment and
dedication, and to her accomplishments. The staff always knows she has not only the best interest of the
unit, but also the best interests of the staff members in mind. She is extremely approachable, and you will
always catch her smiling. Everything that exemplifies a strong leader, Jessica has in her back pocket.
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Baker
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Meghan Stice:
On my first night shift in a new ICU, my first patient started crashing upon arrival to the unit. I had
oriented on days and didn't know any of the night shift staff. Melissa made a huge difference both for me
and my patient by instantly being supportive, friendly and welcoming as well as sharing her wealth of
knowledge. Her sense of humor immediately helped ease the stress of a unique and disorienting situation
for me and instantly made me feel welcome in a strange place. After working with her more, it became
evident that she exudes this attitude with everyone and all of her patients. She was a bright and welcoming
person in a foreign place to me which made all the difference. No doubt her personality and nursing skill
provide the same sense of welcoming and inclusiveness to all her patients and other coworkers as well.
2017 Award Nominee
Casey Ballinger
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Jill Dowty:
Casey Ballinger always puts her patient's first. As a new graduate nurse, I have seen her grow into a
loving, caring nurse who can handle some of the hardest situations that we see here in the Cardiac
Intensive Care Unit. She is always willing to help out her neighbors and is a great team member. She has
gained great time management skills and is not afraid to ask for help when needed. I am glad to have
Casey on my team as she grows as a nurse and makes our unit a safer, happier place to work every single
day.
2017 Award Nominee
Rebecca Balcao
Carson Tahoe Continuing Care Hospital
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This nurse has a way of quietly going about her work while making a huge impact on her patients and
colleagues. She combines a very high level if expertise and a wicked funny sense of humor to calm and
disarm those in her presence. She has a way of taking complicated information and making it accessible to
her patients. Her warmth and dry wit make Becky Balco a person that almost everyone looks forward to
seeing every shift...both patients and staff. Becky cares very deeply and is committed to her patients which
is evident each and every time she's on shift.
2017 Award Nominee
Jesse Barney
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Emily Brown:
Jesse demonstrates our core values here at Renown. He is Caring, always kind and compassionate toward
his patients and his co-workers. He has Integrity, always honest and accountable for his actions. He values
Collaboration, always focused on how he can help accomplish goals. He strives for nursing Excellence,
always aiming for the best possible outcome. He thinks creatively to solve problems and often offers new
ideas to better the team. His coworkers enjoy working with him and feel supported by him as charge. As a
new nurse he already demonstrates innate nursing judgment and he has an obvious desire to learn and
gain experience. I have no doubt he will have a successful and meaningful nursing career.
2017 Award Nominee
Taralynn Bassham
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Randi Starks:
Taralynn is a results driving leader. In her short time on neuroscience she has implemented strategies that
have improved patient safety and quality outcomes. Taralynn took a deep look at the number of falls on the
unit. She spoke to front line staff about barriers to patient safety and took swift action to remedy these
concerns. In one month Taralynn and her team reduced the number of falls by more than 50%!! It took
constant attention and rounding on Taralynn's part. She was transparent with the falls and made sure her
staff received education regarding lessons learned from each event. She looks outside the box to find new
and innovative ways to keep decreasing the unit's falls. Taralynn seeks out information and ideas from
other departments and organizations. She is determined in her goal of zero falls. Taralynn sets her
expectations high because she knows her staff can reach the goals. She is truly hardworking in making
sure the staff are supported. Taralynn makes rounding with her staff one of her top priorities. She turns
complaints and concerns into solutions with ease. The RNs and CNAs know that they can count on
Taralynn for anything they need. She gets to know each of the staff on a personal level so she can make
genuine connections and it's making a difference. Neuroscience has had a 100% retention rate since
Taralynn became the manager 6 months ago. Taralynn took a once scattered and chaotic unit and flipped it
upside down. She united the team and focused their efforts toward a common goal of optimal patient care.
Med-Surg is incredibly lucky to have her expertise and driving efforts in our module. And I am very
fortunate to get to work with her so closely each and every day. She's more than the manager on the other
neuro unit, she's my neuro sister.
Nomination from Jimmy Lao:
This nurse made a smooth transition from critical care to medical surgical nursing. Her tenacity and
passion for high quality nursing care shows in her work ethic not only as a leader but as nurse. She
recently took the challenge of managing a large neuroscience unit at Renown Regional Medical Center.
Coming from critical care, she had to learn a different kind of nursing and lead seasoned nurses in a field
that is unknown to her. She immediately made an impact by focusing on their staffing retention and quality
measures. She engages her staff in improving their critical thinking skills and competency by giving them
educational opportunities. She is a leader who brings out the best in everyone through servant leadership
by engaging her staff in developing processes to improve their infection rates and fall incidence. She
collaborates with her nurses in addressing the needs of their unit through shared accountability. She
builds up her nurses in aiming for better practice based on evidence, employee engagement by
collaboration, and improves patient satisfaction by raising the nursing standards. Neuroscience will have a
bright future because of her dedication and commitment to nursing and quality. Her tireless effort will
diversify and elevate the nursing practice of neuroscience nurses in the months to come because of
numerous projects and changes she is about to engage in. This leader inspires and motivates greater
heights because of her ability to lift others.
2017 Award Nominee
Janet Baum
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Allison Saunders:
Janet became a nurse supervisor roughly about a year ago. She jumped in with both two feet and has taken
this role to a new level. Janet leads by example every day. She is not only helpful to her team members but
a ear for them to talk too. Janet has stayed late on many occasions to help our new grad nurses succeed.
This includes talking with them, listening to them, and helping them in every way possible. Her team looks
to her for direction. She exudes confidence in her decision making which helps the unit flourish. When she
is challenged by a new situation, Janet takes the time to process the situation, think outside the box, to get
the situation solved in a smooth manner. Janet is someone I am so glad I get to work with everyday. She
makes me strive to want to do better and more. I am thankful to work with someone that takes the time to
make a positive impact on the unit.An example of the impact Janet makes is - the other day we had a nurse
who had a patient die expectantly. This nurse was very upset by this situation because she couldn't be
there for that patient in his time of death. Janet sat with this nurse for about forty-five minutes to an hour,
allowing her to grieve. She gave her words of encouragement and let her know that she was there for her
and if she needed anything that she was there for her to reach out too. When I talked with this RN right
after Janet did she was so thankful to have a leader who would take the time to listen to her. Another thing
Janet does is she will make sure the RN's are taking their lunch breaks. She rounds on every nurse every
hour and when they are feeling overwhelmed she will tell them that she will help them and that they need
to go eat or take a second to get off the unit to recollect themselves. She does this without hesitation and
puts herself last to make sure our patients as well as our team is taken care of. These are just little things
Janet does. Again Janet has the passion and drive to help our team be successful and I am thankful I get to
work with her everyday.
2017 Award Nominee
Jesumariae Belleza
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Ashbel Curry:
I would like to nominate Ace for for being a great team player. She provides great care and shows
compassion toward her patients. She always has a smile on her face even when overwhelmed with tasks at
hand. She is always willing to come in extra for her busy unit. She is dependable and her patients trusts
her great ability to take care of them. She is always willing to help her peers. She is knowledgeable and
seasoned nurse and I'm so grateful that she decided to join the telemetry team. She brightens the
atmosphere everytime we see her in the morning. She is just a great nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Charles Benninger
VA SNHC
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Michelle Reynolds:
Mr. Benninger is an excellent leader who inspires/encourages other to succeed. He leads by an example.
He would not ask anyone to do a job that he wouldn't do. He collaborates with the interdisciplinary team as
well as non-licensed personnel to enhance veteran centered care and uses her gained wisdom to provide
exceptional holistic care. He practice and exemplifies the VA Core Values of integrity, commitment,
advocacy, respect, excellence, and appropriate judgment. He provide leadership in all matters impacting
clients and staff by demonstrating professionalism and by maintaining trust in protecting staff privacy
regards to knowledge gained in a titled leadership position. He assures staff compliance with policies and
procedures and documented learning of new programs for 100% of staff. He is an outstanding leader!
2017 Award Nominee
Kristine Bena
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kristine Strand:
it's not often that you come across a person who makes the world around them a better place each and
every time they come to work... every time Kristine touches another human being they smile brighter than
before.., she creates an environment in the pre op setting that allows the costumer/patient to feel
welcome...to feel like they are the only people around at that moment...she mentors people to show them
how to successfully fulfill there desire to be the best patient advocate they can be ...to create an
environment that fosters growth AND DEVELOPMENTSHE IS THAT NURSE..THE ONE YOU ALWAYS
LOOKED UP TO AS A CHILD...THE ONE WHO MADE YOU BELIEVE THAT each and every day we effect
those around us...we help shape there expectations for the future...we bring light into the darknes AND
HOPE to all whom we encounter....we are the nurses ...we are the caring...we are the heart....we are the
hope ,,,,thank you for allowing us to care for youKristine has lived the life, walked the walk...she now
deserves the recognition for being the best preceptor...the best advocate..the best person...whom can care
for all those around us that need that extra special touch to get through the day and life changing event
that has brought them to our door.
2017 Award Nominee
Victoria Bennett
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Caitlin Evans:
I am nominating Victoria for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement Award because of her wonderful
approach to emergency nursing. Victoria has a peaceful nature, that translates to a quiet support for her
patients and puts new nurses at ease to provide a safe environment for learning. Victoria has had success
with training newly graduated nurses making a seamless transition into real-world nursing. Victoria is
ready and willing to help her coworkers with any tasks. She takes the initiative when the department has
an obvious need. Victoria is gentle and sweet with her patients, educating well and providing comfortable
treatment during an uncomfortable situation. I am happy to have Victoria as part of my team.
Nomination from Katie Mauldin:
Victoria is an incredibly amazing nurse. She is kind, caring and compassionate to all her patients as well as
to staff. She is hard working, efficient, and very knowledgeable, but she is also a quiet person who
deserves some recognition. Victoria always puts a smile on her patients' faces, and she ensures their safety
at all times. She will help her coworkers out without having to be asked, whether it is helping with a super
sick patient, checking in an ambulance, or even with simple tasks like stocking the med room, IV carts,
linens, etc. She always ensures her rooms are ready to go at the start of the shift with everything she
neesd. Victoria explains all procedures and instructions to patients clearly, and clarifies anything that the
physicians may not have fully explained clearly. She ensures they have a safe way home or to a shelter or
wherever upon discharge. Victoria is an amazing nurse and deserves credit and recognition for all her hard
work over the years. Thank you Victoria!
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Victoria Bennett for the award category in Emergency Nursing. Victoria displays an
exemplary attitude in nursing and is a dedicated nurse at Saint Mary's. Victoria has a compassion for her
job that no other nurse exemplifies. She is always willing to lend a helping hand with her fellow coworkers. Recently, she has been training new graduates and new hires in the department and is a role
model for these new nurses. She is confident, yet humble, and is an asset to the Emergency Department.
Thank you Victoria for everything that you do to make Saint Mary's what it is today. You are an exceptional
nurse and I am so grateful to work with you.
2017 Award Nominee
Emma Bermudez
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
(Considered for award in Critical Care, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Richard Elmquist:
Carson Tahoe Hospital ICU unit is so proud to nominate Emma Bermudez as Rookie of the Year. Emma's
positive attitude, intelligence and friendly nature has quickly made her a favorite among patients and staff.
Emma has a thirst for knowledge and is always seeking out new learning opportunities. For example,
Emma felt that she didn't know enough about pacemakers so she decided to teach a pacemaker station at
our annual skills day. She did an awesome job, educating both new and experienced nurses alike. Emma is
attending school to continue her nursing education and I have no doubt that she is going to be a super star
in our profession. Emma's work ethic, positive energy and smile is contagious. We are so lucky to have
Emma Bermudez as a member of our Critical Care staff.
Nomination from Sarah Key:
Emma is not a new nurse but she is new the the TCU/ICU so I'm not sure if Rookie of the year is correct.
Emma worked in long term care prior to coming to the ICU at CTH. She has attacked her new position
with an enthusiasm that is contagious. Emma jumped in and helped with our education day. Her board on
pacemakers was the one of the most creative I have ever seen. She is quick to jump into any situation to
provide assistance and to learn. Emma always has a smile on her face, she is a pleasure to work with. The
patients that have her has their nurse are truly blessed.
2017 Award Nominee
Meagan Bertotti
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Jen Torres:
Meagan is an exceptional nurse. She is a leader in the Pediatric Emergency Room department. One
particular patient she took care of has often stood out in my mind. She cared for an infant that shows
significant signs of distress. These signs were not being recognized by others. She continued to escalate
the care of this child. She advocated for a patient and family who could not advocate for themselves. This
infant was discovered to have necrotic bowel and required emergent surgery. This infant is alive today
because of the compassion and advocacy she had for this patient as she has for all her patients. She is a
true inspiration to the Nursing profession.
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Bernaldez
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jillian Arevalo:
Melissa has recently stepped into the Supervisor of Clinical Nursing in the trauma ICU and settled right
into the perfect position for her. Melissa is a natural leader; dedicated, inspiring and empowering. She
takes pride in the successes of the unit and Nurses. Melissa supports an environment of collaborations and
empowers everyone to achieve their best by offering development opportunities to new nurses and
encouraging each nurse to be an impeccable caregiver. She helps promote a positive work-life balance, as
well as, holding each nurse to the highest standards and accountable for their own actions. Melissa looks
to better the Sierra ICU, as well as, the organization as a whole. She is an exemplary choice for the
Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award in Clinical Leadership.
2017 Award Nominee
Candice Biddle
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Jennifer Brabbin:
Flexibility is one of the most important qualities of a great nurse and Candice is the first person that comes
to mind when I think of this quality. To work in a maternal child float pool is like being able to work every
floor of an acute care hospital and Candice does it with skill, compassion, and flexibility. She takes care of
critically ill children to oncology children to pediatric psych patients to premature infants to new mothers
and infants...and every other pediatric diagnosis in between. She is an amazing asset not only to our team
but to our families and the children we care for in the community. It takes great skill & passion to be as
flexible as Candice is in the nursing profession!
2017 Award Nominee
Rochelle Binnell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Melodie Brooks:
It is my honor and a privilege to nominate Rochelle Binnell for the 2017 Northern Nevada Nurse of
Achievement Award in the category of "Clinical Leadership". I first met Rochelle in her supervisory role in
the Emergency Room. As a nurse educator, I frequently arrive early in the morning to round with the night
shift and would communicate with her each morning. However, I never imagined how influential our
relationship would become nor the magnitude of leadership and guidance she would bestow upon our
unit.Rochelle is the type of leader that weathers the storm no matter what the situation. In her supervisor
role she over sees the entire emergency department and Level 2 trauma center. Guiding the day to day
operations of an extremely hectic emergency department. Recently, she has assimilated the role of acting
manager on two separate occasions and this is where her talents have ignited into an exceptional leader
under extreme conditions of chaos. One amazing attribute Rochelle possesses is her ability to comprehend
the global aspects of the department. She foresees the needs and requirements of the unit, such as the
amount of front line staff required to care for patients. Prior to Rochelle, the department lacked the
amount of individuals required to completely man the department. Since her appointment, as acting
manager, she has miraculously recruited and hired numerous people. She works tirelessly to maintain this
very significant element of leadership. Another extremely important leadership characteristic Rochelle
owns is her ability to lead in times of crisis. An example of this recently occurred. The emergency
department is the patient access point in any hospital, not having the ability to transfer admitted patients
from the emergency department to the floor impedes the department's ability to move patients. Rochelle,
immediately took action, reassuring the staff and the other leaders, assimilating the charge nurse
responsibilities, collaborating with others to find space for patients, calling in extra staff and executing this
with a smile on her face and a sense of reassurance, which was comforting to the staff and patients.
However, I feel her most valuable quality lies in her mentorship. Having a mentor like Rochelle has giving
me a firm foundation to stand upon. No matter how busy she may be, she always finds time to meet and
counsel with me. Moreover, any issue brought to her is addressed and an answer is given. Furthermore,
her infectious smile would brighten anyone's day. It is for these reasons and so much more, I am
nominating and feel, Rochelle is so deserving of this award.
2017 Award Nominee
Stacia Bletcher-Hooft
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Katie Adams:
I have worked with Stacia for seven years now and every day is a pleasure. Stacia is a kind and
compassionate nurse who can give her patients expert nursing care while also having a lot of fun. Fun (in
my opinion) is the most important part, because we work with cancer patients. Some may argue whether
"fun" is what we should be worried about on a cancer unit. I think this question is best answered by the
inspirational Maya Angelou who said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget
what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."Stacia's ability to make people smile
and to find a common interest allows her to lay the foundation for a productive and healing nurse/patient
relationship. These relationship leads to trust and becomes invaluable to those patients who have various
procedures and treatments that are downright scary. Stacia's patients look to her for guidance and
reassurance, which she provides exquisitely. Stacia also has the ability to convince angry or mean patients
to open up to her and shed their hard personas. This is a very important skill, because our patients need
support and direction which can be difficult to provide if patients are closed off or unreceptive. Stacia's
love of nursing and her ability to relate to people of all backgrounds makes her an excellent candidate for
this award. I am honored to work with such an exceptional nurse and friend. Thank you for your
consideration of Stacia Bletcher-Hooft for the 2017 medical/surgical nurse of the year.
2017 Award Nominee
Summer Block
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Shelby Hunt:
Promoted over a year ago, Summer was awarded the clinical supervisor position due to her ongoing
involvement in department initiatives and rapport with staff. She was the hospital's and departments first
Clinical Supervisor and has help mold other departments in adopting this new role. She served as a charge
nurse for over 8 years and continually demonstrates herleadership and strength in our department.
Summer Block is an emergency department nurse who hastaken it upon herself to be an actively involved
staff member ensuring she knows department and hospitalpolicies and procedures, understands and puts
to fruition department initiatives, empowers her peers, andis eager to continue to grow as is expands her
knowledge base but also benefits the department. She has chosen to continue her education by pursing
her master's degree (initially just obtaining her BSN) and has adopted knowledge learned in her classes to
her environment. Additionally, she is a super-user for our electronic health record, oversees new hires in
the ED ensuringCompetence for the population of patients we serve, and performs frequent chart audits
ensuringcompliance. Summer is an asset to our department, her peers, and our patients. Thank you for all
you do!
2017 Award Nominee
Alison Bohlander
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Deborah Morse:
Alison is an exceptional choice for nurse of achievement in critical care because that's what she is
exceptional. Alison is a wonderful nurse. She is such an asset to our critical care team. Alison is an
excellent mentor for our new nurses that she orients to the unit. She's a wonderful resource with her skill
and knowledge of ACLS, her years of experience as a trauma nurse. She cares very much for her patients
and their family's. Alison is the nurse that I would trust with my life and that of my family. Alison I'll be the
first one to jump in and we have a particularly difficult trauma patient scenario. She also is one of our
charge nurses that's always willing to help and check in with us and is well respected by our doctors.
Alison deserves this nomination and much more.
Nomination from Jillian Arevalo:
Alison has a passion for healthcare. She is a nurse in the trauma ICU at renown and is well known
throughout the hospital for her compassion and energy. She encompasses the true meaning of a critical
care nurse. Alison thrives as a first responder in the trauma bay and until the patient is stabilized. She not
only takes immaculate care of her patients, Alison is empathetic and nurturing towards the families. The
combination of her high standards and experience make her an excellent mentor to other nurses. Alison's
adaptable nature, impeccable judgment and devotion make her an excellent candidate for the Northern
Nevada Nurse of Achievement award.
Nomination from Tiffany Broce:
I would like to nominate Alison for the critical care nurse of achievement award. She has been a nurse for
9 years and I have had the pleasure of working with her for the past 6 years. Alison is a valuable leader of
our team in the Sierra ICU. When she is charge nurse she supports her staff and makes herself available
when needed. She supports our new graduate nurses by anticipating their needs and acts as a role model.
She is an exemplar team player which solidifies our culture of team work. She seeks out opportunities to
further her education and has obtained her CCRN. Alison is an advocate for her patients by communicating
their wishes to the interdisciplinary team.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Bowden
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sacha Heidema:
I would like to nominate Jessica Bowden for Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. Jessica is a
wonderful nurse who not only gives excellent care to her patients but also frequently assists her coworkers. The particular instance that I would like to nominate her for was on an exceptionally busy day. A
patient who was assigned to another nurse coded and passed away. Not only did Jessica assist with the
code, but she saw that her co-worker needed help. Without anyone asking her, she assisted with postmortem care and helped to make sure that her co-workers' other patients were cared for too. Jessica is an
extremely hard worker. She is a wonderful asset to the Telemetry team, and I am very grateful to have her
as a co-worker.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Brabbin
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Denise:
I would like to nominate Jenn for Nurse of Achievement. I have worked with Jenn on the Pediatric Unit for
her whole career. She started as a as a CNA and it was immediately clear that she would be a nurse. Her
intelligence, assertiveness, and great communication skills all enhance her ability to care for her patients
and their families. She is a leader on our unit and shines in her role of charge nurse and preceptor.
Families are comforted by her knowledge and ability to establish quick rapport with their children. During
her career she was faced with a significant moral/ethical conflict with one of her peers. The issue was very
difficult for her but she was able to work through it and come back stronger than ever. She is dedicated to
our profession and frequently finds innovative ways to make the unit work better. She identifies problems
and also offers solutions to these problems. Jenn is very deserving of this nomination and I would like to
see her be rewarded with this award. Again it is my honor to nominate Jenn for Northern Nevada Nurse of
Acheivement.
2017 Award Nominee
Sheila Brady
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
Sheila is a clinically outstanding registered nurse who after a year is one of the best preceptors for new
graduate nurses and new experienced nurses to our unit. She is calm and cool under pressure and I will
vouch for her dedication to her patients as a compassionate yet relentless advocate for what they need.
Toward the end of summer we had the pleasure of taking care of a man who was becoming increasingly
confused, and agitated. As Sheila was going through his admission assessment questions with him and his
wife, she noticed an awkward response or lack of response from his wife, looking down, not speaking
unless spoken to, her body shifted slightly sideways away from facing her husband. She left quickly as he
yelled at her. If I recall correctly he had an unusually high blood sugar. Then a bit later he pulled out IV's,
he pulled off his oxygen. Nothing Sheila tried calmed him or helped, especially with IV access missing.
Sheila did what she had suggested others due that she oriented, go get help from someone else. She found
Carolyn Rees, one of our Lifetime Achievement nominees, to help her. Three times they revisited the room
to try a variety of techniques. Then there was a commotion heard, he became not only agitated, but
aggressive. He pulled of his oxygen again; ripped out his new IV went into another room and threw a chair
into the window shattering the glass that he then picked up a shard of glass and said, "Now I have a
weapon". The staff wisely closed the door and phoned the police. A canine officer team appeared with
another two officers. They went to the room and started a conversation that was met with the expected
vulgarities that abruptly stopped the moment the dog barked. His head was suddenly clear and he got in a
wheelchair his feet bloody and full of glass. The police remained as Sheila and Carolyn painstakingly
removed every piece of glass and gently wrapped his wounds. To me the ultimate test of most nurses is to
muster the kindness and compassion to care for someone after they have been threatened by them,
especially like this situation.
Nomination from Carolyn:
Sheila Sheila Sheila, What an outstanding nurse!! Incredible skills and so knowledgeable. She is the nurse
that you want to have when you are in the hospital. Her positive and friendly attitude helps the patient feel
more comfortable and relaxed. All her coworkers lover working with her. Her smile and bubbly personality
just makes you want to work with her and be around her. Sheila is great with her patients, good to her
coworker, and nice to everyone. No matter what is going on, on the floor, Sheila is always willing to help
out, even if it's her patient or not. I can't say enough about this girl. She ROCKS!! Thank you for all that
you do for this unit.
2017 Award Nominee
Carrie Breakell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Caitlin Stack:
Carrie is an excellent nurse, she goes above and beyond to ensure her patients have a great experience.
She is a compassionate team player, hard worker and very professional. She is always happy and smiling
and ready to work and help out wherever needed. Carrie is one of our primary preceptor's. She is patient
and explains things clearly to our new nurses and makes them feel welcome. She continues to advance her
own personal knowledge and has recently completed the MSN program. Nurses like Carrie are hard to
find and we are blessed to have her as a part of our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Addie Brixey
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Tiffani Lenzi:
Addie has grown exponentially within her past year as an Emergency Department nurse. I remember her
first night as Trauma Nurse Team Leader (TNTL) , she was excited and scared all at once. After many
shifts as TNTL, Addie was advanced into the role of charge nurse. I don't know if you've ever had the
privilege to come to our emergency department, but if you have you will know being charge nurse in the
only level 2 trauma center in northern Nevada is a HUGE job. Addie quickly and confidently became one of
the best charge nurses we have in the department. She is an amazing support to her peers and the
department but most importantly to her patients. Addie has a very special presence about her; she is kind,
caring, calm, professional and knowledgeable in the field of emergency nursing. Watching Addie interact
with her patients is it evident that they feel safe and confident in Addie's nursing care. She is always quick
to offer a kind word and therapeutic presence. Not the kind of presence where you are just there, but she
truly takes the time to sit and be present with her patients. Addie is a one of a kind, I wish we could clone
about 100 of her; it takes someone special to possess the leadership qualities and caring capacity that
Addie possess'.
2017 Award Nominee
Heidie Briant
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Patricia Crepps:
Heidi has taken o the role of a clinical nurse leader by assisting new nurses with time management,
adhering to policies, assisting with new procedures and being an extra hand to help out when they feel
overwhelmed. Heidi has been in a variety of roles and performs each one well. Previously she was an ICU
nurse and always helped out nurses no matter which ICU she landed in on a shift. With her paramedic
background and ICU experience she is always a valuable resource to all the nursing staff. When she was
asked to take on the role of mentor/preceptor to the new graduates, she did so willingly. Heidi's approach
to the new nurses is non-threatening, always nurturing and designed to help them succeed. With her
understanding and in-depth knowledge of nursing, Heidi made a true difference in the nurses she has
assisted and should be recognized for her clinical leadership and helping to transition and retain these new
nurses.
2017 Award Nominee
marco Brito
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Becky Haase:
I want to nominate Marco Brito for nurse of achievement in the category of advocacy. He is the Nursing
Administrative Manager and a true advocate for the staff in our hospital when he is on. He has
responsibility for the entire hospital and all nursing units. One can be assured that when he is on, he will
do everything in his power to help patients receive the best care and give nurses the support they need to
provide that great care. Here is some of the feedback received about Marco from different staff on the
units:"Thank you so much for your help on our unit today when I was drowning. I can't express how much l
needed your help nor how grateful I was to get your help. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even think
straight. Thank you for helping to walk and even toilet our patients today. You were a team player today
and I am so grateful for you and everything that you did to help me out. Thank you for letting me get off
the floor for a minute to recollect myself/"'"Thank you Marco for starting the collaboration with respiratory
and nursing so that the transfer center could keep Hav-bed updated with the correct information
needed.""Thanks for doing such a great job during downtime on the 18th. Your quick action to help us fix
our BCA printer allowed us to print our MARs and get our medications to our patients on time and you r
frequent updates were appreciated. Thanks for all your hard work!""Marco is creative and amazing when it
come to arranging staff so that the needs of Renown South Meadow's patients have the nursing care that
they need. He is pleasant and incredibly helpful."These different examples show how he's an advocate and
an innovator in his role. He needs to be creative and forward thinking when situations arise. He has a very
calm demeanor whi.ch helps others feel better about their crisis in the moment He encourages teams to
help one another and see how things can be done differently. He is truly an asset to our organization and
very deserving of this award.
2017 Award Nominee
Teresa Bridgewater-Gamboa
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Sacha Heidema:
I would like to nominate Theresa for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement award. Her positive
attitude and willingness to help make her a valuable asset to St. Mary's hospital. The particular instance
that I would like to nominate her for occurred when I unfortunately had a blood exposure. Although it was
not her job, she took time out of her day to walk me through the exposure reporting process, accompanied
me to the ER to have my blood drawn and helped me to complete all of the necessary paperwork. Although
we do not work in the same department, she is always willing to help. Her kindness and cheerful attitude
make her a please to work with.
2017 Award Nominee
Emily Brown
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Taralynn Bassham:
I would like to nominate Emily Brown in the category of clinical leadership. Emily recently became a
supervisor and her transition into the role has been easy and seamless. She advocates for quality patient
care and is always looking for ways to improve the unit. She genuinely cares about every single patient
that is on the unit. We have a patient on the unit that has been with us for 3 months, he has a traumatic
brain injury and has slowly been rehabbing. Due to being in the hospital for so long he has become
depressed. Emily goes out of her way every day to bring him little things to make his stay better. For
example over Christmas all he wanted was a beanie to wear on his head. Emily made it her mission to
search for a beanie for him to wear. She found a knitted one and brought it to him. This small act of
kindness made his whole month. You frequently will see her on the unit answering call lights, assisting the
staff and rounding on patients. You can always count on her to come in and help doing so with a smile and
a positive attitude. I am privileged to have her on my leadership team.
2017 Award Nominee
Jay Brownson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Jennifer Perks:
Jay exemplifies exceptional patient care. He deserves the rookie of the year nomination due to his
outstanding care for his patients and coworkers. A recent example of this is when he was providing care to
one of his patient's for the day when he noticed that the patient's wife was not feeling well. He began to
further investigate the situation and noticed she had a patient armband on her wrist herself. Jay inquired
with her if she had recently been hospitalized. Feeling comfortable with Jay, the wife confirmed that she in
fact had just been a patient in the hospital and discussed with him her medical diagnosis. The wife
informed him that she was discharged from the hospital however upon leaving was contacted that her
husband was being admitted to the hospital as well. After continued thoughtful questioning, it was clear to
Jay that she was in need of additional care and support. She confided in Jay that she did not want to leave
her husband's side and that she was extremely worried about him. Most importantly, she had mentioned to
Jay how she was unable to fill her prescriptions and pick up her much needed medications. She did not
want to leave her husband's side during his time of need. Sensing a clear need, Jay looked up and found
the closest pharmacy open for him to help the wife obtain her medications. On his lunch break, Jay drove,
filled, and delivered the medications to the wife so that she could stay at her husband's side. This instance
is one of many examples in which Jay has gone above and beyond expectations to not only helps Renown's
patients but their families as well. Additionally Jay works extraordinarily hard to help our patients, staff,
families, etc. as well. He regularly volunteers for extra shifts, both day and night. Jay took the initiative to
apply for Renown's high potential program and was accepted. He is actively seeking a leadership role and
has numerous goals for himself and Renown. This is rare for a brand new nurse. He models Renown's
mission, vision, and values every day. Jay is a excellent RN and should be awarded the Rookie of the year.
He is dedicated, hardworking, kind, and always is looking for ongoing opportunities to improve the lives of
our patients, families, and coworkers. Thank you Jay for always being an outstanding nurse, an informal
leader, coworker, and friend. Your hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed!! Keep up the great
work and thank you again!!
2017 Award Nominee
Kelsey Brown
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Grace Cremer:
When I think of patient advocacy, the first name that comes to mind is Kelsey Brown. Kelsey has been a
hospitalist RN for about a year. I first met her when I was a bedside nurse, and about 9 months later she
trained me as a hospitalist nurse. Our role is complex, but our main goals are to ensure patients are
getting the appropriate care and to ensure a safe discharge. On innumerable occasions, Kelsey has gone
above and beyond to provide for patients needs. One particularly busy day when Kelsey was training me in
my new role, we had a patient with a brain injury very upset, trying to leave the hospital without proper
work up and no safe discharge plan. Multiple staff members including myself attempted to calm the patient
and convince him that staying in the hospital was the safest option for him, all to no avail. Kelsey was calm
and patient and spent time with the patient and his family until he was calm and willing to stay. Because of
Kelsey's tenacity, the patient remained in the hospital until it was safe for him to leave. Had she given up
and moved on with her day, there is no telling what could have happened to that patient. This is just one
small example of Kelsey's dedication to her patients and profession and why I am nominating her as an
excellent representation of patient advocacy.
2017 Award Nominee
Mary-Ann Brown
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Ms. Brown deserves to be recognized for her leadership, dedication, and commitment to nursing in a
variety of settings. Ms. Brown not only works to ensure hospice and palliative services are availcble to
appropriate patients, but she ensures the services are the highest quality and based on sound evidence
based practice. She not only dedicates her time to her full time position but also serves her community by
sitting on multilpe state boards. She works to ensure nurses in Nevada provide patient centered, high
quality care. Her passion is palpable and she strives in all of her roles to put patient safety in the forefront
of her mission.
2017 Award Nominee
Michael Brooks
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Carol Elliott:
Mike and I have butted heads for over fifteen years. We have also been in trouble together. And all has
been for the concern for and care of the surgical patient. The operating room is a realm unto itself, not
resembling any other nursing entity. With his many years of experience Mike is able to handle issues from
surgeons, anesthesia and operating room personal, each of whom thinks their concerns should take
precedence over every one else. I have seen the gentle side of him as well as the stern side. I have a great
respect for him and his ability to listen, weigh and make a decision. He is definitely a nurse of
achievement!
2017 Award Nominee
Tiffany Broce
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Tiffany Broce is an all-around wonderful nurse. She consistently provides wonderful patient care, and she
is genuinely invested in the overall good of her patients. She has been the unit champion and leader of the
skin team in the sierra intensive care unit, showing how dedicated and passionate she is about the wellbeing and care she is providing everyone that comes into the hospital. She is very educated regarding skin
and is such a wonderful resource to have within the unit and hospital. She always has a smile on her face,
and her mood is uplifting for her fellow nurses and patients.
Nomination from Alison Bohlander:
Tiffany exemplifies what a critical care nurse should be. She is calm under pressure, advocates for her
patients, is a member of multiple committees, and is a great resource to the new nurses in the unit. Tiffany
is an active member in our unit based shared governance. She uses this role to improve the work
environment and make the needs of the nurses known to leadership. She is also a member of our unit
based and hospital based skin team. She uses this role to improve the skin outcomes of our patients. She
brings new and creative ideas for ways to improve skin. I have witnessed Tiffany being a calm, caring and
knowledgeable resource to new nurses. She is a challenging preceptor to our nurse apprentices and new
nurses. Tiffany is not afraid to ask physicians for what she thinks her patients need. She is a critical
thinker and will represent her patient when they are unable to.
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Buchanan
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This nurse works the night shift on a psychiatric crisis triage unit. She applies her former experience and
expertise in various emergency rooms as well as a deep understanding and compassion for the human
struggle. Her calm and receptive presence puts people who are at their most vulnerable or stressed state,
at comfort and ease. She is resourceful and extremely competent in addressing anything that comes her
way in the night time hours. Mary Buchanan is a highly skilled, reliable, and genuinely sensitive person.
We are so fortunate that she chose Northern Nevada as her home and place to practice her career in
nursing.
2017 Award Nominee
Sarah Buchanan
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Dawn Osterman:
Sarah is a great colleague and one that I am proud to call friend. She takes pride in her chosen profession
and more specifically, her specialty. She is always striving to learn and gain knowledge. While one would
hope that all APRN's would take pride and always want to learn more, she is that APRN that is always
willing to share her knowledge and teach her colleagues. This is what I appreciate her most for. She does
not act like her knowledge is a guarded secret. She is eager to educate me or any nurse or medical
professional that asks for her help. We hear so much about eating our young in the nursing profession and
it is refreshing to see someone with the opposite persona. She has "helped" me and many others on several
occasions. For that, I think she is a nurse of achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Bridgette Budre
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Amy Hawkins:
Bridgette was caring for a patient in the ER on night shift who was placed on comfort care due to his poor
prognosis and quickly declining condition. His daughter was at bedside in the ER and followed him up to
the floor. However, there was still a very important member of the family who wasn't here to be with him
for his last hours, his wife. Bridgette asked about his wife and she soon gained the knowledge that his wife
was very frail and lived at in a local care home. Bridgette spoke with the daughter about going to get the
wife and bring her here however the daughter was hesitant to leave her fathers side. Bridgette told the
family she would figure out a way to get her here. Bridgette took it upon herself to call a taxi cab to the
ER, get into the taxi cab and drive to the care home. Bridgette accompanied the patient's wife back to the
hospital and took her up to her husband's room to be with him in his last hours of life. This creativity in
problem solving in the middle of the night coupled with advocacy for her dying patient is the reason why I
am nominating Bridgette Budre for Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement award. She showed that she
truly cares about her patients and provided such patient focused care to provide for his mind, body, and
soul.
2017 Award Nominee
Andrea Burdette
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Carla Adams:
Andrea is a House Supervisor with an amazing amount of positive energy, enthusiasm, critical thinking
skills and knowledge with the ability to have fun in a serious hospital environment. Andrea is one of those
people who lives in the moment and makes it evident that nursing is her passion. She thinks a lot about
improvements and puts together recommendations routinely with willingness to help. A recent example is
she noted that staff struggle at times with the death checklist feeling that it did not flow in a manner that
helps the nurses expedite all that needs done. She revamped and added things, then took it to the staff for
feedback before even proposing the changes. That's Andrea, she does her homework and then offers
problem with a solution. Andrea also communicates beautifully internally and externally. She works nights
so her connections with the other local hospitals are routine as she builds bridges in sharing needed
information. Andrea knows how to recognize others through gratitude. She often compliments a staff
member or team for superb dynamics by emailing their director and administration so others know and
may join in positive recognition. Andrea also is also a wonderful cook and brings goodies she bakes for the
various departments as a way to say thank-you to our amazing teams. I feel safe when Andrea is working
as she knows the needs of our patients, staff and physicians and is committed to honor life's journey as she
strives for greatness!
2017 Award Nominee
Penelope Burke
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Ralph Nitollama:
Penny is a nurse and not just a nurse; an extraordinaire nurse! She works in the cardiac ICU at Renown
Regional, part of the wound/skin team which meet weekly to assess pt's in the hospital at risk for pressure
ulcers, part of the pulse team - which helps with retention at the cardiac unit, and is also a relief charge
nurse. She is an active, dedicated member of our unit with great attitude. She is knowledgeable with
policies and is always willing to help nurses around her. I had an experience having my first code chill and
Penny was there to help me go over the policies. She is willing to spend time as charge nurse to help her
nurses- she is approachable and a great resource! Thank you Penny all the time!
Nomination from Matt Polak:
Penny took care of a challenging patient and family that required emergent open heart surgery. The family
was very anxious and critical of every movement that we made. Penny took her time and was diligent
about explaining all the things that she was doing in a calm manner that everyone could understand. The
family had fired many great nurses but requested her back. Penny has this quiet presence that everyone
should experience. She is a person that can just listen and does not have to say a word and everything will
be ok. Penny has submerged herself into becoming a better nurse not only for her patients but for our unit
as well. She comes in early, leaves late, sticks around to help after meetings and truly loves helping others.
She has joined committees and is a vital component to help oversee the success of everything that she
does. We are blessed that she is a part of our team and one extraordinary nurse. I would be honored if she
took care of any of my family members.
Nomination from Allison:
This nurse has newly become a charge nurse as well for our unit. She is so kind, understanding, helpful
and approachable. I have seen her remain calm in difficult situations and take the role as a leader with a
kind heart. I would love to nominate her and let her know what a joy she is to work with. She works in the
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit taking Open Heart Surgery Patients, participates in our Rapid Response
Team, and takes her job as a charge nurse very seriously. I want to nominate her so as to create a unit that
resembles her qualities all the way around
Nomination from Elaine Clore:
To be "a great nurse" one must learn to master a multitude of abilities. Nurses are asked to provide
wonderful patient care, do so without error, have exemplary time management skills and most of all be
able to offer support to your fellow nursing staff. A great nurse is one that is knowledgeable and can direct
others towards resources to obtain answers in the future. They smile often and are always willing to help.
On CIC, Penny Burke embodies these traits better than most. You can find Penny at the bedside, asking
her patients about their day and interests, checking in with family to make sure everyone is taking time to
eat and rest. You can find Penny rounding with other nurses, asking if they need help with turns or linen
changes. As a charge nurse, Penny advocates for her staff by ensuring safe assignments, being a second
pair of hands as admits come in and most of all providing guidance. She provides a sense of calm during
our frequent codes and ensure that everyone debriefs after the event. Penny is compassionate, impeccable
with her word and steadfast. She is a perfect example of what "a great nurse" should be.
2017 Award Nominee
Tara Burns
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Mona Carico:
It is with great pleasure that I nominate Tara Burns for the Outpatient Nurse of the Year. Tara works in the
Oncology Outpatient Infusion Department and is known for her high standards of performance and
compassion. She always goes the extra steps for her patients and makes sure they are safe. She decided to
specialize in Oncology and worked hard to get Nationally Certified as an Oncology Nurse. She is very
instrumental in coordinating care with the physicians and the patients. Tara is highly respected by her
peers and loved by her patients. She is a positive member of the team and is efficient and thorough with
her work. Her experience, great clinical thinking skills, compassion, integrity, and teamwork makes her a
role model to others. Tara provides excellent care to her patients, often going the extra step. She believes
in doing what is right for her patients and fights for it. She shows great concern for the welfare of others
and finds solutions to difficult challenges. Tara has shown great leadership skills and is always finding the
good in everyone. She loves educating and talking to the patients and gives them lots of support. And, no
matter what kind of day it is, Tara is always smiling. She is a great asset to our organization.Thank you for
considering Tara Burns for the Outpatient Nurse of the year Award.
Nomination from Karen Lynn:
Tara exhibits a caring, compassionate nursing care daily in an office setting, where it can be hard to form a
nurse:patient relationship in a short time. She listens to each patient with intent and takes each patient
concern addressing all questions and concerns with care, professionalism and kindness. It can be hard to
easy a patients concerns in an outpatient setting patients are often scared and nervous. Tara greets them
with caring concern and eases most fears expressed by patients with education and a kind smile. Many
patient will come back years later to see her and update her on how they are doing cancer free or new
babies, or new grandbabies. The bond that is forged by her care and compassion with patients speaks
volume of her nursing ability to connect and provide quality care.
2017 Award Nominee
MaConcepcion Buslon
VA SNHC
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Erin Lippert:
As an RN with years of Med-Surg and ER experience, moving to an extended-care unit like the CLC, is a
different kind of learning experience, and requires a different type of skill set and mind set, at times. RN
Buslon realized that even with the advanced skills she gained from previous units, there are skills that she
still has to learn for this unit, such as, inserting a subcutaneous port for hypodermoclysis and learning how
to use a pleur- x drain. During her orientation, RN Buslon volunteered to be certified in these skills and
take every opportunity to perform the procedure correctly on the patient. She familiarized herself with the
unit and hospital policies. She read books about Gerontological nursing. RN Buslon now has improved
confidence in the performance of procedures and taking care of the patients on the unit. She received
excellent feedback from her colleagues and patients. RN Buslon has been a preceptor to GNTs and new
nurses as well as nurses with experience. She quickly oriented to the charge nurse duties and stepped into
the charge nurse role after only 5 months of working the unit. She has proven to be an asset to the unit
and effectively and efficiently adapted to her new role within the unit. She exemplifies flexibility in
nursing, adaptation to change, and powerful work ethic in all she demonstrates.
2017 Award Nominee
Blake Butier-Belgard
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Christina Dyette:
Blake is not only an exceptionally compassionate nurse, but an incredible human being. I am so amazed by
the tenderness she has when caring for her patients. The moments she spends with her patients and her
families are truly meaningful and worth recognizing. To be a rookie nurse is tough, and it can be even
more challenging in the ICU. To have grace and compassion in a difficult situation is a lesson not easily
learned, but Blake has done this with ease. I can think back to a day I had several weeks ago. I was charge
nurse and I had just been lead on the third code that day and was mentally and emotionally exhausted. I
sat down in my office to take a moment and my phone rang. I reluctantly answered. It was the daughter of
a patient Blake had cared for. I listened to the tearful gratitude she expressed for the remarkable care
Blake provided to her mom. She went on to describe how she was a CNA and her mom has been a nurse
with Renown for many years, one of our very own. She explained to me that Blake had been with them
when her mom was critically ill and on the verge of death. Blake took the extra time to provide
explanations and support even with many competing priorities. She even picked up an extra shift so she
could care for her mom another day, promising after that she would be back to care for her the following
week. I hung up the phone after several more minutes of praise and compliments to our team. I was so
astounded and proud of Blake. As nursing leaders we can educate and mentor a new grad, but true
kindness cannot be taught, and Blake certainly puts her patients at the center of her care. Fifteen minutes
later as I staffed the unit for nightshift, my phone rang again. It was the girlfriend of a patient that
transferred to telemetry several days ago. She phoned me from the actual hospital room after requesting
the ICU charge number from their tele nurse. She told me she felt compelled to recognize this amazing
nurse who helped save her loved ones life....this nurse was Blake. She went on to thank Blake and made
me promise I would give her some form of recognition. I assured her I would gladly. I left the conversation
feeling incredibly inspired. This rookie, this new grad, had made such an impact on these two different
families. Hearing the admiration and love in their voices renewed my passion for nursing and the great
work we do every day for our community. Thank you Blake, you truly are rookie of the year!
2017 Award Nominee
Kim Butler
Renown Rehabilitation Hospital
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Melodie Osborn:
It is a pleasure to nominate Kim Butler for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement, Administrative
Leadership Award. Kim recently joined the Transitional Care team to develop the Quality and Patient
Safety Program across the post-acute continuum of care. This is a difficult task because each area is
regulated, operated and reimbursed differently. While there are no models to follow, Kim has worked
diligently to develop a quality program that spans the continuum. Additionally, Kim initiated our first IHI
Culture of Safety Survey for the Health Network. This survey was a critical piece for our leadership team
to understand the perceptions of safety from the front line staff in order to develop a plan to elevate our
thinking and actions around patient and staff safety. Kim is very passionate about developing a culture of
safety. She recognizes that as leaders we must demonstrate our commitment to patient safety in order to
change culture and perceptions.
2017 Award Nominee
Shannon Butler
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Randi Starks:
Shannon joined Neurosurgery less than a year ago. It didn't take long for Shannon to be recognized as an
outstanding nurse. Don't let Shannon's quiet demeanor fool you. She is a strong patient advocate. Shannon
gets to know each and every one of her patients on a personal level. Knowing her patients so greatly allows
her to detect small changes that make life saving impacts. Her keen assessment skills allowed her to notice
the early signs of a stroke in one of the patients she was caring for. Shannon responded swiftly and
diligently to get the patient to the ICU. This patient was lucky to have Shannon's knowledge and skill with
her that night. Shannon's nursing excellence doesn't end there. She provides the highest quality of care
that often only comes from many years of experience. Shannon has identified two separate pressure ulcers.
She implemented pressure ulcer prevention protocols to reduce risk and increase wound healing.
Shannon's ability to recognize these has put her on the Neurosurgery's skin team. This allows Shannon to
share her expertise with her team members. Shannon's quality also extends to patient experience. During
leader rounding it became apparent just how much she cared for her patients. I often get to hear about the
amazing care she is giving to our patients. The best compliment came several weeks ago. A gentleman had
a cervical surgery. Due to complications with a previous surgery, his wife was anxious and worried about
her husband. The patient stated that Shannon was "amazingly attentive". She took the time to answer
every question with compassion. Shannon went out of her way to make sure the patient and his wife had
all the information they needed to feel comfortable. They called Shannon his "night shift angel". Being able
to comfort and ease stress and anxiety is the greatest asset to being a nurse. Shannon has proven that she
can be a calming presence for her patients and their families. Our unit and its patients are grateful to have
such a bright and caring nurse. Shannon has come so far and I look forward to her growth as she
continues on this wonderful path of nursing.
2017 Award Nominee
Wendy Butler
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Richard Crisostomo:
I would like to nominate Wendy Butler for the critical care category. Wendy has continued to provide care
to the children in this community for over twenty years and her passion has not withered. An example of
this passion is during a time when a critically ill child was brought into the emergency. She responded to
assist. As the team continued to care for this child she helped the parents by providing warmth, comfort,
and a box of tissue. Even the simplest gestures can go a long way. She never forgets why she is a pediatric
nurse and continues to provide light even during the darkest times.
2017 Award Nominee
Stephanie Caffery
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kim Kuehn:
Steph is a very knowledgeable nurse who instills confidence in others around her. She is always willing to
share her knowledge with others even if it seems "too dumb" in the eye of the new nurse. I've seen her
patience with new grads in intense situations and she is always willing to lend her knowledge of open
heart patients. Open heart patients are some of the most critical and intense patients this unit receives in
their immediate post-op period and Steph is going above and beyond to help reform our training program
with our open heart educator. I've been a nurse in cardiac ICU for over 3 years and I recently became
heart trained and requested an extra training day with Steph specifically because of her knowledge and
expertise in this field. Steph is a kind, compassionate soul and she takes her time to help her peers and she
is respected by her coworkers and her patients. She gives quality care and is a great example of what it is
to be a nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Corri Callahan
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Jenn Allen:
Corri is an incredible ER nurse. She is caring, compassionate, and is quick to respond when her patients
condition changes. One of Corri's patients took to the time to write her a recognition form. Patient
Michelle states " In December I went to the ER for bleeding (I was 17 weeks and 5 days pregnant). When I
came in I had no clue I was having a miscarriage until I started having the worst pain ever. Corri did
everything to make me feel more comfortable until my husband go there. She even rubbed my back and
really made me feel like she cared. I miscarried my baby before my husband got there. I couldn't stop
crying. She stayed with me to make sure I was OK. I don't know if I could of held myself together without
her. Corri really touched me and my family that day more than she will ever know. Thank you so much
Corri you are the best!"In addition Corri is our infection control champion and has been helping to
inservice and educate her fellow team members to reduce infections and complications from central line
insertions. She is truly model ER nurse and shows this every day.
Nomination from Shawna Zorio:
Corri provides exceptional care to each and every one of the patients in her care. She went above and
beyond advocating for a patient that delivered a fetus during her 2nd trimester of pregnancy during her
ER visit. Corri contacted the labor and delivery dept at Renown Regional Medical Center to obtain a "kit"
for fetal demise as a momento for the patient, compassionately and concretely honoring her loss. Corri was
exceedingly compassionate and competent while providing her exceptional care; meeting all of the
patient's physical, emotional and psycho-social needs effectively prior to comfortably discharging the
patient to her home.
2017 Award Nominee
Beverley Campbell
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Marissa Camarena:
Beverly is such a phenomenal RN/Coworker I don't know where to begin with her.She lives quiet a way
from our hospital but shows up early every time and ready for the day. She even picks up extra shifts on
her days off to be here helping her team keep a balanced patient to RN ratio.She always keeps her patients
so confident choosing Renown as their place to stay and often hear them say they will come back again
because of the care she has given them.She makes sure her patients and their families understand their
plan of care clearly and makes sure their questions are always answered. She is definitely a team player
and shows amazing leadership skills on the floor.
Nomination from Poeth Kilonzo:
Beverly started her nursing as a new grad at South Meadows, she was the shy nurse, the task oriented
nurse, as time went by things changed , she became more communicative, she smiled more and she started
to really teach and talk to her patients. I have watched Beverly get out her shell and become very
confident in her self as a nurse. Beverly challenged herself and became a mentor and then she also became
our South Meadows Shared Governance chair. It amazes me when I look back at the very shy young nurse
Beverly who now walks with her head up high and is able to meet the nursing needs of her patients.
Beverly has an infectious laughter even when the unit is stressful and busy she makes us all smile because
no matter what is going on she keeps a positive attitude. Her attitude is a great model for our younger
nurses in our Unit who look up to their more experienced colleagues for guidance and role model. Beverly
loves what she does and her smile reminds us everyday why we choose nursing she makes our unit a better
place to work.
2017 Award Nominee
Corinne Canavero
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Caitlin Evans:
I am nominating Corinne for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement award because of her constant
striving for better patient care and excitement for learning. Corinne does a wonderful job in every station
within the emergency department and is a joy to work with. She is understanding of her coworkers and
patients, working through difficult situations and helping create a safe space for learning and healing.
Corinne loves knowledge and loves to share her knowledge with the utmost respect and humility. Her
excitement for education and research spreads to others, resulting in a department that desires to strive
for an increase in knowledge for their own sake and for the sake of their patients.
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Corinne Canavero for the award category in Emergency Nursing. Corinne has been a
nurse in the Emergency Department for several years. She is a "wealth" of knowledge and is always willing
to assist other nurses with her knowledge. Corinne is an advocate for her patients and displays a
compassionate and caring attitude toward each and every patient she takes care of. Corinne also is a
leader in that she teaches ACLS and PALS classes to other nurses. Corinne has chosen a new path to
continue her education and will be entering into the NP program at UNR. Corinne will definitely be
missed. I have had the privilege of working with Corinne for several years and she is definitely one of my
favorites!!!
2017 Award Nominee
Candace Carter
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Victoria Lanski:
It is hard know where to start when talking about Candy's nursing career and why she deserves to be
awarded the Critical Care Award. I guess the only way of doing this would be to describe one of many
times Candy has stood out from the rest of her peers. Candy had accepted the assignment of a patient that
would be admitted from PACU and a patient that had just been intubated. The patient from PACU had a
blood pressure of 40s/30s and a heart rate of 40s. She immediately jumped into action getting a physician
at the bedside and started to mix some vasopressors to help keep the patient's blood pressure up. Candy
was also able to suggest pressors that would help with not only the blood pressure, but also the heart rate
to the physician. While this was happening, next door her other patient began to desaturate into the 80%s
despite the highest ventilator settings. She was able to suggest and anticipate that the patient needed
paralytic therapy. She was able to manage two decompensating patients at the same time, two doctors
giving orders, and the families of the two patients. She was able to manage all of this while remaining cool,
compassionate, professional, and following all the hospital's policies strictly. Candy continues to shine as
such a great resource and moral boost to our unit. She is constantly a shinning beam of sunshine to all
those around her. Her patients and the patient's family has nothing but praise for the care that they
receive. She has been such an inspiration to our new grads and all those around her. This is why Candy
should be awarded the Critical Care Award!
Nomination from Jennifer James:
Effective time management, and the ability to remain calm and focused during a tense situation, in any
nursing setting is something that takes some nurses years to develop. This nurse has demonstrated
incredible time management and the ability to provide efficient, crucial care early in her nursing career.
With just over a year of experience she demonstrated incredible time management and delegation skills.
One night this nurse was caring for a critically ill patient that needed very high ventilator support. During
her shift this patient became acutely unstable with hypoxia and shock. At the same time this nurse
admitted a second critically ill patient from the PACU. This patient was in shock following their procedure
and needed urgent attention. This nurse maintained a calm demeanor and was able to prioritize immediate
and lifesaving tasks appropriately, allowing her to delegate to her peers. She performed exceptionally well
during a very stressful situation. These two patients received outstanding, compassionate care because of
this nurse's professionalism. This young woman is not only proficient, but highly competent, and is often
used to help mentor new staff. She always explains to her preceptee's how to handle various situations, to
help ensure they are prepared for any type of change in their patients or emergency. She loves to teach
and has helped grow some great new critical care nurses. This nurse has a strong future in nursing and is
very deserving of the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement nomination in the category of Critical Care.
2017 Award Nominee
Lisa Carney
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Ryan Rasmusson:
Lisa is a great circulator. She specializes in circulating urology and robotic cases. Lisa has taken it upon
herself to become as proficient as possible in urology and robotic cases. Surgeons are appreciative when
she is in their room because they know that the surgery will go as smooth as possible. Lisa has built
relationships with the surgical team so that the lines of communication are open and they all work
together as a well oiled machine. Lisa provides great care for each patient she comes in contact with and
she makes sure that each patient is as ready as possible for surgery. Lisa is a great member to have on our
team.
2017 Award Nominee
Lora Carlson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Natalie Nicholson:
I have witnessed Lora grow from a thoughtful, caring hard working nurse into a strong, knowledgeable
nurse leader. What makes Lora a strong nurse leader is her compassion and empathy for patients and
employees, her thirst for knowledge, her positive attitude, and her ability to stay calm during high stressful
situations. She also has strong communication skills, is attentive to details, holds staff accountable and has
natural born leadership skills. Lora has a beneficial ability to be self-aware, being self-aware allows her to
understand what her personal strengths are and any limitations. Which in turn she uses her strengths to
benefit her patients, employees, co-workers, and the team while working on removing her limitations. Lora
has a very strong work ethic, thinks outside of the box and is never afraid to ask questions or speak up.
Lora truly makes a difference in her patients and employees lives. We are fortunate that she choose to
come work in Labor and Delivery, choose to go into leadership and I am excited to see her continued
growth and where her career will lead her.
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Cartagena
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Brandy Smith:
This nurse has the patience of a saint. Working on a psych unit has its own challenges. I have seen time
and time again where the nurse decides that medications is the only option. This nurse does find that
medication can be useful and understand it is important to keep these patients on their daily regimen.
However, if it is only a PRN medication she will do everything in her power to keep the patient calm and
their needs met without over medicating them. Sometimes that means that she walks the hallway with the
patient letting them tell her about the reasons they are drepressed, their goals for their hospital stay, their
goals upon discharge. She always make the patient feel that they have value and that they are not an
inconvience. She speaks to them in a gentle tone but lays down the boundaries first thing so there is no
miscommunication or question about what is expected ot how the unit is run. In addition to her
extraordinary patient care she also makes sure that her team is looked after and taken care of. For
example, one of the techs was in a male patients room where he was being sexually inappropriate. She told
the tech not to go in that room anymore because she would not stand for that type of behavior so she
would take care of all his requests.
2017 Award Nominee
Trina Carter
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
Although, I have only worked with Trina for less than a year, I see that she is an amazing nurse. The first
day she came down to the Emergency department to shadow I knew that she would be a great addition.
She has proved herself to be a great nurse. She is great at communicating with patients about POC, wait
times and procedures. I have received many comments from patients and their families about the
wonderful care they get from her. She is attentive and emphatic with her patients. Watching her grow as
an Emergency nurse in the short time I have known her makes me sure that she is going to do great
things.
2017 Award Nominee
Vania Carter
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Lady Militante:
Vania just recently started with Saints, however in that short period of time that she is with us, her
patients loved her and are raving about the high level of care that Vania had provided them. She is very
thorough and spoke through the language that her patients would understand to have a grasp and better
understanding of their illness. Vania has great follow through and makes sure that her patients are well
taken care of. That all diagnostic testings she ordered are being sent and all medications are sent to her
patient's pharmacy. She calls the patients personally every couple of days to check and see if they feeling
better. Saints is very lucky to have a provider who is committed in providing excellent care to her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Freda Castro
VA SNHC
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Heather Tucker:
Freda is a pleasant and caring nurse and has been a joy to work with. She is constantly caring for
everyone. She takes very good care of her patients with a kind, patient and caring demeanor. She is also
constantly caring for everyone around her. She has a lot of experience in Emergency Nursing and she is
always willing to help her co-workers. She has a great skill set that is valued by everyone in the
department. One situation was when a patient was in need of oxygen for home use and was unable to get
any. Freda went out of her way to make phone calls to ensure the patient had what he needed.
2017 Award Nominee
Lindsay Casci
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Richard Crisostomo:
I would like to nominate Lindsay Casci for her expertise and commitment to the children in our community.
An example of the passion Lindsay has when caring for kids shows everyday when she comes to work. An
example of this is when Lindsay cared for patient who was transferred for a higher level of care. The
complexity of this patient involved a multidisciplinary approach. Lindsay was empathetic towards the
family and showed compassion. She continued to go above and beyond for this patient. The care she
provided to this patient set a standard for others in the unit that was admirable.
2017 Award Nominee
Zina Catipay
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Zina is an amazing supervisor. She is compassionate and accomodating to all her staff. Zina makes time to
help new nurses excel in their new practice. Zina recognizes nurses that are struggling and provides
encouragement and guidance to help them florish. Zina will write notes to nurses recognizing individual
achievements and making nurses feel like an asset to the floor. Zina expects the best of her nurses and will
push them to become better by giving them projects or asking them to attend educational classes and
teach the rest floor. I feel that Zina has made me into a better nurse and am grateful to have such an
amazing supervisor to guide me as a new nurse.
Nomination from Melissa Cartagena:
This nurse is a supervisor on a med/tele floor. The patients have become more acute in the recent years so
she has stepped up her staff support. Whether she is talking to us about personal problems and helping us
find resources to ease our stress, taking an assignment because her nurses are over ratio or the acuity
level is extreme, teaching us about new policies, or encouraging us to follow our hearts and do whatever is
best for our future in our careers she always smiles, talks to us with respect and leads by example. As for
patients she has a very calming way and can diffuse just about any situation that arrises whether it is an
angry and abusive patient or someone who doesn't want to be in the hospital and wants to leave AMA she
can convince them to do the right thing. The patients love that she rounds on them to make sure they are
getting the care that they are expecting.
2017 Award Nominee
Amee Grace Caudilla
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Amee should be rookie of the year because her nursing practice demonstrates compassion and respect for
each unique patients while committing to ensuring that the patient receives the most appropriate care. I
remember when Amee had been 2 months after her new graduate orientation and she was assigned an
elderly male patient. During my patient rounds, he told me how impressed he was Amee. He explained to
me that he was a very private man. He was notified that a young woman and a stranger would be helping
him use a urinal. He told me the lengths Amee went to ensure that she helped maintain his safety and
create an atomsphere of privacy. He said he was mortified by the idea, but with Amee not only did the
embarrassment go away, but he also felt relieved. Our patient further explained that Amee was
professional, kind, compassionate, respectful, and knowledgeable. She was very articulate when providing
his care such as giving his medications. She explained to him the side effects and purpose of plan of care
in a way that not only helped him understand, but also gave him a sense of security. He told me how
grateful I must be to have such an experienced and professional nurse working with me. I told him I
agreed wholeheartedly because I was proud of the progress Amee had made from an insecure new grad to
a confident and autonomous clinician.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Caufield
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Emily Stone:
Jessica Caufield has worked as a critical care nurse at Renown Regional Medical Center since 2008 and
she transferred to PACU in 2014. Our department is extremely fast-paced and demanding; we often
recover over 70 patients in a day, many of whom are critically ill. Jessica is known in PACU as an excellent
critical care nurse who can handle any situation that comes to us. She keeps her cool and functions as a
resource for the staff. I go out of my way to be her podium partner so that I can work with and learn from
her. She is our go-to preceptor and mentor for new nurses to our department. She has gone through back
surgery herself and has therefore known as our "back specialist" giving us a new perspective on how to
care for spinal fusion patients. Working with Jessica is real treat, she provides compassionate care than is
genuine and meaningful for her patients. Recovery nursing is a true art and science and we are extremely
lucky to have such an excellent nurse on our team.
2017 Award Nominee
John Cerny
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
Jack is like no other nurse I have ever worked with in my 26 years of nursing. He possesses a unique
combination of skill and personality traits that make him a living breathing gift to whomever receives his
care. In the early days of his career, he wanted to contribute to the underserved indigenous tribes along
the banks of the Amazon River. What he's actually done is educate and advocate for people who struggle
with behavioral health challenges. Working with Jack is like watching an artist. He is always looking for
how best to serve every person he comes in contact with, going above and beyond what is expected of him
in almost every interaction.
2017 Award Nominee
Cristina Chastain
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Chelsea Zielinski:
This nomination is for Cristina Chastian, a truly admirable NICU nurse at Renown Regional Hospital.
Cristina came to Renown over 2 years ago when she returned to the area, and brought with her many
years of invaluable NICU experience as an RN. She was immediately loved by all the staff, not only for her
great attitude, but her truly caring nature. Cristina is amazing in that she is eager to share her knowledge
and experience with new staff, and always seeks out opportunities to teach and orient. New nurses always
seek her out to ask questions, and if she doesn't have the answer, she will always find it. Her willingness to
teach new nurses is truly admirable, and is a characteristic often hard to find in the world where we "eat
our young". New nurses line up the get to orient under her, and seek her out as a mentor as they grow. In
addition to being an amazing preceptor and mentor to staff, Cristina truly brings her caring compassionate
nature into her nursing care every day. The families of the infants she cares for have nothing but good
things to say about her, and cannot wait to have her return to take care of the babies again. Her gentle
touch and soft tone make even the most anxious mothers be at ease in the ever stressful environment that
makes the NICU. Cristina excels with any situation she is put into, whether that be a term infant with an
anoxic brain injury whom parents are trying to determine if they want to withdraw care, and also to the
infant screaming as they withdraw from the heroin that they became addicted to in the womb, while still
being compassionate with that mother sitting at the bedside. She knows the right things to say to families
in each and every situation, and will always provide the families the support they need and deserve. For
her admirable mentoring and orienting skills, and her caring and compassionate nursing practice, Cristina
is a strong role model to our unit, and truly a role model in the entire field of nursing. She is what
Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement represents.
2017 Award Nominee
Caren Chealander
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Denise Baumann:
CAREN IS CARING IN EVERY ASPECT OF HER JOB HERE AT THE CALL CENTER, WEATHER SHE IS
HELPING US GET OUR PATIENTS AUTHORIZATIONS, OR HANDLING PATIENT CALLS. SHE EMBODIES
EXCELLENCE IN HER EVERY DAY DEALINGS WITH HER COWORKERS, PATIENTS, INSURANCE
COMPANIES. SHE IS VERY KNOWLEGEABLE AND PROFESSIONAL WE HERE AT THE CALL CENTER
LOVE HER AND ARE LUCKY THAT SHE IS A PART OF OUR TEAM. SHE IS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO WORK EVERYDAY AND WORKING WITH HER! SHE IS A
PERFECT FIT WITH OUR ORGANIZATION AND IS EVERYTHING THAT RENOWN IS AS A COMPANY.
2017 Award Nominee
Hyun Chin
REMSA
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Elaine Messerli:
REMSA's Nurse Health Line was introduced in November 2013. Hyun was one of the founding nurses for
the NHL. She brought over 30 years of clinical and call center experience with her to this new position. As
a new project, there are many challenges, frustrations, rewards, and feelings of accomplishment as its
popularity and success developed. This nurse held true to her belief that appropriately trained nurses can
manage and support callers by utilizing evidence based protocols which lead to a recommendation of the
most appropriate level of care ranging from sending an ambulance if having emergent symptoms all the
way to staying home with home care instructions. This nurse completed 56 hours of specialized training
and certification to be proficient in using the evidence based protocols developed for nurses. She has
proven that she can achieve effective and standardized clinical assessments, then assign an appropriate
recommended care level. This is not an easy job to do when you take away all the human tools we use as
nurses to assess patients. In providing care to the 2500 callers into the Nurse Health Line each month, this
nurse relies on her experience, knowledge, and appropriate protocol use to be successful. She must be
attentive to what the patient says, use her expert knowledge and assessment skills, listen attentively to the
caller, and clarify all information given to her. This nurse deals with callers of all types; new mothers with
questions or concerns about their new baby, callers with questions about influenza symptoms and when to
go to the doctor, to elderly callers who may be having stroke or cardiac symptoms but are just not sure if
they should bother the doctor. This nurse provides optimal alternative care for low-acuity patients, while at
the same time identifying emergencies and transferring callers to the 911 system. Her expertise in her job
helps reduces the demand on all emergency services in the community. As the first Accredited Center of
Excellence for the Emergency Communication Nurse System, REMSA holds the nursing staff to high
standards set by the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch. This nurse has maintains exceptional
quality calls. Her compliance to the process along with her consistent patience, kindness, empathy and
true caring in this new environment is impressive. This nurse has evaluated approximately 4000 patients,
and 97% of her audited calls have earned a high compliance rating!This nurse practices in a fast paced
high efficiency emergency communication center. She is dependable, caring, calm and unassuming in her
work. She calms the most distressed callers, cares for the anxious callers, and supports her team members
to do the same. She is a mentor, a role model, and a team member of a unique team of nurses who are part
of an innovative community family, REMSA. Her dedication to health of our community is obvious each and
every day. I truly believe this nurse is most deserving of the 2017 Nurse of Achievement Award in the
category of Community Health.
2017 Award Nominee
Robyn Chiasson
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Alysha for the last 2 years. Prior to me working with her she took
care of my grandmother in the CVU after she had open heart surgery. I knew that my grandmother was in
the best hands. She provides amazing care and compassion and education to her families. Alysha became
Charge nurse about a year ago in the ICU/CVU. I have watched her develop into a strong leader. She is
small but mighty. She brings control and organization into chaotic situations. One of Alysha strongest gifts
is the ability to teach. I have learn so much from her with the new technologies recently brought into our
department. Alysha makes she knows the equipment inside out then teaches us how to use it. The way she
teaches helps us all retain the information.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Christoph
Renown Skilled Nursing
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Tara Bastola:
She has high passion with all patients or residents. She sincerely cares about them because she is not
totally dependent on CNA's. She answers patient's call lights promptly. She doesn't mind to answer or
doing extra works for the patients. She is not only great with the patients, furthermore, she has respect to
her subordinates, i.e, CNAs. She is very polite to patients, CNA's and all other staffs. She shows confidence
and trust to CNA's that they are doing their job the best they could. She compliments CNA's as she she
them rushing in and out of patients' rooms.
2017 Award Nominee
Sandi Churchill
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Betty Barats:
Sandi is a wonderful supervisor. She is always available and is always there to support our nurse's and
patients in the homecare setting. If I have a question or a concern, she helps me directly or shows me
where to obtain the answer to my question. She is kind and never fails to acknowledge the work that I do.
She respects my judgement. Homecare can be very stressful since we do not have the immediate access to
medical care available in the hospital. It is very reassuring to know I can pick up the phone and get the
support I require to better care for my patients. She is available to relieve me of obtaining emergency care
so that I can attend to the patient's needs. She always has my back.
Nomination from Deborah Allison:
Sandi Churchill is a nurse Supervisor at Home Health. She has about 13 direct reports that depend on her
daily for assistance, guidance and moral support. She always responds in a positive manner, even when the
response is not what the clinician wants to hear. Sometimes leadership is not popular with the clinicians,
but Sandi is well respected by her clinicians. She always promotes an open door policy. She also handles
the majority of the client calls, often dealing with angry patients, and always takes the extra time needed
to deal with the patient and resolve the problem. She is empathetic with clients, allowing them to verbalize
their frustration without judgment or defensiveness. She is a role model for the Home Health staff and her
co-leadership team.
Nomination from Lyle Engler:
Sandi role models great clinical leadership. As a nursing supervisor for Home Health, she ensures that our
staff are supported so that they can provide excellent care. She is always available to our staff to answer
questions, direct care and ensure that the right things are happening for our patients. She is an expert at
the complex home health process and is OASIS certified, lending her expertise to the assessment and
documentation process. She is always calm, and has a sense of humor that can make a difficult day better.
Our staff frequently comment on how helpful and accessible Sandi is. they always feel supported. Her high
clinical standards assist us in our goal of perfect care.
2017 Award Nominee
Tyler Cirac
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
Not every shift goes as planned and sometimes everything goes wrong, and this situation happens far too
often in our profession. Tyler was charge nurse for our unit, when a patient coded and passed away. The
family struggled with their passing and were emotional, and Tyler was there with them when they were
having one of the most difficult moments they will ever experience. They were upset and angry, and they
needed Tyler to listen, so that is what he did. They family met with me the following day and expressed to
me how Tyler was the most compassionate nurse and he was there for them by just letting them express
their sadness. In their time of grief, they acknowledged that Tyler was there for them during a very
difficult time, and that his patience and understanding helped them get through it just a little bit easier.
Although, this situation was a very sad situation for all, Tyler was reinvigorated with inspiration on why he
chose to be a nurse, to help and care for people. Our team is so fortunate to have such a kind and
compassionate nurse that is selfless and always put patients and their families first.
2017 Award Nominee
Heather Cisar
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Erin Van Kirk:
Heather is the educator for OR at Renown. She has spent many years cultivating her famous "Surgical
University" to train new staff to the OR setting. She brings over 10 years of experience to the role and has
embraced the role model and leadership qualities that the job requires. She is widely sought after for her
expert clinical knowledge of the OR and its practices. Many different types of students that come to the
hospital benefit from a shadowing experience in the OR. Heather goes out of her way to accommodate
students and make their learning experience valuable and relatable. Due to the specialty skills and amount
of training required to work in this setting, it is imperative that interested students and nurses alike get
ample opportunity to experience a day in the life of a surgical nurse. Through her efforts, Heather has
contributed to the retention and recruitment for the OR at our hospital and continues to be a valuable
member of the surgical team. Recently the hospital adopted the WHO Checklist into the surgical
processes. For the surgical area, there was a huge rollout effort to get all the staff educated and trained to
the new checklist. Heather and her educator counterpart developed a simulation learning experience
whereby the staff could practice with the new checklist and get feedback in a comfortable learning
environment. She was instrumental in the success of this initiative that will help reduce the number of
medical errors related to surgery. Heather has been loyally devoted to our surgical team and the level of
professionalism and integrity she brings to work everyday is commendable. I respect her, I admire her, and
I enjoy working with her. Thank you for all you do!
Nomination from Carol Morgan Elliott:
The operating room is a different place for nurses and not an environment for everyone. But someone who
presents the best reasons and finest example as an operating room nurse is Heather Cisar. With her calm
demeanor and a passion for surgery, Heather has engaged and enticed would be circulators to let go of
their fears and face intimidating situations. She is patient and kind and offers the support needed by her
mentees. Many a candidate would have succumbed to retreat if not for her. Her experience and knowledge
of the OR and willingness to share it makes her the best nomination for nurse of achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Ashley Clay
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jess Whitelock:
Lily is an amazing nurse. She is kind, compassionate and considerate to all of her patients. She provides
patient-centered with such a positive attitude. She cares for each of her patients in a manner that everyone
would want their family to be cared for. On a medical unit, nurse can often become a little jaded. Many of
out patients are in the hospital because of self induced ailments, such as cellulitis due to IV drug, diabetes
due to non-compliance and lifestyle. Lily is a breath of fresh air. She treats each patient the same. She
educates each one thoroughly to the best of her ability. She advocates for each patients, even is as simple
as a patient needing a pair of shoes to go home with because the weather is bad and they are unable to
discharge without them. She is also proactive when change is needed. She began a unit based shared
governance on our unit. She has been able to accomplish so much! One change she has been able to
accomplish is that our unit is now getting up-to-date newspapers delivered for our patients daily. Which
may seems small to many of us, but is a HUGE for our patients when they are in the hospital for an
extended period of time. These papers are a small thing that provide a tiny bit of normality to our patients
in a very uncertain time. We greatly appreciate everything that Lily does for our unit and each of our
patients. We are vry blessed to have her.
2017 Award Nominee
Jay Clark
Life Care Center of Reno
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Rhonda Creegan:
Jay is an amazing nurse who truly cares for his patients. Jay is an outdoorsman and while out on a hunting
trip he came across a family that appeared to need help. It turns out a grandfather was in cardiac arrest
with his wife and granddaughter standing by, helpless. Jay pulled his car over and immediately began CPR.
He did CPR for over an hour until the paramedics we able to arrived. Jay has tremendous compassion for
his patients as well as complete strangers. In the long term care/rehabilitation setting, we do not have
quick access to labs, x-rays or even physcians like in a hospital setting. Jay excels as a long term
care/rehabilitation nurse because of his thorough assessment skills, his critical thinking and his quick
actions. Jay has been able to quickly respond to a patients change of condition, notify the physician and
treat the patient in the facility rather than sending them back to the hospital. Jay is always cool and calm
under pressure. His patients always ask about him on his days off because of the relationships he has made
with them. Jay is an incredibly hard working, dedicated nurse who truly deserves to be recognized for his
hard work as a long term care/rehabilitation nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Jenna Clark
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Cynthia Parker:
Jenna Clark became a Registered Nurse 10 years ago. She practices her nursing in the Critical Care units
as a Charge Nurse. Jenna is dedicated to her patients by leading initiatives that have improved patient
outcomes. This past year she presented an initiative with 100% buy-in of the healthcare team. This project
was Progressive Mobility in the ICU. Her objectives were to increase mobility in mechanically ventilated
and surgical patients, decrease ICU length of stay, decrease mechanical ventilator days, increase positive
patient outcomes and decrease total cost of ICU stay per patient. These goals were met. I am very proud of
all her efforts in working and coordinating this project with the interdisciplinary team to change and
advance practice based on evidence-based research. Please consider Jenna Clark as a candidate for the
2017 NNNOA Innovative and Advocacy Award.
2017 Award Nominee
Julia Clark
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Melanie Sommers-dain, Lcsw:
Julia Clark is an asset as a nurse. She is able to provide supportive nursing skills and excells at chemical
dependency issues especially medical detoxification. She has varied experience with psychiatric patients
and is able to asess situations quickly and is thourough in her complete care of patients. She is able to
manage a large milieu with the ability to keep both patients and staffs safety first. As a co-worker she is
delighfully fun to work with. She displays a solid sense of integrity, support and clarity of the treatment
goals at hand. She is an asset to any program she works with.
2017 Award Nominee
Danalyn Clemente
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Jana Jensen:
Danalyn is a Case Manager with Renown Home Health. Her patients are impressed by her caring approach
to their needs. She is an advocate for them and they know it. Her coworkers are grateful for her
professionalism and her knowledge. There was a particular incident where I was scheduled to see a
difficult pt. Danalyn was the Case Manager on the case. A call to Danalyn was made and without having to
look this pt up, Danalyn knew exactly the information needed. There was a procedure that needed to be
performed and I had not performed it besides nursing school and never on a live pt. Danalyn, without
hesitating offered to accompany me to assist and coach. It was refreshing her willingness to assist. It was
clear she wanted me to feel confident and comfortable as she picked up on my hesitancy. She knew this pt
could be difficult and she also wanted her patient to feel cared for. Danalyn coached me prior to the visit,
demonstrated and reminded me of this procedure. It was also very clear that this pt really likes Danalyn
and she was really happy to see her. The visit went smoothly. The patient was comfortable. I was able to
learn and get checked off on this procedure so that the next time I was assigned this pt, I had no problem
performing what needed to be done and the pt felt like she knew me too. It was a win for every one.
Danalyn is simply a really good person and you can feel that her goodness, kindness and care for others is
deep in her core. Renown is lucky to have her as an employee and I am lucky to have her as a coworker.
She is wise beyond her youth.
Nomination from Lyle Engler:
As a Case Manager for her patients. Dana ensures that they are progressing towards the best possible
outcome. When observing Dana with patients, the first thing one notices is the way her kind, calm manner
puts them at ease. Through gentle probing, Dana is able to get to the heart of many issues that her
patients may have. Her methods create an instant trust, which allows Dana to develop a plan that will keep
her patients safe and moving forward. Having clinicians come into their private space is challenging to
many patients. Fear of loss of independence can make some people hide problems that they are having.
Dana's ability to connect makes it safe for her patients to open up to her, allowing the development of a
plan that will truly help the patient. It is an honor to watch her work.
2017 Award Nominee
Kristen Cleveland-Ceballos
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Ginger Kuhnmuench:
Kristen is an exceptional leader to the departments she is responsible for as well as a role model and
mentor for other leaders in her organization. She is full of energy and can brighten the spirits of everyone
around her with a few snaps of her fingers and some jazz hands. For those of you that are lucky enough to
know her I am confident you are smiling. For those of you who have not encountered this amazing person
let me explain why she is so very important to meet. Kristen carries ownership for every patient that is in
her department as well as all of her team and their families. It doesn't stop there. She is an inspiration to
all. She stands up for what she believes with bravery and passion. She is always an advocate and will step
in and challenge anyone who is not making the best decision for the patient or her peers. This situation can
become very complicated and in the pediatric arena it is imperative to have people like Kristen pave the
way and challenge those that are not open to a team approach. I recall a family that's child was admitted
to the PICU and this child's diagnosis was unclear. It was complicated and there was no easy answer. Test
after test were performed to rule in or out a definitive diagnosis. This took time and the more time that
went by the patient and parents grew frustrated, scared and angry. This was their baby and nobody
seemed to be able to give them the answers they needed. It was not due to lack of trying with multiple
doctors and consults to specialists. As you can imagine the parents wanted answers and a solution. Day by
day Kristen was a constant at their bedside for hours. The conversations ranged from explanation of daily
processes, testing, and a plan of care including thinking outside of the box. It included physical and
emotional support for not only the patient but the parents and their extended family. She was by their side
and laughed, cried, hoped and prayed right along with them. I know they were so happy to walk out of her
unit with their child on his way to recovery after such a long stay but it was Kristen and her amazing team
that helped them through the toughest time in their life. This truly is second nature to Kristen and she
does it for all of the families on her units. She is unique, strong, confident, and a true blessing to all of the
people she knows.
Nomination from Jennifer Brabbin:
I am nominating Kristen because of her extreme passion and dedication she has for the units and staff she
manages. Kristen is the manager of a pediatric unit, peds icu and peds specialty clinic, which in itself
shows the passion she has for the pediatric population in our community. She is a great manager because
of this passion, it is visible to her staff and the families whose lives we touch. She is always there for our
patients families and staff and is always striving to make the children's hospital the best that it can be. This
is because she truly cares for everyone and everything that goes into making her the best leader that she
can be. I'm proud to not only work for an amazing manager but also an amazing person!
2017 Award Nominee
Emily Cliffe
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Erin Van Kirk:
My family and I had never experienced such tragedy until the day I came to the hospital in labor at 39 1/2
weeks, ready to welcome our son into the world, and only to find out that he had died within hours of
coming to the hospital. This was to be our second child born at Renown. Emily happened to be the nurse
that delivered our daughter 3 years earlier and was my nurse again after we delivered my son. When the
doctors decided I needed antibiotic treatment, I was reluctant to go home with a prescription that would
mean a couple weeks-worth of antibiotic pills and all the side effects that go with it. There was an option to
complete all antibiotic treatment in the hospital during the two days I would be there anyway, so Emily
arranged for it all with the physicians and pharmacy. I was so grateful for her because she saved me a lot
of additional misery after discharge. Additionally, the doctors ordered a somewhat unusual treatment
regimen that I was scheduled to receive in the hospital before discharge. The treatment regimen was 13
doses of Rhogam, which is traditionally given intramuscularly and would have meant 13 individual
injections. Emily took it upon herself to call the pharmacy and blood bank at the hospital to find out if
these could be given IV instead. When she was told that the hospital did not carry the IV formulary, she
reached out to other hospitals in the area to see if they carried it. When she discovered that no one had
any IV Rhogam in stock, she thought outside the box and asked the blood bank if the remaining doses
could be combined into 2 large injections instead. Sure enough, her request was approved and because of
her, I received a significantly less number of injections than anticipated. Emily's ingenuity also spurred the
hospital blood bank to begin the process of acquiring IV Rhogam so that other patients in the future would
not have to receive multiple injections. The above examples illustrate how great of an advocate Emily is for
her patients. She was advocating for me when I was not in a state to advocate for myself and she tried to
make every aspect of my care painless through that terrible time. In addition, the quality of care she
provides, that one-on-one connection she made resonates forever. She spent time with my immediate
family to give them tools to cope and help me cope with our loss. She cried with us; she helped us mentally
prepare for the next steps. Emily is a true advocate for her patients and a genuinely kind person. It felt like
a close family friend was caring for us and protecting us and our wishes during that time. During the worst
and best moments of our life, Emily has been there and we feel very blessed to have had such a nurse
looking out for us.
2017 Award Nominee
Elaine Clore
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Ralph Nitollama:
Elaine has recently took over the education role at Renown Regional's cardiac ICU and she is everything I
look for in an educator. An educator must have a certain tact to be able to tackle different ways to relate
information to new nurses. Elaine has done a great job in teaching new nurses ways to practice and
improve nursing practice. She has a great attitude. She is not afraid to share what she knows, and admits
what she doesn't know. She is always there for the new nurses in the ICU- she can relate for starters what
she has been through so we don't make the mistakes she has made in the past. She vouches for the new
grads when they commit mistakes, investigates, and goes over processes so we don't make the mistakes. I
had a patient incident where the rectal trumpet ends up being stuck in the patient's rectum and we were
not able to get it out. Thus, the surgeon had to come in and get the trumpet out. Elaine investigated,
offered words of advice and reassured me the everything is going to be okay. As a new ICU nurse, when I
talk to Elaine, I get a sense of hope that I will make it through my days. She is what we need in our ICU
unit.
Nomination from Christina Dyette:
Elaine deserves to be nominated as educator of the year for her incredible commitment to developing
cardiac critical care nurses and the program for new graduate nurses. She has spent countless hours and
endless devotion to helping foster a supportive environment for nurses transitioning from school during
the onboarding and orientation phases. The amazing work she does is as important as ever with the
continued nursing shortage and aging population. The research shows that the transition into nursing from
school is extremely stressful and challenging. Alongside her team, Elaine has helped to build a network of
support through continuing education, certification, competency training, and preceptor guidance. I
admire her ability to communicate constructive direction to bedside nurses with such kindness and
compassion. She expertly translates evidence-based practice into the care we provide every single day.
She is an amazing resource to our staff and has exceptional organizational skills. Her foresight into the
future of our unit, our educational needs, and our shared vision and goals makes her an indispensable
member of our team. Her coordination with experts, reps, and members of leadership has been
instrumental in the progressive education of our department. It is truly an honor to work with someone so
incredibly talented and passionate about the growth and development of nursing.
Nomination from Amy Allen:
It has been said that those who can't do, teach; that argument does not hold weight with Elaine. Elaine can
do, but more importantly she can teach. Elaine's years of experience in an ICU setting has made her an
effective educator with a wealth of knowledge. One of the most difficult undertakings for an educator is
learning how to take one's wealth of knowledge and convey it in a way that makes sense to others so they
too can be successful. Elaine possess this ability. She is able to communicate clearly and make complex
concepts intelligible. Elaine always puts her pupils first. Her door is often open and she will almost always
stop what she is doing to make time for others. She makes herself available and never makes one feel as if
they are a burden. She answers questions, and if she doesn't know the answer, she always says lets find
out together. She recognizes staff members and awards credit where credit is warranted. She is constantly
modifying and amending policies and programs, so they are more effective, therefore allowing the staff to
be more successful. Which leads to the most important part of this argument, Elaine is always putting the
success of her staff before her own. Those who work with Elaine understand that her principal objective is
that her staff is set up for success; that her staff has all the information and tools they need to be
prosperous in their job and career. A strong educator understands that the success of their pupils should
always be priority, because success of the pupils defines the success of the educator. Elaine is a very
successful educator.
2017 Award Nominee
Rommel Co
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Lady Militante:
Rommel is a Nurse Practitioner at the Northwest Campus. He is very knowledgeable, knows his craft very
well. He consistently goes above and beyond for his patients. Rommel always provide his patients with the
education and understanding of their illness that will allow them to see through that dark spot and see the
light at the end of the tunnel. He likes to listen to his patient's complaint and allow them to explain to him
what it is they are going through. He holds their hands and make them feel that he truly cares for them.
He spends time with his patients and they don't feel rushed at all.Rommel is one of our providers who are
well- loved not just by his patients but his colleagues as well.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelsey Coe
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Christina Dyette:
Kelsey deserves to be nominated for leader of the year for her incredible attitude and ability to effectively
manage competing priorities. Although she has just recently stepped into a supervisory role, she has been
an informal leader to her peers long before. I admire her ability to take on change and create innovative
solutions to problems. Her fresh outlook on managing our team has set her apart and enabled better
support to our staff. Kelsey's ability to actively engage and listen to people is truly impressive and
something I strive to replicate. Her compassion and love for her patients, staff, and the nursing profession
bleeds into everything she does. There have been times when we reflect on a particularly difficult patient
situation and I am moved to tears by the way Kelsey conveys true kindness and compassion. Kelsey
performs above and beyond by taking care of patients, coordinating throughput, and completing charge
and supervisory duties all at the same time. Even through all of the challenges, she will take the time to sit
down and lend an ear. It is truly a great honor to work with you Kelsey and I look to you as an example of
what true empathy and leadership represents.
2017 Award Nominee
Katie Coisson
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Wendy Merchant:
I would like to nominate Katie Coisson, RN for Nurse of achievement for her outstanding compassion and
friendly demeanor. She is a strong member of the medical-surgical team, offering a wide knowledge base
and a gentle and kind personality and touch. She is from the south, bringing with her that "Southern
Charm", and a bit of an accent, as she cares for both her patients and their families. As an effective
communicator, her staff would say that she is a reliable resource for the inter-workings of the unit. She is
fun to work with, maintaining a positive attitude and bubbly personality. She actively participates with the
Unit Practice council to improve work flow and staff and patient experiences. Katie is sympathetic , and
empathetic to patient's needs, finding commonalities with patients so they feel comfortable, keeping the
families in mind to build trust and rapport. She is trusted by physicians to deliver outstanding care to
patients. The above examples are why I have nominated Katie for Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Elena Combs
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Elizabeth S Cogan, Msn, Rn:
This RN has gone unnoticed for her multiple contributions over the past several years, in part, due to her
quiet, unassuming nature. Yet the impact she has had not just on her own unit, but throughout the entire
Women's and Children's module and our community has not. For several years she has been a leader in
The Neonatal ICU, taking on the roles of charge nurse and preceptor. She became a Neonatal
Resuscitation Program (NRP) instructor in 2015, and quickly became a favorite among students.
Additionally, she teaches a significant portion of the 60 plus hours of didactic content required for new
hires into the NICU. She is nationally certified in her specialty. Where she has really gone above and
beyond is in her role as coordinator of the STABLE program. Each letter of the acronym stands for an
important component in the care of any newly born infant throughout their first few weeks of life. This
program is decidedly different from NRP. NRP is about resuscitation, STABLE is about post-NRP
stabilization. Elena was trained as an instructor for this critical program by Karin Walker, the APRN who
originated the program in this area and who was a protegee of the national program's developer. Elena
absorbed all of Karin's knowledge and wisdom, adding on her own significant practice base to make the
classes her own. When it became evident we needed more than just Elena and the one other instructor
mentored by Karin to truly serve the area, Elena assisted in recruiting fellow staff, and mentored them into
solid STABLE instructors. When the number of teachers in the program increased, she willingly took on
the role of program coordinator; responsible for working with the Clinical Nurse Educator to schedule
class dates and venues, determine enrollment limits, keep class records, schedule instructors, and assist in
coordinating ongoing outreach education. This program is not only a required core competency for her
facility's labor and delivery, post-partum, newborn nursery, NICU, and Maternal Child Float Pool staff: this
education goes out to any area facility with ability to handle infant births within a 200 mile radius. She
now has 6 instructors who report up through her. Over the years since its adoption, STABLE concepts have
improved outcomes for infants across Northern Nevada. Elena has a passion for providing the best
possible start in life not just for high-risk infants, but for all infants in our region. Her dedication to
educating her fellow nurses is what makes her a Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Marlo Conroy
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This quiet unassuming gentleman brings a wealth of nursing experience to his present position. He listens
to understand and treats everyone with kindness and dignity. He's earned the respect of both the people
he manages as well as directors and providers. Most recently, he had an instrumental role in opening up a
Crisis Triage Unit that is already contributing to the underserved population of people who struggle with
behavioral health and chemical dependency issues. He hired and single-handedly trained all of the staff
who work at this Crisis unit. From developing policies to rolling up his sleeves and working alongside
fellow bedside nurses, Marlo Conroy is an knowledgable and highly respected clinical leader.
2017 Award Nominee
Elayna Cooper
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Marcie Miller:
Elayna came into the field of nursing with only drive, ambition and a thirst for knowledge. Every time
Elayna comes to work she takes amazing care of her patients. Elayna asks questions, strives to do her best
and promotes a team environment. I have had the opportunity to orient Elayna to the department and to
nursing and I am proud of her every day. Elayna has faced ups and downs and challenges and success and
she has taken each of the those moments and turned them into learning experiences, growing experiences,
and opportunities to form her nursing experience. Elayna is a new nurse and I am so excited to watch her
continue to grown and develop into nurse who other new nurses will look up to.
Nomination from Meagan B:
Elayna found her passion for the Children's ED while in nursing school. She was determined in her pursuit
to get an interview and when she did get an opportunity to interview she was poised and passionate.
Elayna started in the ED and quickly excelled as a team member and a nurse. She is eager to learn, help
her team and has shown exceptional skill in educating and comforting patients and their families. It is easy
to become overwhelmed when starting in such a specialized area, but she has remained positive, ambitious
and dedicated to her work. She is frequently evaluating situations and looking for ways to improve despite
already providing exceptional care to the community we serve. I have been privileged to watch her grow
into a confident and competent nurse and I continue to be inspired by her drive and compassion. She is a
phenomenal nurse, team member and person, I am honored to be able to nominate her for Northern
Nevada Nurse of Achievement.
Nomination from Jennifer Torres:
Elayna knew she had a passion for Children prior to finishing nursing school. She was highly motivated to
become a Pediatric Emergency Room nurse. She knew this was her calling for her nursing career. When I
met Elayna, she was still in Nursing School and she set up a meeting with me in hopes that she could join
the Pediatric Emergency Room team as a newly graduated nurse in the next few months. She had already
taken ENPC and PALS because she was eager for Pediatric Emergency knowledge. She joined our team
shortly after graduation and has been nothing short of exceptional. You can see her face light up every
time she talks about her patients. She takes the initiative to take care of even the most critically ill and
remains calm and compassionate throughout her care. Often times when there is a lull in the department
you will find her in our "code room" reviewing rescusitation medications, tubes etc. She works very hard
each and every day to better herself as a nurse. She is an inspiration to all nurses! Her enthusiasm exudes
her and makes me a better nurse just by working along side of her.
2017 Award Nominee
Keaton Cooley-Rieders
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Christina Dyette:
Keaton is an exceptionally talented critical care nurse, and I do not say this lightly. He is the only nurse I
have ever known to recover three open heart patients back to back in one day. His superior flexibility and
knowledge base make him an extraordinary asset to our team. He is able to care for the highest acuity
patients with ease and the our team trusts him with the most complex patients. The intensivists and
cardiac surgeons respect his suggestions and clinical expertise. I dare say that if my family were in the
ICU, Keaton is the nurse I would want to care for them. On his time off he reviews the most relevant
evidence-based research and applies it to his personal practice. He also brings this evidence to the team to
make changes to policy. He recently provided in-servicing to the PACU team regarding TAVR patient
population and potential complications post procedure. His efforts to provide optimal care to our
community is inspiring and worthy of tremendous recognition.
Nomination from Jill Dowty:
Keaton always goes above and beyond to care for his patients. He makes a point to know all current
evidence-based practice and is constantly learning and improving what he knows. He is one of the best
patient advocates I know and puts in the extra step to get the patient healthier to get to out of the CIC.
Over the holidays, I watched him work with 3 patients and for each of them he put in extra effort to get
them home to their families. He is an invaluable resource for our unit has and I am so happy he is on my
team.
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Cook
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Emily Langowski:
Melissa is a nurse that I would want to care for me or anyone else in my family. She is compassionate and
is alert to detail making her a great nurse. She always goes above and beyond for her patients and her
team. I remember Melissa taking care of a comfort care patient over night who had decreased right before
shift change. The patient's family was unable to make it to the hospital before the patient had deceased but
Melissa stayed with the patient to make sure she wasn't alone. The patient's family told me that even
though losing their mother was very difficult that Melissa was their angel that night. The family members
couldn't express enough of what a difference Melissa had made to them. Melissa made sure to
communicate updates family all night and stayed with the patient when she needed it the most. I'm sure
there are many of examples that would nominate Melissa for this award, but this is just one reason why
Melissa's patients and family members love her so much. She is a great assess to our community and to
our family at Renown.
2017 Award Nominee
Marisa Coppini
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Marisa's commitment to the well-being of her patients warrants she be rookie of the year. With less than 1
year of nursing experience, Marisa has demonstrated skills that would take some years to develop. I
remember a patient on our unit that had many complications after a joint surgery outside of the United
States. Our patient was elderly and had a frail prognosis. Marisa was respectful of our patient and her
family's culture differences. The patient's infection left her in excruciating pain and her condition
worsened. Marisa was instrumental in alleviating the patient's pain and attending to her family's
increasing worries.When I talk with Marisa, I am energized by her. She is insightful when discussing the
care of a patient and advocates for her patients to ensure that they receive holistic care. Marisa is friendly,
easy to talk to, kind, compassionate, intelligent, and dedicated to nursing. Marisa brings a brilliance to our
nursing profession that not only deserves recognition as rookie of the year, but continual mentorship so
she can continue to serve and positively influence our profession.
2017 Award Nominee
Amy Coulter
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sacha Heidema:
I would like to nominate Amy for the Northern Nevada Nurses achievement award. Amy is a kind,
exceptional, caring individual. The particular day that I would like to nominate her for was her first day
back from maternity leave. Even though it was difficult for her to leave her new(adorable) son and come to
work, she came and gave exceptional care to her patients from the moment she arrived to the moment she
went home. Her day began with a patient in respiratory distress almost requiring transfer to the intensive
care unit. Her afternoon consisted of caring for an extremely ill patient with a leaky rectal tube, and she
finished her day by calling a rapid response on a patient with a new GI bleed. She is one of the strongest
nurses I know, a wonderful mother and great co-worker. No matter what the day brings she remains
positive. She is a wonderful asset to the telemetry team and I hope to work with her for may years to come.
2017 Award Nominee
Keith Covert
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Carla Adams:
Keith is a strong surgical leader over 7 different areas all related to surgical services. His clinical care and
knowledge of best practice has earned the respect of his teams and physicians. The morale and turnover in
his department has stabilized since his arrival a year and one half ago. Keith has accomplished this by
being visible and supporting the staff in their everyday tasks. He also has an ability to stay even tempered
and logical even in the most stressful of situations. This gives his team the confidence to keep pressing
forward in their daily operations and trust the direction of the department and the organization. He
interacts with staff, physicians, senior leaders and his peers with the utmost respect, professionalism and a
"can-do" attitude.He has seen great success in surgical services growth with the addition of the daVinci,
Urology service line, new GYN business and growing General Surgery business. Partnering with our
Surgeons and Anesthesiologists, Keith is bringing a new Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) to our
facility setting up pre-hospital education through the physician office to post-surgical care initiatives to
better serve large and small bowel procedure care. Keith is very modest and when complimented he is
quick to recognize his team for our great results. Keith is an amazing leader and has done his entire
nursing career passionately working in surgical services where he honors life's journey for others.
2017 Award Nominee
Matt Cowling
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Sven Inda:
As the ER Medical director for NNMCs ER, I have consistently received compliments about the care
provided by Matt (from patients, other nurses). Clinically he is excellent, especially so with critical
patients, as his background is in ICU. He is adept at developing immediate rapport with patients and is an
extremely hard worker who truly cares about excellence in clinical care. Matt is a whiz with getting
difficult IVs and managing drips / multitasking on critical patients. He never seems overwhelmed or
stressed even with high volumes and the chaotic mileau offered every day here. I would trust my families
care to him in a heartbeat.
2017 Award Nominee
Chrissy Crawford
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Denise Altick:
Chrissy tirelessly pushes ahead and keeps things moving forward. She is always watching and looking for
ways to improve our floor; Always trying to figure a way to remedy a problem; Keeping an amazing open
communication line with the staff to reveal problems/solve problems/keep things running smoothly. She is
always calm in the eye of the storm/such a wonderful role model. She listens to those around her and gives
her opinion in a non-threatening manner. Which, is so important so that nurses feel they can come to her
with problems. So much has been put on her shoulders, but she always seems to forge ahead. I am proud
to be part of her team.
2017 Award Nominee
Jean Crandal
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Debra Bennett:
This nurse has been with our organization for over 25 years and she brings her wisdom and a big smile to
work with her every day. She puts her patients at ease with her warm and caring nature, taking the time to
listen to their concerns and fears while giving them the reassurance that all will be well. This nurse sees
many patients each day. And despite the fast paced environment she carefully screens each of her patients,
like a detective reviewing a crime scene, looking for anything out of the ordinary, anything that raises a
flag, and anything that could be a potential problem for the patient. Patient safety is her #1 goal.This
nurse also works to improve our patient's surgical experience. She recently gave our department
suggestions for improvement - from a patient and family viewpoint after her daughter's surgery. Her
feedback was valuable and constructive. Our department was grateful for her observations and the
opportunity to implement her suggestions for a better patient experience. We are very fortunate to have
this nurse's continued commitment to keeping her patient's safe for surgery, lending a sympathetic ear, a
caring hand, and continually working to improve our patient's experience.
2017 Award Nominee
Grace Cremer
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Kate Marsh:
Grace Cremer should be considered for Nurse of Achievement in the Innovation/Advocacy category
because she exemplifies what its like to put patients first and to be their advocate. She joined the Renown
Hospitalist group as a Hospitalist RN, which is a fairly new innovative role to help patients understand
their plan of care. She makes big change everyday in the lived that encounters everyday. Grace is patient
and kind to every patient that she comes in contact with, and has embraced her role as Hospitalist RN with
open arms. She is the first to jump in and help the nursing staff when needed, but she always keeps in
mind that the patients come first and their plan of care is top priority. She rounds everyday with the
doctors, pharmacists, Social workers and bedside nurses to make sure that everyone knows what the plan
is for each and every one of her patients. Her communication skills are second to none. On more than one
occasion, she is the reason that patients are satisfied with their care from everyone involved.One patient in
particular was admitted with CVA, and required a lot of coordinating with social work and the patients
family to get them to the proper disposition of Rehab to get stronger. She spent hours with the family
everyday explaining not only the medical side of things so they understood better about what to except
moving forward. She pushed for this patient to get into Rehab, which the family was very thankful for. She
always thinks about what is best for her patients and makes sure that it happens!
2017 Award Nominee
Michele Crenshaw
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
(Considered for award in Medical/Surgical, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Maria Theresa Dabu:
Michele came to our unit 8 months ago with enthusiasm, positivity and a willingness to learn. She is
proactive with patients and is anticipatory of their needs. Patients, families and her peers frequently report
how much they enjoy Michele as their nurse. Her ability to stay calm and in stressful situation leads others
to her. Michele has an impressive quality on being a great listener and actually hears what her patients
says and becomes an effective patient advocate. She possess the most soothing and calming voice when
talking to her patients.She notices co- workers' needs, frequently charting at the front desk, so she can
answer phones and call lights. While her first year has been challenging, she became a role model and
leader among her peers. I am so honored to be able to nominate Michele and well deserving of a nursing
excellence award for Rookie of the Year. I am looking forward to work many more years with Michele.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Crossley
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Clinical Documentation Department - Sheri Richardson:
The Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Department at Renown Health is nominating Jennifer
Crossley RN, MSN for Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement Award under the category of
Administrative Leadership. Jenn has certainly been a catalyst for positive change within Renown
Health.Wade Boggs once said, "A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and
outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results." Jenn Crossley is an exemplary example of
how her leadership style, determination, and positive attitude has facilitated remarkable changes with the
CDI department let alone any endeavor she pursues. While Jen was experienced in leadership roles, she
didn't have prior experience in CDI when she took on the Director role. From day one, she was determined
and vision oriented. She took it upon herself to go through a rigorous "boot camp" training program. She
learned the CDI process, collaborated with the team, and found opportunities for improvement. Using her
collaborative leadership style, she has fostered a positive relationship with the physicians to better define
their documentation within the medical record, and encouraged them to work collaboratively with her
team. She began making changes that would immediately improve upon the hospital's representation of
the case mix index. She also set measurable productivity and financial goals for the team. She set the bar
high and the team not only met, but exceeded these goals for fiscal year 2016. Through Jens' efforts and
her collaboration with her team, the CDI department is expected to expand and make even greater
contributions. Jen has served on various Quality Improvement Projects and Committees at Renown. This
work has included the Clinical Ladder, which promotes ongoing education in Nursing, and quality projects
for sepsis, severity of illness, risk of mortality, pneumonia, and stroke.In the community Jen serves on the
Succession Planning Committee for the Nevada Action Coalition. This committee serves as a driving force
for transforming health care through nursing in our state. Through their efforts, they helped pass full
practice authority for APRNs, and broadened the scope of practice for LPNs. She's also affiliated with
multiple professional organizations including the American Organization of Nurse Executives, Nevada
Organization of Nurse Leaders, and the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists.
This reflects her continued ambition to serve as a leader of change.Jen's been described by her team as
genuine, respectful, caring, positive, and encouraging. She approaches concerns openly, avoids blaming,
and resolves conflict with remarkable patience and admirable tact. Her director, Jen Richards PhD, RN,
Renown Health Vice President of Quality stated, "I'd say Jen is one of the most engaged leaders I've had an
opportunity to work with. She is calm and collected and has a unique way of building relationships with
her colleagues and her direct reports. She is super smart yet so humble. From my perspective, she's driven
extraordinary results within the CDI department. "It's through Jen's vision, optimism, encouragement for
personal growth, and indispensable desire that she is a true catalyst for positive change.
2017 Award Nominee
Julia Crow
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Sandi Churchill:
Julia has been a nurse for more than 30 years, and in home health for a good portion of that. Julia manages
a high patient load, and has the best outcomes for her patients of anyone in our agency. Julia recently went
out to see a patient for a regular nursing visit, but went out again the next day because "the patient just
didn't look right." The patient was in early stages of sepsis. She then sent him to the hospital, where he
was able to be treated, and returned home. This is just one instance of the good work that she does
everyday as a home health nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Ivonne Cruz
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Ivonne Cruz has been a member of our care team since 2004 as a nurse. I was lucky enough to have Ivonne
train me when I was a new graduate nurse. Ivonne is a great nurse, advocate and leader. She is so
knowledgeable and so willing to lend that knowledge to her fellow teammates. She loves to learn and
always wants to educate herself about new processes, procedures and best practices. Ivonne takes her
time with patients, developing strong nurse/patient relationships with them. Her patients are very
responsive to this, and constantly give her praise in the form of thank you letters. Ivonne is a big advocate
for patient safety; she always provides the safest patient care possible. She utilizes our medication
scanning to administer medications, and has the top compliance on our unit. She also believes in patient
education as a form of patient safety: the more the patient knows, the safer their care will be, and the
more successful the patient will be. She utilizes this theory caring for all for patients. Ivonne is the team
leader on our night shift, and we are so happy that she is. She is a valuable team member, she is reliable,
and she maintains a positive attitude in the workplace. She is all around an amazing nurse and team
member. Please consider her nomination for medical/surgical nurse of achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Sheryll Cruz
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jennifer Pierce:
Sheryll Cruz is a smart, hard-working, engaged team player that I am honored to work with. Working as a
pre-op nurse at Northern Nevada Medical Center, we receive patients in varied physical and emotional
states right before their surgery/procedure. Sheryll not only physically assesses patients well, but also can
gauge their emotional needs to help patients feel safe, calm, and secure during their stay in pre-op. She
can tell whether a patient needs humorous banter, a quieter tone and some silence, or encouragment.
Sheryll also likes to explain what she is doing to patients as she works with them, and I frequently
overhear patients saying that they did not know why nurses did this or that before, and that it is nice to
have things explained to them - such as each step of the IV starting process, and to why clippers are used
to shave hair vs razors. Sheryll also adapts well to the ever fluctuating surgical department environment.
She can pick up the pace when things need to be done quickly, and does not hesitate to help out others in
different areas, such as our Pain Center and PACU when needed. She is always willing to learn and better
herself as a nurse here at NNMC, and I am proud to nominate her for the Northern Nevada Nurses of
Achievement Award for 2017.
2017 Award Nominee
Summer Cruz
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Janna:
Working with Summer you know a couple of things, she will make you laugh by the end of the day, she will
make sure everyone she works with has a good day, she will help whenever she can, and most importantly
she will give her patients the best ICU care. She is a very smart nurse, and always has the patients best
interest in mind. Often she takes the complex assignments and rightfully so, because she is who I would
want caring for my loved ones. Watching her interact with student and new grads is truly inspirational.
Even if she is overwhelmed she takes time to show them every step and explain every detail of the patients
care and needs. We need more people like her in that role!
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Cunning
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Katie Mccarthy:
Melissa Cunning is the Total Joint Coordinator at Renown Regional Medical Center. She took on this role
April of 2016 and there has been no stopping her. Melissa has taken the Total Joint Program and assisted it
in receiving recertification from The Joint Commission for hips and knees with only having a few weeks on
the job. She never backs down from a task or obstacle. She does this all with 2 things in mind. One, she
does it for her patients. You can see from the smile on her face and her sincerity that she genuinely cares
and has the best interests for her patients and families at all times. She takes on each total joint patient as
if they are her family and in turn they treat her like family. Second, she does it for her company and
organization. She not only has the best interest of her patients at heart but she takes on the financial and
business aspects of the care as well. She continues to learn and grow and is now expanding her knowledge
by obtaining her MBA. She looks at the future instead of staying complacent. Melissa has changed the role
of Total Joint Coordinator for the better and is always thinking outside the box. Having Melissa a part of
the Ortho team is a true blessing. She knows how to connect with her peers but hold them to a high
standard of excellence. She has a strong desire to let each staff member know how important they are.
Team building and a positive work environment are two things she strives for and accomplishes it by
making it look so easy. She is seen as a leader, friend, confident and expert in her field and I can only
imagine what the future has in store for her and nursing as a whole. She will make a mark in the
Orthopedic world and will do so by always putting the patients and their quality care first. Thank you for
all you do, you are an amazing nurse!
2017 Award Nominee
Robyn Cunnally
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lindesy Dimartino:
Robyn is one of the best emergency department nurses I have ever worked with. She has a level of
professionalism and technical competence that can stand next to any nurse I have ever worked with. She
has a personal relationship with her patients and takes their feelings into consideration in what could be
the scariest time of their life. She puts herself in her patient's shoes when possible and is always their
advocate. She has compassion and empathy for both her patients and colleagues. I have seen her work in
some of the most stressful situations and she does it with grace. I am proud to call her not only a colleague
but a friend. Her attitude is always positive no matter the situation and her coworkers look forward to
working with her.
Nomination from Deanna Romano:
I am nominating Robyn for her great nursing care. She has been a great help since she has been hired. She
is super attentive and helpful. She is able to see the sick patients and care for their illness. She advocates
in her patients care and is always looking out for their health and the safety of the patient. I have
witnessed her ability to handle great pressure and take it with confidence and that is a breath of fresh air
in emergency nursing. She can handle the hectic situations and does so daily. Her skills have become a
great asset to our emergency room and for our patients. She is an amazing nurse and shows this daily. I
am humbled to be able to have a nurse like her to be working side by side with and for this I am
nominating her for her caring, devotion, kindness and strong skills that make her a great nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Justine Curtis
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Anna Smith:
Justine Curtis is a compassionate and loving nurse. Justine is also a leader on our floor and teamwork
oriented. Justine always asks if anyone needs help regardless of whether or not she is busy with patient
care. There have been days that I have been extremely busy and Justine has stepped in and did my patient
finger sticks without me asking. Justine is always there when it comes time to do a Foley catheter or
central line dressing change. Justine is kind and goes above and beyond in regards to patient care. Justine
is always ambulating patient's and making sure his or her needs are met. Justine is an asset to our floor
and Renown as a whole.
2017 Award Nominee
Joyce Cutas
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Joyce is a kind hearted, devoted nurse. Joyce has been a nurse in the Philippines for 10+ years before
coming to the United States. Joyce has quickly adapted to the differences in nursing between the two
countries. Joyce takes detailed notes on her patients and goes to great lengths to know everything about
the patient prior to starting patient care. Joyce is quick to find changes in patient condition and report
them to the doctor. Joyce is always willing to help her fellow nurses on the floor. She cares for her patients
like they are family. Her patients love her. For example a patient who had been on our floor for an
extended period of time always referred to her as, "My Joyce."
2017 Award Nominee
Maria Dabu
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jade Acton:
This nurse has been our fearless leader on nights for about 20 years. She is strong leader! In fact I think
she was born wearing that hat for she does it like it's second nature. She leads with a kind but firm hand. I
never felt scared to approach her with whatever problems I have had. She is very knowledgeable. When
staff has a question or concern regarding care of a patient she can help them problem solve the situation
and she currently holds both her OCN and MSCRN. She also can stick an IV in a tree and draw blood- she
is that good! She takes her leadership role very seriously. She is very active with it from taking care of her
staff at all hours of the day and night- to participating in many committee's and meetings to better our
facility and culture on the floor. She eats, sleeps and breaths nursing- I believe it to be part of her genetic
coding. I am very fortunate to have worked side by side with this wonderful,compassionate and caring
nurse for so long and I look forward to many more years!Thanks for all that you are and all that you do my
friend!
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Dado
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Amy Hawkins:
I myself am a new leader in the emergency department. I joined the team as a supervisor a little over a
year ago and one of the main reasons I chose this direction was simply because of the great leaders who
comprised this team. I wanted to be like them! Jen Dado is one of those leaders, she is the supervisor of
the clinical decision unit, a observation unit that grew into it's own floor in the past 2 years. Jen's staff
loves her and she has truly created a cohesive, accountable team. The way in which Jen leads is by
kindness, compassion, and consistency. Jen speaks with a very calm, direct, soothing voice. I often reflect
on how I will have to have a difficult conversation with an individual and think "how would Jen say this". I
have seen Jen speak to an individual to let them know what they have done is not right and maintained a
very calm composure all while maintaining their dignity. Most times these individuals walk away with a
light bulb moment and not feeling attacked but cared for. She is a kind and gentle leader, yet is so
effective. Thank you Jen for being the mentor in my mind for how I strive to be as a leader, you're
awesome!
Nomination from Keri Piper-colonna:
Jennifer puts the patient at the center of everything she does. Jennifer has played an important role in
improving the care we provide for our STEMI patients. She has spent countless hours working with Cath
Lab leadership and REMSA to improve the efficiency of care provided to our STEMI patients. She has also
taken the time to educate REMSA on drawing blood in the field for our STEMI patients to expedite lab
results and set up times for our staff members to orient in the Cath lab. Jennifer also reviews every single
STEMI chart for patients that arrived in the ER and provides feedback to the team on how we can improve
our process. Jennifer is also a strong advocate for our patients and their families. For example, Jennifer
was helping cover the charge nurse role in the Emergency Room during a night shift. While she was in
charge, a patient on hospice arrived to the ER with his daughter. His condition was not improving and the
decision was made to admit him to the hospital on comfort care. His daughter was torn between staying
with her dying father or going to pick up her mother so they could all be together when he passed away
peacefully. The daughter was not sure how much longer her father would be with us and she did not want
him to pass away alone. Jennifer worked with the ER team of nurses and social worker to develop a plan to
get patient's wife here without he daughter leaving her father's side. One of our ER nurses rode in a cab to
go get the patient's wife and safely bring her to the hospital so she could be with her husband and
daughter. We all went into nursing to help ease the way for our patients and their families. I am honored to
work with Jennifer each and every day.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Danyan
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Danielle Craperi:
Jessica Danyan is a nurse educator for 2 medical units. She goes above and beyond for the staff and
patients on those units. She is eager to help improve the unit in any way that she can. There are multiple
initiatives going on in her unit. Even though there are a multitude of projects that are being implemented
on her unit, she is eager to participate and provide a helping hand. She is actively involved in the Patient
Enrichment Program (PEP). For PEP she has helped with educating staff around the purpose, goals and
documentation requirements for the program. Her assistance with developing a process to screen for
depression was instrumental. She ensured that the process would be effective for both the staff and
patient. Another program she actively participates in involves obtaining and implementing the best
practices for patients with liver issues. To ensure she was providing the most current education to the staff
she read through a tremendous about of research. From there she developed the education through an
online learning academy and also made sure that the information was available through the intranet for all
employees to have. She has also been a significant driver on her units for quality nursing care to prevent
pneumonia. She conducts weekly audits on patients to ensure that they ambulated, participated in
pulmonary hygiene and received the appropriate vaccine. In everything she does she always makes sure
that the patient is in the center. Not only does she take on these extra projects on her units, she also
teaches clinical for UNR students and is actively working on her master's degree in nursing education. On
top of that she is a wonderful educator to the myriad of new graduate nurses she orients. As the director of
nursing over the units she is on, I frequently round with the all the new graduates on the unit. The most
common comment I hear from the new graduates is that Jessica is caring, compassionate and
approachable. When I see her interact with the new graduates her passion for their development and
success is obvious. She is an active listener, patient and always takes the time to mentor and guide them.
Often times she will rearrange her schedule to see the new graduates on their night shift to provide them
with extra support. She role models caring, compassion and professionalism to everyone on that unit.
Nomination from Jennifer Stevens:
Jessica is a phenomenal human being in addition to being an all-around excellent educator. When I was
hired on as a new educator, it was Jessica who stepped up and mentored me -- even though she wasn't
assigned to me as a mentor. She was instrumental in my own successes in this role which earned me this
award last year. This past year, Jessica and I took on a very large and complex project; one that is integral
to the success of all the new nurses to Renown Regional and Renown South Meadows Medical Centers:
Skills Day. Together, we transformed skills from an 8-hour lecture-based class to a dynamic, hands-on
program which enables new nurses to have multiple interactions with evidence-based education and selfdiscovery modules, culminating in a fair-like atmosphere in which all of this information can be put into
practice under expert supervision. Jessica worked tirelessly on this project, and would not allow any
barrier to derail it. Her sure and steady leadership and collaboration ensured that the project was not only
completed, but implemented ahead of schedule. To date, hundreds of new nurses have already benefitted
from this program, and we project to reach two-three-hundred more in 2017. Attendees have said that it
was one of the most helpful and useful learning experiences they have had. There have even been requests
from experienced nurses to go through the program! Without Jessica, this would not have been achievable
-- or likely even envisioned as it is. It is such a tremendous honor to work alongside such a remarkable
nurse, educator, person, friend. In addition to all the amazing work she did with skills day, Jessica
managed to earn her Master's degree while serving as a clinical instructor for level 1 nursing students,
expanding her passion for education in the clinical setting into the world of academe as well. She enjoys
working with all levels of nursing students, as they are the future of nursing. Jessica spends extra time
reviewing their work in order to provide constructive feedback, ensure the students understand the
nursing process, and are providing the best evidence-based care to their patients. She serves as an
exceptional role model and clinical instructor for our future nurses. Please consider Jessica Danyan for
Nurse Educator of the year, as she truly exemplifies what an educator is and shows passion through her
work and accomplishments. I can think of no one more worthy of this award.
Nomination from Danyel Gish:
Our profession needs more nurse educators like Jessica!! I am so excited to have this opportunity to
recognize such an amazing asset to our team! I have worked with Jessica as her supervisor, manager, and
nurse leader colleague for over two years now. From a bedside nurse to a charge nurse, and from a mentor
to a nurse educator, she truly stands out as being the very best. Throughout the years, she has
demonstrated outstanding patient care with extraordinary bedside skills. Jessica combines her wide variety
of clinical experiences with her passion for teaching, to successfully guide our staff through challenging
situations and provide them with stability and consistency. Jessica has an extremely difficult role, as she is
the nursing educator for two very busy medical units with a combined 82 beds and over 130 nursing staff
members.. and counting! Jessica is responsible for educating new and existing staff on a very diverse
patient population. She has proven to have an immense amount of knowledge and skill, and is consistently
going above and beyond for our team. She excels in creativity, organizational skills, and time management
techniques to develop extremely competent staff. She helps to successfully guide them through
challenging situations, and provides stability and consistency to the team. Jessica stays in constant
communication with the rest of the leadership team, and frequently rounds with staff. She is the person
that will come in early, leave late, and then continue working from home. She makes herself readily
available, and extends an open door policy to make certain the staff's needs and concerns are being
addressed. Jessica juggles this demanding position while also being a clinical nurse faculty member at the
University of Nevada Reno. She is innovative in her role, and is key in ensuring our nurses, nursing
assistants, and nursing students flourish and succeed. The entire staff feels a great sense of support from
her efforts. Jessica also works diligently as an employee engagement and retention champion! She is
constantly presenting and promoting ideas and activities to help boost morale and teamwork. She actively
recruits staff to join committees, complete a clinical ladder project, achieve certifications, etc. These
efforts have motivated many staff members to be actively involved in our organizational development.
Jessica's expertise is highly respected by her peers, her leaders, and her staff. Her opinion and suggestions
are often sought out by all disciplines as she is seen as approachable and intelligent. Jessica's
accomplishments and contributions exemplify nursing excellence at its best! She is more than deserving of
this nurse of achievement award. I am so thankful to have her as a part of my team, and would literally be
lost without her.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Claire Dasalla
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Tammy Evans:
I would like to nominate Jessica Dasalla for Clinical Leadership. Jessica has a heart of pure gold. Often we
work with nurses who are kind, caring, and compassionate. Jessica has all these qualities plus the ability to
radiate calm, competence, and collaboration. The nurses she works with say, "I never worry that I am
going to have a bad night because she is so supportive and helpful. Never once has she said no." "I do not
think a shift has gone by where Jessica has not checked in with me to see how my night is going and ask
me if I need help." "I feel very protected as a new nurse because Jessica's advice is always to play it on the
safe side. Her motto is to protect the best interest of the patient." This nurse clearly cares about the
patients, and it is very obvious she loves her job. She has been known to say "If I won the Lottery and could
do any job or no job at all, I would stay right here at Saint Mary's!"
2017 Award Nominee
Ashley Davis
Tahoe Forest Hospital, Truckee
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Jackie John-mull:
I have had the privilege of working with Ashley Davis for the past 3 years in the inpatient wound/ostomy
care role. Ashley has demonstrated her advocacy and innovation many times throughout the years but one
example that I would like to share was while she was working with a new ostomy patient. This young
female patient had to have emergency surgery d/t a rare bowel deformity. The news of having a new
ostomy for this patient was devastating. Her only experience with an ostomy had been very negative and
the patient was fearful that her ostomy would be something she could not take care of successfully. Ashley
showed compassion and understanding throughout this young lady's stay in the hospital bringing her in
new products to try and implementing different techniques to help the patient to feel confident and
successful in caring for herself. One day while visiting with this patient, Ashley, recognized the feelings of
despair and anguish this patient was experiencing, she was blaming herself for causing the bowel
deformity and feeling down in the dumps about the situation. Ashley took it upon herself to inform her
patient. She did research on the rare bowel deformity, printing off research and journal articles to educate
her patient. This information helped this patient through a dark time in her hospital stay, empowering her
to take control of her new ostomy and become an ostomy success story.
2017 Award Nominee
Jason Davidsaver
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Amy Hawkins:
Jase is an invaluable nurse in our emergency department, anyone would be lucky to have him on their
team. Jase exudes a positive attitude in all he does and sets the tone for the day amongst his coworkers. He
is an unofficial leader of the ER. Jase is one of our charge nurses and leads the day with ease. Jase is also
the head of our maximum exposure team in the ER. He keeps staff competent every quarter on the
processes and policies to follow if a maximum exposure patient is to arrive in the ER. Jase also serves as a
mentor and preceptor for new nurses. He shares his knowledge willingly.
Nomination from Rachel Hahn:
Jase is always willing to step in and help out his co workers. One day while working with Jase in the ER,
even though Jase had a full patient assignment he came and helped with a very sick stemi. He made sure
the pt was well care for, assisted with getting IV access, drawing blood and medicating the patient. Jase
did not have to be asked, he just stepped in to help his teammates out. He is an amazing nurse who I am
very fortunate to work with. Jase is always orientating new employee, or in change, no matter what role he
is in he always has a smile. Jase is also our go to person for Ebola training.
2017 Award Nominee
Tori Davis
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Matt Polak:
Tori is seen on our unit as a vital component to our team. Her willingness to always help out other staff
and patients makes working with her a pleasure. She always takes the extra time to make sure that the
family and patients understand everything clearly. She has a very kind heart and a smile that can warm the
coldest room. When I see her enter her patient's room you know that they are in the best hands possible. I
would insist that she take care of my family if the situation would arise.I do not recall one specific instance
for how amazing Tori really has become. She has only been a nurse for better than a year but acts as she
has been in the role for decades however is humble to the fact that she still has much to learn. The biggest
thing that I have seen is that no matter what she is in the middle of she will drop what she is doing to help
patients. She was coming back from the cafeteria with her lunch and saw a patient's call light was on. She
set down her lunch and went to answer the light. The patient was incontinent and required a linen change.
Then the meal was wrong and she called the kitchen and resolved the problem. This was not even her
patient but did what was right. This is how Tori works every shift and I am so happy that I get to be on the
same team as her.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelly Dawley
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Liz Humes:
Kelly is a nurse who always has a smile on her face and is willing to do anything asked of her. When the
infant loss committee needed comfort blankets made for mothers experiencing a loss Kelly made them. She
is vital to our department and an excellent resource nurse to go to with any questions or concerns
regarding patients. She has been instrumental in updating documentation forms on the unit to streamline
processes. Kelly is currently working on updating all physician order forms to accurately match current
evidence based practice to assist the nurses caring for the patients, to assist the physicians and ultimately
to more safely care for our patients and improve their satisfaction. I am grateful everyday to have the
privilege to be on the same team with Kelly.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelly De Jong
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Kelly is a fellow nurse supervisor in the Sierra Intensive Care Unit. She takes her job very seriously and
always makes sure to do everything the right way. She always makes sure that the staff and the patients
are happy. Kelly has a great sense of team work, frequently coming in extra to help her staff. She puts a
smile on her patients' faces by always popping in their rooms to see how their day is going. She knows
little facts about each patient and their family members just from being so involved. I am so proud to work
with Kelly and call her a fellow teammate.
Nomination from Stacey Mieding:
It is said that one of the most powerful leadership tools is your own personal example. This defines Kelly.
She leads by example. As one of the supervisors of the Trauma ICU she is required to wear many hats. She
is involved in patient care, engages with staff to solve problems, creates the schedule, trains new members
of our team and offers up her expertise to all around her, all the while outside of work she is in school for
her Masters degree. She is well respected among the staff. Once a nurse said, "When Kelly is in charge we
all know everything is going to be okay". She is a strong women who is assertive and respectful to her
peers. She advocates for her staff by knowing the avenues to seek solutions. While creating a schedule for
a group of people sounds like a nightmare to most she created a organized system for the unit that allows
fairness and very clear expectations. Everything she touches she makes better. She sees the larger picture
of an organization and understands how to work to improve processes. For me personally she has been
very sensitive to my own life events and helped ease the stresses of life by making work a better place.
2017 Award Nominee
Caroline Deacon
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Maria Barrera:
Caroline has taken on many responsibilities within the cardiology office. She goes above and beyond her
daily duties. she is always available and willing to help all positions in order to satisfy the patient needs.
she Is warm hearted person who is always happy, polite, and simply with a smile she will make your day.
Caroline is a person who cares not just about the patient, but her Co-workers as well. she is very
approachable to where you feel comfortable coming to her for anything. she makes you feel as though she
is not only your Co-worker but also your friend. I truly believe that she deserves to be nominated because
of all of her wonderful qualities that sometimes words can not explain.
2017 Award Nominee
Leslie Decrona
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Alysha Chiasson:
It is an honor to nominate Leslie Decrona for Critical Care Nurse of Achievement. Leslie is a true example
of what a nurse should be in the critical care setting. Leslie pays a lot of attention to detail and makes sure
all aspects of patient care is addressed every shift. She has a level of compassion and empathy that is built
in her and is something to strive for. She treats and cares for her patients like they are her own family.
Leslie is also a great team member to have and is always willing to help her coworkers out whenever she
gets a chance. Leslie continues to improve and grow as a critical care nurse and will do wonderful things
throughout her career.
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Leslie for the last 4-5 years. We both worked at Renown and then
moved to CTH about 5 years ago. Leslie and I worked on tele together at CTH and now in the ICU. Leslie is
one of the most caring compassionate nurses I have ever worked with. Leslie was recent trained to take
open heart patients and is doing an amazing job. Leslie is quick to jump in and provide assistance in
stressful situations. She has developed her skills and education so much in the last couple years. She is an
amazing resource to have on the floor. She has been there with me during one of my hardest weeks in the
icu for a shoulder to cry on. She is an amazing nurse and somebody that I have the privilege of calling
friend.
2017 Award Nominee
Cheryl Dela Cruz
VA SNHC
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Erin Pate:
Ms. Dela Cruz is a true patient and Nurse Advocate. Since joining the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (MHU),
she has tirelessly worked to ensure that the Veterans get the best care possible.Cheryl believes that as a
nurse her primary goal is to keep the patient safe and assist the Veteran I their recovery. Due to this belief,
she is continuously assessing the MHU for safety concerns. When identified, she takes immediate action to
correct them. Additionally, Cheryl is known to be a caring and compassionate nurse. She builds rapport
with the Veterans due to her calm, empathetic, and consistent approach. Veterans have stated they feel
that they can trust her (which is a huge compliment on an MHU). She has been frequently complimented
on her ability to safely deescalate patients with violent behaviors.In addition to her outstanding patient
care, Ms. Dela Cruz is active in multiple facility wide committees. She is an attribute to the MHU. She is
focused on assisting our patients in their recovery and is an exemplary RN. I highly recommend her for
Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Machelle Delos Reyes
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Katie Mccarthy:
Machelle Delos Reyes is not your average ordinary nurse. Machelle is an exceptional person who goes
above and beyond for not only her patients but her peers and coworkers. She has a smile that is infectious
and a personality to match. Machelle has been a part of the Orthopedic Team and I consider us the lucky
ones. No matter how busy, stressed or overwhelmed she may be, Machelle is cool, calm and collected. Her
patient always recognize her as having a great personality with the most positive outlook. On any day you
can catch her laughing and smiling in the halls creating an atmosphere of fun and calm in a world of chaos.
Machelle comes to work each day to do what is best for the patients and provide quality care that is above
and beyond what is asked of her. She never gives less than 110% and does it all with a smile. She is the
nurse you wish you could clone and have an entire team of. Machelle never hesitates to train new staff,
educate nursing students or learn new skills and tasks. The positive glow she has around her is contagious
and she helps to make our unit not only a great place to work, but she also makes it a fun place to spend
12-13 hours of your day. Machelle is someone we all look up to and inspires us all to be a better nurse.
Without nurses like Machelle this profession would not be as respected and regarded as it is. Thank you
Machelle for placing standards for not only yourself but your peers. You will have a long and successful
career and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for you. Thank you and keep that smile bright!
2017 Award Nominee
Teresa Delatorre
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jessica Caufield:
I am nominating my coworker Terri as a Nurse of Achievement. Terri has been with Renown for many
years. She has been in the PACU for much of her career and serves quite often as our relief charge nurse.
It is in this capacity that I wanted to recognize Terri. Being the acting charge nurse in our very busy PACU
(or 'running the room' as we call it) is a complex and challenging task. There are a great many factors that
must be monitored and taken into consideration through the course of the day to ensure that there is a
spot and a nurse for every patient. Terri works to ensure that the flow of the room is maintained in a calm
fashion. She frequently checks to see if patients are being assigned inpatient rooms, and acts as an
advocate for both the patients AND nurses when there is a delay in placement. All of us in the PACU
benefit from Terri's hard work and experience!
2017 Award Nominee
Amber Denman
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
I would like to nominate Amber for NNNOA because she is a very knowledgeable nurse. When she worked
nights as charge she would always help out her co-workers and keep the Emergency Department moving.
She is always willing to come in early and help out the department or a friend in need. She has always
been a nurse that I can go to if I have a question about patient care or medications. She is always willing to
help in a tough situation and is calm under stress. Although, I rarely get to work with Amber, I am always
excited when I do.
2017 Award Nominee
Anne Marie DiCicco
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Deanna Romano:
Anne Marie has become an amazing emergency nurse. She is a great advocate for the elderly when they
need a voice. She has grown in her nursing career and is still getting better! She has great feedback from
patients and explains to them the plan of care and will always listen. She has become a great asset to have
in our emergency room as she now helps guide newer nurses in their roles. She is kind, giving and
understanding. It is a breath of fresh air to have a nurse come to work and be prepared to handle the ever
crazy emergency room and be able to help get multiple patients get taken care of in a timely manner. She
has grown leaps and bounds over the last year and for this I am nominating her as she continues to give
great care to patients and lessen the uncomfortable times for her patients. Most of all she is a calming
voice when the patients and their families need it.
2017 Award Nominee
Lindsey DiMartino
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Robyn Cunnally:
Lindsey is a very smart, competent, and compassionate nurse. She is very knowledgeable and makes smart
clinical decisions. She is able to see changes in patient status and act quickly. As a trauma nurse she is
able to care for the most clinically ill patients. She is kind and warm hearted toward her patients. She is
also a team player. She is constantly offering help to other staff members and willing to jump in at any
time. She knows the ins and outs of the department and shows her leadership as a senior staff member.
She is friendly toward all staff and welcomes new staff to the unit. Her attitude is always positive no
matter the difficulty of the situation at hand.
Nomination from Deanna Romano:
Lindsey has shown a great growth in emergency care. She is diligent in her care for all age patients. She
can help move the emergency room when it is busy yet still give great care to all patients she cares for in
her shift. She is able to help other nurses grow and guide them through the rigorous work that we all
endure as emergency nurses to safely care for patents yet do and efficient job. Her role has grown this
year and she has been able to help out in other important areas that are necessary to help the department.
She is selfless in her care and gives her all. I am nominating her due to her growth and ability to adapt.
She gives great care to all of her patients and she deserves to be recognized for this.
2017 Award Nominee
Catherine Dinauer
Nevada State Board of Nursing
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Ms. Dinauer deserves to be recognized for her dedication to leadership and quality while being the
Executive Director for the Nevada State Board of Nursing. She holds patient safety, and quality patient
care to the highest standard. She took over a big job! She entered into a position that requires dedication,
leadership, and strength. She works collaboratively with the Nevada State Board of Nursing staff to
protect the public, ensure nursing safety is the priority, ensure Nursing regulation is followed and a fair
process to offered to everyone, and she works tireless to make sure her staff feel appreciated and
respected.
2017 Award Nominee
Katherine Dinauer
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Cathy Dinauer:
I would like to nominate this nurse in the category of critical care. Although she is just a "baby" critical
care nurse, she has found her niche. From the time she was in nursing school and saw her first surgery,
brain surgery, she knew she wanted to work in critical care. She started her career on a medical/telemetry
unit and after 3 years, felt she was ready for the ICU. She was nervous about the move but could not wait
to get her feet wet. And her feet got wet very quickly. Understanding the physiological and psychological
processes of the ICU patient became her passion. She exhibits the characteristics of a great nurse in that
she is compassionate, intellectual, responsible and honest. She has a thirst for knowledge and as a new
ICU nurse she is constantly challenging her critical thinking skills. She has the right attitude because she
cares. She is happy when she can find common ground with her patients, empathize with their situation
and challenge her brain. She is often sought after by families who want to thank her for caring for their
loved ones. Thank you for caring and being who you are.I
2017 Award Nominee
Michelle Dix
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Poeth Kilonzo:
I have had the pleasure of watching Michelle grow from the time she was a new grad. Michelle cares a lot
about her patients this is well evident especially when she takes care of the most challenging patients who
normally will request her care for the length they are in Michelle's home nursing unit she cares for these
patients with patience, empathy and professionalism, Michelle is able to see her patients beyond their
illness and connect with them at the human level. A great example recently is when Michelle took care of a
homeless patient who was very ill and needing not to leave hospital without treatment and up on taking
care of him Michelle recognized the patient liked football his football team, snacks and writing Michelle
was quick to let the team know what we needed to engage the patient on in times of high stress and that
way the patient was able to stay at the hospital and get his treatment. When she feels like there is more to
be done she reaches out to the right sources to help her deliver the care her patients deserve Michelle
quickly went from a new grad to a mentor and an informal leader, she also joined our pathway to
excellence team, as Michelle's Manager I am truly lucky to have her because she is able to absorb
whatever advise is given to her and she takes it and makes it her own. Most people would think Michelle
has been a nurse for a while because of the manner she approaches her nursing practice with. Michelle
has a bright nursing career a head and I can say truly I am very proud of her.
2017 Award Nominee
Dawn Dollarhide
VA SNHC
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Toina Vesely:
Dawn is a tremendous asset our very large primary care unit at the Reno VA. She brings a wealth of
knowledge and more importantly...integrity. Dawn always does what is right for the patient. She advocates
for the well being of each and every vet we serve. Dawn always steps up to help in any arena. She serves
on our VRC which works on reassigning the vets to different primary care physicians, this is a very busy
committee that requires extreme commitment to doing the right thing for the vet as well as the team. She
manages a team of approx. 1200 vets that are very ill and elderly and never misses a beat on making sure
they all have and get the care they require. Dawn is our CPR/ACLS instructor and teaches new patient
orientation. She is the current primary care manager the nurse manager is out. Dawn is well respected,
and is a resource for everyone in primary care from the front desk to the physicians. Dawn recently drove
to a vets home to take him a copy of his appointment schedule as Dawn worked diligently to acquire an apt
for him in one of the specialty clinics and due to the vet having a trach, phone conversations are not an
option. Due to Dawns, diligence and care, the vet was able to be informed of his apt for the next day. Dawn
is dependable and is recognized as a leader in our primary care unit.
2017 Award Nominee
Gladys Dolor
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Riley Henderson:
Gladys recently took on a role as a nurse navigator and while she has been a nurse for many years, she has
had to go through what she calls a learning curve. Watching her train and jump head first into this role, I
wouldn't say she had to "learn" much at all. The knowledge she has gained over her years as a nurse is
astounding. Within this new role, she meets her patients, gets to know them personally, discusses their
projected treatment plan with them, and then follows them along throughout their treatment. Most nurses,
no matter how great they are, would still need to reference back to their notes if a patient calls them with
questions weeks later, but not Gladys. All of the previous conversations or encounters she's had with that
particular patient come flooding back to the front of her mind in seconds. I envy the knowledge she has
and the ability to take the extra step for her patients in response to it. Gladys is a nurse who always goes
above and beyond for her patients. If someone mentions to her that they may need a particular scan done
in the future, Gladys will call the doctor's office right away to get an order then she will schedule the
patient's scan for them so they don't have to wait any longer on that referral. As mentioned, Gladys
recently moved into this new role but there's never been a moment that she hasn't been willing to help her
fellow nurses out in her previous role if they're behind or overwhelmed with work. Throughout all of the
hard work and sometimes exhausting days, she is always willing to do more and give more. Not only that,
but she always stays positive and builds up her peers. I couldn't imagine having a better nurse to look up
to and learn from.
Nomination from Janis Pollard:
Gladys has been an RN for many years. Whether working in the ER or on an inpatient unit, in Radiation
Oncology, or, most recently as a Nurse Navigator in the Center for Cancer, Gladys is always professional
and well informed about her patients. She always remembers their names and faces and the patients learn
to trust and rely on Gladys to assure that their needs are met and schedules are right. Somehow, she
manages to keep everyone and everything straight and get it done in half the time. Her quick mind and
excellent judgement make Gladys an asset to our multidisciplinary team and physicians as well as to
patients and their families. She remains cool under pressure and helps others do so as well. When Gladys
is involved you can always be sure that things will get done according to the highest standards and that, at
the same time, her caring still manages to shine through.
2017 Award Nominee
Cristina Domantay
Renown Skilled Nursing
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Lillian Angel Celambrino:
This Nurse has shown extreme team work and partnership. She takes her time with her patients and is
always wiling to help ANYONE in anyway she can. She has great communication skills and is always
educating her patients with helpful knowledge regarding there care. She shows leadership. She is able to
manage her time very well. If she sees something that needs to be done she will take the initiative and
make sure it gets done. She treats her aids like an equal. Best Nurse and partner i have ever had! I just
cant say it enough how amazing and great this nurse is!I want to say thank you so much for your time and
partnership.
2017 Award Nominee
Stephanie Drake
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Jena Rosa:
I would like to nominate Stephanie for nurse of achievement because this year she has shown as a true
star and displayed her commitment to being an excellent nurse. Stephanie has stepped up by showing her
peers how to be positive and over come the negative that some times comes with this job. She has taken
new steps in her career by acting as a relief charge nurse and relief supervisor and has done outstanding.
She has also recently become involved with performance improvement committees to help streamline work
and service. Not only does she exhibit all those wonderful qualities her patients also love her. She is
constantly getting recognized for the outstanding care she provides to her patients. Thank you for your
consideration.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Drossulis
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Meghan Stice:
Jessica has shown a passion for nursing and providing excellent care to her patients. She works hard to
learn new skills and to challenge herself by taking on increasingly challenging patients. A nursing student
she precepted said that her experience with Jessica not only made her want to work on the unit but made
her believe that she too could become an ICU nurse and that Jessica made her dream seem more
reachable. Jessica has also taken on the challenging task of being charge nurse to a very large ICU with a
high acuity and has navigated the new challenges with a smile and a bright sense of humor! She is
definitely an example of an exceptional nurse!
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Duffy
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Anne Wallace:
Mary has been working in the behavioral Health field for over 5 years. She brings a true passion and
compassion to all of the clients she counsels as well as a well rounded knowledge base in addictions and
mental health. She is a strong advocate for all who she meets to encourage a balance of health in mind
body and spirit. She is an enthusiastic speaker and has been active in educating the community as well as
Renown employees on the topics of nutrition, stress management, and life balance. Working with Mary, I
am always encouraged by her positive attitude, attention to detail as well as her ability to find treatment
solutions for our challenging population of clients. Mary lives the healthy lifestyle she teaches through her
passion daily swimming, hiking, and exploring healthy and nutritious meals. She has a strong background
in education and brings her passion for learning and sharing new material to everyone that can benefit
from that knowledge. Mary is a professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate nurse who deserves this
award of Nurse of Achievement. Thank you.
2017 Award Nominee
Bailey Dunn
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Grace Cremer:
Bailey has been a part of the South Meadows team for years as a critical care tech, and has recently moved
into a new role as an RN after finishing school. We all had high expectations for her as she was such a
valuable team member as a critical care tech. Bailey has exceeded expectations as a new nurse. She is
confident and skilled in her assessment, leading to excellent patient care. She is tirelessly compassionate
and shows it through exceptional patient advocacy. Patients can always count on Bailey to be their voice
when they are too sick or too tired. You have done an amazing job transitioning into your new role, Bailey!
We are so proud of you.
2017 Award Nominee
Christina Dyette
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Crystal Heyer:
Christina has been a supervisor on CICU for about 1.5 years. In that time she has helped to grow the unit
into a prosperous unit, where patients receive quality care and nurses are happy to come to work
everyday. She organizes and runs the infection prevention champion team and can proudly boast that CIC
has not had an HAI since the inception of this team over 4 months ago. She is truly a jack of all trades. She
has served as the interim educator for several months while still maintaining her supervisor role. She is a
mentor to all staff, but especially to our new graduate nurses who look up to her and want to be her when
they "grow up". She ensures a culture of safety by encouraging staff to bring forward safety concerns in a
non punitive environment. She is frequently recognized by staff and patients for her compassion and warm
smile. She is really the whole package! A great advocate for nurses and patients, a caring leader, and a
truly amazing resource nurse!
Nomination from Penelope Burke:
Christina never fails to impress me with her nursing knowledge or leadership skills. She is incredibly
approachable and always makes time to answer a question. She is quick to point out others' successes and
to recognize her staff for a job well done. Recently, she came in extra early during a very busy night shift:
she quickly recognized the 'crazy' evening and stepped in to help with advice and staffing so that the
charge could tend to caring for patients. Additionally, despite having rare direct patient care
responsibilities recently, she agreed to take on a very sick patient for the morning and took incredible care
of him and his family. Christina is a strong advocate for all of our patients and staff!
2017 Award Nominee
Jacquelyn Eckert
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Karen Gordon:
I nominate Jacqueline Eckert from the Oncology Unit at Saint Mary's. There are so many different reasons
as to why I believe she should win nurses of achievement award but one that stands out for me is her
amazing, giving and selfless heart. She has only been an Oncology Nurse for about a year so I chose
category "Rookie of the Year " because we all know that oncology nursing is in itself a whole other
ballgame...and I say this with admiration because I've been an oncology nurse 12 years and absolutely love
it. "Jax" as we all call her has proven herself to be strong when advocating for her patients even if it means
when you have to go against family. She has been their voice when they are to weak to talk and their
strength when they are in too much pain to say. I have seen her cry, laugh and love all in one day then go
home to her 1 year old baby girl and husband which I'm positive that she will do the same there. I've seen
her give and continue to give till all she can do is laugh because the other option is to cry and that is not
who she is, she would never make you feel bad for her as all she wants is people to feel happy. She spreads
joy and laughter throughout our unit and it's always refreshing to work side by side with her. I believe with
all my heart she is a true Oncology Nurse and I just hope that she knows how appreciated she is by the
people she touches everyday, her patients and coworkers included.
2017 Award Nominee
Ann Egan
CareFlight
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Markus Dorsey-hirt:
As a critical care air ambulance provider, Care Flight is taking staff and patient safety very seriously.
Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones can inhibit or endanger operations over scenes and hospital landing
pads, especially by uneducated users. Ann took it upon herself to develop a video as a public service
announcement to educate the public. Ann's video that was done very professionally in conjunction with
some of our crew members has been published nationwide, thus increasing public awareness and
improving on safety for air medical providers throughout the country. I highly recommend Ann for this
award as she is a great advocate for our patients, staff members and the air medical industry in general.
2017 Award Nominee
NicHOLAS Eisenbarth
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Renee Smith:
Nic has had many roles here at Northern Nevada Medical Center and has excelled in all of them. I
currently work with Nic in the Emergency Department where he is both in the staffing mix and works as a
clinical supervisor. When you first think of Nic you think of his great sense of humor, always making
everyone laugh. But more than that his assessment and clinical skills are impressive and a great comfort
when you know anything can come through those doors. Possibly because of his background in law
enforcement, or just his easy going personality, Nic is able to keep a calm demeanor and is very good at
de-escalating situations before they get out of hand. Whether he is in a clinical supervisor position that day
or a staff nurse position, Nic is someone the whole team looks to. It is my honor to nominate Nic
Eisenbarth for the Nurses of Achievement award in Emergency Nursing.
2017 Award Nominee
Sandi Ellis
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
I am pleased to nominate Sandi for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. Sandi is an excellent
nurse and strong patient advocate. Sandi is always willing to adapt take on whatever comes her way with a
smile and a positive attitude. She is looked up to others in the department and is often used as a resource.
Sandi works at fast pace and is always looking for ways to increase our throughput. Sandi is motivated and
keeps a positive attitude even in the most stressful situations. Sandi will often stay late after her shift to
help our her team or will come in for whichever shifts best meets the needs of the department.
2017 Award Nominee
Richard Elmquist
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Rich the last 2 years. Rich is one of our night shift Charge nurses.
Rich is an amazing critical nurse. Rich has an amazing sense of humor and is one of the greatest street
tellers I have ever met. He is very gifted at teaching. When I did my orientation I made sure to request a
week when he would be on and could teach me. The compassion and care the Rich treats the patients and
families on our floor is inspirational. I have never seen him be judgemental towards a patient, or their
family. When an educational opportunity presents itself Rich is quick to jump in. I feel lucky to have him as
a co worker.
2017 Award Nominee
Cristina Espinoza-Roque
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Kimbra Hagerty:
Cristina has been a bright light in the nursing world! This nurse came on to the scene with a quiet strength
that was undeniable. Her calm demeanor and inviting voice has helped to make even the most difficult
patient melt. Cristina is able to enter a room in which everyone else has had difficulty, and turn it into a
positive environment. She sees the best in each patient, no matter their circumstance, situation,
socioeconomic status, color or creed. She is the most unbiased, beautiful caregiver I have seen in a long
time. For this nomination though I wanted to praise the way she cares for her co-workers in
Maternal/Child because to her, we are her customers as well. Cristina has recently stepped into the charge
nurse role and it has been a great fit for her. She takes the time each shift to check in on the staff and truly
make sure they are alright. She is able to see areas of "weakness" in an individual and with positive
reinforcement, help to transform them. She has helped to mold some of our struggling nurses into strong,
capable ones.Cristina has also seen the importance of taking care of ourselves outside of work. She is
currently working to take this priority and turn it into a month "get yours" in which she reaches out the to
community offering business to them if they in turn offer deals and discounts to her co-workers. She has
ideas for pampering sessions, jewelry discounts, food, etc. Her desire to love on everyone she meets is the
reason I am nominating Cristina for this award.
2017 Award Nominee
Catherine Estipona
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Lady Militante:
Cat has consistently provided her patients with the most thorough,thoughtful and integrative health
care.cat truly listens to her patients concerns. Cat is always readily available by phone to answer any
questions they may have with their care. Her level of commitment and genuine desire to help is
unfathomable. To many she is the best in terms of knowledge and is also a great person. She always
provide exceptionally compassionate care, and is dedicated to her patients. She constantly make them feel
that they are the most important patient for the day and does not make them feel rushed.
2017 Award Nominee
Peter Etcheverry
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
PJ is true personification of our mission of making a genuine difference in leading by example and creating
an engaged work environment that is dedicated to providing excellent care to our community. Over the
past year, PJ has become a strong leader to his team and someone who always gets the task done. He has
quickly adapted to his role as a supervisor by effectively managing the many responsibilities of patient
care, while being flexible to the unpredictable nature of acute care, and maintaining an efficient and
confident atmosphere. PJ is frequently recognized by his patient's for his exceptional care and are grateful
for his positive and genuine thoughtfulness to their needs. While providing the best care for his patient's,
he is dedicated to teamwork and ensuring all team members are set up for success. We have had many
nurses choose to make GSU their home unit because of the strong team he has helped create. They state
that they know that they have him there to ask questions, and to teach them, and he creates an
atmosphere of calm and understanding. He is the first one to welcome them to the unit, and always offer
words of encouragement. By creating an engaged and positive team, PJ impacts every patient on our unit
by giving them the best environment to be in while they heal. PJ has unlimited potential for creating a
positive work environment and providing the very best care to all patients. I thank PJ for the tremendous
passion he exhibits on a daily basis for his commitment and dedication to employee engagement and
patient care.
2017 Award Nominee
Lori Eustis
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Mona Carico:
It is with great pleasure that I nominate Lori Eustis for the Outpatient Nurse of the Year. Lori works in the
Oncology Outpatient Infusion Department and is known for her high standards of performance and
compassion. She always goes the extra steps for her patients and makes sure that they are safe. She
decided to specialize in Oncology and worked hard to get Nationally Certified as an Oncology Nurse. She is
very instrumental in coordinating care with the physicians and the patients. Lori is respected by her peers
and loved by her patients. She is a positive member of the team and is efficient and thorough with her
work. Her experience, great clinical thinking skills, compassion, integrity, and teamwork makes her a role
model to others. Lori provides excellent care to her patients, often going the extra step. She believes in
doing what is right for her patients and fights for it. She shows great concern for the welfare of others and
finds solutions to difficult challenges. Lori loves educating and talking to her patients and gives them lots
of support. She is a great asset to our organization.Thank you for considering Lori Eustis for the
Outpatient Nurse of the year Award.
2017 Award Nominee
Caitlin Evans
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Christine Provasi:
It has been a pleasure to work with Caitlin for the last 4 years. I have personally witnessed Caitlin make
the transition from new graduate RN to a proficient ER nurse. She is able to provide assistance to other
nurses in time of need, a caring touch to her patients, and a calm aura in a frequently chaotic emergency
department. She frequently will lend a hand to other team members. She goes above and beyond what is
required and asked of her and truly is a team player. She is gentle, compassionate and personable with
patients and families. Caitlin is a joy to work with, and I am proud to have her as a member of our team.
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Caitlin Evans for the recipient for the award category of Emergency Nursing. Caitlin is an
asset to Saint Mary's Emergency Department. She displays a calm, caring, and compassionate attitude
with all the patients that she encounters. Caitlin has a positive demeanor and is a role model to several
nurses in the Emergency Department. With her calming attitude, she can take very difficult situations,
with patients, with a sense of ease. She has been working in the Trauma rooms and has taken on very
intense patients with an extensive history of comorbities. I have seen her grow into an exceptional nurse at
which she displays confidence with very complicated patients. It is always a pleasure to work with
Caitlin!!!
2017 Award Nominee
Gina Evans
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jennifer Fuller:
Gina is an amazing nurse. She is the one who helped me choose to come to the 4 north family from another
floor in the hospital. She is also a charge nurse on our floor. She is always willing to answer questions and
help out her fellow co workers. She is patient with her patients and her co workers. Even when she is
stressed it is very hard to tell because she keeps this calm demeanor about her. I enjoy working with her
and find myself in a much better mood when I do get to work with her and see her. She is a wealth of
knowledge. I have been a nurse for 10 years and she is always the first that I go to when I have a question.
She almost always has the answer. Weather it is about policy or a procedure. She is a joy to work with!
2017 Award Nominee
Tammy Evans
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Omana Olickal:
Tammy Evans has been managing Medical Acute and Neuro Tele unit for many years. All these years she
has been a very good director, she listen to staff problems and she is capable of resolving it very effective.
Being director she approach problems through a lens opportunity. Freedom and trust given to her team
make her leadership quality bright. Her decision making are fair and very professional. She is able to bring
good team spirit within her team. We are proud to have her as a leader. Tammy is actively involved in
community projects for Saint Marys Regional Medical Center.
2017 Award Nominee
Tina Rae Evans
VA SNHC
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Erin Pate:
Ms. Tina Evans is an RN on the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (MHU). She is a true Veteran/patient and
nurse advocate. She works tirelessly to ensure the Veterans entrusted into her care and the nurses she
works with are well cared for. For example, Ms. Evans noted some inconsistencies in the way nurses were
oriented on the MHU and how the unit operated (i.e. how care was delivered/inconsistencies in what
Veterans could expect). This lead to miscommunication and tension among staff and Veterans alike. Tina
developed and implemented an MHU orientation program for all staff. This ensured nurses received the
same orientation and knowledge no matter who oriented them to the MHU. Through her work, there has
been an increase in knowledge and consistency among the staff. This has decreased staff splitting (by
patients) and increased communication. Ms. Evans is a true asset to the MHU and I highly recommend her
for a Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award.
2017 Award Nominee
Tamara Faust
VA SNHC
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Erin Pate:
Ms. Faust is a wonderful addition to the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (MHU) at the Reno VA. She is a true
patient advocate, always ensuring our Veterans are treated with care, compassion, and respect. As a
nurse, she involves the patient in creating and implementing their plan of care. Additionally, she carefully
monitors the Veterans for any changes that may arise and the MHU every shift to ensure there are no
safety issues that would place our Veterans at risk. Tamara is well liked and respected by her peers and
patients alike. She is continuously learning and is never afraid to ask questions or look for clarification.
She is an excellent RN already and I look forward to watching her grow in the years to come. I highly
recommend her for Rookie of the Year!
2017 Award Nominee
Sierra Felder
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lyndsay Knight Q:
Sierra is an excellent asset to the Emergency Department. Sierra is always willing to lend a helping hand
to all of her co workers in any time of need. Sierra is a mentor and a leader to new grad nurses as well as
experienced nurses. I have had the pleasure of working with Sierra for many years, she has always shown
incredible compassion for patients, she is a knowledgeable, strong teammate. Sierra is constantly helping
her co workers by trading shifts or picking up shifts for other people if needed, and is willing to come in
and help when the department is short. Sierra is a pleasure to work with and the department is a much
stronger enjoyable place with her around.
2017 Award Nominee
Crescent Ferrera
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Alicia Glassco:
This leader has a love of her staff and patients that is indescribable. her passion for nursing and drive for
quality, consistent care makes her perfect for our team and organization. This leader is a working
supervisor who knows the business inside and out. She understands the business aspect but also from a
bedside nurse standpoint. she advocates for the team and is flexible with their needs. One day a child and
her father came into Pre-Op and asked for this nurse leader. Because of the bond that they had made from
a previous operation, they wanted to see her again. This nurse leader came to the bedside with her calm
demeanor to reassure and comfort the child up until they went back to the operating room. When this
nurse leader left the child at the operating room doors, she said, "I'll be in the recovery room when you
wake up."When the child awoke, she was there, with a smile to fill the room and provided a comforting
touch.This leader's background is in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit and although she leads the Pre-Op
team you can often find her filling in when necessary in the PACU, supporting the team and using her
stellar clinical skills to care for patients or acting as charge nurse. Thank you just isn't enough for the
many things she does on a daily basis for our team, our patients and our organization. She is friendly,
caring, detail oriented, positive, uplifting part of our surgical team.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Finley
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Shelby Hunt:
Jennifer (Jen) is our nurse informaticist.Jen has worked in a variety of positions during her nursing career
but prior to moving to the IT departmentwas a house supervisor. Being a house supervisor and interacting
with all the department in ourorganization has given her the ability to understand the workflow of a nurse
and the impact the electronichealth record has on them. Jen sits on almost every committee in the hospital
and as we better workflowprocesses and increase provider and staff compliance, she aids in requesting
enhancements to ourelectronic health record. These requests are not easy, due to belonging to a large
organization that utilizesthe same EHR system, and not all our requests are accepted as the request would
need to be rolled out toall facilities. Jen, being a nurse and thinking like a nurse, creates work-around's
through creative andinnovative means to ensure we capture needed information into our electronic record.
Additionally, if aninitial request is denied, she strategically continues to pursue reinforcing the need for
enhancements tobetter our patients, our documentation, and healthcare team workflow. Her position is not
easy as she istrying to please and meet everyone's needs. Thanks Jen for continuing to being dedicated and
creative asour electronic world continues to advance!
2017 Award Nominee
Martha Finley
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Diana Haigh:
Martha is a great asset to the surgical department, she always gives her patients a warm comfortable at
ease feeling when they are feeling scared, and insecure. She is not only a great team player and leader
when needed. Whenever a complication arises she always stays calm and works efficiently to get to the
bottom of the problem and get things resolved quickly. Marta never limits herself or her capabilities, she
always wants to learn new skills and better herself as a nurse. Any patient or staff member would be lucky
to have Martha on their side knowing they are in great hands.
2017 Award Nominee
Danel Fisher
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Cheyenne Underwood:
Danel is an incredibly compassionate nurse and I strive to be like her in patient care. She voluntarily runs
a bereavement support group for women who have lost a fetus and goes out of her way to care for patients
who have lost a fetus or infant. She spends a great deal of time at the bedside with her patients doing
whatever it is they need to feel comfortable. Recently, one patient was experiencing a great deal of pain
during labor and did not want to take medications. Danel did not push her to take any medications out of
respect for her decision but stayed with her for six hours, not leaving the room for longer than five minutes
during any of that time. She helped the patient relax as much as possible and helped her to change
position frequently, massaged her, soothed her anxiety, and braced her. During and after delivery, the
patient tearfully thanked Danel profusely and told her she could not have done it without Danel. The family
also thanked Danel profusely and said she was the best nurse they had ever met, making their
hospital/labor and delivery experience beautiful with the best care any of them had ever received. This is a
common occurrence with Danel's patient care. Everyone, patients and staff, agree she is a phenomenal
nurse. She is the embodiment of a nurse's caring and compassionate spirit. It is an honor and a joy to work
with her.
2017 Award Nominee
Jeffrey Fisher
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Jeff Fisher as a recipient for the category in Emergency Nursing. Jeff has been a nurse for
several years at Saint Mary's and is truly an asset. Jeff started up on the floor in the telemetry department
and then navigated down to the emergency department. Jeff is a truly a joy to work with. He is admired by
his fellow co-workers for his wealth of knowledge. He possesses a caring attitude to his patients and is
always willing to assist his co-workers. Jeff plays many roles in the department, from charge nurse, trauma
nurse and preceptor of new grads and new hires. He always has a smile on his face and a joke to go with
his smile. His demeanor is always positive. It is a sincere joy to work with Jeff. He always keeps me
laughing!!!
2017 Award Nominee
Jordan Forman
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Jordan is a very sweet, compassionate, and knowledgeable nurse. Jordan is currently furthering her
education as a nurse practioner. Jordan spends time to research the patient's history so that she can
anticipate possible changes in patient condition. Once Jordan had a patient whom other nurses and doctors
where telling her that the patient had a hemorrhagic stroke and the patient's high fever, tachycardia, and
tachypnea were all related to the hemorrhagic stroke. Jordan concerned that the patient needed to be
moved to a higher level of care call a rapid response. During the rapid Jordan was blocked from having her
patient moved by a RN and a doctor. Jordan was told that the patient was at his baseline and she shouldn't
be concerned. Undaunted Jordan continued to monitor the patient, and fight to have the patient moved to a
higher level of care. In the morning Jordan's persistance paid off and the patient was transfered to CCU.
The patient's condition drastically improved. The patient was eventually discharged home to his family
with great mobility and cognitive function.
2017 Award Nominee
Katelyn Foster
VA SNHC
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Barbara Gordon:
Katelyn Foster has proven to be deserving of the long term care/rehabilitation award multiple times during
this last year. During the first 6 months of her nursing she had grown and showed great advancement in
her nursing abilities. It was only shortly after her first 6 months, during a unit shortage of charge nurses
that Katelyn was asked by the department manager to accept the training of charge and become one of
three day shift charge nurses of the 60 bed unit. As charge she has shown her amazing skill set as a Leader
to staff and the veterans. She has been the main leader during rapid responses, and behavior codes.
Katelyn while charge was threaten by a veteran suffering from severe PTSD with a syringe. She managed
to keep her composure, calm the veteran, removed the dangerous syringe all the while managing to still
lead others to safe and affected nursing care. Katelyn is very detailed. Her nursing critical thinking skill
set has proven to be extremely affective during several medical situations. She has embraced the care of
the hospice team providing heart felt comfort to our falling veterans. Many times she is found staying after
her tour to hold a hand of a veteran that is near the end of his journey or to take part of honors escort, an
honorary precession to the morgue. Katelyn has been an excellent addition to the unit both staff and
veterans have shown their appreciation of her leadership, skills, but more importantly her warm up beat
personality even during the most stressful events. Katelyn is very deserving of the Long term care
/rehabilitation award the last year she has demonstrated more leadership, caring hands on nursing care,
and extreme critical thinking skills than some nurses that have been a nurse for many years. Katelyn
recently left long term care to serve in the Navy Reserves and preform the nurse challenges of a med/surg
nurse. Katelyn Foster lives by the Florence Nightingale pledge, She is the true meaning of what a nurse is
and should be.
2017 Award Nominee
Lindsey Foxen
Cancer Care Specialists
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Lisa Thayer:
Lindsey Foxen is one of those nurses who is just smart and competent in everything she does. I often
admire how easily she can handle her job and remember so many different protocols at once. Not only is
she competent, she is amazing with her patients, who always ask for her when they come in for their
chemotherapy infusions or to have their blood drawn from their port.Whenever I have a question about an
infusion time or procedure, she is right there with the answer. She remembers her patient's regimens and
anything special we need to know about them. When a patient comes in, they can rest assure that she is
aware of what is going on and what needs her special attention.All of our patients love Lindsey. She
remembers their names, what is going on in their lives, and will sit and talk with the about anything new
that is happening to them. She is always ready to give a hug when needed or make a funny joke if the
mood needs lightening up. The chemotherapy room is a happier place when she is there. Lindsey has no
idea how great she is, but she is pretty amazing and deserves this award more than anyone else I can think
of.
2017 Award Nominee
James Freed
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Tracey Mccollum:
I would like to nominate Jim Freed, BSN to receive the Nurse of Achievement award for Innovation and
Advocacy. This category is meant to recognize a nurse who has completed an extraordinary project to
improve patient care or healthcare delivery in a healthcare setting. This very clearly describes Jim's work
over an extended nursing career, but most recently over the last year. Jim 's role is to coordinate all things
related to Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness. Jim has spent countless hours working to
develop a robust Emergency Management program for Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center. He has
worked with County, Regional, and State agencies to assure that Carson Tahoe facilities and the town of
Carson City is safe during times of crisis. Jim keeps our Hazard Vulnerability Analysis up to date, and
makes sure that we have an emergency communication plan in place.One of the most extraordinary things
about the work that Jim has completed is that he is the sole allotted FTE to perform these duties, and
literally does this with a zero budget. Virtually all monies spent for this program, he has had to request
through grant funds. This ability to "think outside of the box" shows immeasurable innovation.Jim works
tirelessly to plan and implement countless Disaster Drills, on a variety of topics that range from Ebola, to a
Mass casualty accident. Most recently, Jim was able to put this practice into use, with the most recent
flooding in early 2017, while at the same time, a patient surge that overwhelmed our facility capacity, as
well as a complete and total network failure that took down all computers, phones and other forms of
communication hospital-wide! Jim provided the coordination needed to keep patients, staff, employees, and
employee families up to date on rapidly changing circumstances. In 2016, Jim also developed a hospitalwide Hazardous Materials program for Carson Tahoe facilities. This will help to fill a void that has existed
for years in Carson City. Jim worked again with local EMS and Fire Departments to make this a flawless
effort. Jim consistently has a calm, cool demeanor that instills confidence in everyone around him. Jim
portrays a serene competency related to Emergency Management and remains very well-versed in Disaster
Preparedness by obtaining state and national certifications to run an Incident Command Center smoothly,
even in the most stressful of times. By performing these very important duties, and through the
development of these programs, Jim consistently illustrates what it means to be an advocate, for not only
patients and families, but for our employees as well.Jim has provided leadership in times of crisis, ranging
from a hospital shooting, to a complete loss of hospital water, and everything in between. Jim is well
deserving of this acknowledgement, as he keeps a hospital full of patients, staff, and families as safe as
possible, in a more and more dangerous world around us. I certainly want Jim on my team when a disaster
hits!
2017 Award Nominee
Janet Freeland
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Cynthia Parker:
Janet Freeland started her nursing career in 1988. Throughout her career she sought out and acted on
opportunities to improve care at the bedside. She continues to maintain her certifications in Critical Care
Nursing with her CCRN,CMC and CSC. Janet in an exceptional high performer and strongly advocates for
safe nursing practice with patient-centered care. She is a valuable educator and resource for her critical
care team, including experienced and novice nurses. Janet is always compassionate and caring when
interacting with her patients and their families. It is my sincere pleasure to nominate Janet for the 2017
NNNOA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nomination from Sarah Key:
Janet is a night shift CVU nurse. I have had the privilege of working with for the last 2 years. She has been
a CVU nurse for more 20 years. She has helped write many of our policies and procedures. Janet is a
talented educator and takes the time to explain why and how we do things for critical care patients. She
has taken time at the beginning of a lot of shifts to educate me on hemodynamics and expectations for our
patients. Janet does not belittle or make you feel incompetent. Her experience is an asset to our
department, I'm thankful for her and the knowledge she shares.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelli Frey
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This highly skilled registered nurse is also a therapist. She addresses each person who walks in the doors
of the Crisis Triage unit with dignity and respect. She's manages the multiple priorities of her patients
ranging from those with thoughts of self harm to psychosis to people detoxing off of various chemical
substances. On any given day that she's at work, you will see Kelly Frey soothing the fearful and fragile
with her reassuring presence. She's always anticipating her patients' needs and considering the the next
steps of their path on the way to their healing. Kelly is an exceptional nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Maria Freed
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Leanna Keith:
Dear Nomination Committee:It is with great honor that I ask you to consider Maria Freed BSN, RN for the
2017 NNNOA Nurse Educator Award. I have had the pleasure of working with Maria for over eighteen
years in many capacities and her commitment to quality patient care, her co-workers and our organization
has never wavered. Maria has a special connection to people in general. She welcomes and embraces
everyone as if she has known and cared about them their entire life. In return, she is adored by most
everyone that she encounters. This personal connection is unique and benefits Maria, our staff and our
patients very well in her service at our organization. Maria currently holds the position of RN Educator.
Her characteristic welcoming personality and immensely strong clinical skill set make Maria an excellent
Nurse Educator. In her role Maria is instrumental to the development and provision of our programs for
the onboarding or, as Maria would prefer, "welcoming" of new staff. This "welcome" includes new hire
orientation for all clinical staff, and a formal Graduate Nurse Transition into Practice Program. Maria is an
American Heart Association Regional Faculty member and Course Leader for ACLS Courses at our
organization. Additionally, Maria serves on our Clinical Practice Self Governance Counsel which works to
ensure that research based clinical practices are provided by our staff for our patients. As she serves on
multiple committees within our organization Maria is always utilizing information gained to enhance staff
development and ultimately patient care. The most extraordinary example of this is her work on the ACLS
Committee. This committee reviews all RRT and Code Events for both staff recognition and quality
improvement opportunities. Our data supports a major shift in positive RRT outcomes with many patients
being able to remain at their current level of care due to early RRT interventions. Maria contributed
greatly to this positive shift by providing a Early Recognition of the Deteriorating Patient Course that all
nursing staff attended. Additionally, Maria has worked with Managers and Quality to provide individual
case review and coaching for staff involved in RRT's that may have benefited from earlier intervention.
This personal, non threatening approach has increased the confidence and comfort levels of our staff. Most
importantly, it has demonstrated a direct and positive impact on patient care. Even away from direct
patient care, Maria still makes a tremendous difference! Countless examples of Maria's work could be
provided. All of them would have the same story. Maria has a keen interest in best practices, is a peopleperson in all regards, loves to educate and train and ultimately has a positive impact on patient care with
the work that she does, whatever it is. She is a tireless worker and holds herself to the highest personal
standards. It has truly been my honor to work with her all of these years and it is without reservation that I
recommend Maria for this recognition. Thank you for your consideration of this nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Jaime Friedlander
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lori Perry:
I am pleased to nominate Jaime Friedlander Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the
category of Emergency Nursing. I have always found her dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Jaime always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to her patients as well. She is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient
and any coworker. I have seen her resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate her for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Robby Fritzler
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Richard Elmquist:
It is a particular pleasure to nominate Robby Fritzler for Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievemnt Rookie of
the Year. Robby came to our ICU this past year as a new graduate nurse, a most difficult task. Robby has a
kind and intelligent nature that has quickly made him a favorite of both patients and staff. Robby is a
sponge for information and researches constantly to find and confirm answers. Robby's thirst for
knowledge has inspired others and opened up discussions on how we could deliver better care. Robby is
the first to help out with new admissions and to lend a hand in any situation. Robby's thirst for knowledge
and his strong work ethic has made him a most valuable member of our team. Thank you Robbie, your an
asset to our unit and a great ambassador for our profession.
2017 Award Nominee
Molly Frost
Kindred Hospice
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Amy Murphy:
We have a very hard job sometimes of telling families bad news. We go through the process of choice for
hospice once that decision is made and then if we are lucky, Molly, comes to consult with a patient. She is
so very patient with our families during their grieving process and our patients get out the same day due to
her diligent work. I'm very impressed of her care on their behalf. When she is contacted she always makes
an effort to get to our patients right away. Her nursing expertise and love for the patients is evident in her
care.
2017 Award Nominee
Julie Fry
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lori Perry:
I am pleased to nominate Julie Fry Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the category of
Emergency Nursing. I have always found her dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Julie always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to her patients as well. She is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient
and any coworker. I have seen her resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate her for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Michael Fry
VA SNHC
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Michelle Reynolds:
Michael Fry is committed to exceptional care. He is dedicated and respectful of each patient he cares for.
His passion for nursing is embedded in his care provided to each patient. Demonstrates integrity and
adherence to the nursing professions code of ethics: She continues to provide leadership in all matters
impacting clients and staff by demonstrating professionalism and by maintaining trust in protecting staff
privacy regards to knowledge gained in a titled leadership position. Mr. Fry confident in her ability to
charge/triage and routinely makes recommendations to physicians regarding patient status, departmental
flow and admission status. He uses VHA directives and ICARE principles to guide her professional
practice.
2017 Award Nominee
Allison Fuller
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Lisa Fillipone:
Allison was my preceptor during my orientation to the floor. She has a lot of great qualities as a nurse.
First, she is knowledgable. Not only did she always make sure to describe practices and procedures to me,
she also made sure that patients and their families were in the know. She was able to answer my questions
and always looked things up with me if she didn't know the answer instead of just saying "I don't know."
Second, she is very experienced. She went from being a CNA, to a tele nurse, to a CICU nurse. Her
experience shows in all that she does. She is certified to do most any procedure a nurse is able to do on the
floor, and always reaches out a helping hand to other nurses that are not certified in that area. Allison was
an "infection champion" on our floor, which meant that she helped to make sure that our staff was doing
central line dressing changes properly. Allison, along with other "infection champions" has been extremely
helpful to our floor. Lastly, Allison has a genuine, bubbly, uplifting personality. She is serious when she
needs to be, but also provides that spirit that is needed in hard times. She makes a genuine connection
with patients, families, and other staff members and is a great asset to our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Danette Gaetke
Renown Rehabilitation Hospital
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Angie Talley:
Danette is committed to the success of the Rehab team. Her heart's desire is provision of education to the
Rehabilitation Hospital IDT team. She spends long hours researching, networking and creating the
necessary education for our IDT team to be successful in their roles, thus improving patient care and
ultimately patient outcomes. She is diligent in her everyday endeavors and the team trusts her competence
which places her in a mentor role. Danette is highly respected across all disciplines at Rehab Hospital. She
makes it important to spend time with all disciplines and on all shifts to assure continuity and
understanding of the education provided. Danette has worked with the nursing team to create skills
validation sessions and has created professional development educations for all of the Rehab Team.
Danette championed the CARF- (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) certification
preparations by investing her time in studying the requirements, developing the plan for addressing every
standard and delegating to the most appropriate work group. She kept everyone focused and on task by
regularly scheduling work planning sessions with groups and individuals. Ultimately, her heart is centered
on the patient & family needs.
2017 Award Nominee
Rebecca Gansberg
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Molly Cuthbertson:
She is always happy and very knowledgeable in the critical care unit! I look forward to working with
Rebecca any day she is on the unit. It shows she is proud of her work and strives to be the best nurse
everyday she is here.Caring is the essence of nursing and Rebecca shows she truly cares for not only her
patients but also the members of the team that make up our unit. I think she is very deserving of being
nominated and feel truly lucky to work in the Cardiac Intensive care unit with her! Thank you Rebecca!
2017 Award Nominee
Jenny Garcia
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Iliana:
Having Jenny on our team has been truly a great experience; witnessing the amount of effort and time it
takes to transition from being a nurse in the Philippines to becoming a new nurse in the US. Jenny has
grown so much as nurse here with us. Jenny started as a nurse in the U.S. with us, transitioned
successfully to our core staff and is now successfully transitioning into a charge nurse. Jenny always likes
to give 100% of her self when she is charge nurse and when Jenny looks at me with tears in her eyes
because she feels she couldn't help every nurse every single time they wanted her assistance, I know she is
doing a great job and being the best leader and resource to her team.
2017 Award Nominee
Lindie Gardner
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
It is with pleasure that I nominate Lindie for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement Award. Lindie is
an excellent ER Nurse who is strong in her skills and her ability to care for patients. She is a strong patient
advocate and she always puts her patients and their families at the center of her care. Lindie is well
respected and liked by her co-workers and the Physicians. She is always able to see the big picture and is
always looking for ways that we can improve our process. Lindie is motivated and dedicated to ER Nursing
and the Nursing Profession.
Nomination from Tiffani Lenzi:
Lindie exemplifies the position of a compassionate nurse, listening to patients' concerns, fears and
problems and acting as an advocate. Lindie is am amazing nurse in so many ways. Not only does she give
outstanding patient care, she is a mentor to our new nurses. Lindie always goes above and beyond when
teaching new nurses about emergency nursing. Lindie is kind, compassionate, patient and takes the time
to make sure new nurses know exactly what they are getting themselves into in the field of emergency
nursing. Lindie is a leader in so many ways; I can't wait to see what the future of nursing holds for her.
2017 Award Nominee
Rachael Gardner
Renown Medical Group
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Culley Gardner:
Rachael goes above and beyond for every patient she sees. She has started a support group for families
with siezure disorders and epilepsy.. Rachael is also an advocate for children and advanced practice for
children in need of seizure control. Rachael has been a central figure as both a picu rn for almost a decade
and a aprn in the neuro world for many years as well. Rachael loves the nursing community and is also
involved with UNR as an associate professor and preceptor for aprn students. Rachael strives everyday to
provide the higest level of care for every oatuent she encounters. Please consider her for this award!
2017 Award Nominee
Ricardo Garcia
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Katie Jenkins:
In July of 2014, Renown Regional Medical Center welcomed another new face. Many did not know it at the
time, but the face of this gentleman soon became well-known in the medical-surgical module; all for good
reasons, of course. From his very first weeks in orientation to this day, the nurse's attitude has been
nothing but positive, even during the most challenging shifts. This nurse is truly dedicated to his patients
and providing the best care possible. He is the epitome of integrity and was recognized for this in
December 2016 when he won Renown Regional's Employee of the Month for Integrity. While supporting a
family through the difficult process of transitioning their loved one into hospice care, his nominator Dr.
Woodard wrote "With Ricardo's extensive help, we tried very hard to get all the necessary steps in order to
make this happen before Ricardo was off, but today I came in to see the patient and there was Ricardo. He
was supposed to be off today but changed his schedule to come in for this patient and the patient's family,
to be their support, their translator, their nurse, and their guide. I am thoroughly impressed by his
dedication not just to his career, but to his patients and their families . . . . If I could nominate him for all
four categories simultaneously I would."This nurse is intensely passionate about providing quality care for
his patients. Whenever there is a new skill to be learned, he is the first to volunteer. He is not only eager to
learn about new procedures and skills, but he is also eager to help others learn about them as well. He has
volunteered to be his unit's Master Superuser for ultrasound-guided IV placement. He has committed to
undergoing the training himself, and then spending time each month to train other nurses on his unit and
throughout the medical-surgical module. This role requires tremendous commitment and the decision for
him to be the Master Superuser was not one that the educator took lightly. This nurse is also trusted as a
role model for the unit, especially as he has stepped up to the roles of charge nurse and preceptor. As
charge nurse at night, his peers looked to him as their leader and relied upon his excellent nursing skills
and critical thinking. As a preceptor, this nurse has guided several new graduate nurses through not just
their orientation period, but through the following months and years as well. He continues to serve as a
mentor to each new nurse that steps onto our unit and inspires them to do their best and dream big. He is
truly a model of dedication to nursing, for both his peers and his patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Marilou Gasper
VA SNHC
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Erin Pate:
Ms. Gasper is an LPN on the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (MHU). As a patient advocate, she has tirelessly
worked to ensure that the Veterans get the best care possible. She sees every patient as an individual with
unique wants, needs, and goals.Due to her kindness, empathy, and patience she is able to build rapport
with even the most challenging Veterans. She is especially adept at caring for gero-psych patients who
have severe behavioral issues. She has been seen to gently coach and explain things to these Veterans. It
is not uncommon for her to sit with the Veteran, on the floor if need be, to help calm and or redirect
them.Ms. Gasper is an asset to the MHU and I strongly recommend she be considered for a Northern
Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award.
2017 Award Nominee
Meg Gast
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Taralynn Bassham:
I have had the pleasure of working as Meg's manager on the Neuroscience unit. In the last 6 months I have
seen Meg grow as a supervisor into an amazing leader. Her greatest strength is her passion for the patient
population that she serves. This passion fuels her drive to make her unit the best place to work. She is kind
and compassionate, driven and loyal and above all else caring. She leads her team with patience and a
positive attitude. She makes supporting her staff and patient care her two priorities. An example of this is
recently for Christmas she made every staff member a stocking and filled it with items that they could use
at work. Another example of her commitment to her staff members is her facilitation of the unit shared
governance team, every month she meets with them and helps them plan team building events for the unit.
Along with staff supports she always makes sure that patients are receiving the best possible care. There
recently was a patient who discharged to rehab and didn't have any clothes. She went down to Leticia's
Closet, a donated clothing closet, and picked out clothes that she could send to rehab so that he had his
own clothes to wear. She is always a role model and is a pleasure to work with every day.
2017 Award Nominee
Karrie Gay
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Dee Ann Radcliffe:
As a nurse educator for 19 years, I have worked with many outstanding nurses with an array of talents. I
first met this nurse 18 years ago when she was a new grad and I was asked to precept her in the intensive
care unit. As a new grad she was compassionate, provided excellent care and looked at both the patient
and family to meet their needs. She flourished in her career as a nurse and became an expert in vascular
access. She decided to return to the ICU where she is currently a supervisor. When I think about what a
leader is there are many qualities that come to mind, but there are really only a few that are key; someone
who looks at the entire situation, someone who is motivated internally to do what is right and someone
who does a great job communicating and is calm under pressure. This nurse exemplifies these qualities
and so many more. I had the privilege to see this amazing individual with a patient in the unit that was
oxygenating poorly. This patient's ventilator settings were maxed and there were a limited number of
options. One option proposed by the physician was placing this patient prone to improve her oxygenation.
The patient was morbidly obese and this nurse was incredibly concerned that this would be detrimental for
the patient and staff and that the patient would code. While the physician was present, this nurse, the
primary nurse, respiratory therapy and many others waited for equipment to arrive for proning, this nurse
evaluated the situation, suggested alternatives and implemented them. The patient was placed in a high
fowler's side-lying position with her good lung up. This improved the patient's saturation by 10 points.
Once the patient was positioned, she continued to evaluate the patient and the patient had a blueish color
indicating poor perfusion. Due to the anatomy of the patient, she was likely compressing her neck veins.
She Again, this nurse evaluated, suggested interventions and implemented. The patient's color improved
and her oxygenation maintained. She did all of this in her role as supervisor -- talking with the bedside
nurse, MD and other personnel and most importantly she did this with calmness, conviction and motivated
to do what is best for the patient and staff. This impressive display of true leadership happens many times
during each week and I'm so privileged that I was able to observe it. Her actions provided positive benefits
for all involved. She is the rare person that IS a leader, she doesn't need to work at it, she just does it. I
often solicit her input in my role related to policy changes and the potential impact on staff. I know that
she has her pulse on everything happening in the unit always considering the needs of the bedside
clinician. She is truly a leader in nursing and should be recognized for her amazing work!
Nomination from Kelsey Hasler:
Karrie Gay is one of the best nurses and nurse leaders around. She truly cares about her patients and her
staff. She is often called "Auntie Karrie" in our unit, as she provides great mentorship and support to all
her staff. When I was going through a particularly difficult time in my life, Karrie was there to help me get
through, available anytime night or day if things were rough. She wants her staff to be happy and healthy
so they can be the best that they can be. Karrie is always available to help you not only while at work, but
also supports you in your personal life endeavors, constantly cheering you on. In this day and age where
nursing turnover is at what seems at its highest, and the patients ever more critical and complex, it is
important to have a nurse leader to support and guide our new RNs and seasoned ones alike to continue
this great work.
2017 Award Nominee
Emily George
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Emily is a brilliant nurse. She is amazing to watch perform patient care. She knows her patient's inside and
out. She is able to anticipate decline in a patient and implement interventions to stabilize the patient. She
is always willing to help other nurses on the floor and is a great resource for information. My favorite
memory of Emily is her care of a patient who was on our floor for an extended period of time who would
yell at anyone who would walk by his room. Emily spent hours cleaning the patient's wounds, providing
education about diabetes, she set firm boundaries with the patient with food to help control his diabetes,
and finally she shaved the patient's face. When most nurses will give the patient what he/she wants to
avoid arguments, Emily will be firm and stick to her guns and do whats best for the patient; even if it is not
the popular route.
2017 Award Nominee
Jeremiah Gilliam
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Teena Thomas:
I am nominating Jeremiah Gilliam not only because of the nurse that he is but also because the wonderful
person that he is. Jeremiah is one of the most caring and conscientious individuals I have the pleasure of
working with. He goes above and beyond for his patients and his team. Jeremiah has been recognized by
multiple patients and their family members for the caring and compassionate nature in which he cares for
them. He is also a tremendous team member that always comes to the aid of his peers and ancillary staff
with a smile and joyful attitude. He embodies everything that one would desire in a nurse and team
member.
2017 Award Nominee
Kathryn Gilbert
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Lynch:
Kathy is a great asset to our department with her wide range of experience. She is conscientious and does
an excellent job while acting as Charge Nurse, being sure each of her co-workers gets their much needed
break and lunch. Without Kathy, our department would not run as smoothly as it does. She is well versed
and our go-to person for many of our tasks in this unit. She is an active member of our Education
Committee and is constantly acting as an informal teacher in our group. Kathy is a nurse who has seen and
done it all! What an asset.
2017 Award Nominee
Molly Gill
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Miranda Estes:
Molly goes above and beyond for her patient's, she not only makes her patient's feel important but family
members as well. In one situation a patient and family member were patients of hers on a medical/surgical
floor before her transfer into the critical care setting. Molly not only remembered the patient but also the
patient's wife and made them both feel important and safe. Molly also takes extreme pride in her work and
patient care by taking additional classes and attending study groups whenever possible. Molly is also
always willing to take the time to help her co-workers whenever she has time.
2017 Award Nominee
Rebecca Gilbert
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Stacey Mieding:
Becca is one of the greatest nurses that I have ever met. She continuously impresses me with her
unwavering dedication to excellent care. Becca demonstrates the role of a patient advocate every day.
From noticing small changes in a neurological exam to placing a cool rag to bring comfort to a patient with
a high fever - she is always in her patient rooms giving them her all. She serves as a mentor and leader in
our unit. She educates new graduate nurses and students. Our community is better off because of her. Not
only is she a valued member of our nursing community but she serves in our military. After tireless days
and nights of working in the Trauma unit she continues to selflessly serve our country and make our unit
and hospital proud.
2017 Award Nominee
Danyel Gish
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Randi Starks:
It was the early morning hours of what should have been a normal Thursday. The sun wouldn't be up for a
few more hours. Danyel was asleep when she was wakened by the barking of her two dogs. As she rolled
over she heard her phone vibrating. She looked down at the screen and saw calls and texts from her staff
working the night shift. There was an event and they needed her now. Without a moment's hesitation she
jumped out of bed. Danyel threw on the first set of scrubs she saw and tied her hair up. She was out the
door and rushing to the hospital. This is the type of nursing leader that Danyel is. No matter the hour, no
matter the instance, she is there for her team. She provides a greatly supportive environment for nursing
on her unit. She guides her team to optimize the care of all types of patients. Many of the patients on this
unit have been forgotten by their families and by society. Often difficult to place, these patients require a
lot of care. Danyel pushes her staff to think outside the box when caring for them. Danyel inspired the
beginning steps of what is now a flourishing program for these patients in need. Danyel wanted these longterm patients to be inspired and have something to look forward to each day. What developed through her
ideas is now called PEP or patient enrichment program. Danyel's team works together to have patients
participate in daily activities focused on health and wellness. The activities range from chair tai chi to
music therapy. This program has brought such joy to the staff that get to see their patients' happiness and
growth. But the biggest reward is for the patients. A bedridden patient on the unit heard about PEP from
the nurses caring for her. That patient was so excited about the program that it motivated her to get out of
bed for the first time in over a year so she could start participating!! This is just one of the amazing things
that has happened in this program's short time. And these stories are all because Danyel wouldn't give up
on her ideas. This is the type of dedication she has to the patients she serves. Danyel deserves to be
recognized for her amazing nursing leadership that guides her team and helps her patients flourish.
Nomination from Danielle Craperi:
Danyel Gish is an amazing nurse leader. Everything she does as a nurse manager is done with care and
quality. She is able to do this because she understands what is important when running a unit. Her priority
is her patients and staff. Quality, employee engagement and building a culture of safety is her primary
focus. By focusing on those initiatives she understands that patient experience, recruitment, retention and
financials will follow. She has successfully implemented a patient enrichment program on her unit, which
provides activities and social interaction for patients. Through encouragement and staff involvement she
improved the mobility, use of incentive spirometry and dysphagia screening on her unit. These
interventions are positively impacting the number of patients that acquire pneumonia on her unit. It is
important to her that her staff are well informed of their quality measures and safety events. The staff on
her unit are always able to speak to their last fall and what they are changing in their practice to ensure
that it will not occur again. That is also true in regards to the last safety event that occur on the unit. All of
the staff are actively involved in the unit's process improvement activities. Danyel encourages her staff to
speak up when they see an opportunity and ensures that everyone is involved with the development of a
solution. By empowering her staff, she has seen a tremendous decrease in the number of safety events on
the unit. The involvement she has in quality improvement is also seen through her participation in week
long process improvement events. Her commitment to her patients and staff is an inspiration to everyone
that works around her. She regularly recognizes her staff for their hard work and dedication. Through her
creative team building activities, she has built a very strong team because of this many nurse residents
that go through her unit end up staying their permanently. New nurses speak to the astounding team work
that is displayed on the unit. Danyel is the last person that would speak to her incredible accomplishments
as a nurse manager which is why, as her leader, this recognition is so important. She is truly an
exceptional nurse leader that any nurse would love to work with.
Nomination from Jessica Danyan:
It is with great pleasure to nominate Danyel Gish for consideration for the 2016 Northern Nevada Nurses
of Achievement, Clinical Leader of the Year. Danyel stepped into a new role as Nurse Manager over a year
ago. This past year Danyel has worked with an interdisciplinary team to support the unique patient
population on Sierra 6 Medical. About twenty percent of the patient population on Sierra 6 has a
psychiatric diagnosis and due to the limited resources in the community these patients often become long
term residents or as we call them "family." The Patient Enrichment Program is designed to support those
patients who are medically stable and have a psychiatric diagnosis by improving their quality of life and
preventing any potential safety events. Daily, these patients have access to licensed music therapists and
physical exercises, such as tai chi, hosted by our occupational therapy department. This past year, Danyel
has invested time educating and coordinating this program with her staff. In addition, Danyel represented
nurse leadership in another project implementing an evidence based depression screening tool that will be
used on all adult inpatients admitted to Renown. Yet, another great project that demonstrates her
compassion and commitment to this specific vulnerable patient population on Sierra 6. Danyel's dedication
to her patients is admired by her staff and I appreciate her unwavering will to combat the challenges and
successes that every nurse manager experiences. I highly recommend Danyel for this award and thank you
for your consideration.
2017 Award Nominee
Alicia Glassco
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Elizabeth Mead:
I have had the pleasure of working with Alicia Glassco as her Director for the past 3 years. Alicia oversees
several large departments that are vital to the surgical patients' experience: Pre-Admit, Pre-Op Holding,
PACU and also our PPU. I have never known anyone as dedicated and committed to professional nursing
as Alicia. She has an enthusiasm for her area of clinical practice in Peri Opertive Nursing and this
enthusiasm is contagious. She has inspired many of the clinical professionals who work for her to pursue
professional as well as personal goals, and has worked tirelessly to provide guidance and encouragement
to members of her departments. Alicia expends tremendous energy in serving as a guide, a motivator, a
facilitator and a role model. Her leadership in nursing encompasses solid management skills, superb
teaching ability, dedication to advancing and leading the profession of nursing and of course mentoring.
Alicia encounters significant numbers of staff on a daily basis, but yet manages to impart a caring attitude
for each individual, an attitude that is backed by her endeavors, respecting each person and motivating
them to aspire to their highest level of achievement. She possesses important characteristics such as a
sense of humor and a down to earth attitude, characteristics which help her stay on an even keel under
times of stress and which make her approachable to staff of all levels. She is quick to recognize the
achievements of others, thus empowering them to greater heights. As a seasoned professional, she is quick
to realize that no one is perfect and accepts that we are all "works in progress". It is rare to have the
privilege of working with a mentor who cares so much about those she mentors, who is not afraid to admit
when she doesn't have a clear understanding of something, who can laugh along with others, sharing in
their success, yet understanding when obstacles occur. It is then that her abilities as a mentor shine.
Professionalism, intelligence, commitment, respect, caring, and teamwork are words that one would use to
describe Alicia. I believe she deserves to be recognized a Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement!!
2017 Award Nominee
Ryan Glazier
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Natalie Nicholson:
Ryan brings to all of his activities energy, commitment and attention to detail. Ryan is a valued member of
our team and organization whom I have learned I can rely on, regardless of the difficulty of the task at
hand or the novelty of the challenge. His combination of intelligence, commitment, perseverance, thinking
outside of the box, and business sense makes him a strong nurse leader. Ryan is up for any challenge you
put in front of him and always delivers before the deadline. When he took over the float pool there were
many challenges and in a short amount of time he was able to remove those challenges and improved the
float pool immensely. He is a forward thinker and looks for ways that will improve care for patients or
improve work flow for employees. He is cool under pressure and always willing to help where he can.
Many other nurse managers come to him for help or advice; he understands financials as good as some of
our accountants and is able to explain financials with a "nurse brain" which is extremely beneficial for his
co-workers. During budget season he has a group session going over financials and then does individual
counseling, all while doing his own financial budgeting for several cost centers. I am thankful for all he
does and very fortunate to work with him
2017 Award Nominee
Denise Gonzalez
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Kristen Cleveland-ceballos:
Denise Gonzalez truly represents the ideal example of a maternal-child nurse. Many people who are not
familiar with the true role of a pediatric nurse may miss the amazing attributes that it takes to care for a
range of children that might include a 2 kg neonate with a cardiac defect to a 79kg 16 year old with a CHI
from football all in one day. But in addition they will play the role of a family counselor, a social worker, a
mother, and an overwhelmingly devoted advocate for the children that will become our future. This person,
this nurse is Denise...starting her career on Pediatrics over 2 decades ago as one of Renown's first child
specialist gave Denise a unique perspective of the importance of the psycho-social aspects that must be the
respected when caring for children and their families. Denise's soft spoken words of support and vast
wealth of knowledge have led her to become the respected nurse and bedside leader of our fast growing
Children's Hospital. She cares for each child as if they are her own and leads her nurses with respect and
dignity allowing them to develop their independence and maturity while guiding them with support and
understanding. Recently Denise was caring for a young boy on pediatrics with a significant neurosurgical
history, as Denise closely watched the patient throughout the day, listening to the parents, and confident
in her skills, she continued to advocate to the patients caregivers about transferring her patient to a higher
level of care. At the time the specialist from a large academic facility called his concern quickly grew based
on Denise's report of findings throughout her shift, a stat MRI of the brain was ordered, though for a
patient of this age and development, normally sedation would be required, but the child had not been NPO,
which would delay the sedation and the MRI. In this case the innovating thinking of an amazing team led
Denise to the determining factor of remaining with the child throughout the entire MRI, holding him still,
keeping him calm, and assuring the parents she would not leave his side. As us nurses know an MRI is only
as valuable as the quality of scan. This is why we sedate pediatric patients through the loud, scary scans,
in which you are strapped to a table, and put into a very small tube. In order to complete this scan Denise
lay next to the little one on the table, holding his hand, holding his head, and calmly and patiently getting
him through with no other interventions needed. The results of that MRI resulted in an emergency transfer
to the hospital in which this little mans neurosurgeon practices out of, where he underwent surgery less
than 8 hours after that MRI. Amazing work Denise, that is what a pediatric nurse does for her patient, and
this only one example of what is normal care that you provide.
2017 Award Nominee
Ervin Kristian Gonzales
Renown Skilled Nursing
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Bstola, Tara:
He is one of the best nurse in renown skilled,he helped in every steps when we need him.He is always
careful with his patients.If he saw call light and CNAs are busy then he will go,he is not waiting for CNAs
to go and find out what patients need,he always go there and asked patients.He never said that this is my
patients and this is not.He always go and asked patients what they need.He always asked CNA if they need
help,and he is helping too.He always checked his patients when he back from break or keep asking CNA
about patients.
Nomination from Tara Bastola:
He is one of the best nurse in renown skilled,he helped in every steps when we need him.He is always
careful with his patients.If he saw call light and CNAs are busy then he will go,he is not waiting for CNAs
to go and find out what patients need,he always go there and asked patients.He never said that this is my
patients and this is not.He always go and asked patients what they need.He always asked CNA if they need
help,and he is helping too.He always checked his patients when he back from break or keep asking CNA
about patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Savannah Gonsalves
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Jacqueline Jeffery:
I would like to nominate Savannah for Nevada Nurses of Achievement. She has been an RN for the past 6
years and has steadily improved her knowledge base by continuing her education and going out of her
comfort zone to learn new areas of the nursing profession. She is currently a Nurse Informaticist and is
also working on her MSN in informatics.By increasing her knowledge base she continues to advocate for
patients by championing evidence based care through development of evidence based order sets and
orders for the inpatient and outpatient world. She advocates for the patient by having continuous
communication and dialogue with physicians and other department leads. She also advocates for her
fellow nurses by streamlining order sets. The way she has accomplished this is to work with various offices
of the same specialty to come together and decide on a joint order set that best cares for the patient
instead of having different order sets for each office. By doing this, she makes the work load of the nurse
more manageable and allows the nurse to provide consistent care to all of his/her patients no matter whom
the ordering physician is. She always has the patients' best interest at heart, but also thinks about how the
nurse can provide the best care in an efficient and consistent manner. Her largest project at this point is
with the Accountable Care Organization and optimizing ways in our Epic EMR to prompt tests and
procedures to meet measures and optimize ways to capture measures. Another major project is the PEG
tube patient education and orders. She is working in partnership with nursing and GI physicians to
streamline and optimize the processes that occur after a patient has received a PEG or J-tube. The process
will ensure the patient has the appropriate supplies, nutrition, and education as soon as the patient arrives
home. Savannah is incredibly intelligent and has a talent for forward thinking and thinking outside the box.
She always thinks about the "what if" and comes up with great solutions to problems that have been
ongoing for years, just because that was how it was always done. I think Savannah is a perfect candidate
for Nursing Informatics. Please consider her for the award. Thank you!
2017 Award Nominee
Erin Gostin
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Tammy Evans:
I would like to nominate Erin Gostin for Innovation and Advocacy. Often times we hear how nurses eat
their young, how student nurses were not welcomed to the department in which they are assigned, or that
the student felt "in the way". Erin began at our facility as a new grad RN. Through her dedication to
learning and teaching, she quickly began to precept student RNs as well as new graduates. Her dedication
to guiding novice nurses and students was recently recognized by Western Nevada College as the Student
Preceptor of the Year. These students recognized Erin as a leader who has guided, coached, and educated
with supportive kindness. I know Erin to be an exceptional nurse with an infectious positive attitude. I am
so proud of her for connecting so strongly with our future nurses.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessie Gray
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Julie A Overland:
Jessie is a wonderful, caring RN on the Telemetry floor. She is relentless in her desire to provide the best
nursing care possible on every shift that she works. Jessie consistently follows protocols, but always
questions whether there is a better way to perform them to improve the care she provides. Jessie has
recently found a new passion in precepting new graduate nurses. She shows dedication, kindness and
devotion while mentoring our new staff. Patients and their families will frequently ask to have Jessie back
as their nurse night after night. One could only hope to have Jessie care for them, and to be their advocate
whatever their journey might be.
2017 Award Nominee
Krysti Grayson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Blake Butier:
As a new grad, the first time a patient deteriorates on you in the ICU, it can be frightening. I am thankful
to have had Krysti Grayson as my charge nurse the day my post open heart surgery patient developed a
massive hemopneumothorax and required multiple life-saving interventions. She immediately jumped in
and guided me to make intelligent and safe decisions that dictated my patient's care. She was calm, cool
and collected, and never once left my side. She showed me her tricks of the trade, and I watched her
delegate her own work to another nurse so she could continue to support me. Six hours later, when all was
said and done and my patient was stable, we sat down together to chart and it was then that she
commended me for my skills. You always hear about how nurses eat their young, but Krysti nudged me out
of the nest and instilled a sense of confidence in me that I had not yet encountered as a new RN. Her
mentorship has been invaluable to me as I navigate my way through the world of critical care. She recently
received her CCRN, and her love and dedication to the profession is seen in the way she speaks to families
and patients alike, and the way she builds up and supports her coworkers every day with a smile on her
face.
Nomination from Jennifer Jenni:
Kristi has been a great value to the CICU team. She is compassionate, caring, trusting, supportive, and a
true role model. I would like to nominate Kristi for her day to day excellence in caring not only for her
patients but other patients on the floor, family members, and staff. She showed this, by facilitating an
emergent transfer from the unit to Stanford. This patient needed to be transfered with an impeller device.
The impella was aiding in keeping this patient alive. Unfortunately, there was know one who was qualified
or trained in operating the machine to accompany the patient in transfer. A staff member volunteered to
accompany the patient. Kristi insured that not only did the patient receive the optimal treatment needed
but kept the staff member safe. She is a wonderful nurse and a true leader.
2017 Award Nominee
Janet Green
Gentiva Hospice
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Carol Thompson:
I am nominating Jan for leadership excellence in the field of hospice care; Jan supervises a team of RNs,
CNAs, social workers, and spiritual care counselors. Jan places each patient's needs first but always
considers the safety and welfare of her staff. She is available for consultation with family members,
doctors, equipment companies, laboratories, and any other outside agencies. Jan possesses a vast
knowledge base of hospice guidelines and is a champion in using company supplies wisely. Jan empowers
her staff to develop their individual skills. She listens to patients, families, and those she supervises with
patience and understanding. Jan teaches continuing education classes to the CNAs. She successfully
manages a diverse group of patients, loved ones, clinical and ancillary staff with a smile on her face. I am
grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Jan.
2017 Award Nominee
Monica Green
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Monica for the last 2 years. She was my preceptor when I was first
hired in the CVU. Monica is an amazing teacher. She puts patient care first her knowledge in the critical
care of open heart patient is amazing. She treats each patient and their families as if they were her own
family. The impact the she has had in my life and the lives of her patients is undeniable. I have seen people
come back to our unit to visit her and show her what they look like has healthy and whole again. I will
forever be greatful to her for being an amazing preceptor and friend.
2017 Award Nominee
Cindy Guerrero Herrera
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Kim Kammann:
Cindy is one of a kind, she has an exceptional way of caring for her patients putting them at ease when
facing a stressful situation. A patient was admitted for a blocked stent due to him not taking his
medications at home. The patient began refusing needed medications during his hospital stay. Although
this was not her assigned patient Cindy was able to explain to the patient the necessity of the medication,
and provide education related to his condition. Cindy was able to develop a trusting relationship with this
patient in a short time frame. Even though translation services were being utilized it was helpful to have
Cindy, being bilingual, communicate information in his primary language. During her short time as a new
grad Cindy has been awarded a quality star for her fast action in calling a rapid response. Cindy had called
the physician due to a patient status change. While waiting for a return call Cindy recognized further
changes that she knew couldn't wait, Cindy's quick thinking provided the best in quality care for the
patient. Cindy looks beyond tasks and focuses on the whole patient picture. She is a reliable team player
and has been a great addition to our unit and hospital.
2017 Award Nominee
Jackelyn Guerra
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Candy Carter:
Jackie is incredibly intimidating, but in a good way. She is SO smart and always seems to have the answer
to any question I have. She is also very approachable. I remember one night, I had my first patient with a
bolt/ventric drain combination. They were very sick and I remember feeling so overwhelmed because it
was something I'd never experienced. Jackie was charge nurse and she took time out of her already busy
night to help explain to me how everything works and what I should be monitoring the closest. Because of
her help, I felt much more at ease and that I could effectively do my job. Everyone loves when Jackie is
charge nurse because she is so selfless and really goes above and beyond. I don't know anyone who would
have a negative thing to say about Jackie.
2017 Award Nominee
Mark Guinan
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Tracey Mccollum:
I would like to nominate Mark Guinan for the 2017 Nurse of Achievement award in Nursing Informatics.
Mark's experience consists of being a Corpsman/Medic in the Navy for 6 years, then went on to receive his
Associates degree, and then his Bachelors of Science/Health Informatics degree. Mark was also a Charge
Nurse in ICU, worked as a staff nurse in the Cardiovascular ICU, Emergency Department, and worked as a
relief House Supervisor. Mark has also worked as a Travelling Nurse in large hospitals such as CedarsSinai, in the Los Angeles areas. Mark is CCRN certified. Mark started his career at Carson Tahoe Health in
2009, where he worked as an ICU nurse until 2012. At that time, he started in the Informatics Department,
and now works as a Clinical Analyst RN II. Mark is certified in Allscripts SCM configuration specializing in
Clinical Documentation. Mark's varied background makes him very well-versed in sound clinical judgment,
which is very important when developing clinical charting elements for the electronic medical record.
Mark has a soft spoken, calm demeanor that helps him to conscientiously work through even the most
complex of projects, with often a multidisciplinary group of employees. For this reason, Mark is asked to
take part in most nursing informatics projects, which also requires the ability to multi-task and
appropriately prioritize. The most recent project that Mark has completed was to develop a completely
electronic version of our blood transfusion form, in order to decrease the number of critical pieces of
information being inadvertently missed from transfusion forms. This was a very complex project that took
many, many hours to complete, and required him to work with nursing and blood bank front line staff, as
well as physicians from the blood bank. Mark has the difficult job of "translating" nursing information into
"computer lingo" which can be fairly challenging at times. Mark is always pushing to raise the bar with
nursing informatics in our institution, to not only provide the best care to patients, but to have the most
complete clinical documentation from staff, in order to paint the most complete clinical picture as possible.
Mark uses evidence based best practice to drive his decisions in Nursing Informatics. Mark's work is also
invaluable for meeting regulatory standards, as well as meeting Meaningful Use requirements, which of
course helps with reimbursement for the health system. Nursing Informatics has become a critical piece of
hospital healthcare in the 21st Century, and nurses like Mark Guinan are very difficult to come by. For this
reason, I would like to submit this nomination for Mark, to receive the Nursing Informatics Nurse of
Achievement award for 2017.
2017 Award Nominee
Kathleen Hackler
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Cheryl L.webster Bsn, Rn, Rnc-ob:
Katie is an excellent labor and delivery nurse who goes above and beyond in ensuring that our nurses are
up to date with evidence-based practices. She is an active member of our organization's Shared
Governance Committee, a committee of nursing leaders and staff nurses, along with ancillary services who
are committed to improving patient care, workflows, patient experience, and employee/physician
satisfaction. Katie has also taken our hospital-based NRP program over and almost single-handedly has
kept our nursing staff and physicians abreast of the most current NRP guidelines and practices. Katie is
quick to help our unit during patient surges and sick calls. She also teaches Childbirth Education, a free
service to our community. Katie exemplifies professionalism. She is always kind, polite, and never hesitates
to assist her co-workers with their patients. She is quick to share her knowledge to new staff. Carson
Tahoe Health is extremely fortunate to have her on staff.
2017 Award Nominee
Rachel Hahn
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
I am pleased to nominate Rachel for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. Rachel is an excellent
nurse and strong patient advocate. Rachel is always willing to adapt take on whatever comes her way with
a smile and a positive attitude. She is looked up to others in the department and is often used as a
resource. Rachel works at fast pace and is always looking for ways to increase our throughput. She has
strong skills and is able to care for the most critical of patients while maintaining a calm attitude. Rachel is
motivated and keeps a positive attitude even in the most stressful situations. She is looked up to by her coworkers and is respected by the physicians. Rachel always has the patients best interest in mind.
2017 Award Nominee
Candace Halvorsen
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Michele Anderson:
Ms. Candy Halvorsen will be celebrating 30 years of service as a circulating RN for Renown Regional
medical center! That in of itself proves Candy's unwavering commitment to patient care and as a team
member to Renown. As a new RN to the OR, I had the privilege to work with Candy as my preceptor during
my orientation. Candy's knowledge, and passion for advocating for her patients safety and dignity in the
OR was impressive. Her passion for teaching and sharing her experience, I believe helped me to fully
comprehend and embrace the important role that an RN circulator provides for each patient and team
members involved from pre-op, intra-op, to post-op. What is truly amazing, is after 30 years, Candy
continues to be open to learning more which only improves her daily nursing practice but also enhances
the patients' experience! I am truly grateful for having the opportunity to work with Candy as a preceptor,
as well as a co-worker.
2017 Award Nominee
Jonathan Hamtak
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Jonathan Hamtak is such a wonderful and caring nurse in the Sierra intensive care unit. He genuinely
cares about doing the right thing for his patients and providing them with the best care possible. He
always advocates for his patients to make sure they are getting taken care of all around. He frequently
serves as a preceptor to new nurses, sharing all the knowledge he has with his peers. His humor frequently
brings a smile to his peers, patients, and their family members. Thank you so much for being a wonderful
caring nurse to all the patients you take care of.
2017 Award Nominee
Christopher Hansen
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Megan Larrance:
If you are a patient and coming out of surgery it isn't always easy. You wake up wondering where you are
and what has just happened. Having Christopher at the bedside is a voice of calm, comfort and peaceful.
Chris is the most loving and kind nurse that I have had the pleasure to work with. He keeps his patients
calm and in a peaceful environment through out the recovery process. He always has a smile on his face
even in stressful situations. He is kind and loving and always wants to make sure your day is going okay.
Chris always wants to make sure you have had lunch and you have had a break. If you need a helping hand
with your own patient you don't even have to ask it is like he already knows that he needs to be with you at
the bedside. His patient love him and we are thankful for him everyday.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Hansen
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Teena Thomas:
Jessica Hansen is a Clinical Nurse Educator for the Telemetry units. She is responsible for majority of the
cardiac education in the organization. Jessica has evaluated and enhanced the orientation program for the
graduate nurse program. Jessica has been committed to delivering an orientation that bridges the gap of
academic theory and the application of nursing at the bedside. The Telemetry orientation program has
spurned the new framework of the graduate residency program. Jessica has also taken a lead role in
developing education for the Telemetry and Remote monitored units. Jessica has taken the lead in
developing continuing education and developing a transitional plan for the remote monitored units. This
education will enable greater cardiac knowledge and assertion for the remote monitored units. Jessica is a
valuable resource to her Telemetry leadership team and the Clinical Nurse Educators. She has enhanced
our practice and our units. We are better because of her passion and dedication.
2017 Award Nominee
Carleen Harmon
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Virginia Jordan:
Carleen is a compassionate, humorous, and hard working nurse. She demonstrates integrity and drive to
continuously learn and refine her knowledge base and skill set. She demonstrates a foundational empathy
for her patients with a deeper understanding of the needs and fears in a patient with an acute and chronic
illness. Carleen credits her empathy and compassion after being a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, and
a patient with so much love, fear, and hope for positive outcomes in various health care experiences. One
can observe that Carleen brings these same emotions to create positive healthcare experiences for her
patients. For example, when Carleen works with patients, her laugh is contagious which helps the patient
relax and find a moment of happiness regardless of the prognosis. In our discussions, she converses with
passion and energy regarding her new unit, her new profession, and future opportunities were she would
like to utilize her skill set in the community that I am inspired to find the same passion and pursue future
opportunities to improve our community.
2017 Award Nominee
Carl Harrington
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Keaton Cooley-rieders:
There are exceptional nurses, and then there is Carl. When I first met Carl, he was a nurse in the Trauma
ICU. He was known for his elaborate pranks. Then he became my supervisor on Cardiac ICU. He sat at his
desk. Delegating. These days, you will find this fine young gentleman wandering the halls at Renown
Regional Medical Center. As the Nurse Administrative Manager. Usually with a clipboard. Wearing socks
with mounties on them. There are even rumors that he stepped in a pile of patient poop. While staring at
his clipboard. Or his phone. No one will ever know. Despite the legendary stories above, Mr. Harrington's
combination of delegatory skill, lighthearted attitude, and honest guidance has made me nurse I am today.
Many of the attributes he possesses I eagerly hope to attain throughout my career. Carl never fails to find
a solution to even the most challenging problems. He connects with patients and their families even in his
elevated administrative role to ensure the best possible care is being delivered. He is friends with
everyone. He does all these things because at his core, Carl is a nurse. Caring. Compassionate. Kind.It has
been my pleasure to work with Carl Harrington over the years and hope to see him become Northern
Nevada's nurse leader of the year.
2017 Award Nominee
Donna Hart
Summit Surgery Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Nancy Dibble:
This accomplished nurse has been practicing for 45 years. She began her career as a Nurse's aide while
she completed her training for LPN. Building on her career goals, she completed her associates degree in
Nursing, and began her professional career as a RN in Elko Nevada. While working at the small hospital in
Elko, she gained experience in the OR and PACU. It seems peri-operative nursing became her passion
because she has continued throughout her career to return to the OR environment.As ambulatory surgery
became popular this nurse took advantage of the trend and moved into nursing in the outpatient setting.
She has been a patient advocate in this arena, and has made a difference in the comfort and care of the
patients she has encountered.Since 1987 to present she has as committee member for the Nevada PeriAnesthesiua Nurses Association. The offices held range from Trustee, Vice-President, President and a
member of the board of Directors.Staying current and active has been a commitment she has made, and it
truly shows daily as she devotes her work day to interviewing and educating her surgery patients as the
pre-admission testing nurse. She is always welcoming to new employees as she orients them to the center.
She is a mentor for younger nurses too, and leads by example with respect and courtesy.Her concern for
the outcomes of care has resulted in being given an extra role on the Quality committee gathering and
reporting patient satisfaction data. Her summary of monthly data allows us to tract our quality and
improve performance.This nurse goes above and beyond. Through her skillful interviewing techniques, if
she discovers an untoward situation she handles it, brings it to the attention of the providers, and assures
the center she currently works at that all the patients she interviews are not medically at risk for
surgery.One memorable incident was her concern and care of a patient who arrived by public bus, which
dropped him off 2 miles from the center. He continued his trek walking to arrive in the 100 degree heat,
obviously exhausted and NPO. She took the time and interest in this man and arranged food, water, and
appropriate transportation back to the shelter.She has a keen ability to care empathetically for all patients,
no matter what their socio-economic situation is. Her co-workers admire the way she can handle and
resolve difficult situations with remarkable patience and tact. Her wonderful sense of humor has a natural
way of lifting the spirits of those around her.In 2015 she was awarded employee of the year, a much
deserved recognition and was so surprised and honored to receive this acknowledgment from the center's
leadership, medical director and board president.It is my honor, along with other professionals who know
and love this nurse, to nominate her for the Life time achievement catagory
2017 Award Nominee
Margaret Harbec
VA SNHC
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Tina Vesely:
Maggie came to our Reno VA approx. 1 year ago after serving one of our community clinics. Maggie is our
employee health LPN at this time. Maggie has made great strides in organizing the employee health dept.
to maximize it's benefits for the employees at the VA. Maggie championed the employee flu shots this year
and through her dedication, has accomplished rising out employee vaccination rates approx. 25-30% from
prior years. The VA does not require the flu vaccine and we have had many struggles getting our rates
high enough to meet the JHACO requirements/expectations. Maggie tirelessly went to all depts., employee
meetings/groups, etc. She came to work in the early hours to meet up with employees on alternate shifts.
Maggie is a true champion of the flu season. Maggie's office is located in our primary care dept. and
Maggie goes above and beyond daily helping out where needed as this dept. has been very short handed.
Maggie is a team player and we appreciate her everyday.
2017 Award Nominee
Tiffany Harper
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kristina Spitale-efstratis:
Tiffany is an exceptionally talented nurse in that she can apply outstanding critical thinking skills with
compassionate and meaningful care. She excels at properly interpreting lab values in light of her patient's
condition and reacts instantly and instinctively. Recently, she had two critically ill patients and she worked
tirelessly on their care every minute of the shift, and with certainty it can be said that they survived that
shift soley due to her expertise and skill set, and the physicians working with her those nights agree! She
often receives praise from her patients and their families for her care, and is always friendly and
approachable. She is skilled in quality improvement initiation and implementation, and works just as
tirelessly behind the scenes and she does at the bedside. She is truly an asset to the field of nursing in
every sense and we are so lucky to have her.
2017 Award Nominee
Cristina Hatt
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Andrea Shulze:
Tina Hatt is a excellent Emergency Room Nurse. She is a wealth of knowledge, has good rapport with staff,
patients and their families. Tina functions well is all areas of the department. She thrives in critical
situations. She is great in the charge nurse role. She is a fantastic preceptor, orienting experienced as well
as new nurses. The day seems to flow better when you work in the same pod as Tina. She is my "go to"
nurse when I need help with a sick patient. Tina also has a good sense of humor which is nice since we
often work in stressful, sad and upsetting situations. Tina is very motivated and striving to further herself
in her nursing career. She is a CEN, CTRN and is currently in school to eventually get her DNP. I want to
be like Tina one day :)
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
I am pleased to nominate Christina Hatt for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award. Tina is an
experienced Emergency Department Nurse that is always a resource to her department and co-workers.
During her career as an ER Nurse, Tina has been involved in several process improvement projects and
she is always looking for ways to better the experience for the members of our community. Within the past
couple years Tina has been working hard and staying motivated to continue her education. Not only has
she recently completed her Bachelors Degree but she is now enrolled in the Nurse Practitioners Program
at University of Reno. Tina has also recently obtained her CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) Certification
and she was also the first of our ER Nurses to obtain the TCRN (Trauma Care RN) Certification from the
Emergency Nurses Association. It is Tina's sheer dedication and commitment to the Nursing Profession
and to her community that makes her stand out from the rest. Tina is always a pleasure to work with
regardless of role she's in, but she continues to excel in the roles of Trauma Nurse and Charge Nurse. As
Charge Nurse, Tina has had many challenging days. One of those recently when we had the most patients
in the department we had ever seen. Tina remained calm, and was able to delegate out tasks appropriately
to ensure that each and every patient was seen and cared for. She always keeps safety in mind and
remains a strong patient advocate regardless of the situation.
2017 Award Nominee
Amy Hawkins
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Keri Piper-colonna:
I feel very privileged and honored to nominate Amy Hawkins for the 2017 Northern Nevada Nurses of
Achievement in the category of clinical leadership. I have worked with Amy for the last five years in the
Emergency Room as her manager. In the last year, Amy has been promoted to ER Supervisor. Amy has
exceeded my expectations in her first year in this role. She has shown strengths at understanding
department initiatives, strategies, and most of all by undertaking a major culture change with the night
shift team. Amy is always accessible to her team. If she is not in the department, she is always available via
cell phone. She always makes time to listen to ideas from our staff on how to improve the current process
in the ER. She is also wonderful at following up with employees on any questions and concerns they have.
Amy also serves as an excellent role model to her team because she is fair, consistent, and holds everyone
to the same standards.
2017 Award Nominee
Debbie Hawley
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Erin Van Kirk:
My family and I had never experienced such tragedy until the day I came to the hospital in labor at 39 1/2
weeks, ready to welcome our son into the world, and only to find out that he had died within hours of
coming to the hospital. Debbie happened to be the nurse that roomed us that day and a shortwhile later,
gave us the fateful news. She cried with us. She coached us through the next steps. And while her genuine
sorrow is forever endearing to us, her actions resonated just as much. In my grief, I was hardly able to
make any decisions and felt very indecisive about the options being offered once our son was delivered.
Debbie recognized this and advocated on my behalf; tapping into her experience and wisdom of what two
grieving parents would want in the future. Because of her, my closest family was able to hold and see our
son; memories they still vocalize as so precious to them. Because of her, my husband and I have pictures of
our son to cherish forever. Because of her, I found new coping outlets that proved so helpful in those
weeks following. And because of her, we have no regrets of how we remember that day. The care and
compassion that Debbie showed us didn't stop while I was in the hospital. She called to check-in on me
every week that first month after we left the hospital. She helped answer my questions about pathology
results and doctor visits and she consoled me on the more emotional days. What Debbie did for my
husband and I has had such an impact on how we have coped with our loss and how we remember our
little boy. The details of that day will forever be etched in our memories and while it is the saddest day of
our lives, the silver lining is the care we received. She is a gift to the nursing profession and a blessing to
her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Morgan Hawkins
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Sierra Felder:
Morgan Hawkins is an incredible ER nurse. I have had the privilege of working with Morgan in the ER for
a few years. She is very kind to all her patients and sets aside special time for her patients and their family
members. Morgan listen and helps to solve problems, and will find a solutions or another resource to help
her and or her patients. Morgan will always jump in and help others. Her skills and knowledge are
amazing. Morgan takes such pride in her work, patient care. This reflects in her patient care and their
happiness with her. As a coworker of Morgan, I am very happy to work with her and consider myself lucky
when I get to work with her in a pod.
Nomination from Timley Schinault:
Morgan is an exceptional nurse, She is kind and caring while providing conscientious care. Morgan is is
always willing to help her coworkers, usually before they even ask. She is also extremely fun with which to
work. Morgan is always willing to learn new things and impart he knowledge, I have seen her support her
patients when they have had very sad news along with their families and in times of happiness. Working in
the Emergency department can be tough on the best of days. Morgan makes it much easier and much
more enjoyable to be here. She is deserving of this award and so much more.
2017 Award Nominee
Britt Hayes
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Jenn Allen:
Britt has been an ER nurse at Renown Regional for over 20 years! That is amazing in itself! She has cared
for thousands of ER patients in our community over the years and continues to be the "life" of the ER. She
makes the patients smile when they are having one of the hardest days..... She can immediately sense
when a patient or family member needs a laugh or a hug and is quick to offer both. I have watched her
repeat information over and over in a kind manner to families members who are stressed and forget the
information she provided. Britt has even sang to our patients in the lobby when they are waiting for
treatment. She remains positive and caring while in very tough and critical situations and she is an
inspiration to all of her ER co-workers.
2017 Award Nominee
Alexandra Heidema
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
As a Supervisor Sacha will be considered a rookie as she is new to this position but what sets her apart
from the rest of the rookies is her drive and enthusiasm to do the best job ever, her willingness to learn, be
trained and the very positive attitude towards work. She is well-loved by the staff and patients and has the
respect of the doctors she works with. She has excellent clinical skills and serves as a resource person for
the staff. As a mother and wife, she is able to juggle running a household of three very active sons and the
fast pace movement of patients in Telemetry. She co-chairs our Sepsis committee and is very proactive in
following up on issues with our staff. She is very involved with leading and running day shift in Telemetry.
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
As a Supervisor Sacha will be considered a rookie as she is new to this position but what sets her apart
from the rest of the rookies is her drive and enthusiasm to do the best job ever, her willingness to learn, be
trained and the very positive attitude towards work. She is well-loved by the staff and patients and has the
respect of the doctors she works with. She has excellent clinical skills and serves as a resource person for
the staff. As a mother and wife, she is able to juggle running a household of three very active sons and the
fast pace movement of patients in Telemetry. She co-chairs our Sepsis committee and is very proactive in
following up on issues with our staff. She is very involved with leading and running day shift in Telemetry.
Nomination from Wendy Jones:
Sacha is the type of R.N I would do anything for! She is fair, caring ,appreciative and kind. The Tele staff
are so lucky to have her in a Supervisor capacity. Trust is what I think of when I am around Sacha. Please
pick her! She truly deserves it! Sacha has three little precious boys at home that are ages 1,3 and 5 and I
feel she gives Telemetry and its staff just as much love and attention as her three little ones get. She never
has anything negative to say about anyone and only see's the positive in everyone! Thank-you!
2017 Award Nominee
Dianna Hein
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Alicia Roney:
Dianna has been in her role as an advanced practice nurse for the past 3 years. She is exceptional in her
role. She has an amazing rapport with not only the patients but her co-workers, physicians and nurses. I
recently started in the same role as Dianna and her expertise and knowledge has been invaluable to me.
She is an excellent role model and teacher. She has a caring spirit and applies her empathy and
professionalism to patient care. I am honored to learn from her and work beside her. She uses her role as
an advanced practice nurse to educate patients and nurses alike. She uses her role to develop
comprehensive care plans that ease patients through their hospital course. Her love for her job is felt by all
who get to work beside her.
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Helmreich
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Wendy Merchant:
I'm nominating Mary Helmreich, RN for Nurse of Achievement for her role as an RN on the
interdisciplinary team of our rehab unit. She has a sweet, caring, and compassionate demeanor, uniquely
suited for rehab patients. She is a team player with patient centered work, pro-actively working alongside
rehab management to help streamline care of rehab patients. She participates with the Unit Practice
Council to improve work flow and staff and patient experiences, working out issues on the floor. Her coworkers would tell you that she is fun to work with, keeping a positive attitude, even on difficult and busy
days. Mary has a long-term relationship with her patients, allowing them to trust and lover her. She takes
the time to really get to know the patients and their families, ensuring they are safe when they go home.
She works one-on-one with the rehab physician and is trusted to deliver outstanding care to patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Corin Henderson
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This proactive nurse chose this career because it fits who she's always been. He began working in the
healthcare field at the age of sixteen years old and progressed in her experience and education until she
received a degree in nursing. Her passion for being a patient advocate shines through everything she does.
In addition to giving superior patient care, she also support the learning of all nursing staff. Just a couple
examples of this is working with the quality department improve communication as well as creating
reference information so that all the inpatient units are able to function with consistent highly informed
evidenced based practices. Corin Henderson in constantly advocating for patients and improving nursing
practices.
2017 Award Nominee
Riley Henderson
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Gladys Dolor:
Riley has done a really good job navigating her Head and Neck patients. She genuinely shows concern for
this unique population. She follows these patients closely especially during their cancer treatment to make
sure that there is minimal interruption in their treatment but proactively connecting with these patients
and helping them proactively manage their symptoms. She does not hesitate to contact patient's medical
providers to make sure that the patient is going forward as planned. Overall, her genuine concern for
these patients is what sets her apart. It is not just a job for her but a passion. For this, I nominate her for
advocating for these patients.
Nomination from Amy Thompson, Rn, Ocn, Cn-bn:
Riley Henderson has not been a nurse for many, many years, yet you wouldn't know that. Spend one day
working with her and witnessing her with her patients, and you would guess she's been a nurse for a long
time. She recently transferred from bedside oncology nursing to join us as a nurse navigator and has
grown so much in such a short period of time. She has been creative in implementing a new Head & Neck
navigator position, really making it her own. This is a highly acute population often with many psychosocial
and coordination needs. She has thought about what is important for her patients and how best to help
them through the system, while providing education and support every step of the way. She has quickly
become instrumental in helping with necessary referrals including to home health and ensuring timely
follow up for this acute population. She has become actively involved in meetings to make a difference in
how we care for these patients and has been an instrumental person in creating a process to streamline
home health referrals for newly diagnosed patients. This process has the ability to ensure patients are
connected with in-home education and support early on, with the intention to decrease weight loss and
improve overall patient experience and outcomes. She is approachable and puts those around her at ease.
Riley is extremely compassionate, loyal, and truly a hard worker. She is an absolute pleasure to work with!
She shows up to work every day with a smile on her face ready to take on whatever is thrown her way! One
of the aspects I love the most about her is her willingness to get the job done. She is not afraid of work and
has great pride in ensuring that what she does is quality and that the patients are provided with a great
education, follow up, and care. She strives to learn more and improve processes because she believes that
is what her patients deserve. As her peer, she has truly earned my respect as someone I know I can trust.
As many nurses I have been fortunate enough to work with, Riley is 'tops' when it comes to being a team
player and helping her co-workers. She demonstrates a selfless ability to pitch in recognizing when those
around her need help with tasks. These admirable qualities extend in all aspects of her life and she
deserves to be recognized for the difference she makes every day!
2017 Award Nominee
Brittany Hert
Banner Churchill Community Hospital
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Robert Carnahan:
Being known as a spectacular House Supervisor (HS), Brittany can be counted on, accountable, cheerful,
consistent, eager to share knowledge, eager to learn new areas of clinical care that may have initially been
unfamiliar, wealth of knowledge, communicative, works collaboratively, resourceful, supportive, assertive,
trustworthy, excels in all areas, gains respect in others, exceptional teacher, will seek out knowledge
and/or resources, is a teacher and gives advice to other HS during meetings, open to dialogue, exemplifies
the future of nursing, inspires, advocate for patients, staff, physicians, Brittany is a "WOW," team player,
works for solutions, clear and concise communications, enthusiastic, jumps in to help wherever, empowers
others, remains cool and calm, change champion, will sit on new teams as required, nurturing, has high
standards, and visible. Brittany consistently works independently as indicated and uses resources when
needed. She promotes safety and high quality to the nursing staff as well as other ancillary staff. Her
follow up is impeccable as she uses tact and diplomacy (just culture) in her approach. It was also
appreciated that Brittany worked with Shared Leadership and the Nursing Peer Review team to introduce
the "DAISY" award. This has truly been shown to be a great acknowledgement for our nursing staff. This is
why it is believed Brittany should be acknowledged as a Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Carol Herzberg
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Katie Mauldin:
Carol is such an amazing nurse. She always does every aspect of the job with perfection, diligence, and
efficiency. Carol will go out of her way to ensure that her patients are comfortable (as much as can be in
the ER), getting pillows and warm blankets, and making sure that they understand fully the tests they will
have done, results, and reasoning for discharge or admission. She is absolutely amazing when caring for
critical trauma or medical patients, and despite the chaos that can sometimes occur in the ER, she helps
get everything carried out in a calm, quick, efficient manner. Carol is always a positive person with a good
demeanor, willing to offer a helping hand whenever it is needed without having to be asked. She goes
above and beyond the call of duty, which is refreshing to see in the emergency room. Thank you Carol for
all your hard work! The ER would not run nearly as smoothly without your hard work.
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Carol Herzberg as the recipient in the award category for Emergency Nursing. Carol has
been a role model for me when I was a new graduate on the oncology floor. Carol is an exemplary nurse
with a vast knowledge base. She has been a nurse in several different areas from CCU, Oncology,
Emergency and Education. Carol truly is an asset to Saint Mary's and to the Emergency Department. She
was a preceptor to me several years ago and still continues to precept new grads and new hires. She
possesses a calm, caring and compassionate attitude towards her patients and to her co-workers. She is an
advocate to her patients each and every day. I sincerely enjoy working with Carol everyday. She is always
the nurse I confide in with difficult situations or difficult patients. I love you Carol!!!
2017 Award Nominee
Robin Herrmann
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Debra Orvik:
I'm nominating Robin Herrmann for this award because Robin demonstrates "doing the right thing" with
every patient no matter the adversarial blocks that may try to dissuade her. One new example: I was
working with Robin last Friday. She was the circulating nurse on a difficult case (a donor procurement)
and was given instructions by our nurse managers on how she should proceed in the Electronic Medical
Record. I was helping her in her room and watched how Robin showed the patient dignity and respect. She
was thrown a road block by someone not from our O.R. on how she should proceed, but Robin stuck to her
guns and followed through with the instructions she was given by our managers. No matter the time
involved to untangle the mess with the charting, she did it and told me she would keep trying to follow
through with what was asked of her. Robin is a professional and I'm proud to be a co-worker of hers. She
helps new nurses with any questions they may have. She takes her time to be the best patient advocate she
can for all of her patients. And she's a WONDERFUL cook and hostess, too!
2017 Award Nominee
Stephanie Herrera
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jenn Allen:
Stephanie is new to the ER supervisor role. She has jumped in with both feet and her excitement and
commitment to our ER team is contagious! Stephanie has worked alongside many of our ER team members
for years and is a valued and respected member. She has been proactive regarding the learning for this
leadership role and has taken communication classes as well as organizational development courses to be
successful. Stephanie is an advocate for her patients as well as her fellow team members. She watches out
for them and is quick to be beside them if there are problems or concerns. She is quick to question if there
are potential injustices and works to resolve them.
2017 Award Nominee
Vera Hermano
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Elizabeth Shabazz:
Miss Vera is the most energetic new nurse I ever met. She Goes above and beyond for her patients. She is
always trying to learn new things and not afraid to ask for help. During her first code, she was very
impressive and kept her calm and did a great job on reviving that patient. even though she is new to
nursing, how she carry herself and her work ethic you would never know. If I was to ever end up in the
hospital, she would definitely be one of my nurses I would want to take care of me.
2017 Award Nominee
Crystal Heyer
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelsey Coe:
Crystal is an outstanding leader and nurse. She is compassionate and kind and uses her own experience
and knowledge to help us all learn and grow to help us reach our full potential. She stands by us and fights
for us. She is always engaged and focused on our unit and the needs of our nurses and patients. She is
easy to talk and is an active listener, her door is always open. Crystal holds us all to the highest standards,
because she wants us to be the best and provide the best care for our patients and their families. She has
made CIC a desirable and fun place to work with great teamwork and leadership to back our cohesive
team. I have grown so much in the 2 years I have worked with her and much of that is thanks to her
encouragement, guidance, and wisdom. I am proud to work alongside her.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelly Heywood
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kayla Suarez:
I would like to nominate Kelly Heywood to be recognized by Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement for
her high level of clinical skills, tireless commitment, and outstanding critical thinking abilities. I interact
with nurses on all floors, from ONC to ICU, and I am consistently impressed with Kelly's dedication to
nursing. She embodies the whole patient approach, considering nearly all aspects of the patient to provide
comprehensive and impressive care. Kelly often reaches out to appropriate disciplines and is very
collaborative. This amazing nurse is educated on policies, procedures, and standards of practice. I consider
her a strong resource and model in the continued pursuit to improve one's clinical knowledge and
performance. You would have a difficult time finding someone who can walk faster than Kelly. I often joke
that she is the fastest nurse in the west. Kelly is constantly going above and beyond for her patients, and
truly would be deserving of this award. In summation, Kelly is an exemplary RN; collaborative, skilled,
effective, and compassionate. We should all be so lucky to have her as our acute care RN in our time of
need.
2017 Award Nominee
Nancy Higgins
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Cheryl L. Webster Bsn, Rn, Rnc-ob:
Nancy started in Pediatrics as a new grad in 2013. Nancy was always eager to learn and eager to help out
with anything that was presented to her. Nancy is now an experienced Pediatrics RN, who will also easily
transition to the Newborn Nursery or provide couplet care. Nancy's patients always have great things to
say about her. She is always kind and friendly. She has a knack for relieving the fears of the pediatric
patient and their families. Nancy is an active member of our organization's Shared Governance Committee,
a committee made up of nurse managers, staff nurses, and ancillary departments who's common goal is to
improve the quality of patient care and satisfaction, improve workflows, implement evidence-based
practices, and improve employee/physician satisfaction. Nancy is always quick to assist during staffing
crises or patient surges. Carson Tahoe Health is fortunate to have Nancy as an employee.
2017 Award Nominee
Dani Hill
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
I would like to nominate Dani for NNNOA for her wonderful attitude. Dani is the person who is always
smiling and causing others to smile. She is always bright (just like her pink scrubs she wears) and happy.
Patients comment on how much the like the care they receive from her. Although Dani is new to the
Emergency Department she has taken initiative to improve herself by becoming a charge nurse and
continuing her education to get her Bachelors degree in Nursing. She has really stepped up and proven
that she is a great charge who understands the Emergency Department.
2017 Award Nominee
Tracy Hildman
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Tracy Hildman has been an honored member of our care team since 2010. Tracy began her journey on our
unit as a new graduate nurse. I was lucky enough to work with her as a preceptor when she first began.
Let me start off by saying that Tracy is a special person. I am privileged to not only be her team member,
but also her close personal friend. In the face of adversity, Tracy has overcome hurdles and hurdles. She
lost her husband to cancer some years ago, and was left to raise their son James. Well, she not only has
done an amazing job raising an exceptional young man, but also on putting herself through nursing school
and becoming a wonderful nurse. A few years ago, she noticed a gap in patient education and care
between the orthopedic surgeon's office, the hospital stay, and discharge. She began working at a local
orthopedic surgeon's practice, in hopes of closing that gap. She started meeting with patients preoperatively with the surgeon to educate them and answer any questions they had. Patients were getting
improved surgical screenings; they were receiving better information on the surgery itself, the
hospitalization process, pain control, and assistive equipment; they were having more successful discharge
plan of cares; lastly, they were having better outcomes. After initially meeting the patient in the office, she
would follow up with them as an inpatient while she was working on our unit, and then she would contact
them post discharge to ensure their success, health and well-being. It got to the point that patients would
ask for her by name, and call to seek her help, even when she wasn't working! When our organization
began to consider rolling out our total joint replacement program, they looked towards her innovative
approach to patient care in both settings. Her dual involvement in both the office and acute care settings
inspired our organization to create a Nurse Navigator position to be a part of our total joint program.
While she is not officially in this position, Tracy was actively involved in this program, and continues to be.
Her advocacy for patients is unbelievable. She always goes above and beyond to assist patients, whether
that means detailed teaching sessions with family members regarding home safety and care to arranging
outpatient therapy and clinic appointments. Our unit has found that our patients are more educated and
prepared for surgery, as well as the hospital and rehab experience, than ever before. She constantly
collaborates with physicians to ensure that our patients are getting the care and treatments that they need
to succeed. Our team members wholeheartedly appreciate her as a leader and educator. They know that if
they need her, she will be there for them to give them support, encouragement and knowledge. Her
presence as a leader is never negative or derogatory; rather it is positive and supportive. Please consider
her for the Innovation and Advocacy nurse of achievement award.
2017 Award Nominee
Ila Hinkel
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Stacy Chavis:
Ila is a passionate, intelligent, professional RN. I have seen her grow tremendously since she has been in
the ED. She continues to take initiative to better herself and is always growing. I would trust her with my
own family members. Ila is one of the most passionate ER Nurses that I've ever worked with. Her passion
becomes her drive for success. Her want to take the very best care of every patient is so prominent We are
so lucky to have such a strong RN in the ER. I am so grateful to work beside her and look forward to many
more years with her.
2017 Award Nominee
Katherine Hinton
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
(Considered for award in Medical/Surgical, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Karen Vacca:
Bless her heart, Kate has been a great addition to our surgical team. Over the past year, Kate has grown
into an amazing circulating nurse. Kate has gained the respect of many of our more demanding surgeons.
Kate is routinely requested to be part of specific surgical teams due to her attention to detail and time
management. Her willingness to reach out of her comfort zone in order to learn new skills demonstrates
her dedication to her patients and her coworkers. Kate is truly a pleasure to be around, and we cannot
wait to see what she can do in the future.
2017 Award Nominee
Sarah Hoffbuhr
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kelly Dawley:
Sara is an excellent nurse and person in general. She is an awesome coworker, a real team player. She is
an inspiration. She will always help her coworkers when they need it. She displays important leadership
skills, such as delegating, managing the flow of patients by taking over the position of lead nurse when
needed of her. Even when she is not all that excited to do it. She also displays very good time management
skills. She does everything with a very positive attitude, she always has a big smile on her face. Sara's
patients love her. She is willing to go to bat for her patients when needed.
2017 Award Nominee
Amy Horner
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Amy is a passionate medical/surgical nurse. She works diligently for her patient. Amy is the nurse that
when you see that is going to be working the next day you think, "Good, Amy will be here. It's going to be
an amazing day." Not only does Amy's expertise and clinical competency provide a sense of security among
her colleagues, her dedication to ensuring her patients receive the best standards of care every time, every
shift is inspiring. Amy values the responsibility of advocacy and does not balk when she must stand firm to
ensure she advocates for her patient. I have seen Amy courteously tell a colleague that a surgical patient
needed better pain control before the patient left the post-anesthesia care unit. She had seen that the
patient had a 9/10 pain score that had not been addressed since the documentation. Amy's colleague
explained that the patient was sleeping at the moment. Amy countered that the patient's response to
anesthesia of the surgery could be the cause of the sleep rather than a lack of pain. Amy explained that
controlled pain after surgery was a goal of all surgical nurses.Amy is a kind and considerate nurse. She has
given courage to many patients that have recently had surgery and now find post-operative recovery
harder than anticipated. I have seen Amy be motivational to a patient who's surgery had exacerbated their
anxiety. The anxiety lead to the patient's inability to participate in occupational and physical therapy
required for discharge. Amy spent quality time with the patient to explain everything and how to
accomplish the tasks. Amy cheered when the patient was able to accomplish an activity of daily living with
minimal assistance. With her encouragement, Amy's patient was able to slowly overcome their anxiety and
be discharged home.
2017 Award Nominee
Andrew Howe
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Sara Pierce:
I am nominating Andrew for this award because he has truly shown his passion and dedication to caring
for his patients. I had the pleasure of training Andrew when he was hired to our floor. He was already an
experienced nurse so had the base knowledge and I was just there to teach him about our policies and the
care that Saint Mary's provides all patients. Andrew was very open minded and wanted to learn as much as
he could so he could provide the best care to his patients. He has grown so much from the first day I met
him to now. He is a confident, knowledgeable and all around outstanding nurse. Andrew's patient's love
him as well. Here are some of the comments his patients have said. -Andrew, you are an amazing nurse!
The compassion you showed towards me in my worst days really meant a lot to me.-Andrew was helpful
and gave me great information. He is a valuable employee.-Andrew was truly sweet, very helpful, kind,
good attitude, ready to help and very knowledgeable.-This is the second time I have had an extended stay,
one for my mother and now for my father. I have been here now for four days and I cannot say enough high
praise for the nurses. Andrew showed compassion, professionalism, and genuine care for my 72 yr old
father who is suffering form having his colon removed. As a director and manager myself, these are
characteristics a staff that any organization would be proud to have. He is a "A" player and I would hope
they recognize him for his efforts. This compassion should be the standard for all healthcare. I realize his
profession is not easy, hours are long, and patients can be unruly, however he is a ture professional
2017 Award Nominee
Elizabeth Humes
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kelly Dawley:
Liz is an amazing nurse, she is always advocating for her patients. She gets along great with her
coworkers, the operating room staff, the surgeons, and the anesthesiologist. She will do anything she can
to help her coworkers out, regardless of what that means. She also displays very good time management
skills. She does everything with a very positive attitude, she always has a big smile on her face. Liz's
patients love her. She is so therapeutic to have around in general, she has a calming effect on the staff and
the patients in her care. All of her coworkers love working with her.
2017 Award Nominee
Rebecca Hunt
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kelly De Jong:
I am honored to nominate Rebecca Hunt for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award in Critical
Care. Becky is a caring and compassionate nurse with valuable years of experience. She goes above and
beyond to make sure her patients receive the best possible care. Becky is a positive influence on our unit
and frequently orients students and new graduate nurses. She is also takes on the charge nurse role and is
an excellent liaison between nurses, doctors and families. She receives frequent complements on her
ability to manage the unit on even the most stressful days. She is a great resource and we are so glad to
have her in our work family.
Nomination from Tiffany Broce:
I am nominating Becky Hunt for the critical care nurse of achievement award. Becky is an exemplar nurse
that motivates others to be better nurses. She is an advocate for her patients and their families. She
practices a holistic approach by addressing all aspects of a patients care. She doesn't see her patients as a
diagnosis but as a person. It is the little things that make Becky a great nurse. She not only provides
critical care but also leaves time to brush someones hair or give them a "spa" bath. She is a mobility
champion on our unit. She was an integral part in changing our culture of mobilizing vented patients. She
also leads our units Shared Governance. This is a place for bedside staff to express concerns and
implement change to make our unit a great place to work. Becky motivates me to be a better nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Peggy Ince
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Peggy for the last 2 years. Peggy knowlege in critical care
extensive. She is one of the most detail oriented people I have ever met in my life. When I first started in
the CVU I knew I needed to train on nights with her. Peggy is truly gifted in teaching and understanding
the needs of critical care of patients. My heart is always happy when I know I'm turning over the care of
my patients to her. Peggy still takes the time to educate me on our patients, she does this in a way that
never makes me feel inadequate. Patients that have the privilege of being taken care of by Peggy are truly
blessed.
2017 Award Nominee
Debi Ingraffia-Strong
Western Nevada College
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Melissa Washabaugh:
Debi Ingraffia-Strong was my instructor my first year of nursing school. Debi was a great instructor to ease
us all into the difficult transition of starting nursing school. She is patient and kind to stressed out
students. Her lectures are interesting and always tie into focusing on patient centered care. Debi was
always around to listen to her students needs and support them during hard times. She encouraged us to
get involved in student leadership and the NSNA group. Debi is also involved in NNA activities to promote
nursing throughout the states. Debi provides a positive example of what nursing should be for her students
2017 Award Nominee
Beth Ivester
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Kim Winters:
We nominate Beth Ivester in the category of Maternal Child. Beth establishes and maintains exceptional
relationships with her patients and their families, providing superior quality and continuity of care. Beth
also team builds with fellow staff members. She is a mentor, providing encouragement and caring support
of the people she trains as well as promoting forward other team members.Recently, Beth took care of one
of our own staff member's daughter and her baby, who had to be transferred to an out of state hospital.
Sadly, the baby passed away, and that hospital did not provide mementos to the family . On her own time,
Beth traveled to the hospital and created mementos to provide lasting memories of the baby. She exhibited
selflessness and caring. The patient and her family were exceedingly grateful for Beth's commitment and
really appreciated the effort. Beth is an extraordinary nurse, taking on difficult case types and situations
and helps others with these experiences as well. Her commitment to quality and compassionate service
makes her a valuable asset to our profession and a Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Ann Jaeke
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
Every now and then we get to do something wonderful in nursing and create a "dream job" Ann has a
magnetic personality and can find a common thread to start a conversation with anyone. There was a
mutual desire for the opportunity and 16 months ago the journey began. Ann helped craft a new position
as a result of a Lean Discharge project. She began by literally jumping in to a new position on a new unit,
not her familiar Emergency Room setting. She was the new Admit/Discharge/Transfer RN. She arrived just
prior to multidisciplinary rounds at 0930, then partners with the Hospitalists, Case Management,
Registered Nurses, and the ever essential Unit Clerk to orchestrate a smooth transition to home, skilled,
group home, or long term acute unit. Along the way, Ann has discovered many nuances of the electronic
medical record, how to track valuables, medications in pharmacy, electronic prescriptions to their
pharmacy, follow up doctor's appointments, as well as finding a physician for those without one. Then
there are the patients who need home oxygen only to find their car is their home and the DME Company
needs an address! We also have mastered the "box lunch to go" for our patients with a long rural drive and
have focused on early discharges for them so their journey is complete before dark for their added safety.
Ann is one of the most frequently thanked nurses on the unit for all of her efforts. When the unit is waiting
for discharge orders to come in, Ann is on her way to the Emergency Room to greet old colleagues and
meet newly admitted patients with a warm welcome and promise of a comfortable bed with great nursing
care just ahead.
2017 Award Nominee
Brenda Jahnke
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Carla Adams:
Brenda Jahnke, RN, MSN, CNS was one of the first employees of Northern Nevada Medical Center 35
years ago. She was here before the walls of our ED were completed. She wrote policies and took paper
towels to the bathrooms and did anything else needed to foster needs as the facility opened. Brenda is a
natural educator with a passion for teaching others. She is organized and calm when things don't go
perfectly; only she has to know there was a mistake, right? Brenda organizes orientation and makes
certain that communication with both staff and leaders goes out multiple ways to ensure the message gets
through. Brenda coordinates students for our facility making sure they have preceptors, orientation,
needed supplies and resources to ensure a great learning experience. Brenda teaches at nursing
conferences on average three times per year with many different topics. She is happy to research and put
presentations together. In 2016, Brenda presented for PeriAnesthesia Nurse Association of California
(PANAC), American Society of Peri Anesthesia Nursing (ASPAN) and American Nephrology Nurse
Associate (ANNA) as a way to give back to the nursing community and feed her fire for teaching. Brenda
participates in The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) where she volunteers to serve on
NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN Examination Item Writing and Item Review panels. Brenda is also active in
American Heart Associate fund raisers. Brenda is the chair and soul of our Service Excellence Committee
for many years. She helps organize and recognize staff that goes above and beyond in their care of our
patients and of each other. This happens behind the scenes and she thinks nothing of it. Another amazing
thing about Brenda is that she is a House Supervisor where she does staffing, runs codes and checks on
each unit to ensure all is well throughout her shift and does all of these education things either on the side
(paid of course) or while she is working as a House Supervisor! Brenda's 35 years of experience in
hospital-based and academic education, quality improvement, and program/project development with
volunteer service to our community. We are most honored to have such a beautiful person both inside and
out, as Brenda Jahnke working tirelessly to honor life's journey.
2017 Award Nominee
Heather James
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
Nursing is a field that demands much of those who pursue it. It takes a strong attention to details,
emotional stability, adaptability, physical endurance, quick thinking, great communication skills.My
nominee has demonstrated the highest level of competency by developing a very successful wound clinic,
training the staff and recently taking over the rescue of a failing department. She embraces challenges and
consistently extends herself, providing whatever resources are appropriate.Professionalism, intelligence, a
deep sense of commitment, respect, caring and teamwork are words that describe my nominee. She
inspires others and works tirelessly to ensure success in any tasks she undertakes. She has the ability to
see beyond the initial snapshot which greatly improves outcomes. She is passionate about what she does.
My nominee embodies a 'can do attitude'. Please consider this exceptional nurse for the Northern Nevada
Nurses of excellence award in the Clinical Leadership category.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer James
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Tiffany Harper:
Jennifer James makes me proud of my unit and even prouder of my chosen profession, because she never
forgets what is important and why we do the job that we do. The people; who include our patient
population, those patients' families, and us, the people of the unit she manages. I was recently taken from
the bedside, due to an injury, and moved to a position in the office, and through this opportunity I was able
to witness aspects of leadership that my bedside nurse eyes never saw. I witnessed Jennifer's commitment
to excellence, how she grooms and grows leaders in our profession, and her communication skills.
Jennifer's commitment to excellence is something that seems effortless. She would say, "I know that we are
the best, but we all need to know it and show it through our actions." To quantify our efforts Jennifer looks
at our unit's processes and finds areas where we can improve, like mobilizing our patients on the
ventilator. We know that early mobilization improves the outcomes of our patients, but early on we were
not reaching our goal. Jen continued to encourage us in that goal and provided us with the resources we
need to reach it. In the last few months we have been at or above 90% mobilization. This is just one
example of the many ways Jennifer strives for excellence on our units.Jennifer see's things in her staff that
they may not see in themselves. She saw in me a charge nurse that I did not think existed. But through her
encouragement and advice I was able to move into that position and I knew that I had resources and
support if ever there was a situation that arose I could not handle. She saw in me that ability to lead and
through this I have grown more confident in my practice and my abilities as a nurse. Jennifer continues to
groom leaders and emboldens her nurses even showing them ways they can lead by example. As a
communicator Jennifer shines. She speaks to us, not at or above us, and she teaches us during those times
when we need to improve. I have made mistakes and missteps along the way especially as a baby nurse. I
recall a situation when I admitted a patient but did not set up my room correctly, and when an emergency
situation other people had to retrieve and assemble the items that should have been in the room.
Afterward, Jennifer sat me down and we discussed what I could have done and what should have been
done. She did not berate me or belittle me, but she did make sure that I understood the importance of the
events and the "missed opportunity" on my part. She taught me, allowed me to speak, and counseled me. I
am so proud to be a part of a team lead by this amazing nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Janas
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Jessica for 5 years. When she started as a new grad on tele to now
in the ICU. Jessica is a pleasure to work with she is passionate about her education and quick to lend a
hand. Jessica will jump in to any situation to help. She has grown so much in the last 5 years as a nurse.
When she is on the floor I know I have a fellow nurse who is an excellent resource and will have my back.
Jessica is compassionate towards her patients and families always providing top notch care. I am lucky to
have her as a coworker.
2017 Award Nominee
Jacqueline Jeffery
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Savannah Gonsalves:
Jacie has been on our informatics team for over a year and contributed greatly. She came to our team after
having implemented a new EMR for her previous employer and brought a great deal of knowledge to our
team. Over the last year, Jacie has been the lead in our new care plan build. She has worked endless hours
collaborating with nursing educators from both Renown hospitals and our rehab to put together an
impressive compilation of disease specific care plans that are built to automatically appear in the patient's
care plan based on nursing documentation. The automation of this process allows nurses to document as
usual and have the appropriate care plans appear for them without any extra work. She utilized the full
capability of the EMR to make documentation easier for her fellow nurses and more specific and catered to
the patient for a more accurate and comprehensive care plan. This proved to be a very challenging project
for Jacie. There is always resistance when anything is changed in the EMR, especially items affecting
nursing work flows. Jacie faced these challenges with professionalism and passion knowing that these
changes where going to help create an optimal care plan for the patient. Jacie truly was a patient advocate
in implementing these improved "smart" care plans. Not only did Jacie write all the care plans for the
patients using evidence based medicine, she developed a training plan and spent many hours out on the
floor personally teaching nurses how to use them to their advantage. The project was a success with
nursing requesting additional disease states and patient problems. Jacie continues to work on additional
care plans to meet the needs of all departments at our organization. Her work is not only optimizing the
EMR, but improving patient care. She is an excellent candidate for the nurse of achievement and I am truly
honored to have nominated her.
2017 Award Nominee
Jana Jensen
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Lyle Engler:
When you look up nurse in the dictionary, you should see Jana Jensen's face. She is smart, compassionate,
and will not stop until the right things happen for her patients. In Jana's role, she welcomes many patients
to our agency. Her critical assessment, care planning and communication with the team drive our patient's
care. If Jana finds a problem, she will not stop until she has resolved it: contacting the physician, finding
the correct product for wound care, ensuring that the patient has the appropriate advanced directives for
their wishes. She does it all. She thinks critically and does not hesitate to seek input from others. Her
dedication, communication skills and collaboration make her a cornerstone of our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Jenni
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Christina Dyette:
Jennifer deserves to be nominated for leader of the year for her incredible work ethic and understanding
nature. She thinks the best of each person and exemplifies fairness and kindness amongst her team. She
has an extraordinary ability to remain positive even under stress. I admire the way she takes things to
heart and thinks globally through a situation before making a judgment or decision. She is mindful in the
way she approaches delicate situations and effectively conveys empathy and compassion. Although she has
just recently stepped into a supervisory role, she has been an informal leader to her peers long before. She
frequently makes comments like "we will figure it out" or "how can I help". Of her many strengths, her
ability to put others at ease is at the top. Jennifer manages many competing priorities by taking care of her
own patients, managing throughput, and completing charge and supervisory duties all at the same time. I
appreciate her drive and commitment to our team. It is with great admiration and respect that I nominate
Jennifer for her incredible nursing leadership.
2017 Award Nominee
Katie Jenkins
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
Katie is an amazing educator! She has surpassed all expectations. She takes initiative and tremendous
pride in providing education to all staff and especially our new hires. Her passion to education and
preparing our new staff for success is evident in the quality of her work. Katie created a weekly newsletter
that she posts every week on our unit's Education Board that lives at our main nursing station. Katie
rounds with all the staff to get their feedback on topics they feel they need more information about, and
takes that feedback to create topics of education for the newsletter and clinical ladder projects. She makes
regular rounds on days and nights to be a resource for all the new hires that she is orienting. Katie has
organized a GSU potluck for our new staff members to come and meet their new coworkers and their
preceptors. Her commitment to our team allows for these new staff members to feel supported and
engaged in their learning process, which helps each of them feel safe and comfortable in their new
learning environment. Katie is in progress in reviewing every single file for all of our staff, and getting
these files completed appropriately, so that we can ensure we are always Joint Commission ready. More
importantly, Katie's dedication to education is centered on patient care. Recently, Katie collaborated with
our night shift supervisor to run a mock code on our night shift; therefore ensuring we are always
practicing and ready to help save our patients whenever we are needed. I cannot express enough how
grateful my team is to have such a devoted educator!
2017 Award Nominee
Jacqueline John-Mull
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Ashley Davis:
Jackie is not only an amazing nurse she is an amazing person. As the wound care nurse at Saint Mary's she
is looked up to and respected by all of her peers. During her daily rounds, new nurses look to her for
guidance in all things nursing, not just wounds and ostomies. Seasoned nurses seek her out for advice on
what to do with a complex patient or a tricky stoma. Throughout the day EVS workers, dietary, and
engineering stop by her office to say hello and ask how her children are. When Jackie sees a problem on a
unit, she will reach out to the supervisors immediately and often times is solving the problem on her own.
Just last week a patient needed an orthopedic shoe. Jackie stepped in and got all of the patient information
along with the orders and sent it to Ortho Pro so they could start working on it immediately. It wasn't her
job to take that on, but she saw the need and she jumped in. Jackie is truly a role model to everyone in our
facility. Always using evidence based practice and questioning why we are still doing an old process the
same old way. Every meeting we go to, she takes scrupulous notes and walks away with a few more
projects for us to tackle. She is motivated and hard working. She is an excellent example for all of us to
follow.Our staff and patients are so very lucky to have Jackie on our team. I know I personally have learned
so much from her and my practice is better for it. When I think of Clinical Leadership, Jackie is at the top
of my list.
2017 Award Nominee
Robert Johnston
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Jason King:
Robert/Rob/Bob Johnston has worked at Northern Nevada Medical Center in the operating room since it
was constructed in 1983. I know he has worked at the former Washoe Medical Center and in his home
state of Pennsylvania prior to 1983 but do not have the details of those employments. I have worked with
Bob (as he is known at NNMC) for 7 of his years and can testify to his contributions and expertise in his
field as a peri-operative nurse. Aside from his OR skills, he has embraced the role of Endoscopy
Coordinator for past 3 decades. His dedication to the nursing profession and the peri-operative/endoscopy
field is unmatched and is seen in his leadership, skills training, intra-departmental education, nursing
recruitment/retention committee involvement, precepting of new employees, professional organization
involvement, and most impressively in his longevity without loss of enthusiasm or professionalism. Bob has
high expectations for himself, co-workers, and the department, and his accountability and integrity are
contagious. His longevity at NNMC speaks volumes and he is a pillar of that facility. Despite continuous
turnover of staff, departmental managers/directors, and administrative leadership, Bop has been the
constant in the OR and endoscopy and can be counted on for his knowledge and experience in the field of
peri-operative nursing.
2017 Award Nominee
Taylor Ann Johnson, APRN
Community Health Alliance
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jason Crawford, Md, Mph, Chief Medical Officer:
Taylor Ann Johnson, APRN, joined Community Health Alliance over 4 years ago. She quickly moved
through the ranks to assume an assistant medical directorship due to her demonstrated passion for
medicine and leadership. As an adult nurse practitioner, Taylor Ann committed to the planning,
development, and implementation of our area's most unique medical center, the Center for Complex Care
(CCC). The "Triple C" or CCC has opened its doors as of 9/2015 with Taylor Ann as the founding provider.
The CCC provides integrated medical, behavioral health, and clinical pharmacy services to our
organization's most complex and challenging patients from the medical, mental/behavioral, and social
aspects of health. Taylor Ann's charming disposition and excellent bedside manner has allowed the CCC to
help optimize the care of many of our most complex patients. Taylor Ann has been instrumental in helping
to define and redefine the care delivery system at the CCC and works tirelessly with medical and
operational/administrative leadership in the ongoing implementation of this unique endeavor. Through her
assistant medical directorship she supervisees the clinical staff at the CCC and has most recently been
names our organization's Chief Administrative Nurse in charge of the LPN staff within our organization. To
say she "wears many hats" is an understatement, yet she is able to manage her leadership and clinical
workload with dignity and a smile while raising her 1 year old son, Nash, along with her husband, Matt. I
wish to nominate Taylor Ann Johnson for a clinical leadership recognition award.
2017 Award Nominee
Joanna Jones
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Sheryll Cruz:
I always look forward to working with Joanna Jones RN at Northern Nevada Medical Center within the PreOp department. She is a very knowledgable, dependable, and hardworking nurse. She knows how to
quickly evaluate the needs of the pre-op department, in terms of keeping up with the changing surgery
schedule - needing to call patients in, or when to get inpatients from the floors - to needing more
beds/gurneys. She knows how to keep the flow of the department going on a steady level. Nurses who have
stated many years of experience in different surgical places, and have been with NNMC for over a year
have not yet grasped how to keep the flow between patients and the surgery schedule as well as Joanna
does. She is such an asset, as coworkers in the department rely on her to keep the pace of the unit and the
schedule on track. I am honored to nominate Joanna for the Nurses of Acheivement Award for 2017.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Jordan-Griffo
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Carleen Harmon:
Jenny deserves this achievement award because she volunteers for any and all committees that improve
patient safety. She works well with others and receives plenty of customer satisfaction surveys stating
what a great nurse she is and how pleasant it was to have her as their nurse. Jenny goes above and beyond
for her co-workers and her patients as well as management. She rarely misses work and always willing to
help out fellow co-workers from not only her department, but from other areas within the hospital. Jenny
also strives to become a better nurse by further her education.
Nomination from Jeanette Lambdin:
Jenny has gone above and beyond for every patient she cares for.one specific patient she advocated for
while on telemetry she persisted on calling a rapid on a patient who was deteriorating, after the the rapid
was called the patient had a stemi which would never have been caught if it weren't Jenny's attention to
detail.she is always advocating for her patients no matter the discomfort or cost. She is a great nurse and
great team member. She is a great nurse to work with and is always supporting the nurses in the
community by actively recruiting new nurses into the nursing field.
2017 Award Nominee
Cassidy Jost
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Mary Sellars:
This nurse has been here on the Surgical Orthopedic floor for 8 years, has a calm gentle demeanor and is
committed to quality patient care, staffing education, quality improvement and overall a huge support to
our organization. This nurse was recently promoted into a supervisory roll due to her ability to inspire
quality patient care and her passion for our care teams educationally needs. She writes shift huddles for
our care team, provides educational opportunity for our new grads and nurse apprentices 4 times a year,
promotes open communication and with all she does is advancing her own education. This nurse also
assists our information technology department by assisting to educate our new hires with computer
training. She assist with quality improvement projects and tracers, this nurse never says no to anyone
needing assistance, always jumps in to help with patient care, always has a can do attitude, her dedication
to excellence elevates our profession. She is a dedicated compassionate leader committed to excellent
patient care and mentor to all of us. We appreciate her support and dedication to our ongoing educational
needs, quality improvement, patients and care team, please consider this amazing RN for Nurse of
Achievement in the Med/Surg category (I love her and appreciate her), thank you for your consideration.
2017 Award Nominee
Kari Jost
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Lindsay Gray:
Kari is wonderful to work with. She is caring and patient with her patients. She is modest with her years of
expertise in cardiac and cath lab. She can step into any situation, assess and treat the patient. She
improves her patients every shift. She is a pleasure to work side by side. She is professional and competent
and appreciated on a daily basis. She is an asset to Saint Mary's and to the nursing profession. She seeks
out to help her peers. She is a wonderful preceptor and teacher. Anywhere she decides to work she will be
an asset.
2017 Award Nominee
Iliana Juarez
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Katie Mccarthy:
demeanorIf I could, I would celebrate Iliana every day! I don't know where I would be, or how I would be
able to get through every week without her. Iliana is an experienced nurse who takes her calm demeaner
to assist in any situation. As a supervisor she is exactly who you want out on the unit running the show.
Iliana has grown and adapted in every role she has taken on. She's been an educator, a staff nurse and
currently she is the day shift Supervisor on Orthopedics at Renown. During a stressful time of staffing
issues Iliana always looks at the bright side and takes it day by day. She does not let the next day or the
next week affect her. This is so important when you have 17 plus people on any given shift looking to you
as their captain. Iliana takes it all in stride and makes sure everyone knows the mission of the day. She not
only has a great relationship with her core staff, she has the ability to connect with the traveling staff to
make them feel included and a part of our Ortho family. She wants everyone to succeed and will assist in
any way she can. I've had the pleasure to get to know her even more over the past year and I feel very
fortunate to call her my peer but also my friend. Iliana's cool and calm demeaner instils a trust in her
fellow co workers where they know they can come to her to ask questions, review a patient's assessment,
ask for help or just share a funny story. Her smile and laugh make working a stressful job that much
easier. She truly goes above and beyond for her staff. She has one of the biggest hearts I know and has the
best intentions. Thank you for your comic relief when the days look glum and thank you for always having
my back and the team's back. We are very lucky to have Iliana a apart of Ortho, but most importantly we
are lucky to have her a part of nursing. She shows what a true nurse and leader should be. Thank you.
2017 Award Nominee
Dana Julian
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Megan:
Dana is always a solid resource and calm in the storm in a busy ED. She is always willing to help, as well as
problem solve even the most difficult of tasks. From charge to staff nurse she goes above and beyond for
all her patients and co-workers. Working along side her is a pleasure and always a learning experience.
You can tell she truly enjoys her work as well as her life and it shows in her compassionate care. Dana us a
gem in this emergency department and this department would not be the same without her. word.
Nomination from Nic Eisenbarth:
Dana is a prime example of what an Emergency Room Nurse is. She is quick to assess, accurate with her
assessments and is a tireless advocate for her patients. She collaborates with the team and orchestrates
care for excellent patient outcomes. She is quick to lend a hand to her struggling teammates and is a great
resource for her co-workers. Recently, Dana has been mentoring new RNs to the ED and has proven
patient, kind, and innovative; she is a great teacher. Dana brings a refreshing attitude and contagious
laugh to the Emergency Department and has a way of showing the patients and families she is caring for
that their beliefs and interests are at the front of her care plans. Dana has decided to move her career
forward and continue on with education to pursue and advanced practice degree. I can't help but think
how lucky her future patients are going to be with Dana at the forefront of their healthcare.
2017 Award Nominee
Kristen Kalisz
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kristina Spitale-efstratis:
Being a nurse is Kristen's passion and it is clear to everyone who comes in contact with her. Her patients
are her priority and her fellow nurses and their patients are right at the top of the list as well. She is
always lending a helping hand when she has a spare moment, always volunteering to go to rapid responses
and codes, and will never leave the side of a patient or nurse in need of a hand. Her patients constantly
praise her caring nature and bedside manner. Nurses who have been precepted by Kristen point out her
remarkable knowledge base and teaching ability. Kristen is patient and kind and one of the best critical
care nurses a patient could hope for as their nurse, and the best colleague a nurse could wish for as well.
2017 Award Nominee
Aaron Kanow
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Katie:
Aaron is such a phenomenal nurse to work with. He is always calm under stress and is able to keep a
focused mind in an emergency situation. He uses his nursing skills and knowledge to quickly care for
patients that come through the emergency department. I have worked along side of him and I can honestly
say that he possesses an empathetic and compassionate quality toward all patients that many seem to lack
these days. He will sit next to a patient and their family and connect with them. He creates an environment
for patients and their family that brings a certain amount of peace to the stressful situation that being a
patient in the emergency room brings. It is a pleasure to work with him and truly joyful to see the passion
he has for the job he does.
Nomination from Katie:
Aaron is such a phenomenal nurse to work with. He is always calm under stress and is able to keep a
focused mind in an emergency situation. He uses his nursing skills and knowledge to quickly care for
patients that come through the emergency department. I have worked along side of him and I can honestly
say that he possesses an empathetic and compassionate quality toward all patients that many seem to lack
these days. He will sit next to a patient and their family and connect with them. He creates an environment
for patients and their family that brings a certain amount of peace to the stressful situation that being a
patient in the emergency room brings. It is a pleasure to work with him and truly joyful to see the passion
he has for the job he does.
2017 Award Nominee
Brian Kilonzo
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Poeth Kilonzo:
It's hard as a Mother to write about your child achievement and growth. I have watched this young man go
through nursing school and be determine to be the best he can for his patients. Brian is a caring
empathetic and a loving nurse, he grew up with not as much as what surrounds him today. Brian grew up
in Kenya and moved here in his late teens. After watching his mother go through nursing school having
known the state of heath care in his home country he decided nursing is what he wanted to to. Brian went
through nursing school while he was also a Father of 3 beautiful children. He is a great father and goes
above and beyond for them his kids won't go to bed until daddy gets home. Brian would call me after work
from the time he was a younger nurse and would walk me through his day and he would ask me if I
thought he took great care of his patients, this would sometimes be followed by the empathy he felt about
that one patient who did not have a family or was old and was having trouble making it to their car. Brian
passion for nursing and kindness to humanity got his wife interested in nursing school, he supported her
through her decision and became the biggest cheerleader for her. She was able to graduate from nursing
school in 2016. Brian's nursing does not stop after he takes care of his patients but it continues to shine
through him and impact those around him. Brian is a true nurse and holds to the vision of Nightgale to
relief pain and suffering. I am very proud of this young men he makes me a better nurse everyday.
2017 Award Nominee
Poeth Kilonzo
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Janice Fredrickson:
I am nominating Poeth Kilonzo for the Northen Nevada Nursing Achievement Award because she is the
example of patient care, of what it takes to be a great leader, and the teamwork if takes to maximize
patient satisfaction.Poeth routinely checks on patients with her staff to ensure they are getting the best
possible care. Any patient concerns that she comes upon she does everything within her power to ensure
their needs are being meet and that they are being taken care of during their stay. Introduces herself to let
our patients know she is available if they need anything.Poeth is great leader because she doesn't expect
us to do anything that she herself wouldn't do. she emphasizes that we are team and together we can make
the patient stay more suitable to their needs. She answers call lights and helps with overall patient care.
When we are short she is right there by our side taking on her own patient load. I have never been with a
leader that when the staff is sick is willing to step up and help our the staff. Truly leading by example
providing the excellence in patient care.Poeth holds daily huddles with the staff engaging with each of us
to ensure that any patient concerns are being addressed; such as bed alarms, high risk falls, and any other
needs of our patients. She encourages the staff to work together and provide the best possible patient
care.
2017 Award Nominee
Lanette Kimmel
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Teena Thomas:
Lanette is and integral part of our leadership team. She helps to coordinate the RN's, CNA's and monitor
techs on a busy fifty plus bed unit. As a leader Lanette is positive, receptive and responsive. The staff see
her as an eminent resource and approachable leader. Lanette is also undertaking a Supervisor Residency
program in which she is helping to develop a Mentoring program to help the growth and development of
our new graduate nurses. The mentoring program has been a passion of Lanette's to help with the
recruitment and retention on our units. Lanette also personally helps, guides and mentors the new and
current staff on the unit. She is instrumental in the success our unit has.
2017 Award Nominee
Sunha Kim
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Sara Pierce:
Sun is a one of a kind nurse. She has an infectious smile and attitude. Not only does she care for her
patient's and make sure that they have everything that they need she always cares for her team. She
always comes in extra to help the staff out so we can all deliver safe care to our patients. She is always
willing to help when asked and truly cares about the well being of everyone. She has had numerous
patients comment on the care that she has provided to them and listed below are a few of those
comments.-Sun was an angel! Thank you for all the hard work she did at Saint Mary's. She doesn't treat
patients like we are stupid or short minded. She has her own personal touch of personality with her
patients. She is calm spirited, funny and professional.-I can tell that Sun in experienced and wants things
done in a timely manner. She is polite and friendly. A nice lady and makes me feel welcomed. She is
considerate to give me what I need and explained the medications I was taking. I give her an A+
2017 Award Nominee
Brandie King
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Amber Stutzman:
Brandie started out on our unit as a CNA, then she graduated nursing school and got her license in 2015.
She went to work as a new graduate in CICU. We were all so proud of her, but sad to lose her. She gained
several skills in critical care and then returned to her home her with us on postpartum/newborn. She has
found her calling I believe. Though she is a newer nurse and still has questions, she is thorough and
organized. She gives compassionate and personal care to each and everyone of her patients. She lights up
the unit with her smile and is willing to help her team mates even when she is busy herself. She has shown
such growth and brings to you not only a question but a thought process and proposed answer. She
recently became a mother herself which I think gives her an extra insight and connection to her patients.
Brandie truly is a pleasure to work with and that's why I think she should be rookie of the year! She does
great work daily and her patients rave about their experience because of her!
2017 Award Nominee
Kristie King
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jess Whitelock:
Kristie is an amazing advocate to all of her patients and staff. She is always willing to lend a hand or just a
listening ear. She always has a positive attitude, even if her day starts immediately as she walks out of the
elevators with a patient attempting to assault her. Her staff always feels supported. She is kind,
compassionate and thorough. She is constantly rounding on her nurses to make sure all of their needs are
met. She understands that as a leader she has the ability to impact her staff in an incredibly positive way.
She understands that nurses that feel supported are more likely to ask questions and are overall happier
which in turn increases patients satisfaction and patient safety. We appreciate everything she does! Sierra
6 night shift would be lost without her. She makes a positive impact every time she comes off those
elevators. Thank you for all you do!
2017 Award Nominee
Renee Kinkle
VA SNHC
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Michelle Reynolds:
Renee implements educational plans to meet changing program or service needs. She assured staff
compliance with policies and procedures and documented learning of new programs for 100% of staff. She
portrays the practice of VHA mission, vision and values by modeling the core values of trust, respect and
commitment and is fully engaged in leadership projects to improve patient care. She is self directed in
developing constructive process improvement projects for her department utilizing proficient problem
solving and critical thinking skill. Demonstrates integrity and adherence to the nursing professions code of
ethics: She continues to provide leadership in all matters impacting clients and staff by demonstrating
professionalism and by maintaining trust in protecting staff privacy regards to knowledge gained in a titled
leadership position. Process improvements and performance measures goals reached or impediments to
success discovered via her work.
2017 Award Nominee
Laurie Kirk Daggitt
VA SNHC
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Denise Angst:
Laurie Daggitt is the kindest most compassionate critical care nurse that I have ever known. She provides
quality compassionate care to our Veterans. I have watched her struggle and grow in the midst of conflict.
Her clinical care for Veterans is outstanding and she does not back down from advocating for their needs,
whether it is a room at the guest house or getting the needed consult so they can safely discharge. Ms.
Daggitt also cares about her peers. She goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone is cared for. When
she assigned as Charge Nurse for the shift, staff and patients are both cared for. As a member of the
scheduling committee, she goes out of her way to ensure that the unit and staff needs are met. I am so
proud to know Ms. Daggitt and say that she is a Critical Care Nurse on my unit!
2017 Award Nominee
Lyndsay Knight
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Andrea Shulze:
Lyndsay is an excellent Emergency Room Nurse. I have worked with her for 10+ years. She started in the
ER as a tech and now is working as a nurse. She has great clinical skills, can take care of critical patients,
she has a great bedside manner, she is respected amongst her peers, she's empathetic and caring.
Lyndsday is also entertaining to work with on a pod. I feel like my day is going to be better when we work
together. Lyndsay also took a lot of her free time to make sure we were all stylishly dressed with new
"Trauma Emergency Department" jackets and vests and I thank her immensely for that. Lyndsay is my "go
to" person when I need some help. Stressful & critical situations seem to flow better when she is involved.
Her choice in hockey teams however, leaves a lot to be desired :)
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Ann Knox
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kelly Dawley:
Mary Ann is amazing with her patients. She will advocate on behalf of her patients to the end and try to
take very good care of their every need. Mary Ann works well very independently completing the task that
are required of her. Mary Ann is very detail oriented and has very good time management skills. She is
extremely conscientious, dependable and consistent. Mary Ann will always help out her coworkers when
they need it. Mary Ann is very knowledgeable about her area of expertise. Mary Ann works very well with
her patients, coworkers, operating room staff, anesthesiologist, and surgeons.
2017 Award Nominee
Lauren Kok
Renown Hospice Care
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Kimberly Brenay, Rn Msn:
Lauren has been a pillar in the start up of Renown Hospice Care with her years of experience of caring for
the terminal patient. Lauren has effortlessly filled many roles in the start up of a new department. As her
leader, I have received numerous accolades from her patients and team members. Lauren has a calming
presence with patients and families discussing and caring for them in the end of life. Laurens colleagues
view her as a leader in education and care. Lauren takes ownership and has impeccable follow thru even
with the most challenging situations. We are proud to have her a part of the team!
2017 Award Nominee
Kathryn Kolseth
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Katie Mccarthy:
When you think of Renown Orthopedics, one person comes to mind. This person has been a part of the
Renown family for over 25 years and has spent the majority of her long career at the bedside caring for
thousands of patients. She can still be found today educating and caring for patients, families and her
peers in the halls of Tahoe Tower third floor. This caring, dedicated, and exceptional person and nurse is
Kathy Kolseth. I have the absolute honor and privilege to be a coworker to Kathy but most importantly, I
get to call her a friend. This year Kathy celebrated 25 years of nursing and I had the honor of celebrating
her among her coworkers and doctors. Kathy will be the last person to tell you anything about her
accomplishments or her inspiring career. If asked she would blush and say it was nothing and to please
start talking about something else. Yet she has accomplished so much. Kathy is nursing. It is not often in
this line of work that one would choose to spend their entire career at the bedside but that is what Kathy
has chosen. She is the epitome of what a nurse is and what a nurse should be. She is an Orthopedic
Certified Nurse who is there for her patients and coworkers. She is a mentor to students, CNAs, RNs,
charge nurses, new leaders and any nurse she interacts with. Without the experienced nurses like Kathy
Ortho would not be the learning environment where we have with the ability to create the best of the best.
Kathy has created a family where once you are a part of Ortho you will always be a part of Ortho. One of
Kathy's former leader and friend said "Kathy has been nominated year after year because of her love of
nursing. She is counted upon by so many and has spent countless hours caring for patients and their
families. She has seen a lot of change in nursing and in the organization. Her dedication to her team and
push for excellence is unwavering." Not only does Kathy inspire and define nursing here in Nevada, Kathy
also inspires across borders. In 2016 Kathy, alongside her son Clint, took a mission trip to Africa. Clint is a
part of the School of Medicine at The University of Nevada, Reno so you could say medicine is in the
genes. Not only did she take donations to bring supplies to the less fortunate she provided them with
healthcare that would not be possible without the selfless and dedicated people like her. After 25 years of
nursing she still wants to learn and has a passion for people and life. She is a true inspiration and I would
love nothing more than for everyone to see the bright and shining light that is Kathy Kolseth. I cannot wait
to see what the next 25 years of nursing has in store for you. Thank you!
2017 Award Nominee
Matthew Koval
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Colleen Lawson:
When I think of Rookie of the Year, I think of Matthew Koval. I had the good fortune of being one of his
Preceptors. I marveled at his ability to hit the ground running like a seasoned nurse. He possesses
excellent judgement and problem solving skills and has great rapport with his patients. Confident in his
day to day practice, yet never hesitates to run a situation by me or another colleague for a second opinion.
The reinforcement helped him to build upon his base knowledge and then in turn he incorporates it into his
practice to offer comprehensive care to his patients. Matthew is a huge asset to our Med/Surg unit. He is
an excellent resource of support to his colleagues and the patients feel at ease when in his care. It's been
refreshing to work with someone who is new and fits seamlessly into the nursing world. Having come from
a law enforcement background, he possesses fantastic people skills and dealing with difficult situations.
Before you can blink an eye, he is right there to help with any situation. Matthew has everyone's back and
most importantly, the patients safety, care and comfort are paramount in his practice. I would never
hesitate to have him care for my family member as I know they would be in excellent hands. I'm proud to
work with him.
2017 Award Nominee
Stephanie Kowatch
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kelsey Brown:
Stephanie was instrumental in training me to my new role as hospitalist nurse last year. She is dedicated
and takes her job very seriously. I have watched her advocate for her patients and their best interests in
her role as a hospitalist nurse. Whether it is educating a new nurse to ensure quality of care or working
closely with a doctor to make sure orders are appropriate, her level of dedication is impressive. Stephanie
is helpful and always ready to educate our new nurses -- ensuring growth on all the units she rotates to.
Stephanie recently had a stroke patient on the neurology floor that she was trying to get to rehab to
ensure fast recovery. When the patient was being held up by a long wait times for tests and evaluations
Stephanie went above and beyond to facilitate this transfer of care. Stephanie coordinated with many
departments to get the tests and evaluations finished in a timely manner. She then coordinated with case
management to ensure the patient was appropriately placed. What she sees as her every day
responsibilities the patient sees as an amazing collaboration that ensures recovery. Stephanie recognizes
that our patients are dealing with life changing diagnoses and difficult decisions. She cares about their
recoveries and it shows in her daily interactions and the care she takes in her work.
2017 Award Nominee
Blake Krek
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Blake Krek for the recipient for the award category in Emergency Nursing. I have seen
Blake develop into an exceptional nurse. Blake displays a confident demeanor in the Emergency
Department, where situations can get quite chaotic. Blake is an advocate to his patients and to the nurses
that he works with. Blake is not afraid to voice his opinion on right from wrong. Blake is a role model to
several nurses and is an asset to the department and to Saint Mary's. It is a pleasure to work with Blake
and his positive attitude. I admire his leadership roles and it is never a dull day when I get to work with
Blake.
Nomination from Lori Perry:
I am pleased to nominate Blake Krek Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the category of
Emergency Nursing. I have always found him dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Blake always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to his patients as well. He is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient and
any coworker. I have seen him resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate him for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Kimberly Kuehn
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Penelope Burke:
Kim is an amazing RN who strongly advocates for her patients and is extremely considerate of her
neighbors. Her critical care knowledge base is very strong and she is always happy to discuss a patient
scenario and offer suggestions. On a recent night while caring for a one-to-one patient, Kim readily
checked in to be sure that I didn't need anything and allowed me the chance to break and refresh myself so
that I was better able to care for my patient. One patient's family shared that Kim "...explained everything
so well and really treated our Dad with respect and caring." We need more RN's like Kim advocating for
our patients!
2017 Award Nominee
Ginger Kuhnmuench
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Becky Haase:
I would like to nominate Ginger Kuhnmuench in the category of clinical leadership. She leads her team
with a passion to make a difference and the determination to do it to the best of her ability. Her willingness
to learn and grow is exciting and infectious. She is always willing to think outside of the box to improve the
level of care we provide to our pediatric patients and their families. She's the person when rounding on her
patients that takes notice of a mom who hasn't eaten for hours, stops what she's doing to go buy a
sandwich (with her own money), and then proceeds to sit with the child while the mother steps out and
takes the opportunity to eat. She's the coworker that does a fundraiser for her fellow leader and friend
whose son is going to receive a kidney transplant and have a tremendous out-of-pocket expense. After
raising over $10,000 for this family, she then takes time off to stay with them during the surgery and help
them during this difficult yet exciting time. The coworker was giving up one of her kidneys so her son
could receive his much-needed kidney. There were no family matches for her son so she was part of a
program where you give yours for him to receive his. She spent a week during their recovery at both
bedsides to provide much-needed support for the husband and father and the two patients of course! She's
the leader that's willing to stop what she's doing and help her team provide life-saving measures to a
patient that comes in critically ill. She is always looking for ways to improve the care we provide our
pediatric patients. She instituted a pediatric sepsis tool to help us identify those patients showing early
signs of sepsis. She was instrumental in keeping the Children's ER waiting room open 24 hours a day so
that our patients and families came to a warm and friendly environment. We have recently hired a
pediatric emergency room physician that she has guided during his onboarding process to provide a
smooth transition and create a collaborative environment for him to lead changes in the care of our
pediatric patients. She's that leader that leads with passion and her employees want to follow. She's that
leader that we love to work with and lead beside. She's that leader that I am proud to have on my team and
find her very deserving of this leadership award.
2017 Award Nominee
Lynette LaCert
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Samantha Arreguini:
Lynette is always going the extra mile for her patients and families. She is a key member in helping to
develop the Hospitalist RN program at renown. Through this program, she is able to be a very real and
present advocate for her patients. One patient was actively dying of cancer, but had family that were
insistently keeping him full code and continuing on with treatment measures that were causing the patient
great harm and pain. The patient's wife and the patient himself were wanting to move to comfort
measures, but extended family would not agree and because of their ethnic and religious practices they
had great control over the patient. Lynette worked closely with the MD's that were coordinating care to
fight for the patient's rights and support his decisions. Finally, they were able to provide comfort measures
for the patient and he was able to pass away in peace.
2017 Award Nominee
Janet Lake
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Julie Strachan:
I would like to nominate our Educator at Renown South Meadows ER for NNNOA. Janet is a powerful force
in our ER team as she promotes EXCELLENCE and QUALITY of our entire staff . She manages our yearly
competencies, encourages committee participation, developed and coordinates new employee orientation,
and serves as our educational resource on a daily basis. She actively empowers staff to learn and grow
whether its returning to school, attending conferences or promoting ENA certification and Clinical Ladder
participation, Janet is charged with energy and passes that excitement on to our team with positive
support and demeanor. Thank you Janet for all you do!
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
Janet has really improved the orientation and education received by new staff in the Emergency
Department. She has spent long hours developing binders and educational plans for new staff. She
develops the annual classes and tests. She works with staff to make sure that everyone has the skills and
knowledge to do their jobs well. She encourages all staff to go above and beyond. If it is doing their
Clinical Ladder, getting their CEN, going back to school or just developing skills. She tries to make herself
available to help out when she is needed. She always points out when our staff is doing a good job and
makes sure to tell people that they are appreciated. She is a wonderful addition to the ER Team!
2017 Award Nominee
Jeanette Lambdin
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Tahni Murphy:
Despite a growing family and being busy with life Jeanette always has the best interest of her patients in
mind. She is always a strong advocate for their needs and goes above and beyond to make sure they have
the best outcome possible. She also is always there to lend a helping hand to her co-workers no matter
how busy she may be. She is a real team player and I am proud to have her as a member of my work
family. It has been a real honor to watch her grow and develop into such a strong and proficient nurse.
Nomination from Monica Geniusz:
Jeanette is extremely compassionate with her patients and she always goes above and beyond for them.
She is very quick on her feet when dealing with critical situations and she makes sure that her patient
always get the best care possible that she can provide. Jeanette always helps her CNA's out and asks
everyone else on the unit if they need help. She is very approachable and I know that if I were a patient in
the hospital I would for sure want her to be my nurse and take care of me the way she takes care of others.
She is an amazing nurse and deserves to be recognized.
2017 Award Nominee
Laura Langham
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jennifer Langham:
Laura is truly an exceptional nurse. She is not only caring and kind but intelligent, able to think through
critical and difficult situations in order to help her patients and their families. She is patient and thoughtful
when dealing with hard topics, making sure that patients and their families understand all their options
and the care they are receiving. Above all, Laura is an excellent team member. She is always available to
offer help when needed. She will pick up night shifts to assist when staffing levels are low. She can be seen
assisting her co-workers, often without being asked.Laura is truly an inspiration. I am happy to call her my
co-worker and proud to call her my Mom.
2017 Award Nominee
Ruby Langry
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Christina Dyette:
Ruby deserves to be nominated for Nurse of Achievement for her outstanding performance in serving our
community's most critically ill patients. She has demonstrated incredible leadership and ingenuity by
confidently providing compassionate care to her patients in extraordinarily stressful situations. Even with
many competing priorities she manages to make each and every patient feel like they are her only. On one
night in particular, she intubated two patients, stabilized a third with life-threatening rhythm changes, and
comforted the three families in need. While this is never the ideal situation, she expertly delegated and
coordinated upstanding care. Not only was she able to successfully manage three critical patients, but the
families of these patients recognized Ruby for her amazingly compassionate care. WOW, now that is a
"supernurse". Ruby was recognized as employee of the month house-wide for her incredible collaboration
and for putting her patients at the heart of the care she provides. There is no higher calling than
supporting the well-being of those in our community, but Ruby continues to go above and beyond by also
supporting members of our nursing community. Ruby was honored with a Daisy award by a nurse for the
guidance she provided when she floated to the critical care unit. Ruby's nominator wrote, "Ruby has never
made me feel inferior because of lack of knowledge, but in fact has helped me grow whenever I have
floated to her unit. She makes herself available to answer questions or to show others how to operate
equipment. I look forward to working with Ruby and it is a great joy even though it is not that often. She
always says hello when passing in the elevator. Ruby does these things because it is her character, and
that is what makes her a great Registered Nurse!" Ruby's commitment to helping her community and her
peers shows tremendous leadership. Her ability to expertly manage the sickest patients makes her an
asset to our entire team. I am proud to work with her in the ICU and I think she deserves tremendous
recognition for her commitment to fostering a nursing culture that is kind and compassionate.
Nomination from Andrea Ritter:
Ruby is such an overall great person to work with. She always has a smile of her face no matter how hectic
things can be, and that can happen a lot on our floor. She is always willing to help, answer questions, and
support and have colleagues' backs. She is a huge patient advocate and is always willing to step up to
support a patient. I have learned a tremendous amount from her, she is outstanding in her work. The
cardiac ICU is lucky to have her as an employee and overall, we are lucky to work next to her.
2017 Award Nominee
Steven Langer
VA SNHC
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Renee Kinkle:
Steven (Thad) Langer, works in medical administration at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System. Thad
is a very kind and dedicated nurse. In the time that he has been with our facility he has transformed the
departments that he works with. He is able to view the whole picture and takes a pro-active approach to
problem solving. The most valuable approach to problem solving he has taken is the incorporation of all
staff from problem identification to solution. By incorporating all staff in the process he has increased unit
staff satisfaction and has greatly impacted patient care in a positive fashion. Staff now feel they have more
value and that what they say does matter. This may seem like a simple, well known approach to problem
solving, but being aware of problems and implementing this can be two simple things. Thad is truly a
valuable member of the medical administration team.
2017 Award Nominee
Victoria Lanski
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Candy Carter:
I have been so lucky to work with Tori for the past 1 and 1/2 years. Tori puts her heart and soul into the
care she provides her patients. There is one instance in particular that sticks out to me. Tori was to get a
very sick patient from the ED who was having a hemorrhagic stroke. As she was preparing to receive the
patient, she was able to pick up neuro changes simply through looking through the patient's charted neuro
assessment. She contacted the neurosurgeon to explain what was going on. The patient ended up going to
emergent surgery which ultimately saved her life. This is just one example of the outstanding and
meticulous care that Tori provides to each and every one of her patients. When she took on the role of
charge nurse this year, we all began to respect her even more. The care and dedication she provides to her
patients is the same care and dedication that she extends to us as colleagues. We are all so lucky to work
with her and to have her as our colleague.
2017 Award Nominee
Jimmy Lao
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Amy Pang:
Jimmy Lao should absolutely be considered for Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in Innovation and
Advocacy. I have known him as a bedside nurse and as a supervisor, and he excels at both. He
knowledgeable, driven, and strives to make a difference for both the patients and nurses at our hospital.
Over the last year, Jimmy developed the RISE (Recognizing an Individual's Superior Efforts) program for
Saint Mary's, based on the Clinical Advancement System Model. The model states that nurses excel in an
environment that acknowledges and rewards the individual nurse, and through the process of professional
advancement, the nurse will reinvest professional commitment in his/her hospital and community. To be
part of the program, nurses declare at their annual evaluation that they intend to climb the RISE clinical
ladder, and are given a year to put together a portfolio demonstrating their professional growth. The
program encourages nurses to become an active member of the hospital in a variety of ways, including,
joining hospital committees, obtaining specialized certifications, shadowing leadership, assisting in policy
writing and revision, and becoming a preceptor. Though Jimmy's dedication and determination to make
this program rewarding for all nurses, monetary bonuses ranging from $5,000-$15,000 upon submission of
the nurse's RISE portfolio were approved. The RISE program is intended to grow with the nurse, and
nurses can continue to climb the RISE clinical ladder every year throughout their career. Moreover,
Jimmy's idea was taken further and implemented not just for nurses within Saint Mary's Health Network,
but for ALL Prime Health Network nurses as well. Jimmy spent countless hours building the RISE program,
including writing the program manual, developing the various levels of the clinical ladder and the
eligibility requirements, holding classes to educate nurses on how to build their portfolio, and developing a
team of RISE Champions from every unit as base of support for RISE nurses. He continues to lead the
program with enthusiasm and fortitude, and is a resource for all bedside nurses, supervisors, and
directors. Jimmy works full time as a supervisor on the surgical floor, is cross-trained in ER and Nursing
Operations, and is going to school to obtain his MSN in Nursing Leadership. His dedication to the nurses
at Saint Mary's is unbounded, and the RISE program has truly made a difference for Saint Mary's nurses,
patients, and our hospital as a whole. He is a fantastic nurse, an exceptional leader, and must be
recognized for the work he has done for his own professional achievements, and for the advancement of
the nurses around him.
2017 Award Nominee
Michele LaPorte
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Michele ability to monitor her patient's condition closely and assess their need for clinical intervention is
advanced for a rookie. Her ability to identify and advocate clinical interventions for her deteriorating
patient while ensuring the patient received holistic care is why Michele should be rookie of the
year.Michele had a patient that had been downgraded from the intensive care unit two days prior to her
shift. The patient was not improving. The patient was declining and Michele was concerned. Michele
watched the patient closely throughout her shift. Her close observation allowed her to advocate to the
patient's provider that the patient was not improving and was declining more quickly throughout her shift.
The provider and Michele collaborated to ensure the patient had interventions implemented immediately
and then transferred the patient to a higher level of care. Meanwhile, Michele never lost sight of her
patient's and family member's emotional needs. She communicated with them her concerns and what the
interventions were that she was going to implement. Michele shared that she was in collaboration with the
provider to ensure the patient was attended to. All this time Michele was a source of reassurance and
positivity to her patient and the family. Her smiles and demeanor made the patient smile and laugh
although the patient was not feeling well. Michele is an amazing rookie. She was nervous for her patient,
but it did not stop her from ensuring that she did everything in her power to advocate for the best care the
patient needed.
2017 Award Nominee
Ty LaRiviere
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Nic Eisenbarth:
Ty came to Northern Nevada Emergency Department from another health system's Tele and Critical Care
arena. Ty brings his critical care knowledge and critical thinking skills from his previous roles. Ty
consistently shows a disire for more knowledge and broadening his skill set to hone the essence of an
Emergency Room Nurse. Ty is never afraid to jump in and help his teammates with critically ill patients
and never stops his pursuit of latest best practice materials. Recently, Ty has shown great interest in
completing ESI Triage classes to strengthen his quick assessments and eventually help out by taking on
role of triage Nurse in the near future. Triage can be the most difficult place to work in the hospital
because, by nature; triage relies only on the Nurse's assessment skills, critical thinking and 'gut instincts'.
I know Ty will excel in this role.
2017 Award Nominee
Erin Lassen
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Wendy Merchant:
I'm nominating Erin Lassen, RN for Nurse of Achievement for her positive attitude, accountability and
devotion to patient safety. A co-worker said that Erin is, "always willing to help our patients and makes our
unit safer. She helped even when she was busy". A nursing student described her as being a good teacher
and mentor, "compassionate, patient centered, pays attention to detail, I enjoyed learning from her". Erin
is very pro-active in maintaining patient safety and implementing unit policies, as she participates in
hospital wide committees such as the shared governance committee to improve employee and patient
satisfaction. She has the knowledge to adequately manage high acuity patients, doing so without
hesitation. Erin is known on her unit to use great critical thinking skills to assess even the toughest
patients. She is flexible, friendly, easy going, and a joy to work with.
2017 Award Nominee
Colleen Lawson
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Denise Altick:
Colleen has always been a positive, supportive, dependable nurse. There is not one example of why she
should be nominated for med/surg nurse of the year, there are many. She has always looked at the whole
patient. She has spotted problems before anyone else and has saved them from further problems. She
continually supports her staff members. She is always there to help solve problems/give support/give
direction--to new and old nurses. She constantly tries to improve her skills and help others improve theirs.
She is always involved in committees to continually evaluate how to improve our nursing care. Without
nurses like Colleen, progress would not be made in the field of nursing. She is the perfect role model!
2017 Award Nominee
Jee Lee
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Jee Lee is a kind and caring nurse in the Sierra Intensive Care unit. She frequently precepts new nurses
and serves as a kind of mentor, always being there to ensure other nurses feel supported and have the
right foundation to start their careers. She participates in unit based committees such as the skin
committee to ensure patients are getting the best care possible while they are in the hospital. She is
dedicated to her patients and those who work around her. Thank you for all you do and being such a
compassionate and important aspect to the world of patient care.
2017 Award Nominee
Johanna Lee
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Cnu Leadership Team:
Five-hundred words is not nearly enough to convey what a remarkable nurse Johanna is. Her colleagues
consistently send kudos like this: "Johanna is such a team player and is always so wonderful to work with.
Throughout the shift I needed her assistance with multiple things and she always was willing to help in
anyway with a smile on her face!" and "Johanna reached out and offered to help me when she knew I was
behind. She is always willing step in and actually help. I really enjoy working with her and she is an
excellent teammate!" Her patients have called her, "love on two feet." When asked to care for a person
who is very dear to all of us in the oncology world, she rose to the occasion in spite of the intimidation and
pressure felt when caring for one of your own. That patient praised the care Johanna provided, writing,
"Thank you for taking care of me Johanna. You are a very sweet nurse and I felt very well cared for by
you!" She is always one of the first nurses to volunteer to help when we have a need, and she always has a
positive attitude and an inviting smile on her face. She even volunteered to worked night shift for a week
so that one of our nurses could attend her brother's graduation! She is self-motivated focused on her
professional development so that she can provide the best possible care to her patients. She has earned
her oncology nursing certification within 2 years of beginning her nursing career. She is currently
preparing to pursue an advanced degree in nursing. She works incredibly well under pressure. A critical
care nurse wrote of her, "I just wanted to write you a quick note to applaud your day shift team. There was
a code blue in and Johanna was incredibly calm, helpful, and present during the code. I was first to arrive,
and the patient was already correctly hooked up to the monitor with suction running before I even arrived.
Johanna anticipated the ACLS team's needs, helped efficiently with all our requests, and was not intrusive
at all. What impressed myself and the rest of the team the most was her incredible caring and
compassionate nature towards this patient and family, and you could tell many of them were wholly
invested in the patient's care. They all make me proud to be a Renown nurse working alongside them." In
that particular situation, Johanna displayed tremendous strength and resilience in providing care to a
patient with whom she had a close bond with. Our patients are always in great hands when Johanna is
around. We are so thankful for her.
2017 Award Nominee
Katja Lektorich
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Patty Sredy:
I highly recommend this RN for Outpatient Nursing. This person became a nurse 4 years ago coming to
our facility as a new graduate nurse in Oncology. Loving Oncology she expanded her knowledge in the
field of Outpatient Infusion Chemotherapy and works currently is a Radiation Oncology nurse. Knowing the
importance of education she has obtained her National ONS in Radiation Therapy one of the few RN in
Northern Nevada to hold this National Certification. She is described as being a caring compassionate
nurse that goes well beyond in the care of her patients and families. She has decreased challenges for her
cancer patients by offering medical guidance, acting as a support and walking patients and their families
through the cancer treatment process. The most important impact she has done in her position as been in
the care of Pediatric patients who are receiving Radiation for cure or palliative treatment. These children
come for Radiation afraid of the unknown treatment as well as just being darn scared. Her kind and gentle
manner with all her patients and families allow them to approach her for questions, support and
intervention. She feels talking to people and getting to know them is the way to make them feel
comfortable and safe. One patient that stand in particular is in the care of a 10 year old that needed
Radiation for brain cancer. She worked extra hours to accommodate the child and parents schedule. To
make the child like the daily treatments she when out of her way to buy toys that the child particular liked
and after each treatment presenting them with a " squeeze" that allow the child to return each day feeling
loved and well cared for. At the end of treatment the child wrote a thank you letter to her and thanking her
in these words. "Thank you for being so nice to my Mom and Dad through all this. I worry about them
sometimes, cuz I'm stronger and getting better". She is a true sense and example of an outstanding nurse
and one I am proud to have on my team.
Nomination from Amy Thompson, Rn, Ocn, Cn-bn:
Katja Lektorich is often an unsung hero in our clinic. Dealing graciously with oncology patients daily is not
an easy task, yet she makes it look effortless.She transferred from bedside oncology nursing to join us as a
radiation oncology clinic nurse because she wanted to expand her knowledge and continue to grow as a
nurse. Now, it seems she has always been there. She has a passion about caring for oncology patients and
when she realized she had untapped knowledge in the specialty of radiation, she jumped at the chance for
a new adventure. She transitioned seamlessly and has become a pillar of support and efficiency in our
clinic. A true team player, Katja continues to be utilized in areas of oncology that need her including
floating to the infusion room. She has a tenacious appetite for learning and a quick wit that keeps everyone
laughing. She is not afraid to assist with other tasks to help the clinic run smoothly and often stays late to
ensure the clinic is ready for the next day. Katja is a true patient advocate, taking the time to understand
the needs from the patient's perspective, allowing them time to express these needs, and providing a safe
place of understanding. Katja's quick wit and sarcasm can mask the diamond beneath, as she has a
tremendous degree of compassion evident when watching her with patients. She takes responsibility for
ensuring patients are referred to needed resources asking the tough questions to assess what is often
unspoken. She collaborates with social worker, nurse navigators, other nurses, clinic staff, and physicians
to close gaps that she identifies or anticipates may occur in patient care. She goes beyond her daily duties
and can often be found staying after hours to make additional calls to patients "just to check on them." She
has become instrumental in working with nurse navigators to ensure home health referrals are completed
and anticipated, which makes a difference to how the patient experiences the treatment they will receive.
For patients without a navigator, Katja takes on that role to help coordinate what is needed for the sake of
the patient. As her peer, she has truly earned my respect as someone who puts the patients first. She has
an ability to identify their needs often before they know what those needs are. She is trustworthy and
reliable and the patients love her! She deserves to be recognized for the difference she makes every day!
2017 Award Nominee
Casey Lenzora
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Brianna Depaoli-hot:
Casey Lenzora is a highly knowledgeable, experienced emergency room nurse. Recently she displayed an
ability to overcome a difficult situation when an unstable patient was transferred to her care in an unusual
situation. A rapid response was called on an unstable patient on the surgical unit. Due to the ICU being at
capacity it was necessary for Casey to step up to the plate and care for this unstable patient until the ICU
bed became available. Casey immediately went to work, taking vital signs and quickly identifying that the
likely reason for deterioration of the patient was due to sepsis. She notified the physician caring for this
patient of her thoughts and concerns and lab work was ordered based off of her assessment. Ultimately,
this patient required central line placement, fluid resuscitation, and pressers to in order to stabilize their
blood pressure. Once the lab work resulted, it was determined that this patient was in septic shock and
this condition was rapidly identified due to Casey's keen assessment skills. Thanks to Casey's willingness
to adapt to changing environments and to use her critical thinking skills, this patient was diagnosed and
began receiving the appropriate treatment. Casey is an amazing ER nurse and deserves to be recognized
for her hard work and dedication to this profession.
Nomination from J Freeman:
It is with great honor to nominate Casey Lenzora. She continues to be a bright and caring asset to the
department employees and her patients. It has been very motivational observing her thoroughness in her
care for emergent patients. Her dedication to the highest quality of care and compassion is unsurpassed.
Casey's tenacity for her care was observed this year in a critical and very emotionally charged situation. In
the observation of this situation, although somewhat visible, Casey was able to control her emotional
response and continue to lead the much needed care for this patient. With considerable grace she stepped
back, for a moment, collected her composure and pursued on showing great dedication. It is an honor and
inspirational to work with her. My recommendation is without reserve.
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Casey Lenzora as the recipient in the award category for Emergency Nursing. First of all,
where do I begin with this nurse? Casey has worked at Saint Mary's for around 20 years. She definitely is a
wealth of knowledge. She has played many roles at Saint Mary's from Case Management, House
Supervisor, CNA instructor, Trauma nurse, charge nurse, and preceptor of new hires and new grads that
enter into the Emergency Department. Casey portrays an exemplary attitude not only with her patients,
but also with her fellow co-workers. Her co-workers admire her wealth of knowledge and her continuous
positive attitude. She always has a smile on her face and will do anything to help a fellow co-worker.
(Enema to a corn fed Quad). She never passes on a disgusting wound ( Magots on the foot) (Ears falling off
faces) but tends to endure every moment. She is my little angel in disguise!!! It is such a joy to work with
her because she makes everyday less chaotic with her charming personality. I cannot say enough what she
has done for me and for Saint Mary's. She is truly an asset to everyone. I love you Casey!!!
2017 Award Nominee
Tiffani Lenzi
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Keri Piper-colonna:
I feel very privileged and honored to nominate Tiffani Lenzi for the 2017 Northern Nevada Nurses of
Achievement in the category of clinical leadership. In the last year, Tiffani has been promoted to ER
Supervisor. Tiffani has exceeded my expectations in her first year in this role. She has shown strengths at
understanding department initiatives, strategies, and most of all by undertaking a major culture change
with the night shift team. Tiffani has participated in process improvement activities to improve the care we
provide to our patients. Her most recent process improvement activity was focused around obtaining
accurate patient weights on arrival to the hospital. I know a process like this sounds very minor, but it has
had a positive impact on our patient safety. Prior to implementation, we were experiencing patient safety
events around not having an accurate weight for medication dosing. Through Tiffani's hard work, we have
been able to decrease the number of patient safety events around obtaining an accurate patient weight.
2017 Award Nominee
Chelsey Leone
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Lyle Engler:
Chelsey is a nursing supervisor and a great leader. But she has other talents as well. Our department
depends upon Chelsey's ability to integrate her clinical knowledge with optimizing our computer system.
She works tirelessly at improving our methods of billing and documentation within our complex processes.
Among her contributions are: working with the billing aspect of our computer system to ensure accuracy of
claims, working with IT builders to develop better methods of charting and she is always available to help
others understand how to better utilize our electronic medical record. Chelsey supports the staff by
teaching new employees how to navigate our computer program. At any given time you will see Chelsey
sitting with staff reviewing documentation and mentoring them on the most accurate and efficient methods
to use the EMR. Her dedication and leadership are assisting us in our goal of perfect care.
2017 Award Nominee
Amanda Lepori
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Victoria Lanski:
Amanda should be awarded the Rookie of the Year because of her attention to detail and her dedication to
her patients. Amanda is a New Graduate Nurse, but you would never be able to tell. Her attention to detail
and critical thinking skills are those of an experienced nurse. For example, she was able to pick up on a
very subtle neurological change and acted quickly. She was able to ask the doctor and expect the correct
interventions for the patient's condition. Due to her swift action, critical thinking skills, and assessment the
patient was able to go in for a STAT craniotomy which saved this patient's life. She is also very professional
in everything she does, no matter has stressful the situation may be. For example, there was a confused
and combative patient that had been verbally aggressive and yelling at her all night. Regardless of this
patient's demeanor towards her, she remained calm and professional. Even more importantly, she treated
this patient with the same amount of care and respect as any other patient. For such a young nurse, she
has shown knowledge and experience of that of an experienced nurse. Because of her critical thinking
skills and level of professionalism, Amanda should be awarded the Rookie of the Year!
2017 Award Nominee
Brittany Lesperance
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Jasen Brooks:
Brittany has joined our family here at Northern Nevada Medical Center, and has been an shining example
of the new Registered Nurse's growth, development and movement from novice to experienced. Not only
has she taken on the challenges of working on a very busy, high-turn around telemetry unit, but she has
also challenged herself by being part of the Self Governance Education Committee. She taught other
nurses how to use the various types of intravenous and feeding pumps, as well as PCA infusion devices,
which included the addition of new end tidal carbon dioxide monitors. Brittany is not just technically
strong, but her heart is invested in this wonderful profession. I remember her bringing a patient to the
ICU, and seeing her afterwards, doubting herself and her skills. I remember being in that position, and
helped her work through the emotions. Through it all, she did what was right for the patient, and did so
compassionately and with empathy.
Nomination from Carolyn Rees:
Brittany is an outstanding nurse!!! She is so helpful to all of her patients and coworker. She is so
knowledgeable in every area. The passion she has for her work is incredible. Such a hard worker and
always shows up to work ready to go. Her attitude is always upbeat. Love the smile she has when she
comes to work. Patients and coworkers love her and appreciate everything she does for them. What an
outstanding woman and individual. She is such a team player and always helps out without any questions
asked. She deserves so much more then this award. Brittany you ROCK!! You may be new to nursing, but it
feels like you have been doing this for a life time. Keep on doing what you are doing and don't loose your
passion for life and people.
2017 Award Nominee
Kellene Lewis
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Kelle Lewis is such a wonderful and caring nurse in the Sierra intensive care unit. She genuinely cares
about doing the right thing for her patients and providing them with the best care possible. She
participates in many unit projects and committees to improve the care being given, and she always
advocates for her patients to make sure they are getting taken care of all around. Her laugh and smile are
infectious to her peers, patients, and their family members. Thank you so much for being a happy cheerful
face around the unit, and always being an uplifting soul to those around you.
2017 Award Nominee
Sarah Leysath
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Alysha Chiasson:
It is my honor to nominate Sarah Leysath for Critical Care Nurse of Achievement. Sarah joined the critical
care team a couple of years ago and has quickly become a go to team member. She is eager to learn and
pushes herself every opportunity she gets. She helps educate her fellow coworkers during skills day and is
someone you can rely on when you need a second opinion. Sarah prides herself on detail and addresses all
aspects of her patients care. She is able to maintain a calm and professional demeanor, even in the most
stressful of times. Sarah is a go to team member and is always willing to help. She is a person I know I can
always count on. Sarah is an amazing nurse and I know she will continue to do great things during her
nursing career.
2017 Award Nominee
Zhizhong Li
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelly De Jong:
I am honored to nominate Zhizhong Li for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award in Clinical
Leadership. Z is an inspirational leader. He promotes teamwork, excellence and positivity. Z has good
relationships throughout the hospital and contributes to endless committees and meetings. He sets high
expectations for everyone involved in our patient's care, and he helps all of us reach our highest potential.
He takes pride in his open door communication policy, and is constantly available to us all for feedback
and concerns. He spreads positivity throughout the unit with his considerate actions and constant candy
supply. We all appreciate everything he does for our unit and are thankful to have him leading our team.
Nomination from Tiffany Broce:
I would like to nominate Z for the clinical leadership Nurse of Achievement award. I have had the pleasure
of working with Z for the past 6 years. He was first my charge nurse, then my supervisor and now he is my
manager. Sierra ICU is very lucky to have such an amazing manager leading our team. Z does an excellent
job separating hospital politics and still being able to support his staff. I had a incident when a patients
family member that had just moved out of the ICU and was upset and expressing his concerns with the
floor nurse. I proceeded to provide service recovery to this family member that was met with aggression.
He grabbed my arm and basically threw me out of the room. I was very upset and immediately went to my
manager, Z. Z supported me and addressed the issue with the family member, immediately. In my
vulnerable state I felt that Z was there for me. Z stands behind his staff which makes him an amazing
manager.
2017 Award Nominee
Rachel Likes
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Kristen Cleveland-ceballos:
I would like to nominate Rachel for in the category of Innovation and Advocacy for the amazing work she
does going above and beyond in her role as a registered nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Rachel
is a well-known, well respected nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Renown. For over thirty years
Rachel has devoted her life, heart and soul to caring for the most critically ill and injured children of this
community, while also sharing her knowledge and patients to mentor and groom more nurses than I can
count into the amazing critical care nurses they are today. In addition over the last two years Rachel has
worked tirelessly to accommodate the very specialized products and requests that our ever-growing
Pediatric Intensive Care Physician team has requested in order to provide the highly specialized care to
the large ranging patient population that we care for. Rachel has used her skills and expertise in her field
to work side by side with our physicians to select the most effective products available for our patients
while routinely looking at cost, efficiency, and over all quality of material so the children of our community
have the best tools and equipment available while keeping any costs we can control down. Rachel can be
found spending endless amounts of her own time, researching requests from physicians, discussing with
purchasing, and organizing the complex order system that is used to order multiple items that are highly
specialized for our area and that effectively be used for infants and adult sized teenagers alike. Recently
Rachel has been working directly with our support staff to train them on the ordering, pricing, and
inventory control that is so necessary in units that care for such a wide variety of patients with such a
seasonal fluctuation in census. I would like to acknowledge your consideration for Rachel for her
innovative ideas to provide the best to our patients, keep our physicians happy, and allow for us to provide
the highly specialized care we do, all while managing to respect the rising costs of healthcare and having
such a deep passion for what she does and the children she care for that she does because she truly cares.
This is overwhelmingly admirable and the true meaning of using innovation to advocate for our patients
and our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Charlie Linnell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelly De Jong:
Charlie Linnell is an exemplary nurse leader. As the senior supervisor in our unit she has been a constant
support and willing reference. She takes the time to have meaningful rounds with both patients and nurses
throughout the shift. She has the best interests of the team in mind and always goes above and beyond
what is required. She has been a mentor to the three other supervisors and strives to better the entire
team every day. She is fair but understanding with staff and always looks at the best possible intentions
behind each action. Her positive attitude touches everyone around her. We all appreciate Charlie's support
and leadership and are proud to nominate her for The Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award in
Clinical Leadership.
Nomination from Tiffany Broce:
I would like to nominate Charlie Linell for the clinical leadership nurse of achievement. I have watched
Charlie grow as a leader in the trauma ICU, and she is currently one of the supervisors. She is a role model
to fellow nurses by being a team player. Charlie supports her staff and is willing to go above and beyond
for them. She has developed her critical thinking skills and has obtained her CCRN. She advocate for her
patients, families, and staff members. I feel as if I can seek out advice or support from Charlie whenever
needed. I had a patient go into cardiac arrest and Charlie was there for clinical and emotional support. She
was literally a shoulder to cry on.
2017 Award Nominee
Linda S Linton
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Debra Bennett:
This nurse is a member of our care coordination team. She does a lot of behind the scenes work but also
sees patients to help them with discharge planning and resources. We recently had a patient who came to
preadmit for surgery a few days before Christmas. The patient was a young mother of 5 children who was
just diagnosed with cancer. She was scheduled for a tracheostomy and a G-tube that were each scheduled
a week apart from one another.This nurse wondered why these two procedures weren't scheduled for the
same day? So, she decided to see if she could change that. Being that it was right before the Christmas
holiday made this task even more challenging. This nurse spent most of the day working to get the two
surgeons to coordinate their cases so the patient did not have to come back two separate times. This
nurse's compassion, care, and determination allowed this young mother to spend more time with her
young children and have one less stress, and one less surgery to worry about.We always talk about how
the little things make a difference. This is just one example of the many "little things" that this nurse does
each day. Thank you for doing those "little things" that really do make a big difference in the lives of our
patients and their family.
2017 Award Nominee
Lisa Lipe
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Summer Block:
When I think of who I want besides me when the full moon is out and the ER is crazy, this nurse comes to
mind. She has been a nurse for many years and her knowledge and experience are amazing to have. She
offers insight into difficult cases and brings with her different opinions and sometimes different ways of
doing things.When our department was having a shortage of charge nurses, this nurse stepped up and took
the job. She is one of our main charge nurses and has an amazing ability to see not just one aspect of the
ER, but the department as a whole. She can prioritize patients and pick the sickest person out of a full
lobby with just one look. I mention this amazing ability as this is not a learned skill, this is an acquired art.
This nurse is able to do all of this and more. Not only is she skilled at triaging the lobby, she is able to
triage the department. This nurse can look at the department and know what has to be done next and gets
it done. She can take care of patients and their families but she can also take care of herself. I say this as it
is not easy to self-reflect and work on our own weaknesses. We can all point out weakness in others, but to
really look into ourselves and fix our weakness is an amazing ability. This nurse takes critizm and then
does not ignore it like many others would do. This nurse takes criticism and runs with it. She takes it to
improve herself. This is not seen often and is commendable. I am nominating this nurse as she is a great
person, a great and skilled nurse and deserves to be recognized for all of the big and little things she does
on a daily basis. This nurse is not one who is recognized often and she really does deserve to be rewarded
for all of the hard work she does. Thank you for being you, Lisa Lipe.
2017 Award Nominee
Darin Litteral
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Richard Elmquist:
It is a privilege to nominate Darin Litteral for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in Critical Care.
Darin came to our unit a few years ago with a vast amount experience in various aspects of nursing from
trauma ICU to acute rehabilitation. Darin has become a leader and a mentor to our staff, and fills in as a
releif Charge Nurse. Darin is highly intelligent and has an easy going nature that inspires confidence and
assurance in all situations. Darin is the first to lend a hand and help out others. I often hear from staff at
the start of a shift, "I'm so glad that Darin is here tonight." Darin is the epitomy of a big, strong, kind
southern gentelman and it is such a pleasure to work with him. Thank you Darin for making our unit so
successful.
2017 Award Nominee
Marlene Locquiao
VA SNHC
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Erin Lippert:
Ms. Locquiao has been a Licensed practical Nurse in the CLC for over sixteen (16) years. Ms. Locquiao
exhibits great work ethic, integrity, and compassion on a daily basis. Her care and compassion for each of
her resident's that she cares for is evident. Ms. Locquiao demonstrates integrity on a daily basis by
providing excellent care to all her residents no matter their circumstances, diagnosis, or demeanor. Ms.
Locquiao is very calm and considerate related to all her resident care needs and is praised by her residents
for her thorough and compassionate nursing care. Ms. Locquiao contributes significantly to quality and
performance improvement projects within the unit and within the facility. Ms. Locquiao is always willing to
step up and help where needed to ensure positive outcomes for residents, other staff members, and the
unit.
2017 Award Nominee
Cindy Lorenzana
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rachel Hahn:
Cindy is an amazing nurse and co worker. She always has a smile on her face, is always willing to jump in
and help out. She is an experienced ER RN who I am always grateful to see at work. She always offers to
help get ambulances checked in, or bring back from the lobby. She is an energizer bunny who you have to
run to keep up with.Cindy has amazing nursing skills as well, she has an amazing ability to place ultrasounded guided IVs. She is very patient and kind even when the situation is stressful. Despite all that
energy she has a calming demeanor that can calm the most anxious of patients.We are so lucky to have
Cindy in the ER, she is an amazing co worker.
Nomination from Amy Hawkins:
Cindy is an amazing nurse all around! She not only is a very caring and hard working nurse she also is an
advocate for new nurses in nursing. Cindy frequently orients new nurses to the ER, showing them her way
of managing multiple patients while being kind, caring, and smiling during her interactions. Cindy also is
our champion for ultrasound guided IV's. Cindy is asked frequently to go assist with a difficult IV start and
she is always able and willing to do so. She has another nurse watch her patients, she grabs the ultrasound
machine and delivers an IV bedside anywhere in the ER or the hospital to start an IV. Cindy is also a great
patient advocate making sure her patients are discharged to the curb in a wheelchair driven by her,
making sure the patient is safe and knows they were cared for with her all.
Nomination from Gregory Juhl, Md, Facep:
Cindy Lorenzana is a remarkable nurse with whom I work in the Emergency Department at Renown
Regional Medical Center.A recent patient encounter highlights the quality of her nursing. The patient was
an older woman who presented with a history and exam concerning for mesenteric ischemia. Cindy was at
the bedside as I discussed the plan of care with the patient and her family. As I finished answering their
questions, she had already placed an IV and started fluids. Blood work was on its way to the lab as I sat
down at the computer to enter orders. She handed me the EKG that I had mentioned to the family,
reminding me to order it. As I finished my orders and passed the patient's room to see another patient, I
could overhear her reinforcing the plan and giving the first dose of medications that I had requested.
Rechecking the patient, it was clear that Cindy was keeping them up to date on delays and what to expect;
my patient was comfortable and the family relaxed despite the stressful situation. On the other side of the
ER, I knew exactly how she was doing by reading Cindy's meticulous documentation. My final encounter
with the patient was to summarize the findings of our evaluation and discuss the next steps of hospital
admission and consultation; once again, Cindy was at the bedside, undoubtedly so that she could continue
to keep the patient informed.Cindy's skill with patient care and the expertise of her nursing are
remarkable. She makes it easy for me to take good care of patients. I recommend strongly that she be
considered as a Nurse of Achievement.
Nomination from Jennifer Allen:
From Dr. Juhl: Cindy Lorenzana is a remarkable nurse with whom I work in the Emergency Department at
Renown Regional Medical Center. A recent patient encounter highlights the quality of her nursing. The
patient was an older woman who presented with a history and exam concerning for mesenteric ischemia.
Cindy was at the bedside as I discussed the plan of care with the patient and her family. As I finished
answering their questions, she had already placed an IV and started fluids. Blood work was on its way to
the lab as I sat down at the computer to enter orders. She handed me the EKG that I had mentioned to the
family, reminding me to order it. As I finished my orders and passed the patient's room to see another
patient, I could overhear her reinforcing the plan and giving the first dose of medications that I had
requested. Rechecking the patient, it was clear that Cindy was keeping them up to date on delays and
what to expect; my patient was comfortable and the family relaxed despite the stressful situation. On the
other side of the ER, I knew exactly how she was doing by reading Cindy's meticulous documentation. My
final encounter with the patient was to summarize the findings of our evaluation and discuss the next steps
of hospital admission and consultation; once again, Cindy was at the bedside, undoubtedly so that she
could continue to keep the patient informed.Cindy's skill with patient care and the expertise of her nursing
are remarkable. She makes it easy for me to take good care of patients. I recommend strongly that she be
considered as a Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Lubrano
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Wendy Merchant:
I'm nominating Mary Lubrano, RN for Nurse of Achievement for her quality care and outstanding
leadership skills. Mary is a team player, unselfish, and always puts the patient first. She always
understands the big picture, offering alternative solutions that aren't always the most obvious or the initial
focus to the task at hand. She is very organized and is an effective communicator. One patient stated,
"Mary took care of me after a complete hip, she is an incredible, efficient nurse. She was very professional,
her care was perfect, I love this person!" A student nurse described her as being "a great teacher and
punctual". Staff rely on her great critical thinking skills to assess even the toughest patients. She is known
to be pro-active in code situations, acting as a clinical resource for the critical care of the patient. She
advocates not only for the patients, but for her own staff, acting as a role model for others who work with
her. It is for this reason that Mary deserves the nomination for Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Edelaine Lucas
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Janice Peters:
Laine Lucas is one of the most detail oriented and thorough nurses that I have the pleasure of working
with. I always know our patients are in the best of hands when Laine is caring for them. Laine is very
decisive and makes excellent quick thinking decisions. Laine is one of the few gifted nurses that I know
that picks up on the subtle changes in her patients, often catching the beginning of a serious change
before it happens and working with her physicians to ensure the best outcomes for her patients. It is
Laines infections personality that makes her such a joy to work with. She is like our unspoken cheerleader
of our unit, keeping us always in yummy homemade goodies and laughter throughout our shift. As a
coworker, I always know my day is going to be a good day when I get to work with Laine my shift.What I
truly admire though about Laine, is one of a personal matter. Two and a half years ago, Laine lost her son
after complications of a bone marrow transplant. For many nurses, especially an Oncology nurse, the
thought of returning to an acute environment would be unimaginable. What I have seen in Laine since her
return is that she works even harder for her patients, honoring her son's own memory every day. She
works with a deeper empathy and understanding of what our cancer patients are facing, always giving
them her very best. There are no other nurses that I know that could fill Laine's shoes on our unit. From
her amazing critical thinking skills, her attention to detail, her infectious laugh and joy and her
unfathomable ability to take the personal loss of her son and delivering exceptional care to our patients,
these are all the reasons I believe Laine should be recognized as a Northern Nevada Medical Surgical
Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Anastasia Ludel
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Tori Lanski:
Ani should be awarded the Critical Care Award because she is so compassionate and caring towards her
patients and her coworkers! She has such a calming presence and her patients respond well to it! For
example, there was a very agitated patient that really wanted to leave AMA. The patient was oriented and
appropriate, but was also very sick and needed more medical attention. 4 nurses attempted to deescalate
the situation and get the patient to stay and receive treatment. Ani walked into the room and was
immediately able to not only deescalate the patient, but also talked the patient into staying for treatment.
Ani was also able to talk to the patient and get vital information that the patient was not disclosing to the
rest of the medical team. If Ani was not there and did not deescalate the patient, I fear that the patient
would have left and had a grim outlook. She is a constant moral boost to our unit as well. She always has a
smile on her face and she is always willing to help everyone out! Ani is such an asset to our unit through
her calming presence and her ability to relate to her patients. This is why Ani should be awarded the
Critical Care Award!
2017 Award Nominee
Cathy Lynch
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kathy Gilbert:
Cathy Has been a real asset to our surgery department. She always keeps busy stocking blankets in the
warmer , cleaning rooms and beds, calling for patients. She is very willing to learn new things and she
never says no. At the same time she is willing to accept help and/or ask for assistance when appropriate.
Cathy came into the nursing profession later in life and I appreciate her calm demeanor and enthusiasm in
her nursing career. She is on the run when she arrives at 1pm and never stops. The younger staff look up
to her. If she doesn't know the answer to something she will find out. Thank you for working with us.
2017 Award Nominee
Karen Lynn
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Erika A Breitwieser:
I have had the unique opportunity of witnessing Karen work in both an outpatient and inpatient oncology
environment. Her years of nursing experience have created an efficient, knowledgable, compassionate
nurse with a distinct eye for detail. In the outpatient setting, her knowledge of chemotherapy
administration and her skills at doing so were perfected. She now brings all of that knowledge to the
inpatient oncology department. As newer nurses learn the in's and out's of this delicate task of
administering chemotherapy, she is a constant resource who is always willing to help. She is that same
resource for her patients. She has a world of knowledge and experience with direct patient care and
chemotherapy administration. She is able to help her patients along this difficult path with kindness,
understanding and encouragement. She is an ideal candidate for nurse of achievement. As a newer nurse,
she has shown me guidance and inspired me to someday also be such a terrific nurse.
Nomination from Janice Peters:
Karen Lynn joined our Acute Oncology Unit this year after spending many years in the outpatient infusion
setting. I cannot being to express how grateful I am to have her as my co-worker for all the years of
experience she has to offer as well as the wealth of knowledge she is willing to share in her many years
caring for oncology patients. In the past her she has not only acclimated back to the nursing role in the
inpatients setting, but has also taken on being a preceptor and the Relief Charge nurse role when needed.
The best part about working with Karen is her teamwork. She is always willing to help strategize and share
what she knows when administering chemotherapy to patients. Karen has brought to the floor a positive
and "can do" attitude, even despite times that are more trying. Karen is also amazing with patients. She
listens when needed but knows how much humor can also help to heal. I can't express how lucky we are to
have a nurse like Karen on our unit for her dedication to the profession and willingness to educate and
share in her experiences. It is for these reasons that I am nominating Karen Lynn as a Medical Surgical
Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Kimbirli Macchiaverna
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Elizabeth Livingston:
Nurse Kim goes above and beyond for her patients and fellow employees and no matter what kind of day
she is having, she always greet you with a warm hug and a smile. She is really a hands on team player.
When she was our Float pool supervisor she was easily to talk to and a great leader. she really was the
voice for CNA'S and PSA's. I think she deserves this award because if I was going to be a nurse she would
be someone I would want to guide me and mentor me as a nurse. she is truly a wonderful person in and
outside of work.
2017 Award Nominee
Krystie Macdonald
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Lora Carlson:
I would like to nominate Krystie Macdonald for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in the category
of clinical leadership. As a registered nurse and supervisor on Labor and Delivery at Renown Regional
Medical Center, Krystie gets to witness life-changing miracles every day. She can now say she was on the
receiving end of her own life-changing event. Krystie recently travelled to Kenya to embark on a health
care expedition that would forever change her life.Krystie graduated with her BSN in the fall of 2016 and
decided to give herself a gift for her accomplishment. Krystie could have done anything for herself, bought
herself any extravagant reward for a job well done for going back to school to further her education and
succeed. But she didn't do anything for herself. Krystie instead did something for many others. She booked
a trip with Nurses without Borders and spent her vacation time in Kenya where she dedicated long hours
of work on little sleep to patients who were in desperate need of ear, nose, and throat surgeries. In three
days, Krystie and her team screened 145 patients and performed 45 surgeries. She worked nonstop from
the moment she woke up to the time she lay her head down at night to sleep. Of her experience Krystie
states "You go to a place where you see people that have nothing and it's interesting to see how much you
can help with how little you have" and that "The whole experience was very humbling -- you see a different
world."Because of Krystie, Labor and Delivery has an amazing role model to pave the way for our nurses.
Her dedication to patient care and making that genuine difference in the life of another make her a great
clinical leader. I am proud to be able to have such a dedicated and selfless team member and am grateful
our new nurses learn from her examples. She truly believes in supporting the patient's experience and
leads by example. Krystie is one of the most dedicated and compassionate leaders I have ever come across,
and that is what makes her a Nurse of Achievement.
Nomination from Claire Hoffman:
Krystie is an absolutely incredible supervisor in labor and delivery at Renown. She is dedicated to her staff,
and equally dedicated to her patients and to the art of nursing. She provides dedicated, safe, competent,
compassionate care to her patients, and has a genuine talent for caring for the obstetrical patient. What is
even more impressive though, is her ability to take such amazing care of her patients, while caring for her
staff. Her staff feel comfortable, enabled, confident, and capable under her leadership. She makes herself
available, both administratively and emotionally for staff in need. As a leader she is passionate, smart, fair,
and incredibly hard working. Any time that she is working, it is a genuine comfort knowing she is just a
phone call away. She assists new nurses to learn new skills, to challenge themselves, and to become more
proficient in their craft. Krystie is an example to all of how to be a leader, and how to take excellent care of
patients and staff.
2017 Award Nominee
Sarka Machova
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
A wonderful nurse who has grown up with us over the past few years, Sarka began as a nurse's aide while
going to nursing school. She moved from the Surgical unit to the Medical Telemetry Unit as a new
graduate. She is energetic and enthusiastic with her patients as she engages them in their health care
plan. Patients routinely tell me, "Sarka went out of her way to give me the best care. I got all the answers I
needed. She made sure I was comfortable in my heart and in my head". Recently we hosted a group of
nursing students who nominated Sarka for our Service Excellence Award. One student nurse wrote: Sarka
went out of her way to give me the best clinical experience. She helped me calm my nerves coming into
today but made my clinical FUN and gave me great insight into a nurse's life. I can't thank her enough! I
appreciate all the things she let me do and experience". A second student nurse wrote, "Sarka was
extremely helpful in educating me and quizzing me. She made sure all of my questions got answered and
helped me do things I had not done before without feeling stupid or silly".
2017 Award Nominee
Debra Madison
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Elizabeth S Cogan, Msn, Rn:
Debbie has a passion for sick and fragile infants and their care which truly knows no bounds. For years,
she has worked tirelessly at the bedside using her rather formidable advanced practice skills. Despite
being grandfathered in at the bachelor's level, she went back to school to obtain a master's degree when
that became the new standard. She chose the nursing education track so she could not only work at the
bedside, but be an effective coach, mentor, and educator for the staff. From 2000 through 2012, she and
another APRN co-taught most of what constituted the staff education programs for the Neonatal unit at
Renown. When their contracts changed in 2013, being paid to teach staff was no longer part of her
responsibilities. However, she has continued to teach numerous classes because of her high commitment
to the patients, families, staff, and belief in the value of education, on her own time. This time, she has
outdone herself. The 2016 Neonatal Resuscitation Program guideline changes were numerous and
complex. What once was a relatively simple program is now possibly as difficult to teach as ACLS. She
conducted two instructor update classes, educating them about the new structure and calming fears. Then,
at the first of 2 "trial run" classes with the instructors, she brought in printed instructor station education
and scenarios for all six NRP stations in lovely colored and tabulated binders for each of 12 instructors.
Additionally, she brought six fully developed kits with station contents for the new airway assist and line
placement/medication administration stations. These two types of station kits contain items such as dolls
equipped with usable umbilical cords and intravenous catheters, intubation heads, laryngoscopes, and
endotracheal tubes. Intubation heads alone typically cost a minimum of 700 dollars (although she claims to
have gotten "simple ones, not that expensive"). The entire set up was easily well over a thousand dollars
plus a hundred hours of her time. Not only did she do this for our group at Renown, I am quite sure she did
so for the 10 instructors at Saint Mary's as that is her usual place of practice. Having an effective NRP
program ultimately improves outcomes for the roughly 5000 infants born in Washoe County each year, as
well as those born within the coverage zone of the Northern Nevada Neonatal Center, which is a shared
cooperative agreement between the two Reno facilities. Spending thousands of her own moneys and
countless hours of her leisure time supporting the staff in their education needs is what she does and who
she is. She has an all-consuming passion for the tiny lives she so often holds in her hands. Debbie has
never had any children of her own, and I would not classify her as a "mom" to the staff either. She is more
like that amazing aunt you had who was way cooler than your own mom. She is truly one-of-a-kind. And
she is definitely a Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Erin Madewell
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lori Perry:
I am pleased to nominate Erin Madewell Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the category of
Emergency Nursing. I have always found her dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Erin always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to her patients as well. She is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient
and any coworker. I have seen her resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate her for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Michele MaGinn
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Andrea Shulze:
Michele is an excellent Emergency Room Nurse. She oriented me as a new graduate nurse 15 years ago
and I am still learning from her to this day. Michele has excellent critical care skills, she is empathetic and
caring, she is respected by her peers and has a excellent bedside manner. She can function well is all areas
of the Emergency Department. She is my go-to if I have any questions or need any help. She keeps my
sanity in the department. She keeps me entertained. I know that it's going to be a better day when I work
in a pod with her.
2017 Award Nominee
Veronika Maki
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Summer Block:
When I think of great care I think of this nurse. She has been a nurse for quit some years, yet she has an
excitement and joy about her job as if she is new to doing it. Unfortunately many of us nurses can get tired
and a little cynical with years of nursing, not this nurse. She is a poster child for what a nurse should look
like, act like and how we should all care for patients. No matter how busy the emergency department gets
she just keeps going. She never complains about an assignment, a patient, or coworkers. She is a true
professional and it shows in all she does. Unfortunately in the emergency department we see people at
their worst, and unfortunately they sometimes are not very nice to the staff. No matter how unpleasant a
person is to her, she just keeps smiling, and gives every single patient and family member the same care
and attention she would give to her own family. This nurse brings with her many years of knowledge which
is imperative in the emergency department. Having her experience, expertise and knowledge is very
helpful to the entire hospital. I have known and worked with this nurse for almost 10 years and can truly
say she is one of the best nurses I have ever met. She cares about her patient in a way I don't see as often
as I used to. Despite the hustle and bustle of the overcrowded hospitals, this nurse still takes time to hold
the hand of a scared child, bring warm blankets to a cold, frail old woman and sits and explains the new
diagnosis of heart failure to a middle aged man. She takes her time and makes sure that every question is
answered and the patients can leave feeling as the most important person in the world. This nurse gives
the department, the hospital and nursing in general a good name. Thank you for being the amazing nurse
that you are, Veronika Maki.
2017 Award Nominee
Carole Malley
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Anonamous:
CAROLE IS NOT ONLY A PEER SHE IS A FRIEND. SINCE SHE STARTED WORKING IN SAME DAY
SURGERY WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ON OUR UNIT. SHE FINDS TIME THROUGHOUT
THE DAY BY MANAGING HER WORK LOAD TO HELP OTHERS. SHE HAS BROUGHT MANY INOVATIVE
IDEAS TO HELP OUR UNIT BECOME MORE FLUID AND EFFICIENT. SHE IS THE TYPE OF NURSE
THAT NEVER STOPS CARING. CAROLE LISTENS TO THE NEEDS OF HER PATIENTS AS WELL AS HER
FELLOW PEERS. CAROLE IS A POSITIVE MEMBER OF OUR STAFF THAT REMEMBERS TO FOLLOW UP
WITH OTHERS WHO ARE NOT SO FORTUNATE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SAFE AND HAVE THE
CORRECT GUIDANCE FOR SAFE WELLBEING. I FEEL FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH SUCH A POSITIVE MOTIVATED PEER. THANK YOU
Nomination from Kelly Dawley:
Carole is a pleasure to work with, she is truly amazing. Carole will be covering your patients while you are
on lunch, you will come back and everything will be taken care of. She will run a rapid response on a
patient when needed, insert a foley catheter for a patient that cannot void and is feeling pressure. Not only
is she an amazing team member, she also has many very great ideas, be it changing something little or big,
she is really good at thinking outside of the box. She also never complains about anything. She is always
willing to help.
2017 Award Nominee
Ritchell Malasaga
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
(Considered for award in Medical/Surgical, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Karen Vacca:
Ritchell is an excellent team player. She will be the first to volunteer as the circulating nurse to hard cases,
she helps turnover rooms, and she helps other circulating nurses during their cases. She listens well, takes
notes, and asks appropriate questions to surgeons and anesthesiologists. Ritchell is caring, she cares and
supports her staff and patients. Ritchell is empathetic, giving emotional support to patients who are scared
to go through surgery. Ritchell is adaptable. There are times when cases get switched around or when
cases are moved to a different room; Ritchell does not complain, she goes with the flow. And most of all,
she is a hard-worker. You will rarely see her standing around, she likes to be in rooms assisting and
learning new tasks.
2017 Award Nominee
Roland Malapaya
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Maria Miralles:
In just over a year this RN has shown remarkable growth in the ICU. From his willingness to start new
ventures/skills to his knowledge about the patients he receives, he has shown that with the right attitude
and hard work you can be successful in the ICU. As a charge RN I know that I can count on him to help in
all cases, from starting US guided IVs to inserting cortraks to going on code Aortas. He is willing to learn
all aspects of the ICU in order to move forward in his RN role. He has stepped up and learned to chart in
the trauma bay way before many of his cohorts (or expectations as a new grad) and in so doing has felt
comfortable in taking on complicated trauma patients (or sick patients in general). He has become an asset
to the rapid response team. Although he is just over a year, he has become one of the more experienced in
RRT due to his willingness to take on the job, which in my opinion really gets your critical thinking cap
working. I have no doubt that as he continues his career he will further succeed in the many challenges
that he gets handed.
2017 Award Nominee
Cheryl-Anna Mann
Nevada State Board of Nursing
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Ms. Mann deserves to be recognized for her long standing commitment to the Nevada State Board of
Nursing. During her long term with the Board she has worked diligently to ensure all Nevada applicants
receive a fair and equal treatment. Ms. Mann not only works one on one with nurses who have concerns
with their application process, but she's also a leader in the community. She works closely with the
Northern CNA programs to educate soon to be CNAs about the licensure process. She responds to
questions from the public in a prompt manner, and does everything in her power to lessen the stress of the
process for nurses as well as patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Lolita Manangu Go
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Maricela Alvarado:
she is a very energetic person, always there for her patients.friendlypatientcaring loving and beyond!she
deserves the award because of her hard work and dedication.Lolita would do anything to make sure her
patients are happy, comfortable and the most important SAFE...L O L I T A M A N A N G U G OE X P E R I
ENCEDEDICATIONLOVINGCARINGBESTNURSE
2017 Award Nominee
Kathryn Marsh
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Kelsey Brown:
I have had the privilege of working with Kate Marsh as a hospitalist nurse for the last year. I have watched
her set the bar high as we develop and create this new role. Her standards for patient care as well as her
interactions with patients and their families are exemplary. Watching her take the time to sit down with
anxious patients and explain procedures and the "hospital lingo" I have seen the level of commitment you
find in a great nurse. She is never too busy to stop and answer questions from the nurses or explain things
to the new grads in the hospital. Kate had an extremely sick patient on the oncology floor recently. The
family was anxious and understandably upset. Kate took a lot of time explaining options to the patient and
family. She helped with hospice and social work when the decision for comfort care was made. She
checked on the nurse and coordinated with case management to smooth the transition. Her extra effort
made and extremely difficult situation easier for both the patient and her family.In the 9 years I have been
in nursing I know how essential nurses like Kate are ~ not only to their organization but to the community.
I hope you will consider her for the Nurse of Achievement award.
2017 Award Nominee
Margaret Martinez
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jimmy Lao:
This nurse has the biggest loving heart and caring soul in the region. Her unselfishness, compassion, and
care for her patient makes her unique. She recently took care of a patient who was abandoned by her
family because of her chronic condition. She had advanced dementia who was unable to remember any of
her friends or loved one. For months, no one visited her and she was treated as just another patient.
Margaret cared for her like no one every did. She visited her on her days off and walked her out to the
park in front of Saint Mary's. She ate lunch with her on the days she was working and talked to her like a
loved one. She took her clothes at home to wash them because they have stayed in the hospital room for
months without being washed. She volunteered to decorate her room for christmas without asking for help
from other staff members. She put up a small christmas trees and made personalized ornaments. She
brought her tiny gifts that she could open on christmas morning. She made the patient's christmas so
memorable that it reminded the patient of the way she celebrated christmas with her family. Christmas
morning brought her to tears wishing she her family had never abandoned her. Margaret became her
family, even for a few days. She made an impact to a person who had been abandoned by her family and
betrayed by her body. This is margaret. One who is kind, gentle, and caring without boundaries to those in
need.
2017 Award Nominee
Sharmisa Martin
Renown Institute of Heart and Vascular Health
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Sandra L Parkins:
Sharmisa is very professional but also has a out going personality which creates a harmonious climate very
educated and knows how to communicate her skills to the patient very patient and not fleeing out the door
very interested in treating the whole person not just the body part [ heart] she answered all my questions
and was very clear she has my vote i would recommend her to other people and feel confident that they
would be happy receiving care from her i normally see my doctor so at first i was disappointed but left very
complete thank you sandra
2017 Award Nominee
Vilma Marsh
VA SNHC
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Denise Angst:
I have worked with Vilma Marsh in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for over six years now. She is an
exceptional critical care nurse and exemplifies the Standards of Professional Performance, as set forth by
the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). Ms. Marsh is a leader of clinical practice
change. She is always looking for ways to improve unit and facility processes to improve patient care. She
can be counted on to quietly lead the charge for transformation. Her latest endeavor is to revive the facility
mock code training group. Ms. Marsh identified a critical need for improving the comfort level and
performance of nurses outside of the ICU during code situations. In this current endeavor, Ms. Marsh
exemplifies the values of leadership and collaboration.
2017 Award Nominee
Carrie Mason
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Veroniquepond:
Please consider my nominee for the Northern Nevada Nurses of achievement in the Clinical Leadership
category.She is a knowledgeable, compassionate team player who consistently displays and promotes the
highest ethical standards. She a positive role model, a collaborative interdisciplinary team player who
consistently mentors our staff.Nursing is a field that demands much of those who pursue it. It takes a
caring nature, empathy, a strong attention to details, emotional stability, physical endurance, quick
thinking, great judgment and strong communication skills. My nominee without a doubt has all of the
above. My nominee is a thoughtful voice for change and has discerning ideas that warrants further
investigation. She embodies a 'can do attitude'. She demonstrates nursing leadership by challenging our
nurses to be more assertive in providing evidence based nursing practice.
2017 Award Nominee
Chanel Mascarena
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Kimbra Hagerty:
Nominating Chanel for this award has been the easiest decision I have had to make. I have watched her
blossom from a young, shy, self-conscious unit clerk, into a strong, respectable, hard-working, confident
nurse. Her leadership skills are innate, and her peers noticed this from the moment she stepped on the
unit.I have witnessed Chanel take charge of situations in which patient safety could have easily been at
risk. She stood her ground in refusing the transfer of a patient to her unit who needed a higher level of
care then could be provided by her staff. She keeps her patient at the forefront of her decisions, allowing
her to be the best advocate she could be.Also, I have watched this young, amazing nurse educate new,
frightened parents in such a way that they begin to exude a confidence that they didn't know they had.
Chanel has an ease about her that allows her patients to not only hear her but to truly grasp what she is
offering them. She provides personal experiences to help ease a worried mother's mind, and humor to help
the new daddy feel comfortable with his insecurities. Chanel is a true blessing to the nursing community
and I am honored to be able to write this nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Matus
Carson Valley Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kathleen Degeiso:
Jennifer has an amazing talent in the surgery department. She started out her career in the Emergency
department and transferred to surgery to try something different. Her multi-tasking, and triage skills were
welcomed in the growing surgery department. Jennifer is able to work in all areas of the surgery
department and is the epitome of a "team player", she jumps in wherever she is needed, whether it's
circulating, or recovering patients in the PACU. She goes above and beyond to ensure that the patients
receive the best care, and works tirelessly with the physicians to create an environment where there is
open communication between the medical staff and the nursing staff so that everyone is on the same page
resulting in quality care. Working in a rural hospital can be very challenging as resources are limited, but
because of her organization and commitment to reviewing cases and consulting with pre-admit, she is able
to acquire the necessary items so that the patients receive the same caliber of care as they would in a
larger city. She is an absolute pleasure to work with, and is very deserving of this honor.
2017 Award Nominee
Tara Maxwell
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Liz Humes Rn:
Tara is an excellent example of what a leader should be! She is a great resource on the unit and if she
doesn't know the answer, she is always willing to help you find the answer. She has amazing leadership
qualities. She is fair and always stays calm in stressful situations helping others to stay focused on the
patient issues at hand. She is able to communicate effectively with the physicians and helps to promote a
more cohesive environment benefiting the staff and the patients. Tara is selfless and always thinks of the
needs of others before her own. I feel very blessed to get to work everyday with such a great leader.
2017 Award Nominee
Kristin McBride
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Rendee Perry:
Kristin has been a wonderful addition to her Tele team by being a helping hand for her co-workers and
taking on new challenges like Cortrak placements. Kristin has received patient compliments for her
exceptional care and kindness. Kristin has shown herself to be a quick learner and adroit at nursing skills
so that her peers ask for her advice and expertise when starting IVs and troubleshooting issues. Change
does not appear to frighten Kristin and she adapts with ease. There have been many weeks where the unit
was short staffed and Kristin picks up overtime shifts or flexes to help care for our patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Ashley McComb
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Carleen Harmon:
I would like to nominate Ashley McComb for nurses of achievement award because she continually strives
for excellence with her regards to her patient care and in assisting her fellow team members as well as
other members within the facility. Ashley is a valuable asset to the company as she brings to the table a
wealth of knowledge and experience in the nursing field. Ashley is a preceptor to new graduates and also
mentors student nurses educating them on best practices. Ashley volunteers for committees and seeks out
new ways to further her education and improve patient care. Ashley is caring and possess a passion for
nursing and her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Elizabeth McCann
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Lawrence Crutcher:
Betsy is a great nurse. Last year I spent some time in the hospital and while all of my nurses were
wonderful, she provided great care and went above and beyond. She was knowledgeable and professional,
but what stood out about Betsy was she showed me she cared about her patient's well-being. I spent
several weeks as a patient in the hospital and when she was my nurse she was excellent. On days that she
worked but didn't have me as a patient, she stopped in my room to say hello and to check on my progress.
One day, while Betsy was my nurse, she asked me what places I'd like to visit some day. I told her a few
places, not thinking twice. The next day she came into my room and hung pictures of all the places I had
told her I wanted to visit. I had been looking at the same empty walls for so many weeks that this small
gesture meant the world to me. Betsy is an exceptional nurse and she demonstrated this not only through
changing my wound dressing and explaining my medications to me, but through her compassion for
making me valued as a person.
2017 Award Nominee
Kathryn McCarthy
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
Katie McCarthy is the embodiment of tenacity and joy. The passion she demonstrates in leading the
Orthopedics department is incomparable among her peers. Katie continuously keeps the patient's safety
and experience as the focus of her motivations to create and inspire an engaged team. Her emphasis on
patient centered care has influenced her patient experience scores into the 90th percentile. Every week,
Katie reviews all Ortho's patient experience surveys and shares them with her staff. The staff read their
feedback every morning in huddle and give each other praise for their accomplishments, and they discuss
as team how they could have improved that person's experience. This collaboration of all the staff
contribute to how each of them understand that they can impact one person's experience with one action.
Katie's commitment to patient safety and experience can also be exemplified in how she worked closely
with all her team, to improve Orthopedics' Hand Hygiene rates. Katie empowered her shared governance
committee to help strategize different methods to improving hand hygiene rates. With the help her team
Katie improved her hand hygiene compliance and now leads her module. Katie reflects compassion and
honesty every day; I am very grateful to have her on our Leadership team because she is always sharing
new ideas and never shy's away from a challenge. Katie's smile is infectious; she welcomes every new face
with her warm smile and positivity. She breeds happiness throughout her team by representing what it
means to lead by example. Katie's dedication to do what is best for patient's show no limits.
Nomination from Melissa Cunning:
Katie McCarthy is an excellent leader. She strives to support both her staff members and their individual
goals and strengths as well as the needs and principles of the hospital. Katie takes time to know and
understand her staff and leads by example in providing quality care and exemplary behavior. Katie has
been in her position less than a year and has transitioned well into her new role as nurse manager. Katie
cares deeply for her department and is committed to meeting the needs of staff and patients. Katie asks for
feedback and listens to staff members' input. Katie trials new methods for improving processes and patient
outcomes and seeks feedback from her team to determine successes. Katie has provided strong leadership
in her first year as a manager. As Katie grows in her role, she is sure to be a continued success and
inspiration for future nurses and managers. Thank you, Katie!
2017 Award Nominee
Sam McCord
Nevada State Board of Nursing
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Mr. McCord deserves to be honored for his dedication to fair, equitable, and evidenced-based evaluation of
nursing investigations at the Nevada State Board of Nursing. Sam is dedicated to ensuring all Nevada
nurses are given due process in a timely manner. He recently took it upon himself to collaborate with a
statistician to demonstrate the tools used to investigate a complaint are fair and statistically sounds. He
leads his team in an ethical and professional manner. He works to maintain the highest level of standards
when protecting Nevada patients. His work is outstanding and his dedication is seem time and time again
2017 Award Nominee
Shannon McCurdy-Dutro
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Randi Starks:
Shannon McCurdy-Dutro joined the graduate nurse residency less than 1 year ago. She started on this
journey to rotate to 3 different units within the hospital. Her first stop was neurosurgery. Shannon quickly
showed educators and leaders that she was very smart. She showed incredible clinical knowledge, more
than would be expected for a new graduate RN. After her orientation Shannon continued to impress. Her
patients frequently comment about the wealth of education she gives during her shifts. She is diligent in
making sure her patients and their families have all the information they need. Shannon is a strong patient
advocate. There is no stopping Shannon's ability to seek out the best for her patients. She instills a
significant amount of trust in the patients and families in her care. Shannon's teamwork is unmatched. She
often puts the needs of her teammates before her own. She's constantly working with every peer to get the
team to the finish line. Shannon saw a need for strong advocacy and leadership in the newly formed
neurosurgery unit. Shannon stepped out of the rotating residency to stay on neurosurgery. Words could
never express how appreciative we are of her courage to stay and create a strong team. Shannon has been
so determined to grow our unit that she has stepped up to train for charge nurse. Her guidance and
knowledge will be a tremendous asset to the neurosurgery team. Shannon has also joined the shared
governance committee to help make meaningful changes to our department. As you can see Shannon has
come very far in her nursing journey thus far. I truly appreciate all her hard work and dedication to our
patients and staff. I look forward to her continued growth.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelli McDonnell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Danyel Gish:
I have known Kelli as a peer and nurse leader for just over a year now. I admire Kelli's selfless contribution
to promoting the success of others within her own team and throughout the organization. Kelli's ability to
grow and develop her team is through example. She literally has the ability to light up a room. She has an
infectious laugh, is amazingly positive, and has an undeniable ability to bring people together. Respect and
integrity are a big part of Kelli's management style. She treats her staff and colleagues with
professionalism, humility, and empathy. These characteristics paired with a caring personality make her an
excellent counselor and role model. She has been able to build a trusting environment and an extremely
engaged team. Reliability is also huge in her role! Her team trusts her to remain open minded and
maintain a good sense of humor. Kelli is able to manage many competing priorities, and is always excited
to take on a challenge. She effectively collaborates across all disciplines, acts as an advocate for her staff,
and is constantly going above and beyond for her team. Kelli never holds expectations or desires for
personal recognition, yet is highly recognized and respected across the organization. Her leadership style,
integrity, and commitment to her team and our organization makes her an incredible leader worthy of this
award. She sees the reality beyond the blame and breeds loyalty and esteem amongst her staff, peers, and
leaders. Her opinion and suggestions are often sought out by all disciplines as she is seen as approachable
and intelligent. Kelli's accomplishments and contributions exemplify nursing excellence at its best!
2017 Award Nominee
Anna McGuire
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
Most people say that nurses are heros or have superpowers well Anna is one. Her superpower is her
amazing talent when it comes to communicating with patients. Anna will strut into a room and immediately
brighten the room. She will ask patients questions in the most unique ways that cause them to laugh. I
enjoy listening to her communicate with her patients. She brings humor into her care. Her superpower to
joke around with patients and bring light to their scary situation really is amazing. She always has a smile
on her face and brings light and laughter to the Emergency Department. Rare people can do what Anna
does.
2017 Award Nominee
Joseph McGinnis
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Sherry Stofko:
I would like to commend Joseph McGinnis, RN on a patient interaction which demonstrated noteworthy
compassion, advocacy, and human kindness.On one afternoon in 2016, a REMSA call came into the ED
reporting a hypotensive failure tothrive patient being transported from a filthy long term motel living
situation. Joe as the primary nurse gathered with co-workers to accept this patient. Upon the medic's
arrival, the team observed that the patient was covered in dried feces, eyes caked shut with green exudate,
oral cavity severely dried and cracked. This patient was extremely emaciated and malnourished. The odor
was horrendous due to the feces, soiled clothing, and skin breakdown. At this point, it was difficult to even
tell if this patient was male or female.Due to the ghastly smells, most of the staff in the room coughed,
gagged, groaned, and one or two even made loud inappropriate and unprofessional comments within
earshot of the patient. But one ED staff member shined bright that day, providing skilled and
compassionate care. Joe immediately displayed kindness in his interactions with this patient. Despite the
negatively toned report from the medics deeming this patient non-verbal and likely confused, Joe leaned
down to her right ear, and gently spoke directly to her. To our surprise, she spoke back, somewhat
confused but answering Joe's simple questions. He continued interacting tenderly with her, gathering
vitals and basic triage information. I watched Joe calm her verbally while she moaned as the child size BP
cuff tightened on her emaciated upper arm. Another wonderful RN, Aeju, assisted me in carefully cleaning
the feces and removing crusty clothing dried to her fragile skin. Under Joe's direction, Aeju, and I worked
together to log roll her to clean and evaluate her posterior sores. While some staff stood near the door
continuing to noisily gag and groan, Joe sympathetically wiped off her eye drainage and quietly
encouraged her to keep her eyes closed if she wanted. Joe especially impressed me with his tender
conversation and ongoing explanations to her.I feel compelled to highlight Joe's professional and
exemplary nursing care of this challenging patient. In addition to the intake data required, Joe was hyperaware of her need for skin care, as well as her psychological need for reassurance and safety. He chose not
to be distracted by the less than caring behavior of a few of his co-workers. Instead Joe exhibited the
compassion, skill and kindness that this, and all patients, deserve. Please consider Joe McGinnis, RN for
this well-deserved award through the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement in the category of
Emergency Nursing. He exemplified the spectacular characteristics of a distinguished Registered Nurse
with his compassionate and delicate delivery of care to an at-risk individual. I have rarely seen this level of
non-judgment and kindheartedness in my 20 years as a hospital RN.
2017 Award Nominee
Deena McKenzie
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
(Considered for award in Administrative Leadership, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Deena Mckenzie deserves to be recognized for leadership abilities as well as her dedication to the nursing
profession. Deena is in a leadership role within a hospital organization and she strives to place emphasis
on safety and quality. Deena not only serves her organization, but also the Nevada community at large. She
is active as a Board member on the Nevada State Board of Nursing to make sure nurses follow, and
respect, Nevada Nursing regulation. She is active in other organizations and she demonstrates this
through community service and being actively involved in all aspects of health care in Nevada. Her
dedication to the profession places her as a leader in Nevada.
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Deena Mckenzie deserves to be recognized for leadership abilities as well as her dedication to the nursing
profession. Deena is in a leadership role within a hospital organization and she strives to place emphasis
on safety and quality. Deena not only serves her organization, but also the Nevada community at large. She
is active as a Board member on the Nevada State Board of Nursing to make sure nurses follow, and
respect, Nevada Nursing regulation. She is active in other organizations and she demonstrates this
through community service and being actively involved in all aspects of health care in Nevada. Her
dedication to the profession places her as a leader in Nevada.
2017 Award Nominee
Megan McKenzie
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I graduated nursing school with Megan and have had the pleasure of working with her for the last 2 years
in icu. Megan is one of the sweetest most compassionate nurses I have gotten to work with. She
hardworking and continuously pursuing her education. Megan is a team player who always has a smile on
her face. She treats her patients and their families with empathy and respect. She is always quick to lend a
hand or answer questions. When I come to work and see that she is on my shift my heart lifts. Her sense of
humor can lighten a room and being her coworker is a privilege.
2017 Award Nominee
Brenda McNamara
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
It is with great pleasure that I nominate Brenda for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement award.
Brenda is always willing to adapt take on whatever comes her way with a smile and a positive attitude. She
is looked up to others in the department and is often used as a resource. Brenda works at fast pace and is
always looking for ways to increase our throughput. She has strong skills and is able to care for the most
critical of patients while maintaining a calm attitude. Brenda is motivated and keeps a positive attitude
even in the most stressful situations. She is looked up to by her co-workers and is respected by the
physicians. She often receives recognition for helping out her team. Brenda always has the patients best
interest in mind. She is motivated and dedicated to ER Nursing and the Nursing Profession.
2017 Award Nominee
Martha McNabb
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
In today's healthcare system, information technology is the foundation of the future. The past decade
certainly has seen an emphasis on the clinical process. Technological development in clinical applications
is the current trend in healthcare and it will continue to play a major role for years to come.Over the past
year, my nominee was asked to create, facilitate, test and implement a new information system. This
system will be used by multiple agencies across the country. This is a monumental task indeed as this
system under her creation must support and coordinate effective patient care and assure an efficient work
flow.While most nurses now have a positive attitude related to the improved quality of electronic
documentation and a new appreciation of the decreased workload afforded when using a well-designed
system, our staff did not a year ago. Some of our barriers resulted from behavioral issues in regard to
perception and satisfaction toward past information technology and time spent documenting the patient
information. Her most pivotal role as an informatics specialist has been to assist all the nurses in
identifying and addressing these challenges. This, she has done very successfully.Please consider this
incredibly talented nurse for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in the Informatics category. Not
only is she an exceptional leader with experience in every fields of our profession, but she remains very
humble despite her many accomplishments.
2017 Award Nominee
Ronda McNeill
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Kelly Dawley:
Ronda is one of the most caring people that I know. She is an amazing nurse and person in general. She is
an outstanding advocate for her patients, always pursuing what is right for her patients. Ronda's patients
absolutely love her. In addition her coworkers love her, she will pick up part of a shift if you need her to
last minute. For example if you are sick and should not be at work. While on the floor with her she makes it
fun to be at work. She is always cracking jokes and making everyone around her smile. Her good mood is
very contagious.
2017 Award Nominee
Alma Medina
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Teena Thomas:
Alma Medina has been a leader at our institution for many years. As a leader, she does not fit the cookie
cutter mold of a typical leader. She is soft spoken, pensive and incredibly gracious. Alma is the leader of a
dynamic and diverse unit. Alma has been at the helm of some significant organizational changes. Alma has
helped outline, coordinate and counsel the remote monitored units and leaders. She has seen her
monitoring capability double in size with no signs of stopping. Alma has functioned as the liaison between
the clinical engineering department, nursing and administration as the cardiac monitoring capability
grows and changes. Alma is also solely responsible for creating the chlorhexidine initiative to combat
central line associated blood stream infections at our organization. Alma's graduate project was
implementing the chlorhexidine baths at our institution. This initiative was coordinated in multiple units
and had a significant positive impact. If that were not enough, Alma also voluntarily transitioned from her
well organized and highly functional unit to a unit that had would have been considered unsalvageable.
With her continuous presence, grace and leadership this unit has seen structure, consistency and growth
and all in less than a year. She is a remarkable leader, an amazing person and an incredible nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Irene Mejia-Reyes
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jennifer Dado:
Irene is an exceptional nurse!!! I have watched Irene grow into a fabulous nurse who does amazing things
every single day. Irene is a calm, compassionate nurse who takes every stressful or somewhat
overwhelming situation and turns it into a time for learning and growing for herself, her team and her
patients. Irene can take an situation that is out of control or close to that point and turn it around by
talking to the patient, or by walking with the patient. Irene will always find a way to connect to her
patients, their families and her team to do what is best and safest for her patients. Irene had a patient who
was swinging and IV pole and very angry and she walked with the patient and talked with the patient to
help her work out why she was so angry, and frustrated. She took a very dangerous situation and turned it
into a therapeutic and learning environment for her team that night an most importantly for her patient.
Irene also will never put blame on someone for a mistake she will always find a way to learn from it and
grow and help her team grow. I admire Irene in all her amazingness and her ability to be so forgiving,
peaceful and for always striving to be her best at all she does especially providing the best care to each
and every patient.
2017 Award Nominee
Kellie Menezes
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Jennifer Dado:
Kellie is a superb and outstanding nurse. Kellie started her nursing profession in one of our very crazy very
busy units as a new grad. She came down to the clinical decision unit from Tele as part of the tele
apprenticeship program be offered at Renown. Kellie is amazing!!! Her patients absolutely love her and
her awesome bedside manner and her positive outlook. Every week I put up another compliment from a
patient on our staff appreciation board in the CDU for Kellie. I have worked beside her and she has
patience, she has honesty, she loves to educate and make sure her patients and their families understand
what is going on. Kellie goes out of her way to take the best care of all her patients and their families. All
nurses should strive to be like Kellie and the example she sets. Kellie has proven that nursing is an art and
that art is the ability to go through each and everyday with the compassion, love, and skills to take care of
our patients with the utmost dignity, respect and concern for how we can make their bad days better and
what it truly means to be a nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Melody Mericle
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Sacha Heidema:
I would like to nominate Melody (the walking encyclopedia) for the Nurses of Achievement award. Melody
is an extremely intelligent, hard working individual who continuously provides excellent patient care. Not
only does she provide extensive patient education, but she has also formed an education committee for the
Telemetry unit in which she has organized and planned numerous educational opportunities for the staff.
She takes every opportunity for learning through continuing education and committee involvement. In turn
she shares her enthusiasm with her patients and with her co-workers. She once told me that she decided
not to become a physician because she would miss out on patient education and patient interaction.
Although I truly believe that she would have made an excellent physician I am glad that she choose to be a
telemetry nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Timothy Merkley
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Crystal Peterson:
I am nominating Tim for nurse of achievement, as he exemplifies excellence every day in his work. Tim has
been a nurse since 1988, the majority of his career has been critical care. He joined our team in 2011 and
has proven to be a great leader.Tim has been an integral part in mentoring the new employees that come
into our department. He welcomes new employees with open arms and breaks down barriers with his
sense of humor. At least once a week a nurse or leader from another department stops me to let me know
how wonderful Tim is to work with. Often in our environment we rush and forget the human aspect and
empathy. At night Tim will receive ER patients to prep for surgery, in these emergent situations Tim
provides caring and calming reassurance to the patient and their family. He listens with genuine care to
both his patients and their families. Overwhelmingly, we continue to hear from patients and families about
how wonderful Tim was during their time of need. It is not only his caring, but his clinical expertise that is
impeccable. He provides care for adult critical care patients, as well as pediatric patients with a broad
range of knowledge. Tim deserves to be recognized for his many years of service he has provided to the
community.
2017 Award Nominee
Wendy Merchant
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jasen Brooks:
Wendy is a mentor and leader in every sense of the word. She has come into a unit where problems were
in existence, and has striven to help correct the underlying problems, and create a better environment for
the workers and the patients. She is also a wonderful mentor for me personally as my leadership liaison in
the Self Governance Education Committee. Wendy is a positive force of change for our staff, patients and
her peers. She exhibits our principle of "Above the Line" at all times. Wendy will not just lead from her
office. She gets to the bedside when it is needed, and pitches in with the staff to provide for the patient's
needs.
Nomination from Carla Adams:
Wendy Merchant RN, MSN in Education and Clinical Nurse Specialist is the director of medical surgical
services for Northern Nevada Medical Center. She puts her academia history to excellent use as a nurse
leader. Her ability to organize and communicate in multiple ways to best reach her staff is evident. She
and her staff put touching quotes all over the walls on her unit to add warmth to a walk around the
department. When changes are needed, which is most weeks and months, Wendy is the first to retreat to
plan out and process what is needed for the change to be successful. She created unit based council that
she runs things past and includes to make things happen. She is the facilitator of our hospital based
Shared Governance Education Committee where staff grow their skills. The surgeons say they value and
recognize Wendy for continuously raising the bar in the quality and safety of care delivered. She educates
verbally and follows it up in writing so communication is clear and accountability can be measured. Her
2017 metrics for core measures, improved patient satisfaction and physician satisfaction all have been
excellent success stories! Wendy remains active as a NSBN Educational Advisory Committee member,
Accrediting Commission for Education of Nurses (ACEN) site reviewer, NNA member and STT local
chapter member. We are fortunate to have Wendy as a gifted leader among our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Stacey Mieding
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jillian Arevalo:
Stacey's nursing practice is characterized by her adaptable personality, exemplary judgment, and attention
to detail. Stacey thrives in the rapidly changing, high stress environment of the trauma ICU. The
immaculate care Stacey provides to her patients is noticed by peers and physicians, alike. She exhibits a
wealth of knowledge and shares it willingly. Stacey develops lasting relationships with patients and
families with her down to earth demeanor. Stacey is highly respected by those who come in contact with
her and is an exemplary role model for Sierra ICU, as well as, Renown. With the above mentioned reasons,
Stacey is a perfect candidate for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award in Critical Care.
2017 Award Nominee
Katherine Miller
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Karissa Parra:
Katherine is one of the best nurses I know. If I was sick, I would want her to be my nurse. She is always on
top of things and is one of the best advocators for our patients. I am lucky to work along side her, she has
taught me many things over the last year and a half. She is very knowledgeable and a great asset to our
team on the cancer nursing unit. Thank you for all that you do Katherine, keep up the great work! You are
appreciated more than you know. I aspire to be as great of nurse as you one day.
2017 Award Nominee
Marcie Miller
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Ginger Kuhnmuench:
Marcie Miller believes in nursing and the care of others with every ounce of her being. She is constantly
striving for improved process to enhance the quality of care provided to our pediatric population. Marcie
has been working with our newly hired pediatric emergency medicine physician on three pediatric quality
based processes. She has taken this project from its infancy to completion and implementation. She has
work hours to make the information understandable, user friendly, and possible for her team to
incorporate into their very busy department. These quality process have the ability to save lives. Marcie
has made reference binders and personally in serviced her entire team to make sure our pediatric
community is receiving gold standard care. She is an expert in these processes and purposefully placed
herself in triage where these are being implemented to test out the flow and work out any barriers before
rolling it out to her team. This innovative approach tested the quality base process as well as evaluated the
feasibility for the nursing team to integrate the process in their already busy flow. One of the processes
was an early septic shock screening tool. Marcie first had to learn a new way of thinking because it was
different then the process that was currently being used. She then worked with the IT team to build the
screening tool into our EPIC system so alerts would appear if the child had a positive screening. She also
had to test the process and then educate her peers and inspire them to see the rational and then educate
on the process. The process once triggered in triage requires the patient to be brought straight back to a
room and a physician to immediately be at the bedside to evaluate the potential life threatening situation.
At this time the physician alerts the nurse to start the protocol or not. This screening tool has proven
successful many time since its implementation and largely successful due to Marcie's diligence and
dedication to our pediatric community and their care in her department. This is only one example of many
that Marcie goes above and beyond to advocate for her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Chelsea Minto
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Kathleen Zaski:
I would like to nominate Chelsea Minto in the category of Administrative Leadership. Chelsea is someone
that is passionate about her team and the patients we care for. She sticks up for what is right and she is an
advocate for the organization.I have seen Chelsea grow in her leadership roles and she is someone that
others look up to for direction and leadership skills. Chelsea has done a great job at expanding our
department which has gone from a team of 1 to now a team of 8 with job postings for additional members.
I am proud to work for such a great caring and passionate leader.
2017 Award Nominee
Maria Miralles
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Maria Mirrales has recently taken on the role of relief charge nurse, and she has done a great job leading
her peers and being a support for her fellow nurses. She is consistently looked to by her peers for answers
regarding their patients, because Maria is full of knowledge and is so easily approachable. She is uplifting
for her peers, always motivating them and making sure they have a good day every day. She is very active
in her unit, participating in many committees and projects. This just shows how dedicated she is to helping
everyone provide the best care possible to patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Morgan Mitchell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Penelope Burke:
Morgan is an incredible RN who always puts her patients first. When caring for a terminal patient Morgan
went out of her way to comfort the family, even finding a private room and setting aside time from her
busy schedule to sit one-on-one with them to discuss their feelings. She opened up to share her
experiences with loss, which allowed the family to connect with her and open up their feelings. Many tears
were shed, but the discussion allowed a broken family to come together and find the positivity in the
situation. Morgan is a coworker who inspires her colleagues to take the time to be present with patients-the only way that we can change lives!!
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Moiseyev
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Janna Prida:
Jessica has such a positive attitude and is such a great nurse to work with. She is always upbeat and has a
smile on her face. That smile never fades and I've personally seen the reassurance it gives the family
members of her patients. As a new nurse, she shows experience and critical thinking well beyond her years
of experience. I feel like she deserves this nomination more than anyone because of the compassionate
care she gives her patients every day. Not only is she fun to work with, making the staff laugh and making
the family comfortable, but she is very smart and able to take great care of complex patients.
Nomination from Angela Classen:
Jessica is a excellent critical care nurse. I met Jessica shortly after she got off orientation. We were
assigned to the same POD and that day I was assigned to a very critical patient. Jessica quickly assessed
the situation and jumped in and helped. The entire shift Jessica ran around helping me, the other patients
in our pod and the other nurses. Less than a year into her career, Jessica, is a leader, team player and role
model to our staff. Jessica preforms every task with a smile and is the first to get to the job and last to
leave. Jessica is continues to ask questions and seek the best learning opportunities. She is actively
involved in our Infection Prevention committee and our Unit Based Shared Governance meetings. Her
patients and/or their families ask for her back week after week. I am proud to work with Jessica and
motivated daily by her dedication to her patients and her RN peers. Jessica greatly deserves to be
recognized and chosen as Rookie of the Year!
2017 Award Nominee
Jorge Montano-Figueroa
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Kristen Cleveland-ceballos:
I would like to recognize Jorge for the Rookie of the Year. I believe that some people are nurses by trade
while others are nurses by heart and Jorge was truly born to be a Pediatric nurse. Jorge was introduced to
the field of pediatric nursing after the diagnosis of a loved one brought him far too close to our world than
any big brother should ever have to be. To truly turn lemons into lemonade is what Jorge did, coming back
to become a nurse on the very floor that cared for his baby sister and keeping his promise to make a
difference in children's lives everyday. In his first year of nursing Jorge, and his beyond life personality,
have taken the Pediatric floor by storm. Daily you can find him walking the halls with the biggest smile
ever, playing with the patients, joking with the families, and bringing true laughter and joy to the lives that
he touches. What is amazing about Jorge is that at the same moments that he has the energy to laugh and
bring joy he has a true ability to provide the most precise, dedicated, thorough care to each and every
patient on the floor. Far beyond his assignment on any days work you can find Jorge gently rocking a
newborn for a coworker, tying the shoe of a little boy in wheelchair, or strategically planning his afternoon
so he can take a 11 year old with a traumatic brain injury for his much anticipated walk outside. I believe it
is because with each double-check of a medication, with each touch of parents shoulder, Jorge envisions
caring for that loved one he lost making her proud each day. It is enough that Jorge makes a genuine
difference in the lives he touches each day, but there is more. Jorge proudly represents the profession of
pediatric nursing and his pride for the Children's Hospital by speaking to community about what pediatric
nurses do, supporting nursing students as they rotate through the floor, and speaking to our profession
and growth at community benefits such as the MAGIC Gala and the Children's Miracle Network Hispanic
Radio-a-Thon. As we know with many of us it takes time to grow in our profession the first year, but Jorge
is already owning it, selling it, and supporting it, and with tons of charisma at that. I am so proud to have
Jorge on our team, and our families, and this community are so lucky to have such a rockstar young
professional that provides such amazing care.
2017 Award Nominee
Kimberly Moorby
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Samantha Bagshaw:
I have had the pleasure to work with Kin for over 4 years. In that time I have I have seen the compassion
and dedication she has to her patients as well as her staff. She comes I nearly to make sure everything she
need is available and to make sure her patients get the best care possible. Kim plans ahead for her day and
communicates needs early so she doesn't delay care. Physicians rely on Kim to coordinate and take care of
patient specific needs. Kim not only cares for her patients but also her coworkers and she will do whatever
it takes to help out others. Kim is truly a great nurse and coworker and I am luck to work along side her.
2017 Award Nominee
Danielle Moran
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
Danielle is an amazing staff nurse in Telemetry. She is very compassionate with her care, goes out of her
way to make them comfortable, discusses with the doctors plan of care and advocates for all her patients.
She has been in Telemetry for some time now and I have seen how much she has grown and prosper in the
nursing profession. She is very timid yet will not hesitate to insist on what is good for her patients even if it
seems not to be the most popular one for the doctors. She will blush, turns "red"easily but will stand firmly
on what is right for her patients or the staff. She has the hunger to grow, to better herself as a nurse and
as a result she is presently pursuing and enrolled in the masters program. She has shown leadership and is
presently one of our Relief Unit Supervisor and she does a very good job doing it. Well-loved by her peers,
she also serves as preceptor to our new staff.
2017 Award Nominee
Deborah Morse
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Alison Bohlander:
If 5 people were to be asked what makes an exceptional nurse, 5 different answers would be given.
Empathy, patient advocate, able to think under pressure, straight forward with the patients best interests
in mind would all be examples of great nurse qualities. It is not often that one nurse can exemplify all of
those qualities. Debbie is one of those nurses. Working with Debbie for the last 6 years has shown me time
after time when she has demonstrated these attributes. Empathy, at the right moments can be a powerful
tool to help patients during one of the most difficult times of their life. I have witnessed Debbie hold her
patient's hand while explaining what is going on. Just that closeness and real person touch can make all
the difference. She does not feel sorry for her patients, instead understands they need support and love to
make it through their illness. She takes the time to explain what is going on and the process it might take
to recover. She also takes the time to make her patients feel like humans instead of just patients. Examples
of this would be her attention to grooming her patients. Debbie will be the first one to get in and shave her
patients beards if they need a shave or spend hours combing through and braiding her patients hair after a
long stay in the ICU. Making them feel like actual people can really boost their moral and may actually
give them the strength to keep fighting. Patient advocacy: Debbie puts her patients first. She is not afraid
to stand up to the physicians or have discussions with them about what she thinks her patients' need at a
certain moment in their care. She understands what her patients need and will ask and explain her
reasoning for asking in order to fulfill these needs. She also is not afraid to discuss with families and be an
advocate for what the patient may need at that time in their treatment. Able to think under pressure:
trauma/surgical ICU is where nurses need to be able to think under pressure. Debbie can see a problem
before it's an emergency, and is able to think clearly when it is an emergency.
2017 Award Nominee
Lara Morales
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Meg Gast:
I have had the privilege of working with Lara on different occasions prior to her coming to our unit, and I
must say that I could not have been more pleased that she decided to come work on our unit. She is not
only a wonderful RN but an amazing coworker. She always has a smile on her face and brings the moral of
the unit up any time she is working. Her positive attitude is infectious not only with her coworkers but with
her patients as well. She is so knowledgeable and even better, always willing to share that knowledge with
her coworkers and students. She spends her days off teaching at one of the local nursing schools as well as
teaching ACLS/BLS here at the hospital. She is the ultimate role model. She is wonderful at the bedside
with her patients and is invaluable as a charge nurse on the unit. She is always will to help not only when
she is on the unit but when she is called on her days off. She has only been on our unit for a brief time but
in that time she has become such a vital part of our team. We are very lucky to have her as a coworker.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Moss
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Karrie Gay:
Jennifer is the definition of yes we can , and never give up. She daily takes on the tasks of supervisor,
bedside nurse and always mentor. She supports her staff by never taking the easy road for herself. If there
is a stable charge assignment you can be assured she will take the more difficult assignment to relieve the
stress her staff is feeling during challenging times of high acuity and explosive patient census. She rotates
between days and nights regularly to accommodate the needs and growing pains of a young night shift.
Deadlines are never an issue with her amazing organizational skills. She is bright, funny and if she has a
fault it is that she will always do more for others then she even thinks about doing for herself. If a time
changer device were not just available in the pages of a Harry Potter book but around her neck I am
certain she would take advantage of every extra moment to help her peers and her team. She balances her
work with going to school full time for her Masters degree in Nursing Leadership and taking care of her
adorable fur kids and her husband. She loves Halloween and is that house in the neighborhood that you
just have to see. She serves all of us with examples of love, laughter, friendship and professionalism.
Nomination from Victoria Lanski:
Jen is such an inspiration to our unit and we are very lucky to have her. She consistently leads by example,
which is very encouraging to our unit. She also does what is best for the unit, no matter how inconvenient
it is for her. For example, she rotates between days and nights to ensure that night shift has a supervisor,
even though night shift makes her very nauseous. Due to her being the Supervisor, she is also charge
almost everyday she works. When there is a challenge with staffing, she takes it upon herself to take a
triple assignment to alleviate some of the workload on our unit. Even though she has other responsibilities,
such as being charge, she is able to still provide great care to her patients. Even though she has more
work and responsibilities, she still completes every task that is asked of us and does it with perfection. She
also stands behind her nurses. For example, when the unit was having difficulties getting the rooms clean,
she was able to stand behind her nurses that were doing all they could. She was able to identify and
correct the breakdown in the communication system the EVS was using. Most importantly, she defended
her nurses when management was investigating the issue. She is very patient and easy to talk to, which is
such a relief to the unit. We feel like we are able to talk to her about anything and we are heard. Jen should
be awarded the Clinical Leadership Award because she not only leads by example, but also backs her
nurses which make them feel appreciated and taken care of!
2017 Award Nominee
Olivia Moschetti
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
Please consider my nominee for the Northern Nevada Nurses of achievement in the Community Nursing
category.My nominee is a positive role model and interdisciplinary team player. She consistently mentors
and educates nursing students and new staff members in achieving professional goals and development.
She makes time for anyone who needs her help. Her empathy, adaptability, communication skills are
unsurpassed.She seems to embrace challenges and inspires others. She promotes health and well-being
through the health and illness continuum for this community and we are indeed blessed to have her in
Northern Nevada. She has an unsurpassed commitment to care.
2017 Award Nominee
Kristina Moulton
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kathy Gilbert:
Kristina is a real asset to our department. When she is team leader she is able to keep everything running
without getting flustered. She makes sure that all patients get done on time. Her pleasant smile and calm
demeanor help keep patients calm. She is excellent at following up with patients and making sure they are
aware of delays in surgery. Without asking she will jump in and start on patients when she is done with her
line. She comes in many mornings and does an excellent job of preparing her open heart patients . She is
excellent at service recovery. She also does a great job at preparing the board's schedule for the next day
and is very fair to all the staff. Renown is very lucky to have her and all of our newer nurses look to her for
guidance which she is more than willing to give. She has excellent IV skills .
2017 Award Nominee
Christine Mundy
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Kelsey Coe:
Christine is a nurse that cares for every patient as if they were family. She takes the extra time to provide
excellent care and really listens to the needs of the patients and their families. One patient's family
member said, "Christine is our angel and she is a great nurse." She always has a positive attitude and a
smile on her face no matter what her day consisted of. She is constantly getting compliments from her
patients and her coworkers. She is a great addition to our team, and it has been a great privilege to watch
her grow and learn as a nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Amy Murphy
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jenn Allen:
Amy is a nursing coordinator for the hospital. She is quick to think of solutions outside the box and is a
support to the entire hospital team. She has a "can do" attitude and quick to jump in and help wherever is
needed. Amy is positive in her communication to the team and sets a great example to other nurses. Amy is
an advocate for both her team members and the patients, putting herself in others shoes. She even
switches her schedule back and forth from nights to days to make sure all of our team members feel
supported. Her communication, energy, and support are very much appreciated.
2017 Award Nominee
Tahni Murphy
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jeanette Lambdin:
Tahni goes above and beyond to make her patients cofortable.she is incredible with always following dr
orders amd is not affraid to take on the patients that need that extra attention.she always asks her patients
how they are feeling and goes out of her way to talk with them and get to know every person. Tahni is a
great nurse and great team member. She is a great nurse to work with and is always supporting the nurses
in the community by actively recruiting new nurses into the nursing. She takes time out of her bust day to
help her team members due numerous tasks including change dressings give medications.
Nomination from Morgan:
Tahni is an amazing nurse, though she is fairly new to the profession, her demeanor and the way she
approaches her patients and their families is that of a nurse with many years of experience. Tahni goes
above and beyond to make sure her patients are well cared for and safe. Tahni is a wonderful asset to her
team as she is a great team player, always willing to help her fellow teammates. Tahni always comes to
work with a positive attitude and a smile on her face. I know that she will continue to excel in this
profession and will continue to be a valued team member for whatever she chooses to do with her career in
the future.
2017 Award Nominee
Januka Neupane
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jenna Fontenot:
Januka consistently demonstrates nursing excellence on the 4 North unit here at Saint Mary's Regional
Medical Center. She is always willing to lend a helping hand to a patient, whether that patient is assigned
to her or not. She is also the kind of nurse you want around during an emergency! If something
unexpected or emergent arises, she keeps a level head and provides the care that is needed. I have seen
her handle things that would send other nurses into a panic! She is also consistently there for newer
nurses, or nurses that need help with complex patients. I know that when I was starting out, she was
always an excellent resource! She deserves recognition for the outstanding work she does every day.
2017 Award Nominee
Ioana Nicoara
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
Please consider my nominee for the Northern Nevada Nurses of achievement in the Community Nursing
category.In the past year my nominee has shown what an exceptional human being she is. I have seen her
through the tribulations of learning the complex rules of home care. I also saw her learn all the rules of
motherhood at the same time and what a fast learner she is!I have seen her gain strength, confidence and
a relentless determination to learn new skills. She is truly an exceptional human being.As we know
compassion and empathy go hand in hand and this nominee has an innate gift of unconditional compassion.
She is extremely detail oriented and has extraordinary communication skills. Should I add that English is
not her native language? We are blessed to have this exceptional nurse as part of our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Amy Nieminen
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Natalie Tegio:
Amy is committed to elevating the health of our patients and communities through evidence based nursing
practice in home health. She is relentless in validating that her teaching is solidly rooted in research
literature to ensure that our clinicians are practicing with the most up-to-date techniques and information.
Home health is rapidly evolving and requires an increasingly educated and sophisticated nursing staff.
Amy is at the forefront, validating evidence based protocols for home health interventions to make sure
that 1) there is continuity of care from hospital to home to outpatient care, 2) providing expert opinion
about how to best implement and streamline new process for use in home health, and 3) she is passionate
about safe outcomes and patient centered care. Amy is a master of not only the breadth and depth of
knowledge necessary in home health, but she is also highly skilled in the ever advancing technology. She is
a constant resource and coach to all our home health clinicians, and collaborates across disciplines with
therapies (PT/OT/SLP) to provide a consistent and safe experience for our patients regardless of who sees
them. She has been instrumental in the implementation of our screening tool for early detection of sepsis
and has included therapies in the education and roll out. She has a keen eye for detail and has provided
feedback to increase the safety of a diuretic protocol in home health. Amy is a wonderful example of
dedication to patients and the practice of quality nursing.
2017 Award Nominee
Sarah Noble
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Jennifer Stice:
Sarah goes above and beyond to satisfy her patients needs, spends time explaining to family situations,
communicates well with all parts of the healthcare team, and demonstrates integrity and compassion every
shift she works. Sarah has not been a nurse for long, but shows a promising future and is an asset to the
nursing and health care community. Renown has gained a valuable asset in Sarah and she will continue to
grow and blossom as a trauma nurse throughout her career. Her patients see her love for her job as well
as her caring ways of helping them in their greatest time of need.
2017 Award Nominee
Echo Nordin
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Peggy Wolff:
Echo is a great resource nurse. Her technical and practical skills are exceptional. She is well versed in all
cardiac critical care procedures, and is never too busy to stop to help another nurse with teaching and
instruction. She has trained many nurses, who feel their solid foundations are directly related to her
tutelage. Echo is professionally dedicated to the cardiac ICU, she works well with the physicians, and other
staff. She remains calm in emergencies, and is able to guide others through difficult situations. She has
even taken on extra critical care teaching responsibilities despite her already active home life. Echo's
sound competencies and contributions to a large and busy cardiac intensive care unit have helped improve
outcomes and helped train others.
2017 Award Nominee
Jesse Northrop
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Andrea Shulze:
Jesse has been a Emergency Room RN for 2 years. Prior to that he was a ER Tech for 10+ years. Jesse
excels as a RN. He has excellent critical thinking, great clinical skills, he has great rapport with patients,
their families as well as staff. He has a very calm demeanor and is great to have by your side taking care of
critical medical or trauma patients as he always exudes a sense of calm in the room. Jesse is also very
entertaining to work with. Its a good day when working with him in the pod because you are sure to have a
good laugh. He has the ability to make his patients laugh when they need it but also being empathetic and
caring. Just don't let him buy a SUV.
2017 Award Nominee
Jeannie O'Briant
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Debra Orvik:
Jeannie O'Briant has been working as a surgical nurse for Renown and Washoe Medical Center for over 30
years She is knowledgeable in all areas of the O.R. She scrubs and helps the doctors during surgery and
she circulates cases from the simplest kinds of surgeries to open hearts. She has taught me patience on
difficult cases. When I worked the weekend shift she was one of the go-to nurses I would seek for help
when I was a new nurse in the O.R. Jeannie has a calming effect on her patients and smiles in the face of
adversity. She is truly a caring person. Thanks, Jeannie!
2017 Award Nominee
Merle Ocampo
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Christine Bernabe:
A nurse of almost 30 years of experience, it is of no doubt that she has already given an impact and
influence in the nursing community where she works with. She brings her experience from very diverse
culture to educate and enhance patients' care in her unit. Her unit is not only a work place but an
extension of her family, her staff look up to her not only as a leader but a mother as well. She is well
respected not only by her unit staff but the doctors and all the collaborating team in her institution, she
herself is an institution. Her work extends not only from the unit itself, the institution but the community
outside of this country. The small charitable works that she manage to help were all unrecognized but the
impact to the human lives outside of this country is immeasurable. She is,indeed, an achievement herself.
2017 Award Nominee
Brandon Okazawa
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Richard Crisostomo:
Brandon is a nurse that isn't afraid of any challenge. As a new grad he came into the picu with an
eagerness to learn and the passion to provide excellent care. As time progresses he as not only shown his
commitment to his team but to the community as well. His willingness to help not only his patients but his
team shows every single day. I am proud to have Brandon as a team member. When Brandon cared for a
complex patient he handled the case both professionals and presented the case so that others may benefit
from the experience and grow as care takers and providers.
Nomination from Elizabeth S Cogan, Msn, Rn:
Brandon took as much of a leap of faith joining our organization as we did in hiring someone from such a
distance- he moved here from Hawaii. For our part, we know we got a great deal. Brandon's brother was
already in Reno, but Brandon still had to learn to wear winter clothes and exchange surfing for
snowboarding. He told us part of the reason for the move was how long new RNs were waiting to get jobs
back home: some still work as CNAs for years after obtaining a degree. While he was waiting, he kept
going to school, so he came to us still a rookie nurse, with a Master's degree specializing in pediatric care.
So despite his only work experience being as a CNA in a large Neonatal unit, we hired him to work in our
Pediatric ICU. Right away, I could tell he was sharp as a tack during our didactic classes. It was such a
pleasure to see the thought processes run across his face as he answered questions and asked his own.
The final class for our nurse residents is one they conduct themselves. They are to develop content on a
topic to which they have been exposed during orientation, but which was not specifically covered in class,
or if it was covered, one which they would like to investigate at a deeper level. Brandon chose something I
had not heard of in all of my 28 years as a pediatric RN: laryngeal ring. When he gave his talk to his 15
new peers throughout the women's and children's module, all of them were completely mesmerized.
Despite his only having a few months under his belt, I felt his talk would be perfect for an annual
conference sponsored by our facility. Pediatric ICU is always allowed at least 1 topic during an all-day
event: Excellence in Critical Care. To convince the steering committee, I asked if he could come present
for them. This committee is comprised of some very experienced staff nurses, educators, and nursing
directors from all of our ICUs: Trauma, Medical, Surgical and Cardiac, as well as Telemetry. They too were
blown away. Needless to say, he got the gig. We worked to perfect the talk and embellish the slides as well
as do some practice runs. When the big day came, he knocked it out of the park! (His brother was there to
see his big day.) I encouraged him to add his professional speaking engagement to his resume. But
Brandon is more than a great speaker. Every night he works, he is giving excellent care and catching
potential and actual errors. He safeguards a parent's most beloved asset while they sleep, so they can
sleep well and be ready to participate in their child's recovery the next day. He is fast becoming one our
most beloved assets as well.
Nomination from Kristen Cleveland-ceballos:
I would like to take the time to nominate Brandon for Rookie of the Year. Brandon started in the PICU as a
new nurse after graduating from nursing school with a Master's Degree in Nursing from the state of
Hawaii. Brandon was impressive from the moment I was able to interview him via Skype an ocean away,
selling his passion for not only the future of nursing but for the future of children living in rural areas, and
we have yet to be disappointed. In Brandon's first year in the PICU he has stepped into the role of a critical
care nurse with ease, pride, compassion, and empathy. As a nurse Brandon has cared for the sickest and
most critically injured children in our community, he has taken opportunity after opportunity to learn and
grow, even offering to come in on days off to offer continuity of care, and to take advantage of each unique
opportunity that can grow his critical care experience. The care of a hospitalized child is never easy but
the care of a critically ill child takes a special personality, as a nurse manager I have been so proud to
watch Brandon grow not only with skills but also with confidence. To hear the feedback of the families that
observe Brandon's passion and dedication for healing their children, is impressive, Brandon has already
become a transparent caregiver who has earned the trust of parents during even the most difficult times. I
recently had the father of 15 year old patient state, "Brandon not only comforted my son as a nurse, but
bonded with him and encouraged him as brother, all while reassuring me that my son was going to okay."
In addition to his nursing skills Brandon has already began to take on community education opportunities,
including other healthcare providers. Only 8 months into his career Brandon took the opportunity to do a
case study on one of his patients, and presented it at Renown's Excellence in Critical Care Conference
representing the section on critical care of the pediatric patient, to stand in front of a group of peers as an
experienced nurse is hard enough, but as a new nurse...BRAVO! Brandon has stepped into the forefront to
already support the growth of pediatric services in our community, coming to community events, benefits,
and speaking to the amazing work we do advancing and promoting the health of children in our
community. In addition Brandon is loved and supported by his coworkers as much as much as his patients.
HIs positive, can do, attitude is refreshing, he smiles and laughs his way through most situations with a fun
loving personality that allows his coworkers to feel supported both in the moment and after some of the
hardest situations pediatric nurses must face. It is refreshing to see a young nurse with so much work
ethic and dedication and the Pediatric family is so lucky to have Brandon on our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Herlyn Oliva
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Poeth Kilonzo:
Herlyn is a true Med/Surg nurse she has been a med/Surg nurse for over 20 years all spend at the bedside
taking care of the most common patient population in any health care setting. If you watch her take care of
her patients it's like she came out of nursing school yesterday. Herlyn is soft spoken and she uses her
demeanor to connect with her patients and ease their fears and anxiety. She is well looked up on by the we
grad nurses, she is always calm in the middle of the storm, she is sometimes mistaken for not being too
restless with her patients but actually that is what gets her patients through stressful situations. Herlyn is
a mentor in our unit for the new nurses, she is very patient and kind. She is the nurse who is always
watching out for other patients call lights, she is the nurse who goes around the corner after she
discharges and ask other nurses what she can do to help them. she is the nurse who will volunteer to take
the next admission and yet she is the nurse who has worked the longest in bedside nursing. Her passion
for bedside nursing is evident and her patients her truly lucky to have her. She is a great model for young
nurses to realize it's ok to like one specialty of nursing for a long time in this ever changing nursing
opportunities.
2017 Award Nominee
Deanna Olson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
Deanna represents Renown's Mission, Vision, and Values in every way by the incomparable care she gives
to her patients and her ability to inspire and grow our nurses by her ability to lead by example. Deanna has
been a nurse with Renown for almost 15 years, and every day she comes to work, she brings 110%. Every
day she is committed to patient care by going above and beyond for her patients; she helped a patient who
had a traumatic leg amputation and was struggling phantom limb pain. Placing a tall mirror against the
remaining leg has shown to reduce this pain, so Deanna brought in a full-length mirror from home for this
patient, which did help reduce the patient's pain. Deanna consistently does whatever it takes to give her
patients the best experience possible. Another one of her patients had gone several days without food, but
when they were finally able to tolerate a diet and the doctor wrote the order, the kitchen was closed.
Deanna asked this patient what they would want if they could have anything, and the patient said a burger.
Once Deanna got off shift, she left work and returned with the patient's favorite burger, so he could enjoy
his first meal. Both of these patients were tearful and grateful for the kindness she showed them. Deanna's
kindness and generosity expands to all her patients and coworkers. The staff say that Deanna is the heart
of GSU. They continually praise her on her ability to always find the light in any situation and is always
there for support and advice. Trauma services said to me about Deanna, "Deanna is always receptive and
responsive to trauma team's requests and ALWAYS get tasks done." We work with many surgeons, and
they all say how much respect they have for her as a nurse and a leader. Our new nurses say how Deanna
is often one of the reasons they choose to work on GSU. While they are on the unit, they say that Deanna is
their go to person. She is always supportive, approachable and genuine. One nurse stated, "Deanna is
always willing to teach. She is very personable and flexible. Always extremely funny and down to earth.
"Deanna serves as a Mentor to our night shift supervisor, PJ. PJ said, "Deanna has not only shown me how
to be a great leader and nurse, but also how I want to be as a supervisor in the future." PJ says having her
a mentor has made his transition from peer to leader so much easier because of the high level of support
and motivation she gives him.
2017 Award Nominee
Aris Onas
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Taralynn Bassham:
I would like to nominate Aris for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement-Medical Surgical category.
Everyday Ariscomes to work with a smile on his face and a positive attitude. He goes above and beyond to
deliver the highest standard of care to his patients. The patients on the Neuroscience unit come into the
hospital in such a vulnerable state usually after a life altering stroke. Aris is always patient, kind, and
compassionate to each and every patient he comes in contact with. He is continually recognized by his
patients as being a nurse that has went above and beyond. He recently was recognized by a member of the
interdisciplinary team, she stated, "I want to take time to recognize Aris and the wonderful care he
provides his patients. He is always very positive, easy to work with, communicates effectively, and takes
initiative to go above and beyond for patients and staff. Thank you Aris for taking such great care of our
patient and being a pleasure to work with." Not only does Aris go above and beyond for his patients, he
also goes above and beyond for the Neuroscience unit. He is a mentor for nurse apprentices as well as a
primary preceptor for new grad nurses. He is extremely knowledgeable and is able to transfer that
knowledge in a way that new nurses can absorb. It is an honor and privilege to work with Aris, he makes
Neuroscience a great place to work.
2017 Award Nominee
Aaron Orio
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jenna Clark:
This nominee, Aaron Orio, is the epitome of why one becomes a registered nurse. Aaron has achieved so
much in the short time he's been a RN. In 2013, Aaron started his career on the surgical orthopedic floor
at CTH. It was there that he took every advantage to learn as much as he could while being an amazing,
hardworking nurse. The surgical orthopedic floor prepared him for bigger things which brought him to the
critical care area. It was evident in his interview and introduction to the staff, that he was a perfect
addition to the unit. He had compassion, empathy, enthusiasm, and drive to take care of critical patients.
One of the many specific memories stands out. It was a busy day; I mean the unfortunate drowning kind of
days. We were calling everyone and anyone to work and help take care the many admits coming. Aaron
picked up the phone and graciously said yes. As Aaron arrived, he saw me drowning in an isolation room
desperate to keep my poor patient alive while consoling the distraught family. Aaron did not hesitate and
jumped right in. He threw on that isolation gear in 5 seconds flat and asked "What do you need?" To many,
that may seem like a minor thing. However, to anyone who's been in a charge nurse/team lead role on "one
of those days", his actions meant the world to not only myself but to this very sick patient and his family.
Aaron saved the day and I will be forever grateful. Aaron quickly became one to rely in which proved him
to be a great candidate for a team lead position. His team praises him every day for his leadership. He
truly is the epitome of why someone should be a nurse. Aaron's passion, dedication and enthusiasm for the
job are to be envied.
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Aaron for the last 2 years. We were hired in the ICU/CVU
approximately around the same time. Aaron is now team lead occasionally. Aaron is also attending school
to become a physician. Aaron provides compassionate amazing pt care. He is organized and a great team
player. If I'm having a very busy day Aaron is at my side providing assistance to help me get through it. I
know that when I show up in the morning and I see Aaron on the floor no matter what the day throws at us
we can conquer it. Aaron is an amazing nurse and will someday make a fantastic doctor.
2017 Award Nominee
Adrianna Ortiz
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jennifer Dado:
Adrianna is an amazing nurse. Adrianna always puts her patients at the center of her care. She treats each
and every patient and their family with respect. She is a charge nurse in her unit and does an awesome
job. She takes the most stressful situations and turns them into solutions and opportunities. Adrianna takes
pride in her role as an RN each and every day. She takes situations that are not the best and turns them
into situations that can be handled and figured out. She is cool under pressure and her patients, their
families, and her team absolutely love her and her ability to handle every situation at hand. Adrianna also
works in the emergency department as needed and she doesn't skip a beat. She arises to any occasion and
handles it like no one I know. She is happy and keeps her patients happy. Most recently Adrianna had a
patient that had her service dog with her and even though the dog was nervous and scared and not being
so friendly to Adrianna she still provided the best care to her patient even though she was concerned over
the service dogs behavior to her. The patient said "She is one of the best nurses I have ever have, I know
my dog has frightened her, but she continues to take care of me and be respectful and that is an awesome
nurse."
2017 Award Nominee
Michael Ortega
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
Michael is a 2014 graduate nurse. I met him September of 2014 when I joined the nursing night shift team.
What is unique to Michael is the ease at which he genuinely connects with each of his patients as well as
his peers. There has been an addition to nursing beyond clinical expertise, patient advocacy, and a
compassionate caring touch that is a dose of customer service. I have heard Michael during bedside shift
report manage up his peers with a truth and grace that both comforts and relieves the patient that they
are in good hands.Patient satisfaction surveys mention Michael regularly, echoing the fact that he not only
relieves worry and pain, educates providing options to support successful healing of mind, body and soul.
Michael heals hearts as much as he touches them.
Nomination from Kacie:
Michael is an outstanding nurse!! I overheard him with one of his elderly patient and he was so caring and
so sweet. The patient was so confused and he spoke to her so calmly and explained everything to her in
words she could understand. Even if the patient couldn't comprehend what he was saying to her, it really
meant a lot to the patients family that was there right by her side. Michael is a nurse that you want to work
with everyday and his patients all love him. His compassion and caring attitude make him the best nurse
we have. Thank you Michael for all that you do for Northern Nevada Medical Center. Keep up the great
work. YOU ROCK!!!
2017 Award Nominee
Debra Orvik
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jeannie O'briant:
Deborah has been a patient advocate by involvement with the OR practices. Clinical Ladder over several
years, revision of practice guidelines within a committee and constant involvement with our standards of
care. The care of patients is a constant concern each day, and the varying cases that she is involved with
require a scope of continuing knowledge bases only acquired through many years of experience. Doing the
best that can be done for each patient each day is a challenging and rewarding experience. Knowing the
needs and the fears and expectation of the patients encountered each day make for a satisfying career of
great satisfaction over many years.
2017 Award Nominee
Dawn Osterman
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Dianna Hein:
Dawn joined the Trauma Service as an APRN about 2 years ago and has been such an asset to the team!
Trauma and surgical patients often has issues with constipation during hospitalizations. Dawn found that
our patients were no exception to this and that the bowel regimen was inadequate. She worked with the
trauma pharmacist and physicians to revamp the protocol and get it implemented. She has educated the
nurses and is currently looking at the data to see how effective these changes were. She was integral in
implementing change in order to improve patient outcomes and that is why I am nominating her.
2017 Award Nominee
Autumn Oury
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Jay Brownson:
Autumn is a newer nurse on Tele 8 . In the time that I have worked with her I have been very impressed
with all of the decisions that she has been able to make, the patient load that she has been able to handle
and the difference that she has made on the night shift on our floor. Autumn has taken nursing with a new
light and has really gran into an amazing nurse during the short time that she has been a new RN. Even
during the orientation period autumn would ask amazing questions and really think outside the box when it
came to taking care of the patient as a while and not just the diagnosis. Autumn has one situation where a
patient was declining quickly and without her quick thinking the patient may not have had the outcome
that they did. Autumn called another RN into the room after she called a rapid and Autumn went to work.
Without being told she stat paged the physician, got orders to get fluids going and advocated for this
patient to go to the ICU. Autumn delegated what she needed to and people jumped in and helped. When I
as the charge RN arrived to the room autumn was hanging a bag of fluids and running around to get more
supplies. We got the patient off to the ICU right in time for her to get the treatment that she needed. This
all happened on Autumn's first night on her own off of orientation. Her quick reflexes and thinking saved
this patient from what could have been a tragic situation. Autumn does not stop caring, showing
compassion or critical thinking once the shift ends. Recently Autumn was on her way home from work
when she noticed that a mother and her child were running down the street barefoot. She stopped to ask if
there was anything that she could do to help when the mother notified her that there was something wrong
with her younger daughter and they needed help. Autumn went back to the house with them and found the
father on the phone with paramedics and the 3 year old daughter unresponsive and pulseless. Autumn then
started compression on this litter girl and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. When the child was
taken, Autumn did not just leave. She stayed with the family and consoled them during the tragedy that
was unfolding in front of them. She held their hands as they cried and question the world around them.
Autumn was also able to attend funeral services per the family request and still came in to care for her
patients. Autumn is the person that we should be trying to copy for amazing nursing care. She continues to
act as an amazing patient advocate and is one of the most caring and compassionate people that I have
ever had the pleasure of working with. I am excited to call her a friend and colleague.
Nomination from Janet Baum:
Autumn is a newer nurse on Tele 8. Autumn has taken nursing with a new light and has really grown into
an amazing nurse during the short time that she has been a new RN. Autumn does not stop this caring,
compassion and critical thinking when not at work. Recently autumn was on her way home from work
when she noticed that a mother and her child were running down the street barefoot. She stopped to ask if
there was anything that she could do to help when the mother notified her that there was something wrong
with her younger daughter and the they needed help. Autumn went back to house with them to find the
father on the phone with the paramedics and the 3 year old daughter unresponsive and pulseless. Autumn
then started compressions on this little girl and performed CPR until the paramedics arrived. When the
paramedics arrived Autumn did not leave the scene. She stayed and consoled the family during the tragedy
that was unfolding in front of them. Autumn held their hands and helped to calm their anxiety.
Unfortunately, while the outcome was not good Autumn went above and beyond for this family. She stayed
with them until they stated they were okay for her to leave. Autumn still thought about her team at this
time. Calling to ask if the staffing would be appropriate if she were to call in that night. A few days after
this incident Autumn received a phone call from the sheriff that the family would like to invite Autumn to
the funeral of the little girl that she so diligently tried to save. Autumn was more than happy to oblige to
this and woke up early on a day that she was going to work night shift and attended the funeral. The family
then picked her out of the crowd to hug her and thank her for all that she had done for them. This is not
something that happened in the hospital and I am not sure what could happen for her from this, but all I
know is that Autumn has made quite the impression on myself and others in the short time that she has
been here. Autumn exemplifies all that Renown stands for. She also is a standard for how not only nurses
should act, but how people in general should act. The selflessness of her actions made a huge difference in
the life of a family and she is making a difference in the lives of the patients that she is caring for up here
on tele 8. I am excited to see where Autumn goes in her career and the difference that she continues to
make in this hospital and in this community. I am proud to say that I work with Autumn and am lucky to
call her a friend and colleage.
2017 Award Nominee
Julie Overland
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
Julie started her nursing career as a LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE. She didn't stop there. Went back to
school to become a registered nurse through a diploma program. Again back to school for her bachelor's
degree while juggling being a nurse, a wife and a mother. To top it all, she works night shift and drives
from Carson City and back everyday she works. All these made her more determined that presently she' is
enrolled in the Masters program. She is a very effective supervisor on night shift. She is the anchor that
binds all so Telemetry will function the way it should be. She is the "go to" person especially for our new
staff who is just starting to be on their own, who is scared and fearful on those first few nights on their
own. She patiently teaches them, guides them and most of all listens to them. She has the task of making
sure our staff are paid accuratelly. She coordinates with other supervisors for the smooth flow of
Telemetry.
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
Julie started her nursing career as a LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE. She didn't stop there. Went back to
school to become a registered nurse through a diploma program. Again back to school for her bachelor's
degree while juggling being a nurse, a wife and a mother. To top it all, she works night shift and drives
from Carson City and back everyday she works. All these made her more determined that presently she' is
enrolled in the Masters program. She is a very effective supervisor on night shift. She is the anchor that
binds all so Telemetry will function the way it should be. She is the "go to" person especially for our new
staff who is just starting to be on their own, who is scared and fearful on those first few nights on their
own. She patiently teaches them, guides them and most of all listens to them. She has the task of making
sure our staff are paid accuratelly. She coordinates with other supervisors for the smooth flow of
Telemetry.
2017 Award Nominee
Lisa Overmyer
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
Every day Lisa comes into work, she starts the day off with an infectious smile that lets everyone know that
today will be great day. She is known to her team as someone who will always jump in and help with any
situation. She brings tremendous positivity to all who talk with her. While rounding on her patients, they
tell me that they can tell she truly loves her job because how much she cares is so evident. One family
member told me that they didn't think they would be able to leave the hospital after their spouse's surgery,
but after having Lisa take care of them, the next night the spouse went home and got some rest since they
knew that the patient was is great hands. Lisa's ability to establish trust and bond with this family, is a
great example of how she lives out purpose because she made a genuine difference in their experience by
helping them know that she would take excellent care of their family member.
2017 Award Nominee
Jesseca Pacheco-Larios
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Maria Theresa Dabu:
Jesseca has grown over the past year from an eager, frightened and sometimes overwhelmed new nurse to
a confident, compassionate and caring patient advocate. Jesseca approaches tasks with a " can do" attitude
and never shies away from whatever needs to be done for the patient. Jesseca builds trust with respect,
compassion and consistent use of AIDET. She listens to the patient and actually " hears" what they are
saying. Jesseca is the perfect example of a rising star in our field of expertise in Oncology. I am blessed to
be able to nominate Jesseca for the professional growth she has demonstrated.
2017 Award Nominee
Karan Padgett
Cancer Care Specialists
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Lisa Thayer:
Karan comes to work with a smile on her face every day. She takes special notice of every patient under
her care and does not let the little things go unnoticed. Whether it is a pained look on the patient's face or
a tear in their eyes. She is there for them. Once a patient in in the chemotherapy infusion room and under
Karan's care, they can know that her special attention in focused on them. If they are looking sad, she is
there to sit and talk with them. If they are in pain, she makes sure they have what they need to address
that pain. If they have been throwing up at home, she takes notice and will ask the doctor to order some
hydration for them.Not only does she bring joy to her patient's, her coworkers love having her around as
well. She is a team player. She is always ready to go whatever she needs to do to make the day run
smoother. She never has a bad word to say about anyone and makes her work environment better because
she is there.Karan is a wonderful nurse. She is one of those special souls who were made to be a nurse.
This is why she deserves to be Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Cynthia Parker
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Sarah Key:
Cyndi is one of the best managers I've have ever had. She took over the management position in the icu a
couple years ago. She has such a great spirit about her. Cyndi knows how to inspire you took work hard
and develop your education. Cyndi has made education a top priority and because of this we are getting
new technologies in our icu that improve pt our come. Cyndi has a way of looking at each one of us in the
icu see our individual strengths and use it to make the icu an amazing place to work. She has developed an
atmosphere in the Icu the makes you proud to be nurse.She gave me a chance in the CVU with only
expiernce in tele and critical care float pool. My orientation was personalized she encouraged me and
made sure I was safe and comfortable in providing care to my patients. I will fiver be greatful to her for
that.
2017 Award Nominee
Danielle Paradise
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Kelli Mcdonnell:
Danielle Paradise is an unparalleled nurse that goes above and beyond for her patients and coworkers on a
daily basis. She consistently advocates for each patient medically and mentally. Her positivity and
genuineness creates long lasting bonds between herself and her patients. These bonds have had a
tremendous impact on improving patient's outcomes because she is someone who can motivate those
patients who need that extra push. For example, many patients are in pain and do not want to walk, but
Danielle has that magical touch to help them fight through it and find the motivation to get up. Afterwards
they thank her and feel proud of their accomplishment. In addition to her incredible nursing skills, her
fellow team members look up to her as a leader due to her selfless dedication to her field and unit.
Danielle's exceptional optimistic attitude creates an encouraging and approachable atmosphere, which
allows her co-workers to always feel reassured and confident going to her as a resource. The GSU team
appreciates her smile and positivity that she brings to work every day. Danielle inspires an engaged and
bright work environment for her team. She is such a powerful role model for young nurses entering the
nursing field, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Danielle. GSU is so grateful to have such
an amazing person on our team that motivates and supports Renown's Mission, Vision, and Values.
2017 Award Nominee
Shannon Parker
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Patricia Crepps:
Shannon started her nursing career in the cardiac intensive care unit. She worked extremely hard on these
critically ill patients and was always concerned that she wasn't doing enough, concerned about their well
being and safety. One particularly ill patient literally took up her entire day with a move to another facility
because this patient was so sick and Shannon still wanted to do more for her. She was also taking care of
another patient during that shift. Because Shannon cared so much and was so concerned about making an
error or harming a patient she felt she could not stay in critical care and that is what I admire the most
about her and why she should be Rookie of the Year. It is not so much that she was recognized for some
spectacular case, more that she recognized in her self the need to find a less stressful environment for her
own sanity because she almost has too much compassion and concern for her patients. Being able to
recognize the need for a change, reaching out to her leaders and asking for assistance and then making a
move to another unit are actions that take courage and self reflection and a move that most people will not
take but continue to struggle. Shannon has found a new home on the cancer nursing unit and is thriving
there as a nurse, continues to have compassion and caring for this new population. I applaud Shannon for
her ability to do the right thing for herself and for her patients and hope that she gets the recognition she
deserves as the brave and outstanding new nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Tyler Park
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Amy Hawkins:
Tyler is a new nurse, to the field and to the ER. Tyler is a very methodical nurse, his care is delivered with
purpose and with the best practice guidelines always in the forefront of his mind. Tyler is not only
methodical, he is also very caring. He has a very calm demeanor with his patients and speaks very directly
to them as he explains the care he will be providing and what to expect as he moves around their room so
purposefully. Tyler always has a smile for his patients and his coworkers alike. Tyler has grown so quickly
as a new nurse, he has truly flew the nest! Tyler amazes me with his dedication to medicine as he not only
works as a full time nurse in our ER on the night shift but he is currently enrolled as a pre med student to
pursue his dream as a doctor!
2017 Award Nominee
Cara Pascucci-Martinez
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jimmy Lao:
I have never seen a heart as big as Cara's when it comes to truly caring for those who lost everything. Cara
recently took care of a homeless patient who was admitted for cellulitis. She had only taken care of this
patient for a few hours but it made a significant impact on Cara's heart. This patient had lost everything
after a car accident. He had lost her loving wife and two children in a fatal car crash. He stopped living. He
stopped caring for himself as he did not find the purpose to live alone. He roamed the streets of reno
hoping that one day he would just die and see his family again. On the day Cara took care of this patient,
the discharge order from the hospital was written. Knowing that he doesn't have a home to go to, Cara
worked relentlessly to find a shelter who will take him upon discharge. Patient did not have any belongings
nor clean clothes to wear. Cara called her husband, Joe, to go to Salvation Army to get him clothes to wear.
Joe and his 1 year old son Lino, did more than that. They purchased a small rolling suitcase and bought
him, not one, but multiple pairs of clothes including winter clothing. They had also purchased him small
pack of food he could take with him. The patient was hit by the reality of genuine kindness. The kindness
struck the patient as it reminded him of the things he did with his family to those who are in need.
According to him, every month, they would purchase clothing from the Salvation Army and give it to those
in need at one of the shelters in Reno. This was their family tradition before that fatal accident.When Cara
was asked as to why he felt the need to do it. She said it was a way to show Lino, their son, what kindness
means and how it feels to genuinely care to someone, even if they are strangers.
Nomination from Sara Pierce:
I have had the pleasure of training Cara when she was a new hire at Saint Mary's. She came with a great
knowledge of nursing and patient care yet she was open minded to learned the new ways of the floor. She
always had the best of attitudes and a smile on her face. The passion and care that she pours into her
patients is truly outstanding. Cara was recently taking care of a patient that was very sick and was not
recovering very well. She was constantly in that patients room and doing everything that she could to
make sure he was improving. She was a huge advocate for him when it came to the doctor. Even though
she was getting push back from the doctor, she ensured that the patient got more of the appropriate care
he needed. The son of this patient left an amazing comment in regards to the care he saw her providing.This is the second time I have had an extended stay, one for my mother and now for my father. I have been
here now for four days and I cannot say enough high praise for the nurses. Cara showed compassion,
professionalism, and genuine care for my 72 yr old father who is suffering form having his colon removed.
As a director and manager myself, these are characteristics a staff that any organization would be proud to
have. She is a "A" player and I would hope they recognize her for her efforts. This compassion should be
the standard for all healthcare. I realize her profession is not easy, hours are long, and patients can be
unruly, however she is a true professional.
2017 Award Nominee
Meeta Patel
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Pauline Stoltzner:
Sometimes, difficult times and long hours make us forget why we've chosen mursing as a career in the first
place. Then there are people who always bring us back to reality and inspire us to stick to the fight. This
last year Meeta has been this person for me. She is not only an exceptional supervisor but she is an
amazing nurse. She is always so calm in any situation and knows exactly what to do. The funny thing is, I
don't even think she realizes the amazing impact she has on the lives of the nurses she works with and
doesn't even realize how fondly she is looked at from people like me. She works so hard not only at Saint
Marys but at other hospitals too, and keeps everything flowing beautifully. How she has the energy and
passion to take care of her work family and her home family is beyond me, but I am so happy she does it.
Having a supervisor like her to look up to gives me someone to truly model myself after. Every day I work
with her I know she is a reliable source of knowledge and will always be there when needed. She is the
truest definition of what a nurse should be, smart, caring, kind, and passionate about the field. There are
so many ways to describe this amazing woman, but the main way for me is inspirational. I just finished my
masters degree for nurse practitioner and because she is the first supervisor I absolutely adore working
with and watching, I find myself not wanting to work anywhere else and leave an area I finally feel at home
in.
2017 Award Nominee
Christopher Paul
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kelly De Jong:
I am honored to nominate Christopher Paul for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award in
Critical Care. Chris is one of our strongest nurses in the trauma ICU. His experience and knowledge make
him one of the most reliable resources for the team. He recognizes difficult situations before they happen
and takes action to ensure the best possible outcomes. He is willing to help any nurse and any unit,
frequently traveling to other units to perform tasks. He is a strong charge nurse within our unit. In
addition to his excellent skills and knowledge, Chris is one of the most compassionate nurses I have ever
met. He gives every patient personalized attention and care and always goes the above and beyond to
provide excellent care.
2017 Award Nominee
Amanda Peachay
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Amanda Peachay has been a valued team member on our unit since 2015, where she began as a nurse
apprentice, and then a new graduate nurse. Amanda is well liked and respected by her fellow teammates,
as well as staff throughout the hospital organization. She has made great progress in less than two years in
her nursing career. Not only has she become one of the most skilled and strongest nurses on our night
shift crew, but she has become one of the most respected as well. Amanda recently accepted a position as
our night shift Charge Nurse, and we couldn't be happier about it. I saw in her leadership skills before
even she did. I knew that she would make a great leader and charge nurse, and she has. She has helped to
guide our new graduate nurses through the most difficult portions of their nursing career, which is the
beginning. Amanda has the ability to educate staff without making them feel senseless. You can really tell
that she wants them to succeed, just as she has. She is invested in the success of our team members, as
well as the success of our unit. One of the greatest qualities about Amanda, is that she will stand up for her
fellow teammates, as well as for her patients. She is a great patient advocate, always ensuring that her
patients are receiving the care and treatments that they need. She is always willing to help staff with
difficult situation or with conflicts with patients/families. She herself is a strong-willed and confident
person, and she teaches others how to be strong and confident, even when they feel timid. Patients
compliment Amanda constantly, in the form of written letters and thank you cards to the unit. We
appreciate her commitment to our unit, her openness to assist staff to succeed, and her ability to be a
great liaison between patient and staff, as well as between staff and management. Amanda has come so far
in less than two years, and I'm very excited to see where she will be in her future career. Please consider
her for the rookie of the year nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Perks
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Hilary Rosette:
Jenny has been a nurse at Renown for nearly 6 years which is impressive but what is even more impressive
is her dedication and commitment to telemetry 8 for those 6 years. I have only been lucky enough to work
with Jenny for the two years that I have worked on tele 8 but she has taught me so much about being a
nurse and what is even more important she has taught me about being a leader. Jenny has only been a
"official" leader on our unit for the past 3 months but her unspoken guidance has been noticed by everyone
on the unit for years. Jenny is everything a nurse should be. She is intelligent, compassionate, kind, and
trustworthy and those traits are just some of the reasons Jenny has been so vital in our floors success. She
has precepted so many new graduate nurses over the years, she has been charge nurse making sure the
floor was running smoothly and has had nothing but positive feedback. She did all of this and more just
because she loved being a nurse on tele. This is why when a new day supervisor position opened up she
was the perfect choice to be the new leader on our unit. She went from being part time to taking on the
task of becoming a full time supervisor. She has made it her priority to be there for our team even when
she was facing her own issues at home such as finding child care for her 5 children. Jenny never lets
anything set her back and makes sure to bring nothing but positivity to our unit. I continue to learn about
what it takes to be a leader from Jenny every time I am fortunate enough to work with her. She is truly an
amazing leader.
2017 Award Nominee
Lori Perry
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Stacy Chavis:
Lori has really taken on the role of ED Director in a positive light. She is passionate, kind, strong and an
amazing leader. The ED has a new positive environment about it and it's because of Lori's strong
leadership. She is well respected and simply just knows how to work well with others. She really cares
about her staff and most importantly the patients. She is always available to speak with and she makes a
constant effort to provide each employee with ways to better themselves as individuals and employees. She
provides us with opportunities to showcase our strengths and opportunities to strengthen our weaknesses.
She not only has great ideas but she is always asking for feedback from staff which allows us to feel
involved in the department's success. I have always looked up to Lori as an individual and now to be able
to call her my boss is such an honor.
2017 Award Nominee
Rendee Perry
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Teena Thomas:
I am nominating Rendee Perry because I cannot think of another individual more deserving of this award.
Rendee is the night shift supervisor of a BUSY Telemetry unit. She functions as charge nurse and
supervisor most nights she is at work. Rendee also is the focal resource of this dynamic unit for a
multitude of disciplines. She coordinates the unit with finesse and oversees a monitor room that is
responsible for monitoring over 140 beds on multiple units. Rendee has helped and been by the side all of
the new graduate nurses as they had their 'firsts' - their first rapid, their first code and their first demise.
She guides, supports and nurtures her staff while maintaining the morale and momentum of the unit. This
is not an easy feat and this is downright impossible to do on night shift. Yet Rendee accomplishes all of
that with a sense of humor and an unwavering ethical compass. She inspires me and our unit.
2017 Award Nominee
Crystal Peterson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Jessica Caufield:
I am nominating Crystal for the clinical leadership award. Crystal is the supervisor of nursing for the
Tahoe PACU. I worked with Crystal when she was a staff RN here in PACU. She has grown immensely in
her time here and become a wonderful leader. The PACU is a very fast-paced and complex area not only to
work in, but to manage. Crystal has taken a lot of time to examine our work processes in order to create
the most efficient, and effective work environment possible. Her commitment to patient care and her staff
is evident in the long hours she commits to this unit. Crystal's leadership will surely continue to help our
PACU grow to meet the needs of our community!
Nomination from Irene Peacock:
I would like to nominate Crystal Petersen for nurse of achievement for Clinical Leadership. She is a
supervisor in the Tahoe Tower PACU at Renown Regional Medical Center.Crystal's focus on excellence in
patient care can be felt on a daily basis. Whether she is providing direct patient care or directing the work
flow in Recovery her presence is always positive and uplifting.No task she is challenged with is left for
tomorrow. She is committed to make our work environment a safe place for both the nursing staff and
patients we serve. Whether it is getting the equipement we need or holding a patients hand for comfort,
Crystal can always be counted on to make the difference.Crystal's commitment is 24hrs a day and many
times has been called back to provide patient care or to manage problems that come up after hours. Her
leadership has made our department an exceptional place to work.
2017 Award Nominee
Gregory Shawn Petersen
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
I am pleased to nominate Shawn Peterson for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award. Shawn is
an ER Nurse with several years experience whom is always striving and motivated to meet the needs of our
growing community. Shawn often takes on the role of Charge Nurse and is always able to look for ways to
increase throughput and be creative in looking for ways to care for our patients. He always keeps safety
and mind and is a strong patient advocate. Shawn is motivated and keeps a positive attitude even in the
most stressful situations. He is looked up to by his co-workers and is respected by the physicians. Shawn
always has the patients best interest in mind.
2017 Award Nominee
Janice Peters
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Katie Adams:
It is in my opinion that those nurses who can keep calm and focused during complete chaos are one of the
best assets to a medical team. Their "get it done" attitude and calm, but methodical, triaging help to keep
the entire team working together and thriving, in a stressful and chaotic environment. Janice Peters is one
of these nurses. As Janice's supervisor, I am frequently able to watch her in these situations. Not only is
Janice able to cope in these high stress conditions, but she is amazingly able to care for these patients
without losing a caring touch and the kind words that our oncology population so desperately needs. Janice
keeps and incorporates the humanity of the nursing profession during high stress situations where others
might falter. Recently, I witnessed Janice at her best. It was touching to witness and it is why I feel you
should select Janice as nurse of the year for Medical/Surgical nursing. In mid-December, our unit
experienced an exceptionally high census of acutely ill cancer patients. We were understaffed and,
unfortunately, there were not enough nurses to handle the multiple situations, call lights, and needs of the
patients. As nurses, we don't like to admit this occurs, but we all know these days happen and they are
brutal. To add insult to injury, Janice received an ER admit at the exact time that a complicated surgery
patient returned to the unit with uncontrolled pain. The ER admit happened to be a mother of five (her
youngest child just 2 months); she came to the ER with pain and fatigue and lab tests showed acute
leukemia. For those of you reading this nomination, it is important for you to know that patients admitted
with leukemia have a hard road of procedures and chemotherapy, combined with a lengthy hospital stay. It
is not unusual for these patients to be hospitalized for greater than 2 months. During this time, they do not
go home, they are often isolated, and they are quite literally fighting for their lives. As I managed the
multiple family members and other problems at the nursing station, I kept an eye on Janice and helped her
as I could. She quickly moved back and forth from her rooms, getting everyone calmed and settled. In the
midst of all of this chaos, I turned to see Janice pull up a chair to the bedside of this scared and sobbing
young mother and take her hand. In this high stress moment, Janice made time to treat the patient, not the
disease. In this moment, Janice was nursing at its best. This excellence in nursing is common practice for
Janice. She is not only kind and caring, but she is a staunch patient advocate and has expertise and critical
thinking skills far beyond her years. She is a God-send to our oncology patients and a much-respected
team member. Thank you for your consideration of Janice Peters for Nurse of the Year.
2017 Award Nominee
Marina Peterson
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Marina is an amazing nurse with years of experience. Marina is a knowledgeable, and patient preceptor
with new nurses. Marina is always looking to help the floor either by assisting with obtaining IV access or
coming in extra to keep the nurses in ratio. My favorite memory of Marina is her interaction with a patient
who had been on our floor for a long time due to placement issues. The patient had psychiatric disorders
and was refusing to eat or take medication. Marina got the patient to both eat and take his medication by
bringing in fried rice. The patient was happy and more compliant in his care from then on.
2017 Award Nominee
Mark Peterson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Alex Vogt:
Throughout my first year being a nurse on telemetry, there has been one nurse that clearly stands out and
is absolutely deserving of this nomination. Mark exemplifies what an excellent nurse should be each and
every day. First, his positive attitude brings the team together, which helps boost moral on the floor. His
ability to handle stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner is a skill I strive to achieve everyday.
Additionally, every nurse he works with would agree that he is a huge asset to our floor. Mark is one to
drop whatever he is doing to help out a co-worker. Specifically, on a day when the staffing was incredibly
low, Mark stayed almost 2 hours after his own difficult 12 hour shift to help out with extra tasks and make
sure that day shift had a smooth start to their shift. Just knowing someone was there to help and with a
smile on his face made the floor rally together to get through a difficult situation. He is outstanding with
critical thinking, as all nurses will come to him with questions if they are concerned with their patients. His
ability to diagnose critical situations efficiently and effectively is a very rare quality which should not go
unnoticed. Our floor has a high acuity and Mark has the ability to anticipate problems rather than
retroactively trying to treat the patient. Ultimately, he has stopped patients from being transferred to the
unit with his unique knowledge. His various contributions have helped start a foundation for the unit,
including being a charge nurse and preceptor for a year. I was lucky enough to be precepted by him as a
new graduate nurse. Before starting with Mark, I lacked self- confidence and time-management skills. With
only 6 shifts with Mark, my confidence grew exponentially as he showed me how to use my resources and
rely on the team. Along with his ability to successfully teach new graduate nurses, he strives to gain
knowledge and skills to become a better team member. He has become a Tavr nurse, IV ultrasound guided,
and coretrak certified. Not only does he excel with the aforementioned skills, Mark has outstanding
bedside manner. I have heard him on multiple occasions calmly explain diagnoses to anxious patients and
family members. The mental being of his patients is always his utmost priority. Overall, I can't stress
enough how important this RN is to our floor. He is hard working, compassionate, flexible, and a great
asset to our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Amber Pezzi
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Christine Roberts:
Amber is an awesome nurse, she is always smiling and willing to help out whenever it is needed. Her
courteous and helpful attitude toward even the worse patient is amazing. She treats each one as if they are
family. Her healing attitude is the best I have seen lately in any nursing staff I have ever worked with. I
wish all nurses could take a lesson from her, this world would be a far better place to work and live in. Her
patients come here sick and they leave with the memory of their nurse who treated them as if they were
the only patient she has at that timeframe.
Nomination from Dana Julian Rn:
Amber came to our department from the tele unit. She has grown with her experience here tenfold. Amber
has keen assessment skills with the ability to calm patients in the midst of urgent situations. Amber is also
a strong patient advocate. She is a team player who is beginning to master her skills here in the ED. As she
has begun to feel more confident with her ability in our emergency dept her willingness has also increased.
Willing to help others, willing to jump right in to help, willing to be a part of the team. When she moves
into the charge and triage role she will do well at it.
2017 Award Nominee
Barbara Phillips
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Mary Sellars:
The RN that our team is nominating became an CNA in 1975 and went on to graduate with her RN in 1980.
She practice in California with 20-1 nurse to patient ratios unitizing LPNs and Aids to assist with her
patient care ( she says the CNA's had much more autonomy then). She then moved to a new environment
where the RN to Patient ratio was 12 to 1. She remembers patients smoking in their rooms, the charge
nurse rounding with the Doctors, Appy's and gallbladders staying for two weeks, ever belly patient got an
NG Tube, back/ortho surgical patient's staying in bed for weeks (now that get up the day of surgery). She
shared that so many changes have taken place that have improved our patient safety and patient care, our
medication scanning ability was one that she mentioned and loves. This nurse has been a mentor for all of
us, she continues to advocate for her patients, our new grads, nurse apprentices. Her dedication and
attention to detail along with her healing kind demeanor inspires her patients to do their best to recover
and go home. We get so many meaningful letters from our patients about her compassionate care and the
time she takes to get to know them and their story. If you were to meet her today and sit and talk to her
you would be inspired to become a nurse for all the right reasons, and you would be touched by her
compassion and dedication she has for her patients and profession. She has embraced the changes in
technology, her practice and are ever evolving environment. Over this past year she has had her own
struggles with bladder cancer and then breast cancer, she never once missed a beat, she worked around
her chemo treatment and never missed a day, never a sad face, never feeling sorry for herself, she
continued to take care of her patients and all of us.....you would never have known she had any type of
health issues and her patients never saw any less from her. This RN has inspired me to be a better person
and to be the best nurse I can be, please consider her for this Life Time Achievement, she is the most
humble kind deserving nurse that continues to give unconditionally of herself daily.
Nomination from Cassidy Jost And Mary Sellars:
The RN that our team is nominating became a CNA in 1975 and went on to graduate with her RN degree
in 1980. She practiced in California with 20-1 nurse to patient ratios unitizing LPNs and CNAs to assist
with her patient care (she says the CNAs had much more autonomy then). She then moved to a new
environment where the RN to patient ratio was 12 to 1. She remembers patients smoking in their rooms,
the charge nurse rounding with the Doctors, and when patients who had surgery had to lay in bed for
weeks at a time .She shared that so many changes have taken place that have improved our patient safety
and patient care. Our medication scanning ability was one that she mentioned and loves. Barbara has been
an esteemed and valued member of our care team for many years. She has literally been a mentor for all of
us on our team. Her dedication and attention to detail, along with her healing, kind demeanor inspires her
patients to do their best to recover. We get so many meaningful letters from our patients about her
compassionate care and the time she takes to get to know them. She understands the importance of
developing the nurse/patient relationship, as well as the value of therapeutic touch. She does not have to
put on a facade: she truly and honestly cares about each of her patients. The letters of thanks from
gracious patients and family members is astounding. If you were to sit and talk with her, you would be
inspired to become a nurse for all the right reasons. Our team is touched by the compassion and dedication
she has for her patients and for the nursing profession. She has embraced the changes in technology, her
practice and our ever evolving environment. She continues to advocate for her patients, our new graduate
nurses, and nurse apprentices. Barbara truly values the concept of being a healthcare team. She is always
willing to help her fellow co-workers when they are struggling, as well as coming in to work extra when
our team needs extra assistance. Every single member of our team looks up to Barbara as the ideal
example of how a nurse should practice, act and advocate.Over this past year, she has had her own
struggles with bladder and breast cancer and she never once missed a beat. She worked around her chemo
treatments and never missed a day of work. You will never see a sad face, a negative feeling, or hear her
feeling sorry for herself. She continued to take care of her patients and all of us.....you would never have
known she had any type of health issues. This RN has inspired me to be a better person and the best nurse
I can be. Please consider her for this Life Time Achievement, as she is the most humble, kind, deserving
nurse that continues to give unconditional and unbelievable patient care.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Pierce
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Sheryll Cruz:
I am very privileged to work with Jennifer Pierce in a nursing capacity within the Pre-Op and Pain Clinic
departments at Northern Nevada Medical Center. She is my Charge Nurse in both areas, and I consider
her to be a very knowledgeable, fair, smart, hardworking, and engaged RN. We have had to work without a
manager for a while, and in that time she took up many responsibilities to keep the departments in order.
She managed schedules on a day to day and monthly basis, communicated between upper management
and departmental staff, and did all this in a fair, above the line fashion. She even handled grievances well,
by either taking care of situations herself where appropriate, or directing them to proper resources. She
truly is a great role model. Even now with a new manager on board, she has kept her responsibilities, and
is seen as a great asset.
2017 Award Nominee
Lisa Pistone
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
Lisa worked her way up through diligence, perseverance and the patience to do everything she did. She
started as a CNA while she was going through nursing school, then became a staff RN in Telemetry after
graduation. She was loved by her patients but there was something more in her. She continued with her
Masters degree and certification in a lot of things that I sometimes don't know what letters or how many
letters are after her name. Telemetry is running like a well-oiled machine because of the leadership of Lisa.
She does not micro manage, she allows her Supervisors to think outside the box, listens to them and is
always there when needed. She is open to suggestions, tiny but can be tough when needed. She has a
special gift of innovation and transformation that at some point she spearheaded some transformational
care committees. She serves as advisor to a lot of committees run by regular staff nurses. She is very
supportive of the clinical advancement of her staff that is why we have the ECCO program in place to help
transition staff from Telemetry to Critical Care or to help Telemetry RN's pass their PCCN Certification.
She welcomes new ideas, gives needed support and second chances when needed and deserved by staff
and she she has the foresight to be on top of our staffing needs. She is good with numbers and statistics
that when data is needed to support a need or a project she has it. It has always been a pleasure working
with her.
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Pisciotta
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
Please consider my nominee for the Northern Nevada Nurses of achievement in the Community/Behavioral
Health category.My nominee has a steadfast commitment to patient care. She is passionate about the wellbeing of our patients. As a Home Health Nurse, she is selfless with her time, compassionate, empathetic.
She is detail oriented and provides great coordination of care.Great nurses such as my nominee are born,
not made. My nominee consistently surpasses expectations in her pursuit of excellence. My nominee is a
positive role model and a collaborative interdisciplinary team player. Professionalism, intelligence, respect,
caring and teamwork are but a few words that describe this exceptional nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Matthew Polak
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Peggy Wolff:
Matt unselfishly started into his supervisor position not to gain power or title, and not for increased
benefits or money, but because he believed that by becoming a supervisor he could make a difference to a
large and busy critical care unit. He stepped in without hesitation and has made that difference. Prior to
the current management team his unit had increased staff dissatisfaction and turnover. Since becoming a
part of the team he has helped decrease turnover and improve moral. One of Matt's key assets is that he is
approachable, while still being able to deal effectively and professionally with all of the staff; unit nurses,
lower and upper management, ancillary staff, and physicians. His opinions are well respected due to his
thorough knowledge base and exceptional practical skills. He does not hesitate to jump in and help and is
always willing to educate. Through Matt's professional dedication and commitment to the unit, he has
undoubtedly improved patient care. His unselfish endeavors have improved working conditions, and
improved patient outcomes, he is a phenomenal nurse and leader.
Nomination from Meg Gast:
I would like to nominate Matt in the category of clinical leadership. I have had the privilege of working
closely with Matt throughout our leadership residency group and it has become truly evident that he is a
wonderful human being and a treasured leader on his unit. Although I have not worked with Matt on his
unit I have worked with him in transferring patients when they needed a higher level of care and it is clear
that he is very caring and extremely knowledgeable. I have also gone up to his unit to work on our project
and it is undeniable that he has great relationships with his coworkers. He takes the time to truly get to
know his staff and to make sure that they are taken care of whether it be lending an ear, being supportive,
helping out, or doing things out of the goodness of his heart to help bring up the morale of the unit. I have
a good friend that works with him and have heard him say on many accounts that he feels like Matt is the
only one he can talk to or the only one that truly takes the time to help him regardless of if he has other
things pulling at him. He is passionate about helping his new grads and his unit succeed in all endeavors.
He comes in regularly to help out the unit, often buys meals or supplies coffee for the staff when they are
particularly busy or having a rough day, and stays late more often than anyone I know. He is a shining
light that brightens everything around him, and lately that is exactly what we need.
Nomination from Crystal Heyer:
Matt has been a leader on CICU for about 8 months and in that time, the transformation in the staff's
satisfaction with working here has been wonderful! He brings a shining light every time he walks onto the
unit. He leaves the staff feeling well supported and cared for. He has created a house-wide mentor
program to increase new graduate retention. He worked in collaboration with human resources other
leaders and spent many hours researching prior to kicking off the new program. It will make a drastic
difference for the retention and overall satisfaction of our new hires, already staff comment they feel
better supported. He has also been a CICU nurse for several years and brings a wealth of knowledge to the
team which is greatly appreciated by the staff. They frequently look to him as a resource. He excels at
creating great relationships with people in other departments and areas of expertise. His ability to get
along with anyone is truly remarkable. Patients and staff members frequently compliment him for being
such a great nurse and caring person.
Nomination from Amy Allen:
A strong leader knows when to listen and knows when to act, Matt effectively does both. Matt is a team
leader and team player. As a leader it can be difficult to understand when it is appropriate to lead and
guide versus when to follow and support. Matt's vulnerability has made this undertaking appear seamless.
Matt is frequently seen at the helm guiding his team, however he understands the importance of allowing
others to navigate, and therefore, is often seen yielding the powers of responsibilities to other team
members. I was once told a strong team leader never asks his or her team members to perform a task they
wouldn't perform themselves, Matt is a strong team leader. He is always contributing to the team and
providing assistance, and he never asks the team to perform a task he wouldn't, or hasn't performed
himself. He has not allowed his role to disbar him from basic patient care or being a nurse. Matt is a strong
team leader, but more importantly he is a strong team player.
Nomination from Patricia Crepps:
Matt took on the role of supervisor in CIC after being an outstanding staff nurse for a couple of years. He
has become a resource for the nursing staff in open heart surgery patients, balloon pumps and the many
other types of equipment and patients that are admitted to this unit. Matt provides leadership to both new
and experienced staff both in the charge nurse role and in the managerial role. Matt is able to understand
the concerns of the staff having recently left the bedside and still remains in patient care when needed.A
reason that Matt should be recognized as a clinical leader is his passion for the mentorship program that
has been recently reinstated and how involved he is with this and his genuine concern he displays for the
new nurses on the unit. Matt has such empathy for these new graduates and cares deeply that they
succeed on his unit. No matter how busy he is on the unit I have seen Matt take the time to listen to these
new graduates and assist them with the complex patients under their care. I truly believe that Matt
demonstrates the passion and leadership abilities that earn him the clinical leadership recognition
rewarded by the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement aware.
Nomination from Penelope Burke:
Matt is an incredible RN and an inspiring leader. His positive attitude is infectious and it is clear that he is
driven to help those around him and all of his community. He recently became supervisor on our unit and it
seems that he was made for the job. He sets a strong example by working harder than most anyone on our
floor, coming in extra when we are full and never turning down a request for help. It is a difficult task to
follow Matt on a patient assignment, his clinical skills are incredibly strong and he connects with all of his
patients on a deep level. Recently I took over for him after he had only had the patient for a few hours: the
family wouldn't let him leave until he clarified that he was back the next day and promised to stop by to
say hello. Matt truly is an asset to our unit and our patients!
2017 Award Nominee
Shauna Polak
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Katie Jenkins:
For several years now it has been my honor to work alongside Shauna Polak. It is difficult to find the words
to describe the compassion that this nurse embodies, but she deserves for someone to try. This nurse
epitomizes the role of nursing that our founder Florence Nightingale imagined for all. She is kind, patient,
smart, and above all, she is caring. She is nurse that you want by your side when you are in pain, or when
you at your darkest place. She is the nurse that will hold your hand while another nurse starts your IV
because you are afraid of needles. She is the nurse that will smile at you when you press your call light to
be cleaned up for the umpteenth time that shift. She is the nurse that will stay past her shift to ensure that
each and every one of your needs is met. She is the nurse that will sit with you and your family for as long
as you need her to. If given the option, I promise you, she is nurse that you want taking care of you.Beyond
genuine compassion for her patients and their families, this nurse also strongly values quality nursing
care. Last year when hospital-acquired infection rates spiked, this nursed jumped to volunteer to be her
unit's Infection Prevention Champion. She attended in-depth training for new central line dressing change
practices and strived to ensure that each nurse on her unit received the new training. She is committed to
patient safety and helping her peers provide the best care possible. This nurse is also a strong advocate for
each of her patients. She never hesitates to reach out to the interdisciplinary care team if she thinks that
her patient needs something else. She is also not afraid to challenge her patients to do better, to help them
help themselves. When taking care of a young man who spent over a year on her unit, she challenged him
to fight for himself and not to give up. She pushed him to do better each and every day, until he was finally
able to go home. When she is your nurse, she is always in your corner, fighting for you.
2017 Award Nominee
Veronique Pond
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Carrie Mason:
Veronique is generous with her knowledge and time. She is always there if a patient or coworker needs
assistance of any kind. She is an extremely hard worker and is willing to learn whatever skill she needs to
get the job done right. She sets an example as a clinical supervisor for all nurses by having an impeccable
work ethic, a wealth of nursing knowledge with a hunger to never stop learning. She is adaptable to
whatever the job throws her way. She excels in her position and is someone that people strive to emulate.
She is the nurse that you would want taking care of you in your home.
2017 Award Nominee
Lauren Poppaw
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Andrea Ritter:
Lauren is such an upbeat person and is amazing to be around. She is always positive no matter what is
going on around her and what is going on in her personal life. She always has a smile on her face. She is
such a blessing to work with, and is always willing to help out not matter what the situation, and even if
she is very hectic and busy herself. She a huge patient advocate and is always treating her patients and
families with the up most respect. She talks to them in a way to put them at ease, because the ICU can be
intimidating to families. The cardiac ICU is blessed to have her on the unit.
2017 Award Nominee
Katherine Powell
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Renee Smith:
Katie came to the emergency department here at Northern Nevada a few years ago and has become such
an important and vital part of us that it is hard to remember before she came or what we would do if she
left. Her clinical skills aside, which are impressive on their own, is not what makes Katie stand out to me.
Her confidence, calm demeanor and compassion endear her to her co-workers and more importantly to her
patients. They are met with competence and kindness from the start. She is a leader at the busy times,
maybe without even meaning to, and she is a smile when you need one. Besides a staff nurse roll, Katie
also fills the charge nurse roll which she does exceptionally well. She was also responsible for helping to
establish a new preceptor program here at the hospital when the need for one was identified. She is
herself a preceptor to our new nurses and hires. She is an ideal role model. I nominate Katie Powell for all
she has done to improve our patients' lives, our department and our hospital.
Nomination from Christine Roberts:
Katie is such an inspiration to me in the way she takes care of her patients and is always a bright spot in
my evening shifts. She has such a great personality and is a wonderful example of who a nurse should be.
Always smiling, laughing and just a joy to work with.I raise Katie up for this awesome nomination to her
and the great job she does for Northern Nevada Medical Emergency Room. Katie treats her patients with
the utmost dignity that you would want your own family treated in an emergency situation. You couldn't
ask for a better nurse.
Nomination from Dana Julian Rn:
Katie is a wonderful asset to our ER. She has a wonderful energy, always smiling, willing to help and is
extremely knowledgeable in our specialty. I would want her with me in all critical situations as my backup.
When she arrived to our ER over a year ago, her personality was a benefit to the environment. Her
knowledge base is strong and is much needed for precepting new staff, leading our department as charge
RN, and moving patients through rapidly with her excellent triage skills. Katie also provides calm amongst
the chaos when the environment is out of control. Positivity without judgment towards the patients can be
a difficult mannerism to master, she's done it.
2017 Award Nominee
Jacqueline Premo
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lori Perry:
I am pleased to nominate Jackie Premo Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the category of
Emergency Nursing. I have always found her dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Jackie always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to her patients as well. She is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient
and any coworker. I have seen her resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate her for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Christine Provasi
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Caitlin Evans:
Christine is a wonderful nurse that contributes in many ways to Saint Mary's Emergency department.
Christine loves to teach and work with newly graduated nurses. While many become nervous about the
increase in work or the change of pace with training a new nurse, Christine takes nurses under her wing
and helps them excel in emergency nursing. Every new nurse to our department that partners with
Christine comes out strong and proficient yet humble and able to ask for help. Christine does a wonderful
job in every position within the emergency department and is willing to help her fellow coworkers with
various tasks, never putting them down to build herself up. Christine understands that each strong nurse
in the department means better care for our patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Erin Ramsdell
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I have had the privilege of working with Erin for the last 2 years in ICU/CVU. Erin is intelligent, organized,
compassionate team player. She is very detail oriented a skill I appreciate about her. I love getting to my
shift and seeing her on the floor with me. Her skills and education is an excellent resource for our ICU.
She learns all of our new technology and is able to explain and retain the information. Erin is quick to lend
a hand. I know when we have the sickest heart patients on the floor with Erin on the floor the patients are
going to receive excellent pt care. Erin sense of humor is also something I very much appreciate. There are
days are so sad, draining and hard when Erin is there I know we will be able to smile.
Nomination from Jenna Clark:
Erin Ramsdell's career as a registered nurse has definitely been a fast paced one to say the least. This
amazing, compassionate, and empathetic RN has grown up right before our eyes. Right out of school in
2012, she started her career in a critical care area at a different hospital but brought that experience with
such joy and excitement to our hospital. Erin has such a fire inside her and was always looking for
something to learn. She takes pride in taking the absolute best care of our patients. Her fire and tenacity
moved her straight up to taking care of the most critical patients and then right into taking care of the
fresh open heart patients. Everyday Erin finds a way to better her nursing practice and this is notable in
her interactions with patients and their families in addition to her fellow staff and physicians. Erin, though,
is no push over. She pushes our cardiac patients to never give up and makes every attempt to set them up
for success at home. She provides with tough but enthusiastic encouragement that makes them want to get
better and be discharged as soon as possible. It is a sincere pleasure to work with Erin and watch her grow
in this amazing career.
2017 Award Nominee
Paige Rauterkus
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Marin Sauer:
Saying that a black cloud follows Paige is an understatement. From the day she started as a new grad on
the floor, critical patients and critical situations have surrounded Paige and often fell directly in her hands,
literally. From the beginning Paige has handled these situations with professionalism and kindness that
any nurse should aspire to. Paige has a sense of humor and happiness that not only rubs off on her coworkers but it also brightens the day of her patients. Often it goes noticed that Paige is signing or dancing
to cheer up or entertain her patient, despite the fact that she is dealing with life threatening situations in
the adjacent room. On one occasion, Paige sat with a patient while she took her last breath. Paige was
humming softly, stroking the women's hair, praying, and holding her hand. This compassion and sensitivity
gave comfort to a women in the most important way. Paige lends this attention and caring attitude to every
patient, every shift, no matter how crazy things may be. In addition to all of this, Paige spent time in India,
working as a nurse for six months and improving a rural hospital. She worked to secure grants to purchase
large and very need equipment such as incinerators for this hospital. Paige is still currently on the board
and continues to return to the hospital in India to make new policies and to renew the grants. Her
commitment and compassion as a nurse inspires other nurses on the floor and reminds everyone else why
they became a nurse. I admire Paige's ability to handle critical situation with a positive perspective and I
am so thankful to have her as part of our team. Paige is very deserving of this award and it would be only a
small token of gratitude in comparison to what she deserves.
2017 Award Nominee
Carolyn Rees
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
An RN since 1987 and will celebrate her thirtieth year as a registered nurse this June. Carolyn is just
fantastic. She prefers a full assignment to being in charge for the day. She is not one to sit, let alone sit
still! Five times a month or more patients recognize Carolyn on Press Ganey and Care Connect. I know
because I sent her a hand written note of recognition for each one.This summer a man came to the Medical
Telemetry Unit admitted from through the Emergency Room. No ordinary man, a traveling man, far away
from his home about thirty minutes outside of Dallas Texas. His wife was home worried, his big rig truck
connected to a trailer whose load needed to be delivered, and he was given a diagnosis of colon cancer
with surgery scheduled the next day. What did Carolyn do? Called his wife, and then talked to her daily
over the next four days. She let her know the nurse's name following her and gave her the direct number
of that oncoming nurse so she had piece of mind. This let the patient take care of dealing with his trailer
full of goods that needed delivered and getting his truck home, but how would he get home? Carolyn
contacted case management and her manager. Together the two arranged for an airline ticket
home.Carolyn was far from done. She gathered ostomy supplies, wrote out instructions. Talked to the
patient's wife some more. She then practiced with the patient changing the appliance with the patient and
what to watch for as he recovered. I know this because the patient told me when I talked to him on the
phone in a follow up phone call. He was very grateful. He had the unit number and talked to many of the
staff over the next week until his follow appointment with his primary care provider. When he called and
said he had redness and pain around his stoma and felt so hot from fever, we directed him to the nearest
Emergency Room. This man was grateful that Carolyn took care of him "like family". When I asked him
what we could have done better, he responded, "I would have loved to have Carolyn come home to meet
my wife or move next door". "She made an otherwise horrible experience, a gift and blessing. She helped
me and my wife heal, touched our hearts."
Nomination from Sarka Machova:
Carolyn says she wants to work for another year and a half, then semi-retire and work per diem: just to
keep an eye on us "youngins! She has taken the most abuse from patients this year yet she continues to be
an amazing team player and nurse to her patients!! You see a lot of nurses get burnt out throughout the
years, however I feel that Carolyn has always stayed consistent and true. Even though she has never had
any children of her own, I feel like she is a wonderful mother to all of us. I don't think Carolyn has a bad
bone in her body. She has a great sense of humor, is down to earth, and a woman that overall has a great
nature. When things need to get done, she gets them done! She will drop everything else she has going on,
just to help her team or team-mates even though she knows she might have to stay later to finish her
charting. I think she probably feeds and takes care of her animals before herself too. I would use the
following words to describe Carolyn: hard-working, maternal, loyal, caring, sensitive, confident and
comfortable with herself, kind, and not afraid to say when enough is enough! I have great respect for her
and hope to grow to be the wonderful she is as a role model to me.
Nomination from Kacie:
Carolyn is by far our hardest working nurse on our unit. She is so passionate about her patients and is
willing to do anything for them. Carolyn is such a team player, whenever anyone needs her she is right
there for them. If we need someone to help start an IV, or place a NG, or if someone is hard to get a foley
in, we call on Carolyn to get it done. With her vase experience and knowledge she is our go-to gal.
Everyone loves to work with Carolyn!! Every day Carolyn is working, she drives one hour just to get to
work, and once she gets here she gets to work and gets her job done and is never late. Carolyn is top notch
and deserves this award, with her caring attitude, helpful hands, and hard work it puts her above everyone
else. Thank you Carolyn for everything you do for us on this Unit, we love you!!
2017 Award Nominee
Christine Reese, APRN
Community Health Alliance
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Jason Crawford, Md, Mph, Chief Medical Officer:
Christine Reese, APRN, has been with our organization, Community Health Alliance, a federally-qualified
health center in Reno/Sparks for approximately 3.5 years. She has been devoted to the care of the
underserved since becoming an APRN. She brings a strong focus on providing comprehensive primary care
to our often challenging and health illiterate patient population. She consistently has high marks for
clinical quality and patient experience with her care. She has been a strong team-player within our
organization for several reasons: 1) focus on quality and excellence in patient care and systems
improvement, 2) helping co-lead our Provider Engagement Team, 3) focus on continuity of care, 4)
willingness to transfer health center sites to better serve our patient population and community. Christine
has rapidly expanded her clinical fund of knowledge, clinical skill, and procedural care as a nurse
practitioner since her graduation 3.5 years ago. She continues to demonstrate a continued eagerness and
passion to continue her development and expertise in medicine. I wish to nominate Christine Reese, APRN
for this award in recognition of her passion and commitment to advanced practice in nursing and devotion
to the underserved community of Reno/Sparks. Thanks
2017 Award Nominee
Virginia Reese
Donor Network West
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Drew Hill:
Virginia's long nursing career included skilled nursing, Maternal/Child, and critical care. The last 20 years
Virginia has dedicated her nursing career to saving lives through organ donation and caring for patients
and families that have made the altruistic decision of organ donation. She was the first nurse clinical
coordinator for organ donation in Northern Nevada. She has mentored new nurse clinical coordinators and
we have benefited from her knowledge, wisdom, and devotion to organ donation. When others don't know
what to say to grieving families, Virginia beautifully supports them on their darkest days. Years later,
nurses and families remember Virginia which speaks to the impact she has had during their experiences
with organ donation. She will be retiring this year and I hope to recognize Virginia for her dedication to
nursing and organ donation.
2017 Award Nominee
Tara Reinhardt
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Carrie Breakell:
I have had the pleasure of working with Tara for the past few years on postpartum at Renown Regional
Medical Center. She always comes to work with a great attitude and a smile on her face. In addition to her
positivity, she is an excellent nurse. Her patients experience individualized care that caters to their many
needs as they enter the role of parenthood. She is an approachable peer and often offers help to the novice
nurses on our unit in a nonthreatening sensitive manner. Tara is a respected professional on our unit and
possesses the critical thinking skills required to be an expert nurse. She is well deserving of this
recognition.
2017 Award Nominee
Michelle Reynolds
VA SNHC
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Beth Wiard:
Since mid-2015, Ms. Michelle Reynolds, RN BSN MSN CEN has grown from an ED Staff Nurse to a fully
successful ED Nurse Manager without the benefit of having an initial background in hands-on managerial
experience. She initially accepted her new job title with some trepidation but has since proven herself in a
relatively short period of time. Michelle has grown exponentially since accepting this responsibility as
evidenced by achieving her Nurse Level III promotion this January 2017 in which her in-depth
accomplishments are fully-documented. I am continually awed by her can-do attitude, energy and
enthusiasm which keeps the Emergency Department rolling in these times of governmental challenges and
uncertainty.Ms. Reynolds takes a hand-on approach to leading the department. She eagerly steps-in to
provide leadership on the floor in times of need. In doing so, Michelle lives the VA "I Care" values and
demonstrates a high level of engagement for her staff members to emulate. Ms. Reynolds is pro-active in
recognizing the achievements of her staff and awarding exceptional effort. She strives to encourage others
to achieve similar promotions.I feel uniquely qualified to nominate Ms. Reynolds first as her co-worker. I
worked alongside Michelle as co-interim manager for six months prior to her acceptance of the full-time
position. Thinking back, we were both like lost sheep initially (which btw has provided us some "fond"
memories which we still laugh about today). We succeeded by providing each other with respect, support
and encouragement. I can nominate her now as my manager because she continues to demonstrate these
same qualities which we honed by learning to work so well together. Ms. Reynolds has gone on to improve
the Emergency Department and the entire VA Hospital by her dedication to the Nursing Profession in
service of our US Veterans.
2017 Award Nominee
Shannon Richard
Orvis School of Nursing
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Stacy Demitropoulos:
Shannon is an excellent educator at the Orvis School of Nursing. This past year she was awarded the
Division of Health Sciences Teaching Award for her excellence in educating students. She puts in countless
hours to prepare for her courses and make sure that the students understand what she is teaching them.
They love learning from her! She has been course coordinator of the level four clinical course for many
semesters and she always makes sure the the faculty have the resources needed. She provides support and
instills confidence in faculty and students she encounters. I have helped teach the open lab with Shannon
to help students that are struggling with concepts or skills and it is such a joy to teach with her. She has so
much knowledge and really makes the students think and put concepts together. I have watched her work
with the same students over and over to help them succeed and help them graduate as a competent nurse.
Shannon is the faculty mentor for the Orvis Student Nurses Association and helps the students develop
meaningful projects to benefit our community. She truly is deserving of this award.
2017 Award Nominee
Kimberly Rivas
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Bailey Dunn:
Kim came from being a new nurse to a preceptor in a very short time and she handled it with ease. She is
not only a great nurse to her patients but helps develop new nurses into their new role. She is always
willing to help her coworkers out even if it is inconvenient to her. She is an asset not only to our team but
to the members of the community she serves. One example that comes to mind is recently we had a nurse
that had to go home suddenly, and without being asked and already having six patients of her own; she
held off on her work, to tend to those patients until relief was able to come in. This is one of the many
examples of how hard-working, compassionate, and dedicated to her team and patients she is.
2017 Award Nominee
Shannon Roberson
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Shannon Roberson has been a respected member of our care team since 2015. Shannon began her journey
on our unit as a new graduate nurse. She is a very dedicated, detail oriented, organized individual;
however, she is also very compassionate and caring. Shannon truly cares about her patients health and
well being, both during acute hospitalization and upon discharge. Nursing is Shannon's second career and
with that, she is able to bring her past careers knowledge and life experiences to her nursing career. I
appreciate that she does have this knowledge, and is able to relate closer to her patients and fellow coworkers. Shannon is a natural born leader and educator. She is so knowledgeable and is able to speak so
eloquently with her patients as she is educating them. We have received various compliments from prior
patients about the education they have received from Shannon, and how this has helped them progress
and heal after discharge. Not only is Shannon great at education with her patients, but also with nurse
apprentices and new grad nurses whom she trains. She has been a preceptor to new staff for the past year,
and she has done a phenomenal job. She not only teaches staff the correct way to navigate through nursing
care and documentation, but she also challenges them to increase their critical thinking skills. She will
give them scenarios to run through and she will also question them as to why they are making the clinical
decisions that they are making. This really empowers our new staff to grow their critical thinking skills as
well as physical skills. As a supervisor and educator myself, I can really admire this way of teaching, as it is
very meaningful to new staff. Shannon has also shown great leadership abilities, and has been trained to
be a team leader on our unit. The staff appreciates her assistance and involvement in patient care, whether
she is a team leader or a fellow floor nurse that shift. I know I can count on Shannon to help lead our team
in times of distress. I can't wait to see what the future brings for Shannon, and I know that she will be
going big places in her nursing career. We are very proud of Shannon's progress on our unit, and would
very much like you to consider her for a Rookie of the Year nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Luz Rodriguez
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Iliana:
I have seen Luz grow as a nurse and a charge nurse leader through out her career at Renown. She is great
support for her team and is always readily available to assist the team with whatever she can. Luz always
makes the time to check in with all of the nurses just to check and see how they are doing and if they
require any assistance. She can stay 100% calm in any situation and always look for and find the best
course of action for the staff and for patients. Luz's patient's love the way she is always so attentive and
always listens to their needs and takes the appropriate course of action to meet their need. Luz keeps on
growing professionally she has been participating in the Clinical ladder program and always takes the time
to provide education to her team. She is a valuable member of our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Emily Rollings
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Diana Haigh:
EMILY IS RAY OF SUNSHINE IN THE TAHOE OR, WHO MAKES EVERY FEEL WELCOME. HER
PATIENTS ALWAYS FEEL REASSURED IN HER CARING AND COMPATIONATE HANDS. ALL OF THE
STAFF ENJOY BEING ON HER TEAM AND KNOW SHE IS ALWAYS WORKING HARD TO GET THE JOB
DONE QUICKLY AND EFFECENTLY. EMILY IS A GREAT TEACHER AND TAKES HER TIME WITH NEW
NURSES MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WHILE UNDER HER WING.
EMILY HAS VAST KNOWLEDGE OF ALL AREAS IN TAHOE SURGERY AND IF SHE DOESNT KNOW SHE
WILL ASK QUESTIONS AND PUT HERSELF OUT THERE IN ORDER TO BETTER HERSELF AS A NURSE
2017 Award Nominee
Deanna Romano
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Deanna Romano:
I am pleased to nominate Deanna Romano Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the category
of Emergency Nursing. I have always found her dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Deanna always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to her patients as well. She is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient
and any coworker. I have seen her resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate her for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Alicia Roney
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Dawn Osterman:
Alicia's is the kind of advanced practice nurse other strive to be. Although she is still new to her role, she
takes on new learning experience while still remembering why she became a nurse, to help others. She is
an amazing teacher to both staff and her patients. She takes pride in all she does. It is important to her
that her patients and families have all the knowledge she can provide to help them succeed at home. It is
her attention to detail and passion that makes her stand out. I would be thrilled to have her take care of
my family and I am honored to call her a colleague.
2017 Award Nominee
Adelfa Rose
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
Adelfa is another lovely candidate for the Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been practicing nursing
for close to 38 years now. Adelfa's career has taken her as a nurse to work in Tripoli, England, Philippines,
and the United States. There are thousands of different patients and stories to tell about her patient care
and successes. It's finding the ultimate and best one that's difficult, but we will do our best to submit just
one. First of all you need to know how proud I am to work with Adelfa. Last week she had a difficult
patient. He needed a foley catheter and because of his life experiences wasn't thinking that Adelfa could or
should be the one to do this basic nursing procedure. He asked Adelfa, "How many of these have you put
in?" to which Adelfa answered, "Sir, I quit counting many years ago. I've been a nurse for 38 years. I
promise you that this will be as painless as possible". He consented and they began. The catheter went in
smoothly and as Adelfa completed this task, the patient asked when it would really start. "I'm done Sir, you
should feel much more comfortable now". He certainly did and he was the one who told me the story.
2017 Award Nominee
Suzanne Ross
VA SNHC
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Erin Pate:
Ms. Ross is a true patient and Nurse Advocate. Since joining the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (MHU), she
has tirelessly worked to ensure that the Veterans get the best care possible.Ms. Ross is known to go above
and beyond to care for the patients entrusted into her care. She frequently leads therapy groups that assist
Veterans with their transition into the outpatient environment. She can also be frequently found singing
with and to the patients to help with their transition into the inpatient mental health milieu. Through this
action, she comforts veterans and is able to build rapport. In addition to the work she does directly caring
for the Veterans, Ms. Ross is the MHU representative on the VASNHCS Falls Committee. She identified
the current MHU Falls scale does not accurately capture our population of Veterans who fall. She
researched scales directly created for the Mental Health environment and found a scale that works for the
MHU. She is currently in the implementation process. Ms. Ross is focused on assisting our patients in their
recovery and is an exemplary RN. I highly recommend her for Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Romona Rotter
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Liz Humes Rn:
Romona is such a compassionate and caring individual. She is an excellent advocate for her patients. Now
she has moved into more of an educational role assisting in teaching the childbirth education classes. She
has such a calming presence about her and it is amazing to watch the way she interacts with the families
she is helping. I have worked with her from being one of her preceptors as a nurse apprentice and new
graduate nurse to working with her on the unit. She is a great team player and I have enjoyed watching
her grow throughout her nursing career. She is a prime example of what a nurse should be!
2017 Award Nominee
Emily Ruckman
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Christy Tolotti:
I am nominating Emily Ruckman as the recipient for the award category in Emergency Nursing. Emily is
the exemplary nurse that I always wish I could be. Not only is she beautiful on the outside, but she is just
as beautiful on the inside. Emily possesses one of the most caring and compassionate attitudes I've ever
encountered. She has a vast array of knowledge. Her experiences as a nurse are never ending. Emily has
experience in several different departments, from CCU, Psych, Education, and the Emergency Department.
She is dedicated to her patients and is truly an advocate for her patients. Several of the emergency room
doctors adore her passion in the nursing career. I always look to her for guidance when I'm struggling. She
possesses a religious demeanor that makes her strong and confident, yet humble. Emily truly is an angel
and I am so blessed to have her as a co-worker at Saint Marys.
2017 Award Nominee
Ellen Ruda
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Kelsey Coe:
Ellen is a wonderful nurse and coworker. I can always count on her to be flexible and helpful wherever the
needs of the unit are. She can anticipate the needs of her patients and acts with confidence and
compassion. I can rely on her to be calm and collected in urgent and stressful situations. She can take the
sickest patients and I know that they are in great hands. During the holidays this year staffing got a little
tight one night in particular and a nurse had to leave sick one night. Ellen already had 3 patients of her
own to care for and she offered and did pick up a fourth patient from this nurse that left ill. She also
frequently picks up extra shifts when the need arises. Ellen is a valuable member of the team, and her skill
and collaborative efforts are unmatched.
2017 Award Nominee
Malina Ruiz
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Krysti Grayson:
I would like to nominate Malina Ruiz for Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in Critical Care. Her
compassion, knowledge, and patience make her a magnet that people are drawn to. I have personally
witnessed her calm character reduce anxiety and fear from the people around her including patients,
families, and coworkers. She is a courteous listener and allows people the opportunity to express worries,
fears, doubts, and concerns. In the cardiac ICU, Malina is skilled in open heart recovery and excels at
achieving the best outcome for the patient, all the while tending to the nervous family with grace and
poise. Malina is a wealth of information as a staff nurse, a preceptor, and a charge nurse. She is currently
advancing her knowledge as she has just taken the CCRN exam and is looking at the FNP program. There
is never a doubt that when she is near any task can be completed and any goal can be achieved.
Nomination from Peggy Wolff:
Malina epitomizes the best of critical care nurses. She has continued to increase her educational goals
ever since she started on the ICU. Having just finished her BSN, she turned around and prepared for her
AACN certification, while already starting on her master's classes. As a single mother of two her
professional dedication to her career is inspiring. Malina has outstanding technical knowledge and is a
skilled resource charge nurse, always available, and continuously rounding to make sure her nurses have
what they need to do their jobs. She is unselfish with her time, and always follows through when asked for
help. She has made a difference in many chaotic shifts, with her unerring ability to handle emergencies
and unexpected occurrences. Malina is expertly competent and cares about her critical care nurses, she
makes difficult shifts smooth, and is an outstanding resource. She continually strives for excellence and
has created a superb template for others follow.
2017 Award Nominee
Angelina Ruppert
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Melissa Bernaldez:
Anji Ruppert has recently taken on the role of relief charge nurse, and she has done a great job leading her
peers and being a support for her fellow nurses. Her peers have noted that she is very helpful and
knowledgeable. No matter what challenge is placed in front of her, Anji finds a way to overcome barriers
with a smile on her face. She is dedicated to her unit, always participating in unit activities and projects.
Her laugh and smile are infectious to all those around her, including her patients. Thank you for always
providing great care to your patients!
2017 Award Nominee
Daun Russell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Meghan Johnson:
I have only had the pleasure of working with Daun for the last year; however I have no doubt that for the
last 35 years of being a nurse that she has constantly demonstrated the core values of nursing (Caring,
Integrity, Diversity and Excellence). CARING: Daun is committed to getting to know each of her patients,
and figure out what she, or our organization, can do to help make their treatment go a little easier. I
remember one day I had a patient who wasn't able to cook for herself, Daun contacted our social worker,
who wasn't available, so she called meals on wheels herself. We weren't able to resolve the issue in one
day, so Daun diligently continued to work on this issue and kept the patient updated of her progress along
the way. INTEGRITY: Daun typically is assigned as our departments charge nurse. I feel confident in
saying that all of my colleagues look forward to having Daun at work because she is not only a "walking
encyclopedia" on chemotherapy administration, but she is not afraid to challenge the prescriber if she feels
like the treatment is not appropriate for the patient. DIVERSITY: I always enjoy eavesdropping on Daun's
conversations with patients. She seems to find a way to relate to each patient, and no matter how many
balls she is juggling in her day with keeping the department running smoothly she appears to make each
patient feel like they are her #1 priority. EXCELLENCE: We are very fortunate in our department in that
our patients are extremely generous in bringing us yummy treats to show their gratitude for our care.
Daun recognizes the importance of us giving back to our patients with more than just our care once a year.
Daun has organized an annual sewing party each December for countless years; we then pass out hats and
scarves to our Oncology patients before the holidays. Daun has also help organize an oncology conference
for nurses at Renown for the last 4 years. I think Daun deserves to be awarded the Northern Nevada Nurse
of Achievement award not only because she emulates the core values or nursing, but because she is one of
the most kind and thoughtful people I have ever met. She doesn't let a staff member's birthday go by
without making them a handmade gift, and checks in with her colleagues on her days off if she knows they
have been ill or have a personal struggle. She has the most joyful attitude about life, and always makes the
team laugh. I could write a book on why Daun deserves this award, but I'm limited to 500 words, so I hope
that the brief examples I have given on Daun's performance in her position will be enough to convince you
to award her Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement Award for Office/Outpatient in 2017.
Nomination from Lindsay Parton:
Daun is such an amazing nurse and member of our team. She is incredibly knowledgeable about our
oncology patients and is constantly sharing that knowledge with our staff and patients. She is the most
compassionate nurse I have ever known, and she deserves to be recognized for all that she does. She is
always going out of her way to make her patients as well as her peers feel special and appreciated. From
making special gifts for all of her fellow nurses and aids for their birthdays, to organizing get-togethers for
staff members, she is always putting others first and ensuring that people feel good about themselves.
Daun deserves this award and the recognition for all that she does.
Nomination from Olga Bienvenue:
Daun is our resident charge nurse at Infusion Services, and she is amazing. She is a natural leader, even
though she never wants credit the work she does. She is helpful to everyone and always cheerful and
positive regardless of the situation. Her experience is such a resource! Every time I overhear her
explaining something to a patient, I also learn. Her ability to recognize symptoms and get appropriate help
for the patient is truly magical. She takes a situation and works until the end. Never do you hear her say
"you need to follow up with your doctor" Daun makes sure the patient has the appointment they need, and
helps them through the entire process. She is a true patient advocate. She has compassion for all. It is her
skill, helpfulness, positive attitude and expertise in Nursing that make her a true candidate for Nurse of
Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Fabiola Russo
Carson Tahoe Continuing Care Hospital
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This colorful vibrant nurse goes about each shift giving the highest quality of care to her patients while
encouraging and inspiring others to do the same. Originally from Brazil, she earned her nursing degree
here in America while simultaneously learning english. She brings this same dedication to her nursing
career in a leadership role whether as charge nurse or a bedside nurse in the High Observation Unit. She
is also frequently seen taking new nurses as well as discouraged seasoned nurses under her wing, listening
to them and offering hope. Fabiola Russo is a leader who offers Critical Care to patients and her colleagues
when it's needed most.
Nomination from Janine Petrick:
This colorful vibrant nurse goes about each shift giving the highest quality of care to her patients while
encouraging and inspiring others to do the same. Originally from Brazil, she earned her nursing degree
here in America while simultaneously learning english. She brings this same dedication to her nursing
career in a leadership role whether as charge nurse or a bedside nurse in the High Observation Unit. She
is also frequently seen taking new nurses as well as discouraged seasoned nurses under her wing, listening
to them and offering hope. Fabiola Russo is a leader who offers Critical Care to patients and her colleagues
when it's needed most.
2017 Award Nominee
Elaine Sall
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Tamsen Segrest:
Elaine "Lainey"- the NICU is truly fortunate to have Lainey as a new addition. As one of Lainey's nurse
mentors, I have been impressed with her ability to communicate with staff and families. On several recent
occasions, I have observed Lainey encompassing our goal of family-center care. While preparing a
critically-ill infant for surgery, Lainey showed her compassion for the family. She ensured that all of their
questions were answered prior to the procedure and assured that they had time to bond with their baby.
She was able to leave the family with confidence that the team would take excellent care of their precious
baby. Lainey greets everyone that she meets with a smile. Her genuine spirit shows families that they have
her undivided attention and that she truly cares about their baby. Lainey speaks with confidence and
professionalism, yet she is unafraid to seek guidance in unfamiliar situations. It has been a pleasure to
mentor Lainey. I have a great deal of confidence in her critical thinking abilities and positive attitude. I
look forward to working side by side with Lainey for many years to come.
2017 Award Nominee
Britta Samuels
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Britta is what every intensive care nurse should be. Britta is intelligent, an educator, kind, funny, assertive,
determine, diligent, insightful, and endlessly patient. These traits and her technical abilities ensure that all
of Britta's patient receive excellent nursing care because nothing less is acceptable. These are some of the
reasons that demonstrate that Britta deserves the critical care nurse award.I remember a patient in our
intensive care unit that had a poor prognosis. The patient's provider was devastated that our patient was
not improving and the prognosis was more grave with each passing shift. The provider and the patient had
a long history and our patient had explicitly explained the quality of life that the patient desired. The
patient had an understanding with the provider that the patient would prefer a peaceful, dignified death
rather than prolonged suffering. The provider attempted to enact the wishes of our patient. The family of
our patient became divided. One child agreed to follow the wishes of the patient established beforehand
with the provider. The other child countered.I remember watching the pain of the provider as the other
child could not be swayed to comply with the patient's wishes for a peaceful and dignified death. I
remember the gentleness in Britta's words and her actions to help the other child recognize that the
provider and the one child were enacting on our patient's wishes. I saw how strongly Britta advocated for
this declining patient to the other child with kindness and firmness that addressed the gravity of the
patient's illness and the other child's fragility to the experience of losing their parent. Britta's grace and
poise in this situation allowed the other child to recognize that the time had arrived to follow the end of life
wishes of their parent.I know that without Britta the experience our patient and our patient's children
would not have been positive. The entire process was not positive because of the emotional strife that all
parties involved felt, but the conclusion of our patient's life was one filled with compassion, dedication, and
loyalty to the patient's wishes. I admire Britta for her ability to work gently and firmly to represent all
parties' interests fairly and equally. Britta's dedication to delivering excellence for this patient and family
demonstrates why she should receive the critical care nurse award.
2017 Award Nominee
Mary Angelique Sampson
VA SNHC
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Erin Pate:
Ms. Sampson is a true patient and Nurse Advocate. Since joining the Inpatient Mental Health Unit (MHU),
she has tirelessly worked to ensure that not only the Veterans get the best care possible, but that the
nurses have a positive, enjoyable environment to work in. To this end, she has created what I have termed
the "Welfare Committee". She has planned unit events for all the holidays and individual staff member
birthdays.To ensure better Veteran care, she has revised our change of shift reporting. Through her work,
she has ensured the nurse providing change of shift reporting provides and accurate account of what is
going on with the patient and the interventions that are working/not working. She is also working to
provide "mock-codes" on the MHU which will ensure staff are able to efficiently care for (in the case of a
medical emergency) or evacuate (in the case of a disaster) Veterans. Ms. Sampson is a true joy to work
with and is highly thought of by her co-workers and her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Molly Sammelman
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Dustin Bass:
When you Google Emergency nursing the definition you come across is interesting to say the least.
"Emergency nursing is a nursing specialty concerned with the care of patients who are experiencing
emergencies or who are critically ill or injured. Emergency nurses frequently contact patients in the
emergency department before the patients see physicians." Although this IS part of what we do, it is
definitely not ALL. Emergency nurses are tasked with the job of a balancing act. A balancing act in where
they balance quality lifesaving patient care with enhancing the patient experience and fast movement
because the clock is ticking and the metrics board never lies. Molly Sammelman is an excellent example of
an Emergency Room Nurse who does just that. She functions as not only a Charge Nurse, but as a team
player to all the nurses working beneath her. Time and time again she is seen caring for patients with a
smile on her face, all of whom come in contact with her having only the most positive words to speak of
Molly. There is never a task too daunting or one she is unwilling to undertake. She is a doer, continually
going above and beyond to do better for her patients, for her department, and for herself. She has
specifically improved the care of pediatric patients in the department by developing and implementing a
pediatric drug calculation spreadsheet, built specifically to reduce pediatric drug errors. Her work on this
tool has changed the way we care for pediatric patients, ensuring they are safe and receiving the most
accurate medication doses possible.Molly is also an active PALS instructor in the community, sharing her
knowledge with others and serving as a role model to other nurses and practitioners across Northern
Nevada.It is my pleasure to nominate Molly as ER Nurse of the year. If there is anyone that deserves it
more, it would be her.
2017 Award Nominee
Christine Sansom
Retired - April 2016
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Cathy Dinauer:
I would like to nominate this nurse in the category of innovation. When one thinks of innovative strategies,
one might think about something innovative in the arena of patient care. This nurse developed an
innovative strategy that was not directed toward patient care but ultimately fostered protection of the
public. This nurse worked in the area of nursing regulation for twenty years. During that time, this nurse
was responsible for the oversight of investigations and discipline for all nurses and CNAs in the state.
When a complaint is received to the Board of Nursing regarding a nurse or CNA's practice, an
investigation may or may not be opened based on allegations of violations of the nurse practice act. During
the course of the investigation, information and evidence is collected in order to resolve complaints and
meet the requirements of the law. Although cases are reviewed in a systematic and non-biased manner,
this nurse wanted to take it one step further. She participated in a national committee of state boards of
nursing that developed a tool to address complaint resolution for specific violations of the Nurse Practice
Act. Based on that committee's work, this nurse refined so that it could be used in Nevada. The tool
provides a guide for complaint resolution so that each complaint is evaluated fairly, thoroughly and always
with public protection as the primary concern. The tool, the Complaint Resolution Analysis for Professional
Accountability and Public Protection was implemented in Nevada to guide resolution to cases that includes
assessments of public harm, nurse practice risk, knowledge and/or skill deficit of the nurse/CNA and
resolutions that support risk control, risk management and risk reduction. The tool was piloted at the
Nevada State Board of Nursing and changes were made accordingly. In addition, the tool was validated by
a statistician and met all requirements for reliability and validity. The tool is now being considered for use
in other states and countries. This nurse has been asked to publish her work and will be featured in the
Journal of Nursing Regulation this year. We are so fortunate to have this nurse so dedicated to the
protection of the public. Thank you for your commitment to the protection of the citizens of Nevada.
2017 Award Nominee
Jenny Sanchez
Aguirre HealthCare
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Kristina Spitale-efstratis:
Jenny is a nurse like no other I've ever met and is an inspiration for myself and other nurses alike. Since
the moment she became a nursing student, she displayed nothing less than an immense drive for
excellence in her nursing career. As she began her critical care residency she worked diligently at the
bedside as well as studied extensively to gain as much knowledge as possible to be the best possible nurse
she could be. Even with her incredible drive for knowledge and skill, there was always a softness and a
remarkable sense of genuine concern in the care Jenny provided. As Jenny completed her Master's of
Nursing program, she would spend long hours studying and attending practicum, but when she was at the
bedside working as an ICU nurse, it was clear that every patient was the only concern in Jenny's world
during that time. I remember over a period of 2 days, in addition to the many tasks of a critical care nurse,
Jenny spent hours upon hours gently soaking, shampooing, and combing the EEG cement out of a patient's
long beautiful hair. I also remember one of my first code blue events and Jenny was there taking charge in
a firm but compassionate way that I'll never forget. It was not uncommon to see Jenny leading the charge
in patient care. She would mobilize people that no one else would even attempt, initiate quality
improvement measures, educate her peers on the newest evidence based practices, and was always willing
to help another nurse tackle any task at hand. She is missed terribly at the bedside. as she is now an APRN
bringing her extraordinary nursing skills into the provider role. She has been an exemplary nurse since
day one of her career and continues to motivate and inspire others as she embarks on her new journey as
an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
2017 Award Nominee
Nafiul Sarkar
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Mel Brooks:
It is an honor and a privilege to nominate Naf Sarkar for the 2017 Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement
Award in the category of "Rookie of the Year". When I first met Naf Sarkar, this mild mannered young
man, presented as a new graduate nurse to our ER. He had recently completed his BSN at UNR and was
eager, excited, and ready to start his journey in emergency nursing. What I did not realize, nor
comprehend, was "who" this young man was, nor the impact he would have on my career as a nurse
educator. As Naf's orientation progressed, I began to conceptualize how talented he was and the enormous
gift which had been bestowed upon me and his patients. Week after week, I would inquire on the types of
patients he was caring for and how his orientation was progressing. One specific event occurred within the
first few weeks of his orientation. He was assigned a very critically ill patient who suddenly respiratory
arrested and Naf sprang into action! I stood outside the room observing him with his preceptor and was
truly amazed and a little emotional. Naf was at the head of the patient's bed, directing care and stabilizing
the patient, remaining calm, and in control. My thoughts at that moment surrounded the fact, he was a
new graduate nurse and how effortless his actions were and could I have performed at this level so soon
after graduating. Another example of his truly amazing efforts and reason for this nomination, surrounds
Naf's ability to multitask, no matter what the situation or how critical the patient presents, Naf is able to
handle the situation.Shortly after moving to night shift orientation, I rounded with Naf in the early morning
hours evaluating his orientation development. I asked him how his night went and he responded by stating
"it was busy". I then asked him what he meant by busy. He replied by describing the care he provided for 2
very critically ill patients simultaneously. In a very short period of time, 8 months, this young man has
mastered the principles of emergency nursing, which for some takes years to do. Additionally, he has
become certified and qualified as a lead trauma nurse. He is an essential resource for his fellow nurses and
continuously seeks out experiences to enhance his practice.t
2017 Award Nominee
Allison Saunders
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Janet Baum:
When I think of how I want to be as a leader I think of Allie. Her kindness and dedication to her team and
patients never stops. I remember being a student nurse on the unit and watching Allie advocate for
patients with new doctors and I sat there thinking, "wow, I want to be that nurse some day." I accepted a
job on the Tele unit and a short time later Allie approached me about being a leader. I accepted the
supervisor role and Allie took me under her wing. Watching and learning the role of a new supervisor from
someone who is so confident and compassionate about leadership has made me the leader I am today. The
values she instills in her own practice as a nurse and as a leader pushes me every day to instill those same
values in my own practice. Since Allie has now taken on our manager role I have seen how much she really
cares about every single person on the unit. She takes time to sit down with every employee to ask how
they are on a daily basis. On tough days you will find her out on the unit with the staff ambulating, feeding,
changing patients, etc. She is always worried about us and can never just have a day off without checking
on her team. She goes above and beyond for her team and really goes out of her way for the unit. I have
the upmost respect for this amazing leader and I hope that one day I can be equally as confident as her.
2017 Award Nominee
Jaimie Sawyer
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
I would like to nominate Jaimie for the NNNOA not only because she is a wonderful person who cares
about everybody but because she will go out of her way to help a stranger. For example Jaimie had a new
mother that was going to be admitted to the hospital. The new mother was breastfeeding and did not have
a pump to "pump and dump" while she was in the hospital. After being unable to get one from the hospital
for her Jaimie and the charge nurse Jamie collected money to go buy the patient a pump. The patient was
very great full. Jaimie is a wonderful nurse who wears her heart on her sleeve.
2017 Award Nominee
Trevor Sawyer
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Carolyn Rees:
Trevor is an outstanding nurse!!! He is so helpful to all of his patients and coworker. He is so
knowledgeable in every area. The passion he has for his work is incredible. Such a hard worker and always
shows up to work ready to go. His attitude is always upbeat. Love the smile he has when he comes to work.
Patients and coworkers love him and appreciate everything he does for them. What an outstanding man
and individual. He is such a team player and always helps out without any questions asked. He deserves so
much more then this award. Trevor you ROCK!! Keep on doing what you are doing and don't loose your
passion for life and people.
2017 Award Nominee
Heather Schofield
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
Please consider my nominee for the Northern Nevada Nurses of achievement in the administrative
leadership category.Recently, my nominee successfully took over the management and reorganization of a
failing department, despite her numerous hospital commitment.She is exceptionally gifted in seeing
complex situations from a variety of perspectives and being intrigued by new possibilities.Her commitment
to excellence is unparalleled. She is the kind of leader one encounter once in a lifetime. She inspires staff
to pursue a shared vision to ensure goals and outcomes are met. She absolutely fosters teamwork. She
truly adheres to Colin Powell's belief that excellence is a prevailing attitude.
2017 Award Nominee
Janet Schreiber
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Elizabeth Jaffe:
Janet was at my bedside when I delievered my premie. She was calm and kind while working in an
emergent situation. She told me it would be ok and the look in her eye told me she really knew it would.
She didn't work with my child much after that day but would check on him and I and make sure everything
was going well. She answered my many questions and reassured me. She gave me great comfort during a
most stressful time. All of the NICU nurses were amazing but I will never forget that smile and look in her
eye to comfort me.
2017 Award Nominee
Kim Schweiger
Renown Skilled Nursing
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Duncan Langguth:
Kim is full of energy that she brings to the table each and every day. You can see this energy whether you
are a patient or coworker and she puts that energy into the care that she provides for her patients. She will
meet her patients where they are at in their disease process or rehab to best provide care for them. One
specific case is when dealing with a dementia patient who believe her room was full of unwanted visitors,
instead of approaching the situation with a mindset that she would reorient the patient, which would not
have worked, she went into the room and told these "visitors" to leave. This allowed the resident to have
peace of mind, believing that these people that she believed were real and bothering her, were gone.
2017 Award Nominee
Rachel Schuster
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Samantha Bagshaw:
I have had the pleasure to work with Rachel for over 4 years. In that time Rachel has been a role model in
the way she cares looks out for her patients and takes care of physician needs. She is always willing to
jump in and help out in any situation. Physicians rely on her and are always happy to see that she is caring
for their patients. She had a positive attitude which is contagious among fellow coworkers. I am truly lucky
to be able learn from and work along side Rachel. She hold herself and other to higher standard as to
make sure we are all doing our very best for the patients which is evident in the quality of work she
produces.
2017 Award Nominee
Sean Schnitzius
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Peggy Wolff:
Sean excels in educating new nurses in the ICU. His passion for education structures his daily interactions
with new nurses, patients, and families. When assigned near him you can hear him continuously giving
clear, insightful, and on-point education. He does not miss any opportunities to educate, he remains alert
to seize chances for teaching and instruction. His ongoing education fervor has improved outcomes with
new nurses, our unit has had decreased turnover and improved retention. Sean is a member of the
retention and recruitment committee and contributes with innovative ideas to help bring the staff together
in cohesive manners, making them feel like they are working as a whole team. Sean is an enthusiastic
nurse and his phenomenal professional educational goals shine through his everyday work. He has made
inspiring differences in patient care and has helped make new nurses more confident in their ability to
assess, treat, and care for critically ill patients. He has helped retention and decreased turn over. I have
not met another nurse who is so focused on education, he has made it his focus, and he is dedicated to
doing it every day.
2017 Award Nominee
Tamsen Segrest
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Becky Haase:
I am nominating Tamsen Segrest in the category of critical care nurse. This nurse works in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit at her facility. She is one of those nurses who has passion, knowledge and courage to
care for the tiniest of babies and their families. She was recently nominated for a Daisy Award by one of
the parents, whose baby she cared for. This award recognized those caregivers that go above and beyond
to make a difference in the care of their patients and families. This infant was transferred to the NICU
within 24 hours of delivery due to fever and increased blood counts. The Mom accompanied infant to NICU
but due to her own fever needed to return to her room to receive treatment. The father stayed with his son
in the NICU. The Dad wrote: When my wife left to go back to her room I just broke down. Tamsen stepped
in and explained what she was doing with Luke, how IV would help and how babies responded to their
parent's presence. She then proceeded to give me several small tasks to do that made me feel like I was
helping. Over the next few days the same combination of compassion and competence shone through again
and again. When our son started having seizure like activity, she called the physician, conveyed urgency
without ever losing her composure, which served to reinforce her professionalism. As a retired Army
Lieutenant Colonel, it reminded me of the finest men and women I served with in combat, cool under
pressure but still capable of preserving a compassionate outlook.This nurse is a preceptor that truly takes
new employees under her wing and shares her vast wealth of knowledge and makes them feel welcome to
the team. She is an instructor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program and is passionate about doing so.
There are some new guidelines this year that are a definite change in practice. The class is required to be
renewed every two years by the nursing staff. Her dedication to the role of instructor and the importance
of these changes is educating these changes during her shift to assure that everyone is using the latest
practice recommendations. She is also a member of the code blue committee for her unit. This committee
reviews unit codes and assesses for areas of opportunity. She is also a member of unit based shared
governance and past chair of that committee. Her involvement in her unit shows her dedication to her
profession and her team. I am proud to have her on my team and feel she is a nurse worthy of this
nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Christina Seiler
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Janna Yates:
I have seen Christina fill many roles- a sister, a wife, a daughter, a mother, and now a nurse. She sets the
bar high and exemplifies each of these roles in her life. As her sister and fellow nurse, I am proud to say
how much I look up to her and seek her advice. In her first year of nursing she has proven her worth over
and over again, going above and beyond for her patients in ways that set an example for every nurse in
this profession. After a difficult, stressful shift when everything doesn't go perfectly, as happens so often to
all of us, it is not herself and her career she is worried about, it is the well-being and comfort of her
patients. She is filled with compassion, knowledge, sound critical thinking, and a love for this profession
that will extend far into the future to create an amazing and long-lasting career for her. How lucky I am to
know her in so many roles and follow her example in so many ways.
2017 Award Nominee
Ciera Sewell
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Debbie Hawley:
Have you ever met that one nurse who did a good job, but then moved into a new position that had just
been created and in that new role exceeded all expectations? That would be Ciera Sewell.Ciera was one of
our first Transition nurses. This seems to be her calling as a nurse as she has blossomed in her new role,
promoting bonding between the mother and her baby in those first precious moments. Ciera shows
concern for quality work and takes pride in her ability to adapt to each families' requests ensuring their
birth experience is all it can be.Ciera brings positivity to each patient and maintains fresh enthusiasm
which engages other staff members.Ciera fosters other staff members to realize their potential as well.
Ciera is a true asset to the Transition Role on L&D and she is worthy of Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Neha Sharma
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Teresa Bridgewater:
Neha has seamlessly adapted from a staff Rn to a Float Pool Supervisor. Neha has brought with her the
skills of a floor RN and worked to transform this knowledge to a successful Supervisor.Neha is a
compassionate supervisor that takes the individual needs, position and experience into consideration. The
Float pool has many positions under its umbrella and she is able to balance these needs. Neha work ethic
and morals values are always on target and within these limits she always perseveres forward with an
amazing work ethic.She is well respected and loved by her staff and peers.
2017 Award Nominee
Kerry Sheppard
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Lori Perry:
I am pleased to nominate Kerry Shepard Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award, in the category of
Emergency Nursing. I have always found her dependable, efficient, and unfailingly punctual,
compassionate and a wonderful patient advocate. This nominee is a positive role model for all new and
upcoming nurses. In a setting like the emergency department where more often than not the stress level is
high and the resources are low, Kerry always seems to keep a positive, easy going demeanor that is
reassuring to her patients as well. She is flexible and willing to do whatever it takes to help any patient
and any coworker. I have seen her resolve conflicts and handle other difficult situations with remarkable
patience and admirable tact. I believe these characteristics represent all that is good in our company, and I
am pleased to nominate her for the honor of Northern Nevada's Nurse of Achievement.
Nomination from Katie Mauldin:
Kerry is such an awesome RN to work with. She is a team player and is always willing to help her
coworkers in any way, whether it is with caring for a patient or even stocking blankets or the med room.
Even though she is super pregnant right now, she still holds her own and rocks at being efficient in the
emergency room. Kerry is a kind nurse to patients and staff alike, and she is an effective communicator,
ensuring her patients understand all that is taught or told to them. Even on a rough and busy day in the
ER, Kerry somehow is able to remain positive, helpful, efficient and kind. Kerry deserves some recognition
for all her hard work and excellent care she gives in the ED.
2017 Award Nominee
Andrea Shulze
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
It is with pleasure that I nominate Andrea for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement Award. Andrea
is an excellent nurse that always puts the patient at the center of her care. She is a role model and mentor
to her co-workers and she often used as a resource in the department. Andrea takes on many different
roles such as preceptor, Trauma Nurse and Charge Nurse and she consistently does well with any task she
is handed. Andrea is not only a great nurse but she is also a strong patient advocate and is always making
sure that our community receives the very best care. Andrea always maintains a positive attitude and has
the ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
2017 Award Nominee
Amber Sibley
Renown Rehabilitation Hospital
nominated for
Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation
Nomination from Tiffany Regalia:
Amber is an excellent nurse and a wonderful human being! She continuously receives recognitions from
her peers and patients for going above and beyond in her nursing duties as well as her interpersonal
interactions. She remains calm and collected in a crisis and is able to efficiently and thoroughly present
needed information about her patients to the interdisciplinary team. Amber always seeks ways to help out
her co-workers, whether it be assisting with an admission, precepting new employees, or just sharing a
smile after a difficult day. She was also the first nurse at Renown Rehabilitation to obtain her Brain Injury
Specialist Certification! A recent patient commented: "She went above and beyond her call of duty on
multiple occasions... [Her] awesome personality truly helped not only my physical limitations, but also my
emotional ones." It is an honour to work with Amber and I know there are great things in store for her
career as a nurse!
2017 Award Nominee
Heather Silva
VA SNHC
nominated for
Advanced Practice
Nomination from Denise Angst:
Heather Silva is a nursing leader and role model. While working full time in an advanced nursing practice
role of Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) she continued to pursue her
professional dream of becoming a nurse practitioner. She was one of the first nurses to attend the Adult
Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Nevada, Reno. Ms. Silva also
paved the way for other Clinical Nurses Leaders in the Reno community. As one the first CNLs at the VA
Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) she helped define the CNL role. As the CNL of the
Intensive Care Unit she promoted the profession of nursing as mentor to her colleagues and to nursing
students. She has elevated nursing practice through the use of research to improve patient care outcomes.
Ms. Silva coordinated and lead quality improvement initiatives at the VA, most significantly the
implementation of post cardiac arrest targeted temperature management and pain, agitation, and delirium
protocol to decrease ventilator days of ICU patients. While Ms. Silva no longer works in the ICU, as a CNL,
she continues to serve the Veteran population as an acute care nurse practitioner in the Emergency
Department of the VASNHCS.
2017 Award Nominee
Celeste Simmons
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Deanna Romano:
Celeste is an amazing leader. She comes in to work with a great attitude and sets the morale of a better
work environment. She is easy to talk to and will find ways to make things work in most circumstances.
Staff find her easily approachable and she is always willing to talk. She has a great skill set for being a
leader. She brings much wisdom to the staff and for the hospital. She is helping so many with all that she
does for staff with diligance and guidance. She is also still able to help as a staff nurse if needed as this is
super important as we sometimes become busy and need a set of hands. She has shown us guidance and
growth for this ever growing career and for this I nominate her as she is a great nurse and great leader to
work with.
2017 Award Nominee
Hilary Simpson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Claire Hoffman:
Hilary is not only dedicated to her patients and her craft, she is dedicated to education and to truly
improving the art of labor and delivery nursing. Hilary understands the uniqueness, and the specialty that
is women's health nursing. Over the past few years, Hilary has been working on an incredible pain scale
project, to cater to the needs of the laboring woman. She understands that pain is an expected, and an
often a reassuring sign of labor, and she sought out a solution to help these laboring women in coping with
this pain. This project is truly incredible, and Hilary is the reason and the inspiration behind this. She takes
a genuine interest and is invested in the betterment and improvement of the maternal child department at
Renown. She is actively involved in many committees, and plays a huge role in mentoring new nurses.
Hilary has a passion for this style of nursing, and it is a service to our patients when they are able to be
cared for by her. She is smart, dedicated, passionate, professional, and it is truly an honor to watch her
work, and watch her care for her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Anna Smith
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Justine Curtis:
Anna is a new nurse who truly motivates others to better their practice. When I am feeling overwhelmed
and sometimes start to question why I do this stressful job, she reminds me the root of why we do this.
Even when she is not at work, Anna is still in a nursing mindset and truly thinks of her patients. One time
we had a long term patient on our floor who would say that she was bored doing the same things day in
and day out. After all the unit magazines, crossword puzzles, and other activities were exhausted, Anna
took it upon herself to go out and buy new arts and crafts for this patient so she would have something to
do. The happiness this patient showed after this small act of kindness was truly inspiring and just shows
that the little things we do count. This is just one example of Anna going above and beyond her job
description and showing just how passionate she is about nursing and changing lives. No patient to her is
just another patient, she gets to know each and every one on a personal level no matter how busy or
stressed out she is, we are so lucky to have her on our floor and in the nursing profession in general.
2017 Award Nominee
Jeanette Smith
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Jeanette is a gifted, kind, and compassionate nurse. One of the most inspiring things about Jeanette is how
she will interact with confused/ altered patients. While some nurses may give medications to reduce
anxiety, Jeanette will talk with the patient and call family members to help alleviate the patient's
anxiety/confusion. When this tactic does not prove effective, Jeanette can be found walking the halls with
patients throughout the night to help alleviate confusion/anxiety. Jeanette is very active in making positive
changes at Saint Mary's Regional Hospital. She is currently on the sepsis commitee and is making great
strides to improve sepsis awareness throughout the hospital.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Smith
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Mel Brooks:
It is an honor and a privilege to nominate Jessica Smith for the 2017 Northern Nevada Nurse of
Achievement Award in the category of "Innovation and Advocacy". As a nurse educator, it has been a
privilege and pleasure to work with this amazing registered nurse. Jessica has the ability to influence
others to rise to any occasion and succeed. Her positive attitude and overall demeanor permeates those
who she encounter her. Her constant influence on evidence based practice change has revolutionized the
care of an extremely underserved population in Emergency Nursing. Traditionally, emergency room care
provided to psychiatric legally held patients, surrounded stabilization and transfer to a long term
environment. However, northern Nevada community resources for this patient population are diminished,
consequently, creating boarding of these patients in the ER for days.Jessica recognized the need for
specific care related to these patients and the lack of staff education surrounding their care. She began
her quest by assessing the patient's needs and the staff's education requirements, then she went into
action! She developed a schedule for the patients, related to performing activities of daily living and unit
activities. This included showering, changing clothes, developing personal care kits, and providing regular
hot meals. Still she was not done, she continued by rounding with staff members, educating them on the
process changes and reinforcing the unit changes regarding their care. She collaborated with other
hospital departments, spending countless hours meeting with leaders and front line staff to improve the
care conditions for these patients. The capstone for this project was the institution of a patient order set,
which standardized care throughout the organization. Jessica has optimized both patient experience and
outcomes for this patient population. And for all these reasons I believe she is a nursing innovator and
patient advocate.
2017 Award Nominee
Julie Smith
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Amber Stutzman:
Julie is an awesome person all around. she has a big heart and a crazy sense of humor. Her patients love
this about her because she can make anyone laugh. She is hard working and eager to learn. She accepts
challenges with grace and a positive attitude and when asked to take on the charge role accepted with
optimism. She excelled in this role and her peers were happy to have her as one of the units leaders when
leadership was not present. She recently has made some work life changes, but continues to stay involved
in work committees and teams to try and make the unit a better place. Julie is an amazing nurse and
person and that's why I nominate her to be maternal child Nevada nurse of achievement for 2017!
2017 Award Nominee
Mackenzie Smith
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Katie Adams:
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which
you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the things which you think you cannot do." One could
argue that this quote is fitting for practically every new nurse. It does not take a seasoned nurse much
thought to remember those first few years of practice and the feelings of uncertainty mixed with an
enormous weight of responsibility. When I read this quote, it reminds me of Mackenzie Smith, a talented,
smart, and compassionate new nurse with whom I have the privilege to work beside.Recently, Mackenzie
was caring for a gentleman who passed away rather quickly. His cancer diagnosis took his family by
surprise and they struggled greatly with his illness and physical decline. Upon the man's passing, his
entire room filled with family members who insisted on seeing a priest and sharing a prayer over their
passed loved one. As Mackenzie's supervisor, I spent a great deal of time trying to secure a priest to come
and pray with this family, but was unable to do so. Mackenzie knew this prayer was absolutely necessary
for this family. With help from a co-worker, she found a prayer online and printed it out. I could tell
Mackenzie was apprehensive about leading the prayer, but it was something she knew she needed to do to
give this grieving family closure. I was fortunate enough to join Mackenzie at the bedside with this room
full of family members. She explained to them how we were unable to find a priest and if they were willing
she would lead the prayer. The family eagerly accepted Mackenzie's offer and we all joined hands.
Mackenzie went on to flawlessly read a lengthy and beautiful prayer that brought this heartbroken family
together. When the prayer closed, multiple family members thanked and hugged Mackenzie for her
excellent care and acts of compassion. Mackenzie's decision to read the prayer is not in a nurse's job
description, but she did it anyway. Her kindness and concern show her character and sympathetic heart.
In addition to the above qualities, Mackenzie is calm, confident, and extremely smart, which is reassuring
to her patients. Mackenzie's nursing practice often impresses me; because of these qualities, I am hopeful
you will select her as your 2017 rookie of the year.
2017 Award Nominee
Renee Smith
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Shelby Hunt:
This nurse is being nominated in the category of patient advocacy and innovation due to her dedicationand
diligence to ensure our stroke patients are meeting evidence-based practice criteria in order toimprove
stroke outcomes. Renee Smith is a per diem nurse in our emergency department who has taken itupon
herself, after initially being asked to help do a few audits, to become our primary chart abstractor for
ourstroke patients and enters the data into the American Heart/American Stroke Association's Get with
theGuidelines data entry system. The system allows us to continue to measure our performance of
meetingclinical practice guidelines and observe for trends and areas of opportunity. She is actively
involved in ourstroke committee and visits our stroke patients on the inpatient units to ensure proper
documentation andeducation is being performed as well as the patients being assessed for depression. She
also gets paged 24/7 when there is a stroke alert and frequently communicates with the staff to ensure all
measures of best practice are being met. When she identifiesopportunities, she will send written
communication to nurses and providers, as well as attempt to have 1:1communication with them. Due to
her dedication and diligence, she was able to assist our facility inachieving the Gold Plus Award from the
American Heart/American Stroke Association. Our facilitiesimproved outcomes for treating strokes is
partly due to Renee's dedication to this program and advocatingfor our patients while being innovative to
ensure nurses understand the importance of clinical practice guidelines. In addition to the above, she is a
committed nurse to her emergency department patients always ensuring department initiatives are being
met and patients are having the best possible ED experience. She is a true advocate and utilized
innovation when doing so to ensure the best. Thanks for all you do!
2017 Award Nominee
Stephanie Smith
VA SNHC
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Denise Angst:
I have had the pleasure of working with Stephanie Smith for the past five years in the intensive care unit
(ICU) and watching her grow, personally and professionally. In the midst of personal tragedy Stephanie
has persevered. She has managed to maintain a positive work life balance and seek out profession growth.
She is an incredible critical care nurse and exemplifies the Standards of Professional Performance, as set
forth by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).She is a role model for our unit and the
entire nursing profession. She represents herself as an equal member of the interdisciplinary health care
team and is a strong advocate for her patients. She is tireless in ensuring that our Veterans receive the
appropriate care for their current medical condition. Often times this requires Ms. Smith to coach and
mentor the resident physicians completing a rotation in the ICU. Ms. Smith the ICU nurse I would want to
take care of me or anyone of my family members!
2017 Award Nominee
Lauren Soletti
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Hilary Rosette:
Since the first day that I precepted Lauren I knew she was going to be an amazing nurse. Lauren was a
new graduate nurse two weeks away from being off of orientation and I was only 8 months into my nursing
career. I was tasked to help teach Lauren how to be a telemetry nurse but Lauren showed me what
compassion truly looked like. Lauren seemed to have bad luck follow her through her first year of nursing
with many critical patients and unfortunate patients passing. With each death I could see the affect that it
had on Lauren who truly became a nurse to help people in the worst times of their lives. One night when
she had become the preceptor of a new graduate nurse herself she had a very critically ill patient be
admitted to the unit. The patient had been in and out of the hospital, a trach to breath, and was back in the
hospital again with critical lab values. The patients family was at bedside when this patient began to
decline and a code occurred. Lauren being the amazing nurse that she was multitasked taking lead in the
code, teaching her preceptee, and to me, most importantly, taking the time to be with the patient's family
when they were scared in the corner of the room. This is just one of the many times that Lauren has shown
the balance of what it takes to be a nurse. She is intelligent and fierce in intense situations but also calm
and comforting to those in need. It is easy when a nurse sees death so frequently to become numb to other
peoples pain but I know this will never be the case with Lauren because of her compassion and empathy.
Renown is lucky to have her as a new nurse at our hospital and her patients are even more fortunate to be
in her care.
2017 Award Nominee
Leah Southern
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jennifer Langham:
Leah is one of the most kind and caring nurses I have ever had the privilege to work with. She continually
ensures the comfort of her patients and their families. She goes above and beyond to involve patients and
families in the care she provides. Leah is also very intelligent, able to think quickly on her feet with an
innate ability to understand her patient's disease process and make certain that the care provided is
appropriate, excellent and often times life saving.Leah is the epitome of a great co-worker and team
player. She consistently offers assistance and is always available to assist in any way she can.I truly love
working with Leah and am very happy that I get to call her my co-worker and friend.
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Leah ensures that every time she reports to duty as an intensive care nurse, she provides excellent nursing
care. I have worked alongside Leah and she exemplifies all the characteristics that an ICU nurse should
possess. She is kind, intelligent, gentle, caring, attentive, dedicated, professional, assertive, and
resourceful. This is why Leah should be given the award for critical care.Leah ensures that excellence is
delivered to our patients. I remember a patient that Leah cared for in our ICU that required immediate
clinical intervention and received it due to Leah's advocacy. Leah was going through her shift when she
observed that the telemetry monitor of an ICU patient had changed. The change was ST elevation. Leah
immediately collaborated with the provider to address her concern that our critically ill patient was
experiencing an acute myocardial infarction. Leah initiated protocols and interventions that lead to the
activation of a code STEMI. Leah was the driving force to ensuring that the patient was given the care that
was needed.This is only one example of how Leah has demonstrated excellence in our ICU and in critical
care.d
2017 Award Nominee
Shelly Soukup
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Rachel Geyer:
Shelly serves as our office triage nurse. Not only does Shelly speak with all triage inquiries, she assists our
practice in administering injections and providing diabetic education. Shelly has been proactive in
expanding her knowledge of diabetic education for our OB patients in order to provide comprehensive
education services. One of Shelly's other main roles is to set up OB patients for their NSTs tests. Shelly is
able to develop warm relationships with our patients through this process as they may be seen weekly or
bi-weekly. Shelly communicates with our practice physicians throughout her work day to provide
continuity of care. We are thankful for Shelly!
2017 Award Nominee
Kristina Spitale
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Dee Ann Radcliffe:
Working as a nurse educator in an intensive care unit for the past 15 years I have had the privilege to meet
many great nurses. This nurse is truly one of the most amazing nurses that I have ever worked with.
Change as humans presents many challenges and change within nursing and healthcare presents even
larger challenges. It is the rare individual who embraces change and the even rarer person that is an
innovator. This nurse fits both of those qualities. She was the leader of a project to bring the electronic
medical record documentation to medical emergencies within the hospital; rapid responses and codes. She
worked closely with the electronic medical record (EPIC) builders and information technology to develop
and modify the documentation system. She utilized her qualities to ensure that the product would meet the
needs of the end-users of the system; the staff nurses. This system does so much more than provide realtime documentation of these events, it allows Renown Health to gain greater information on the care we
are providing to patients during these emergencies and allows the organization to make timely changes to
improve the care of patients during medical emergencies. This electronic reporting system has allowed
Renown to audit over 200 patient records and identify areas of opportunity much more promptly than via
the old paper system.This electronic documenting has improved the audit process and helped each unit
identify areas of opportunity in a timely manner, allowing for rapid changes to improve patient care. This
nurse's qualities do not stop at innovation; she is a proactive nurse that advocates for each patient. She
was caring for a patient in the ICU with a brain tumor and had subtle changes in their neuro assessment.
This nurse had a feeling that something was going on with the patient. She insisted that the physician
come and assess the patient at the bedside. She advocated for a CT Scan of the head to be ordered and a
new lesion was discovered. As a result of this nurse's actions, the patient underwent surgery for removal of
the lesion and the patient ended up discharging home. Without her actions, it is likely that the patient
would have died. This nurse ensured that her concerns were heart and as a result the patient had an
excellent outcome as a result of her dedication and advocacy. She truly cares about her patients and her
profession and continues to strive for excellence.
2017 Award Nominee
Donna SSimpsonparks
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Lynch:
Donna is an invaluable resource to our department. With her years of experience and the various settings
in which she has practiced, there is nothing that gets past her. This is such a great help to RNs with less
experience, often saving us from "learning the hard way". She has undoubtedly seen it all. Donna deserves
this award and recognition for her steadfast dedication, high ethical standards and compassion which she
demonstrates to our patients and staff/MDs who come in contact with her. My career has been enhanced
working with her and she continues to be one of pre-op's greatest assets. Thank you Donna!
2017 Award Nominee
Caitlin Stack
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Carrie Breakell:
Caitlin is a great nurse and coworker on the postpartum floor at Renown Regional Medical Center. She has
excellent critical thinking skills and perceives and understands the patient situations that arise on our unit.
Her experience as a nurse enables her to customize each patient's care plan to suit their needs. The
support that she provides to her fellow coworkers is both constructive and friendly. Her ability to educate
and mentor novice nurses is commendable. As a coworker, I admire her professionalism and find her
guidance invaluable. Caitlin also proves herself as a strong leader when she assumes the role of charge
nurse. She is well deserving of this recognition.
Nomination from Christy Barrineau:
Brittany has only been a nurse for a few years and has really shown some remarkable capabilities in that
short time. She has become a proficient nurse on Postpartum and in the newborn nursery. She can manage
a patient assignment with efficiency and organization all the while giving each patient the individual
attention they need. Brittany has also taken on the role of mentor, sharing her knowledge and skills with
new nurses and nursing students. Brittany never seems to shy away from new challenges. She is also one
of our charge nurses and can manage the department with ease even on the busiest of days . I love it when
Brittany is in charge because I know the unit is in good hands therefore, I am recommending Brittany for
Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement for 2017.
Nomination from Christy Barrineau:
Caitlin came to Postpartum 4 years ago from another department. She quickly became a valuable member
of the team. She is one of our best charge nurses and excels on the floor and in the newborn nursery.
Caitlin is usually the one to understand new processes and procedures first and keeps her peers informed.
She is a member of our unit's shared governance committee and past chair, and a level II RN. The
versatility she possesses is so valuable to us. In a hot second, her schedule for the day can change and she
steps up and goes with the flow. For all this, I believe Caitlin should be 2017's Northern Nevada's Nurse of
Achievement for maternal child.
2017 Award Nominee
Randall Starks
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Taralynn Bassham:
I would like to nominate Randi Starks in the category of Administrative Leadership. I have had the
privilege of working closely with Randi as we manage two very similar/close units. She inspires me every
day to be a better leader with her way of leading by example. You frequently will see her on her unit
answering call lights, feeding patients, changing linens and rounding with staff. She uses patient rounding
time not just to ask the patients how their stay has been, but to go the extra mile and ensure that every
need is met. Recently, she had a TBI patient who was very agitated and inconsolable she spent hours in his
room, feeding him, playing him Bruce Springsteen and reassuring him. This not only was beneficial to the
patient, but it also helped her staff attend to the needs of other patients during this time. In August the
Neuro unit split into two units, Randi took over the Neurosurgery side, with this split came many
challenges. She is never afraid to face a challenge head on no matter how big. She stays positive despite
set-backs and uses them as stepping stones to conquer goals. I know that I can always count on her to
answer my questions as a new manager and me to help grow my unit as well.
2017 Award Nominee
Allison Stewart
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Rochelle Binnell:
It is with great pleasure that I nominate Allison for the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. Allison is
an excellent nurse and strong patient advocate. Over the past year, Allison has taken on a project to start a
group in the Emergency Department for debriefing after traumatic stressful situations. Early on after her
decision to take on the project, Allison realized how big the project would be. Instead of giving up, Allison
reached out to her team for support and got some of her co-workers assistance. She has found out the
education needed and has reached out to other community entities to partner with them and educate
herself on the best path for this new process. She has done an excellent job and we are looking forward to
her program becoming a successful and supportive part of the way we care for our patients. Allison is
positive and motivated and continues to look for ways we can better care for ourselves as nurses and for
the patients and families we care for.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Stice
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Sarah Noble:
Jennifer has easily adapted into critical care nursing in her first year as an RN. She goes above and beyond
to ensure that she is performing evidenced based nursing care, and continues to further her education in
critical care nursing whenever the opportunity arises.Jennifer has continuously shown compassion to her
patients, as well as their families. She as also shown that she will work tirelessly to advocate for the needs
of her patients.Jennifer exemplifies the values of her organization. She is caring. She demonstrates
integrity in her work each day. She is always willing to collaborate to ensure her patients receive the best
care. And finally, she strives for excellence in all her work.
Nomination from Meghan Stice:
Jennifer demonstrated a strong desire to quickly advance her nursing skills and was never satisfied to just
get by with her care for her patients despite the challenges facing a new grad in a high acuity ICU. She is
always looking for ways to help her coworkers and provides care for all the patients in her pod, not just her
own. She showed a desire to learn by responding on rapid responses and codes before it was required and
was jumping in to provide a skilled hand. She demonstrates kindness and compassion for her patients and
provides compassionate care for her patients. She has a great sense of humor and it is easy to see she has
gained the respect and friendship of her peers very quickly. She is a great team player and has a very
bright future ahead in nursing! And I'm very proud to call her my sister and to have been privileged to
watch her start her journey as a nurse!
2017 Award Nominee
Crystal Stockwell
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Carolyn:
Crystal is an amazing nurse. We all love working with her. Crystal is the first one to help out when you
need her. She is great at her job and so knowledgeable. All her coworkers love working with her. No
matter what is going on, on the floor Crystal is always willing to help out, even if it's her patient or not. I
can't say enough about this girl. She ROCKS!! Thank you for all that you do for this unit. You are not only a
wonderful nurse, but you are a wonderful person too. You make this floor run more smoothly. Thanks for
your hard work.
2017 Award Nominee
Emily Stone
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Lydia Roach:
Emily Stone exemplifies what it means to be a nurse. She is patient, compassionate, respectful of others,
she remains calm in stressful situations and always places the patients needs first. She began her career in
Nutrition in the hospital setting and realized her passion for patient care. She returned to school, received
her nursing license and started at the bedside in the ICU,se now works at Renown Regional Medical
Center's PACU. The PACU is lucky to have Emily on their team!I am new to the PACU, also transferring
from an ICU. Emily was assigned as my preceptor and took on the task eagerly. She made me feel very
welcome and I immediately knew I was in good hands. I have been a nurse for 8 years and have worked
with numerous nurses. It is refreshing to work with someone who is so compassionate, knowledgeable and
is able to create an environment that nurtures learning. She stimulated critical thinking with questions,
provided space, but also jumped in to help in emergent situations (airway management, BP support, pain
control issues). She has a great rapport with the anesthesiologists and is constantly advocating for her
patients. Emily is also a great team player and is always offering to help others. I cannot say enough good
things about her. She deserves to be recognized!
2017 Award Nominee
Sherry Stofko
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Shawn Sullivan:
Sherry Stofko first came to my attention when she attended Clinical orientation in our facility. She had
been newly hired into the Emergency Department but was a Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructor
(PALS) and wanted to continue doing that if possible. I love having anyone express an interest in
education, so asked her to participate in some educational activities and was very impressed with the
results. Over the years, I meet lots of people who love to teach, but not all are natural teachers. Sherry
Stofko is a natural teacher. She cares very deeply, not only about what she teaches, but how she teaches it
and how it will benefit staff. She has been a positive influence on me to examine each educational activity
to ensure it has value to the student as well as the institution. With all the focus on surveys and scores,
sometimes we forget that and Sherry never does. I think her passion for education comes from her passion
for nursing. Sherry has had many experiences in nursing. She has been a traveler, and worked a variety of
units, including Emergency Department, and I think that gave her a unique vision of what education for
nurses could be. She says that the reason she began an interest in education was to gain power over topics
that scared her, such as sick pediatric patients, and that is why she became a PALS instructor. I admire
people who see education as a tool to improve themselves as well as others. She has been a contributing
factor in making our Clinical orientation process and PALS programs better. She has been a large
contributor to getting a clinical ladder implemented in our facility again, which will improve knowledge for
a lot of nurses. I admire the way she focuses on the process as well as the content. We are constantly
looking at topics to change, update and refine, but always with the eye to how it benefits the nurse and
how it can help improve their practice.Having a positive impact is important to her. Whether it is on a
patient and their outcome or on how a student does on a test or performance of a skill, Sherry is always
thinking of how that experience is perceived. When Sherry is involved, the experience is usually
positive!She makes me a better educator and that is why I would like to nominate her for Northern Nevada
Nurses of Achievement in the category of Education.
2017 Award Nominee
Julie Strachan
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Jenn Allen:
Julie is an incredible ER nurse. She is passionate about providing excellent care to our patients. Julie has
spent time reviewing our processes for some of our sickest patients and has helped our team improve. She
is committed to the ER team and mentoring new nurses. She has genuine concern for each and every ER
patient and their families and this is reflected in her care every day. Julie participates in our code blue
team and has taken initiative to help our telemedicine program so that we do not need to transfer these
patients to another hospital if we can care for them at our location. She has been instrumental in many
improvement areas of the ER and it is so nice to have a caring bedside nurse that also makes sure quality
and safety are at the heart of the ER.
Nomination from Jessica Davidson:
I nominate Julie Strachan for the Nurse of Achievement Award because very time that I have the pleasure
working with Julie, she is always so nice and treats her patients with respect and dignity while providing
excellent care. Julie doesn't just care for the patient, she cares for the families as well. Julie always shows
dedication to the team here in the ER and is one of the biggest team players I know. Julie is always offering
a helping hand to anyone who needs it; nurses, techs, unit clerks, physicians, clinical analysts. When
families and patients have a hard time coping with something here in the ER, having a truly caring nurse is
such a blessing.
2017 Award Nominee
Kristine Strand
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Crescent Ferrera:
I am nominating Kristine Strand for nurse of achievement for her outstanding customer service and
natural ability to put people at ease. Kristine works in Tahoe Surgical Services in the Pre-Op department.
She is new to Surgical Services and has embraced it with both arms. She has strong communication skills,
is attentive to details, and has a passion for making people comfortable. She tackles every situation with
humor and kindness. She gets giddy when she connects with a patient. A majority of our patients come in
anxious and hungry. Kristine will ask them what they would like to make them feel better. Often it is
food...When they tell her eggs and bacon, she prints out a picture of eggs and bacon and gives it to them. If
their surgery is delayed or they have arrived early she prints out coloring, crossword puzzles or plays
hangman with them. Before her patients arrive in pre-op she picks out music in their room for their age.
Classical for over 60, classic rock for over 40 and she is still looking for a hip station for the 20-30 year
olds, cartoons for kids. Her patients truly appreciate her lightening of the mood and distraction
techniques. She does an amazing job and truly takes it the extra step.
Nomination from Tanya Hatfield:
Kristine Strand is an exemplary example of what a nurse should be. I met her when I was an Emergency
Room tech in 2013. She has taught me that compassion and understanding are paramount with her daily
tasks. She is personal with the Emergency Medical staff, all fire departments, and families of numerous
patients. She has been a shoulder to cry on, and the most inspirational teacher I have ever had the
pleasure of knowing. Kristine Strand is funny, smart, motivated, and truly care about the well being of her
staff as well as her patients. I love Kristine Strand!
Nomination from Amy Laster:
This nurse has been a member of our team for a mere 1.5 months and has opened our eyes to what nursing
is all about. This nurse has put the CAN back in what we do for our patients as well as joy and
laughter.Our Surgical Services patients are benefiting by this nurse's pure love of what she does. Just
recently, this nurse taped a picture of a smiley face to the bottom of the glass door in the PreOp room. The
very anxious patient and family could see the brightly colored print and words, "I'm right around the
corner if you need me." These simple words and relationship set the patient at ease, knowing she could
trust her. Instead of thinking about what we can't do she poses a question of, "why can't we, let's do it."
Another example of how this nurse brings joy to the department and to our patients happened just last
week. After providing care, this nurse asked the patient if there was anything else she could do for them.
The patient answered, "I would love a doughnut." Both the patient and the nurse knowing they couldn't
have a donut as they were about to have surgery. To meet the patient's needs, this nurse printed a picture
of a donut and placed it on the foot of the patient's gurney. Laughter came from the room. The experiences
above are just a few of the things this nurse has done. Every day she comes to work on a mission to do her
very best caring for our patients, their families and our team. She looks after us, cares about us, is a
phenomenal nurse and admired by our team.This nurse is warm, caring, and enthusiastic and her love of
nursing is apparent every day. This nurse is a role model for us and to the nursing profession.
Nomination from Jennifer Baigent:
Kristine always goes above and beyond to meet the needs of patients as well as their families.One preop pt
was having an emotional time in preop, and pts young child was in the room and having to see all of this.
Kristine not only helped to prep the pt for surgery but also got the child life toys to help the pts child, and
also took him out to see a med helicopter arrive. This eased the stress of the pt and also the child. This pt
was also complaining that she was so thirsty and all she wanted was a coke to drink. RN went to computer
and pulled up a coke bottle and printed the pts name and pts child name on the coke bottle. Its the
thoughtful little things that Kristine does to provide the pt and family with exceptional care
2017 Award Nominee
Kristen Strand
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Stephanie Herrera:
Kristen is an amazing nurse. She has proven herself to be a great nurse and charge nurse. At first she
seemed a bit hesitant to become a charge nurse, but with the encouragement of her co-workers (who
obviously know talent when they see it) she started to shadow charge nurses and stepped up to the
position. Kristen does a great job at charge because she would never let her co-workers down. If they need
help or even just encouragement she is there. She is constantly helping others out and asking if they need
anything. I get many comments from doctors and patients about how smart and good she is.
2017 Award Nominee
Brittney Sutliff
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Ryan Rasmusson:
Brittney is a great nurse and a valuable member of the operating room team. Brittney specializes in
circulating orthopedic and heart surgeries. As a board runner you need people on your team that are
problem solvers and great communicators. Brittney is one of those valuable team members. Brittney takes
care of the surgeons that she works with and makes sure that they have everything they need to make
each case go as smooth as possible. Along with taking care of the surgeons she works with, Brittney does a
great job taking care of each patient. It is a great pleasure to work with Brittney.
Nomination from Diana Haigh:
Brit is a fantastic OR nurse, not only to her patient but her coworkers and surgeons. Every time a staff
member or surgeon is assigned to work with Brit they know they are in great hands. She always treats her
patients as if they were her own family member, they get the best care and feel at ease. The sky is the limit
for her, she is always helpful and is a great resource. Brit is also a wonderful preceptor, she always knows
when to give a little push and when to help her precepte. Brit is an amazing nurse and i look forward to
continuing to watch her grow.
2017 Award Nominee
Cameron Swain
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Lindsay Gray:
Cameron is not just a pretty face. He can be a great, helpful nurse. He can make a stressful situation less
stressful. He can be underestimated. He is a knowledgeable member of the critical care team. He can be a
great preceptor and excels in cardiac critical care. He is takes on extra responsibilities in the Unit when
asked. He can be a resource for new critical care nurses. He can be positive co-worker who is appreciated.
He is AACN certified. He takes part in extra commitees for patient improvement and patient satisfaction.
Cameron is an asset to our field.
2017 Award Nominee
Jaime Swain
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Tammy Evans:
I would like to nominate Jamie Swain for advocacy. As a new graduate, Jamie not only thrived in her new
role in our Medical department, but also was a major force in identifying and supporting one of society's
most vulnerable patient population. I am reminded of a quote by Dr. Denis Waitley who said, "There are
two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing
them." Jamie is one who accepted the responsibility and made a change in our organization. "Suicide is the
tenth leading cause of death in the United States", Jamie told me one day. "Most people received
healthcare a year prior to their death. I would like to assess our nurses' knowledge in identifying, treating,
and supporting this patient population". Jamie created an electronic survey given to our nursing staff to
identify their comfort level with suicidal patients. She also updated our electronic record to include a
review of risk assessment prior to all patient's discharging for our facility. She has identified opportunity to
support our patients, educate our nurses, and protect our hospital. I am excited to see where her career
path will take her.
2017 Award Nominee
Kelsey Swanson
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Meghan Stice:
Kelsey demonstrated a strong desire to quickly advance her nursing skills and was never satisfied to just
get by with her care for her patients despite the overwhelming challenges facing a new nurse in an
understaffed ICU. She demonstrates a quiet kindness and compassion for her patients and provided
excellent care to a patient who coded upon arrival to the unit. This was both Kelsey's first code and her
first patient passing which is challenging enough without having it all occur within an hour of the patient
being admitted! Kelsey handled the situation very well and the family expressed their gratitude for her
care. She is a great team player and has a very bright future ahead in nursing!
2017 Award Nominee
Bonnie Swenson
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Rebecca Baldridge:
Bonnie is a sweet and compassionate nurse. She is always helping her fellow nurses whenever they are
feeling overwhelmed. Bonnie shows great promise as a nurse. She is always asking questions, and looking
up the answers that she can not find the answer to. Bonnie will advocate for her patients and is undaunted
when she is reprimanded by doctors for voicing her concerns. Bonnie recognizes patient decline quickly
and will implement a rapid response to stablize patient condition. Bonnie is always positive and brightens
the mood on the floor. She brings a smile to patients and fellow nurses alike. She is an asset to our floor
and I am looking forward to watching her grow as a nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Angela Tanner
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Tiffany Broce:
I would like to nominate Angie Tanner for critical care nurse of achievement. Angie has been a nurse for
almost 12 years and her experience is very apparent. She leads our team to being the successful unit that
it is today. When changes occur in the system, she is positive and adapts to the changes. Angie is an
example of how nurses grow and change through their years. Angie is supportive to her staff when she is
charge nurse. She is a true leader. She advocates for not only her patients and families but also the
bedside nurses. Angie is a great resource and role model for all levels of nurses. She helps set our culture
of team work by being a team player who is always willing to help. Angie is great with her families and
receives positive feedback from them. She is an active member of the evidence-based committee, which
improves the overall quality of care at Renown.
Nomination from Jillian Arevalo:
Angie's knowledge of critical pathos and attention to detail put her one step ahead when caring for a
critically ill patient. She is a natural leader and her experience enables her to be a phenomenal mentor to
our newer nurses. She is highly regarded by her peers as an exceptional role model. Angie has the ability
to inspire those around her and leads by example. Angie is a strong advocate for her patients, always
demonstrating the highest regard for patient care and safety. For these reasons, I am nominating Angie for
Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award in Critical Care.
2017 Award Nominee
Theresa Tangonan
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Theresa is a talented and compassionated medical/surgical nurse. She has been a nurse over 30 years and
has held many roles. Theresa has demonstrated her ability to advocate and anticipate her patient's needs
many times. Theresa's ability to acclimate and adjust to any situation is what distinguishes her as
medical/surgical nurse worthy of recognition.I remember a patient of Theresa's that had recently had
bariatric surgery and needed home oxygen. Her years of experience as a surgical nurse immediately
allowed her to anticipate the patient's need for home oxygen. She addressed the need immediately upon
seeing our provider. The provider gave Theresa all the signature and descriptions and diagnoses needed to
order the home oxygen setup. The social worker set about in arranging the delivery. The ordeal became
increasingly frustrating. The patient needed X, the provider needed to do X, the insurance company
needed X, it was maddeningly how complicated it was to attain oxygen for this surgical patient living in a
rural town. Theresa smiled at me and the social worker. "I got this. Don't worry. I'll call." Theresa assured
me and the social worker. I was perplexed because how could her phone call be different than the many
phone calls prior. I left for a meeting and came back. I asked Theresa what else was needed for our
surgical patient. She chuckled and calmly said, "Nothing, it's taken care of." She laughed more when I told
her she was magical and amazing. She assured me it was not magic, she simply had years and years of
experience. Theresa then took the time to explain to me what she had done to help the oxygen company
arrange the oxygen that our patient needed.This is only one example of how Theresa's experience,
calmness, competency, and easygoing nature allows her and our unit to deliver excellence. She is happy to
help and willing to teach all that she knows. Theresa is awesome. She is the nurse I hope to become with
each passing year of experience that I gain and that I wish other nurses will strive for. This is why Theresa
deserves the medical/surgical nurse award.
2017 Award Nominee
Natalie Tegio
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Cheri Kellie:
Natalie Tegio is the Quality Coordinator for Renown Home Health. Natalie improves quality and optimizes
clinical decisions to develop client centered care plans by providing actionable analytics, benchmarks and
dashboards using real time data. By utilizing information technology to identify areas for performance
improvement, inspecting trends in outcomes of client care, and providing clinicians and clinical teams with
individualized feedback, her work has transformed our workplace into a very high quality, cost-effective
agency that is focused on excellence in home care.Natalie is responsible for data collection and
distribution of multiple dashboards that demonstrate Renown Home Health outcome and process
measures. These range from CMS and Accountable Care Organization regulatory measures to Infection
Prevention and Patient Experience data sets. By developing a model utilizing multiple databases including
Excel Macros and EPIC EMR providing real time agency productivity measures for the entire Home Health
clinical team, an astounding productivity improvement rate of 22% YTD was realized. Natalie compiles
data driven information and expertly presents it during her Quality Assurance and Performance
improvement committee meetings, which she developed, implemented, and chairs!Natalie implemented
our infection control in-home hand hygiene program that utilizes 22 specific failure points to accurately
provide leaders with results specific to individual clinician performance. Her work culminated in hand
hygiene compliance rates achieved and maintained at 90% adherence for over a year! Natalie removed
significant waste by remodeling a CMS mandated peer chart review process that was predominately paper
by reducing the duplicative information gathering steps and streamlined the data collection activities for
staff. She reduced the number of pages to complete the chart review from eleven to 2, increasing cycle
time by over 80%. Our quality of client care has improved as reflected in her work with Joint Commission
on a major graded area titled Waived Testing. During this work she created a process for validating INR
waived testing machine accuracy and clinical documentation surrounding in home therapeutic medication
monitoring to ensure our clients were safely monitored during anticoagulation therapy. Natalie utilizes
data from available technology and applies it to developing policies and standard work involving nursing
care plans to improve client outcomes. Because of her work we now have resources available to alert
clinicians of clients that are high risk for fall or readmission, or those that are ready for Hospice services.
Natalie's work with informatics analysis has given Renown Home Health the ability to link HHCAHPS
scores to individual clinicians that are providing exceptional care. She has the ability to drill down to
individual locations, clients, and clinicians, providing us with a very real picture of exactly where we are
performing as expected or area's that are an opportunity for improvement. Natalie has the informatics skill
that has enabled Renown Home Health to realize our full potential to improve the quality of our client
care. This agency is extremely fortunate to have Natalie's informatics expertise to support clinical
decisions that ultimately facilitates client successful self-management in the home setting
2017 Award Nominee
Tori Tembey
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Kelly De Jong:
I am honored to nominate Tori Tembey for the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement award in Critical
Care. Tori has grown to be of our go-to nurses in the Trauma ICU. Tori is a compassionate and
knowledgeable nurse who provides excellent patient care. Additionally, Tori is always willing to help out
her peers and other units. She frequently receives compliments from other units regarding her position on
the rapid response team. Tori is quick to recognize and react to situations. Tori is our skin team leader and
has coordinated efforts in that arena to help improve our patient's skin outcomes. I really enjoy working
with Tori and am thankful to have her in our work family.
2017 Award Nominee
Ronda Teruya
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Carrie Mason:
Ronda is an amazing well rounded registered nurse. She excels in the home health field. She always goes
above and beyond to make sure her patients receive the best care. She is skilled at teaching patients to
manage their medical issues. She takes the time to teach prevention strategies and ways for patients to
keep themselves out of the hospital. She is an asset to any team. She displays compassion and is an
extremely hard worker. She is a nurse that you can always count on to help if you get in a jam, and she will
do it with a smile.
2017 Award Nominee
Dagmawit Teshome
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Iliana:
I have had the pleasure of working with Dee for about three years now. Her growth professionally has
been amazing to witness and be a part of. Dee is very calm and can handle very stressful situations with
great care. As a charge nurse Dee is looked as a great resource for the team and has great skills to
manage all situation. In one experience, Dee had to resolve a conflict between a nurse and a CNA to
provide the best patient care possible. And she did it successfully and the patient received the care they
deserved. Dee is a great RN and it has been a great experience working with her.
2017 Award Nominee
Lisa Thayer
Cancer Care Specialists
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Lindsey Foxen:
Im nominating Lisa because she is not only a great person but a phenomenal oncology nurse. Her
dedication to her patients is something that is not learned but she was born with. She is always so positive
and up beat in the infusion room that the patients automatically become less stressed and have fun while
getting treatments. She is very knowledgeable in oncology and enjoys learning about new treatment and
therapies. She is nurse that I have no problem approaching for any matter at hand. If she doesn't know the
answer she will find it. Lisa is also one of the most caring and compassionate people I know. I'm very lucky
to work with her but very blessed to be able call her my dear friend. Thank you Lisa for being you and
making nursing such a great profession.
2017 Award Nominee
Amy Thompson
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Riley Henderson:
Amy is a breast cancer nurse navigator who loves and cares for all of the breast cancer patients that enter
into our hospital's system. While she is an amazing nurse and so loving to her patients, that is not why I am
nominating her. I am nominating Amy for being an amazing mentor to her fellow nurses, specifically me. I
entered into a nurse navigating role in May, 2016 and Amy has trained me, guided me, encouraged me,
and fought for me single handedly all while managing her extensive workload. Never has there been a
moment that I couldn't go to her with questions and not get the most thorough answer or direction. She
has taught me that every ounce of work we put in for our patients is worth it- that our patients do need us
and benefit from our services, despite our doubts at times. Amy is a natural leader and if something
doesn't seem fair, she will speak up on my behalf to make sure I am not overloaded or overwhelmed by
new tasks. Amy frequently checks in and provides constructive feedback in order to grow me in my role. I
couldn't be more grateful to have a peer who loves me as much as she loves her patients, who leads with a
big heart, who strives to always do the best in everything she does, and who pushes those around her to be
better versions of themselves. I don't think Amy often gets the recognition she deserves for all that she
does, but her work and dedication to nursing has not gone unnoticed by me.
2017 Award Nominee
Teena Thomas
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Jessica Jackson:
Teena is a dynamic, versatile, and engaging educator. She is committed to building a strong competent
nursing team in the Critical Care module. Every year, she supports over 100 nurses throughout their
orientation to ensure they are skilled and competent caregivers. Teena is your go-to expert on cardiac
rhythms; giving cardiologists a run for their money. She sets high standards for quality of care and
engages her team to do the way in quality improvements. There is no task too big or too small for Teena,
she is always there for her team. The Telemetry teams are fortunate to have an educator like Teena.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Tierney
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Daun Russell:
We work in a busy outpatient infusion center, (I know, we are all busy now right?) Well it doesn't matter
how busy we are, Jessie consistently spends the time needed with each and every one of her patients to
insure they are fully assessed, ready and safe for treatment. She has on numerous occasions picked up
something that was not reported to the physician and could impact treatment and collaborates with said
physician to insure appropriate care. She also takes the time to make sure her patient knows what will be
transpiring and educates them fully in their care. On one such occasion, Jessie had a patient that gave new
meaning to the word anxiety over her potential chemotherapy treatment. She was "peel off the ceiling"
anxious. Jessie not only took the time to discuss every aspect of her upcoming chemotherapy, she took the
time to answer each question the patient and her family had about it. Jessie also made arrangements to be
her nurse for that first treatment as initial education happens an appointment before actual treatment. The
patient and family were still very anxious and Jessie spent a lot of extra time with them to reiterate each
step as they went. This of course meant staying late as often happens when you go the extra mile for your
patients. This meant the world to the patient and needless to say she bonded with her and continues her
treatment empowered by increased knowledge and confidence in her care and her healthcare team. I want
to be more like her. She is the type of nurse I would want to care for me. Her compassion, patience and
thoroughness is something to which one should aspire.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Timmons
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Natalie Nicholson:
Jen is an outstanding leader who on a daily basis goes about and beyond. Jen is one of those nurses you
want on your team and you want to lead your team. Jen is a phenomenal nurse leader, she has strong
communication skills, maybe talks a little fast but gets her point across clearly and her employees are
always well informed. She is compassionate, emphatic, great problem solving skills; cool under pressure,
flexible, and always willing to help any way she can. Jen has taken a unit that had low participation scores,
low physician engagement, financials in the red and completely turned it around. Her employee
engagement and participation is now well over 90%, physician engagement has increased significantly and
is very diligent on keeping her finances in the black. Jen has an open door policy and because of her very
approachableness attitude staff has no problem texting or calling her with questions even in the middle of
the night. Jen has a strong work ethic, always thinking outside of the box and is never afraid to ask
questions and then finds ways to remove barriers to implement evidence based practice.
2017 Award Nominee
Christy Tolotti
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Caitlin Evans:
Christy is a nurse that makes you happy to be at work when you see her. She is warm and has a great
sense of humor, and is a wonderful nursing resource. Christy has a lot of experience in emergency nursing,
but comes forward with a humble attitude. Christy is an advocate for her patients as well as her
coworkers. She is respectful of others from new graduate nurse to management. She is always willing to
help her coworkers with various tasks and educate on a wide variety of emergency nursing topics. She is a
joy to be around and lifts everyone's spirits when working with her.
Nomination from Katie Mauldin:
Christy is such a great nurse to have in the emergency room. She has a positive demeanor and is fun to
work with in that she can make even the most difficult or mundane tasks better with her positive attitude.
She effectively conveys that she cares for her patients and their safety, and she ensures that patients
understand fully the tasks and tests that need to be done during their stay as well as the reason for them.
Christy is a helpful, experienced nurse who is great with training newer individuals due to her experience,
patience, and kindness. Christy is a quiet, diligent person who deserves recognition for her hard work and
for lasting in the ER for so long while so many new faces come and go. Thank you Christy for being an
excellent role model for new and current nurses and for all the hard work you do!
Nomination from J Fisher:
I would like to nominate Christy Tolotti for her outstanding emergency department care. Christy is kind
and considerate in meeting the needs of all of her patients. She is thorough and complete in her care in a
very efficient manner. Christy is always going out of her way to help other co-workers provide great care
for their patients also, volunteering for the most difficult tasks and time consuming procedures. She
demonstrates the true meaning of going above and beyond in the needs of carrying. It is a true pleasure to
work with Christy's helpfulness and that great smile. I am happy to nominate Christy Tolotti.
2017 Award Nominee
Myra Tomas
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Christine Bernabe:
An experienced cardiac, medical/surgical RN, Myra Ocampo is a pillar of strength at work. With her
experience, she is able to impact the care of the patients to it's par level, with her experienced insights,
she is a reliable source of information when it comes to guiding the new staff in the unit. She is able to
extend help without hesitation to the unit staff. She encouraged positive working attitude by example. She,
not only, does her job well but she goes beyond and above the expected care of the patients and helps the
unit achieve it's goal for giving excellent care to the patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Torres
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Tiffani Lenzi:
Jenn is not only an amazing leader in the children's emergency department but an outstanding nurse. Jen
has constantly adjusted her schedule to meet the needs of her department to ensure that the children in
the community have the best nursing care available to them. She functions not only as a staff nurse in her
department but has shown exemplary leadership skills since taking on the role of supervisor of clinical
nursing. Since taking on the role as a leader in the department she has spent countless hours improving
the process' in the emergency department as well as dedicating hours to the pediatric community. Jenn is
an amazing example to her staff, she is the perfect example of what nursing is and should be.
2017 Award Nominee
Linda Torgerson
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Linda Torgerson has been a member of care team since 2005. I had the privilege of being trained by Linda
when I was a new graduate nurse. She was phenomenal as an educator. She taught me so many important
lessons about assessing patients, critical thinking and patient safety/advocacy. I am so lucky that I had the
opportunity for her to share her knowledge with me. Our unit was lucky enough to have Linda step into the
role of Charge Nurse in 2010. As a leader, she has exceled. She has the ability to effectively teach our new
staff members, uphold the highest professional nursing standards and to effectively manage the daily tasks
one of the busiest units in our organization. Linda was a pioneer of improving patient flow: getting admits
from the ER and the OR admitted to the unit, while assisting inpatients in a timely discharge. Every day
she comes in, she completes 99% of all discharge instructions and paperwork for the patients on the unit.
This task seems small, but it is a tremendous help to the nurses on the unit, because they are able to focus
on their patient assessments and medication passes before discharging their patients home. Our discharge
process is no easy feat, but it is a rather detailed process. She collaborates with physicians to
communicate patient needs and wants prior to discharge; she speaks with our case manager and social
worker to inform them of patient needs and obstacles for discharge; she provides the patients the most
detailed discharge education, which ensures that they have the greatest chance of success at home after
discharge. The team really appreciates and admires her expertise, words of encouragement and assistance
on the unit. They know that they can approach Linda with any question or situation, and she can
successfully guide them in the correct direction. To Linda, there are no "stupid" questions, only learning
opportunities, which she willingly gives to staff constantly. She is a great leader on our unit, and her
leadership and teamwork qualities extend to the entire organization also. Linda eagerly offers assistance to
other units as well. Just last week, during a period when every bed in our hospital was full and there were
multiple people waiting in the ER, she offered to go to the ER to help staff and patient flow. She is also
leaned upon by other unit charge nurses to lend her expert knowledge on difficult wounds, bedside
procedures and other questions. We love that Linda has dedicated herself to the success of our unit, our
team, and, most importantly, our patients. Please consider her for the Clinical Leadership nurse of
achievement nomination.
2017 Award Nominee
Michaella Torvinen
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Addie Brixey:
Michaella is an exceptional ER nurse. She joined our team a year and a half ago and jumped into our busy
ER in Strides! She is very hard working, diligent, caring, and compassionate. She shows up to work with a
smile on her face and willing to accept all challenges thrown her way. She never complains and a reliable
teammate. Her knowledge on the floor has helped her excel down here in the ER, helping others with
skills. She is a leader in the department by example. She is a great patient advocate and really cares for
the well being of her patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Laura Townsend
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jennifer Perks:
I have been working on Laura's nomination for many days. The reasoning is that it is impossible to
summarize in words or choose just one example of why Laura deserves the nurses of achievement award.
During Laura's short two years here at Renown, she has devoted her life and time to our unit and patients.
Laura is a born leader. She has made countless contributions to the critical care module. She is not only a
critical care nurse but a preceptor, infection prevention champion, VAT team leader, TAVR RN, charge RN,
and has completed her clinical ladder. She strives for perfection and takes pride in her work every day.
Her quality care and contributions to our unit, patients, staff, etc. go above and beyond our expectations.
Her leadership, knowledge, positive attitude, and hard work have greatly impacted our unit, our patients,
their families, and our coworker's lives. As a preceptor Laura takes the time to sit not only with our new
employees but students as well. The knowledge she passes onto every person that she comes into contact
with shows the true passion she has for the job she does. While working with Laura and watching her, she
shows just how compassionate she is in her everyday practice. For example, she takes the time to talk with
confused patients about what is happening in their plan of care. She will sit down with a newly diagnosed
patient and go over the entire care plan in length and ensure they understand every bit. She will see them
through their stay and do their same with their discharges. When I see patient's leave our floor, Laura is
always first in line to hug them and thank them for allowing her to take part in their care. These are just a
few examples of the little things that she does every day here at Renown. Even on her worst day Laura is
always extremely happy and positive. You will never see Laura without a smile on her face or unwilling to
provide support for her team members and patients. She is not only a role model but an informal leader to
our unit. She is a great asset and we are very proud to have her on our team.
2017 Award Nominee
Marisa Traversie
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Darcey Ayala:
Marisa is the epitome of a critical care nurse. Marisa practices nursing to ensure that her nursing care is
excellence because nothing else is acceptable. This is why Marisa should be granted critical care nurse of
the year.Marisa and I have worked side by side in our intensive care unit. I have seen firsthand how
Marisa's ability to collaborate with others can take a stressful environment with multiple high acuity
patients and create an environment of controlled chaos. We were going to receive 2 admissions. Marisa
came to me and we created a plan of attack.The patient's arrived within 5 minutes of each other. A quick
survey identified which of the two was the most critical. Marisa and I set to work immediately ensuring the
more stable patient was registered and monitored. Then Marisa left to attend to the most critical patient
while I finished settling the most stable patient. It was a smooth progression of interventions that Marisa
implemented. She oversaw the progress and participated while monitoring closely the patient's
deteriorating vital signs. We started vasopressors and manipulated the sedation until there was nothing
left to do expect monitor until the next interval in which Marisa could adjust the vasopressor. I remember
she said that the patient "was really sick." I agreed as we both watched the monitor and the patient. There
was nothing left to do for the moment so the family entered. Marisa was gentle as she explained the
severity of the patient's condition to the family. The family was worried, but Marisa was able to provide
comfort that she would provide the patient with excellent care. This is an example of while Marisa should
be given the award for critical care.
2017 Award Nominee
April Tucker
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Andi Siegel:
April Tucker is one of our more experienced RN's on L&D. She has excelled in the role of preceptor and
mentor, providing clear, concise education to the people she trains. The quality of her training is
exemplary. April listens to the people she trains, is empathetic, supportive, yet does not try to take over or
control every situation during the learning process. When she has a trainee who is struggling, she goes out
of her way to spend extra time with her, seeking out opportunities for leaning in order to achieve success.
April loves to care for patients, is genuine, enthusiastic, and compassionate. This provides a positive
example of the type of care we want all of our patients to have and sets the standard for our trainees to
follow.April not only is mentor to her own trainees, but also provides a shoulder to lean on to all other staff
members, encouraging them when they have challenges while providing care whether they are
experienced or new.Any new RN is privileged to have April as a preceptor and she is a true Nurse of
Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Heather Tucker-Bjorum
VA SNHC
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Michelle Reynolds:
Heather provides leadership in the application of the nursing process to client care, organizational
processes and improvement outcomes at the program or service level. She is confident in her ability to
charge/triage and routinely makes recommendations to physicians regarding patient status, departmental
flow and admission status. She uses VHA directives and ICARE principles to guide her professional
practice.: Ms. Tucker-Bjorum collaborates with interdisciplinary team as well as non-licensed personnel to
enhance veteran centered care and uses her gained wisdom to provide exceptional holistic care. She has a
personal commitment and passion to serve our country's veterans because her grandfather was a WWII
Veteran and Pearl Harbor Survivor, and her brother was an Army Veteran. She upholds the mission
statement and vision of the VA Sierra Nevada each day in her practice and exemplifies the VA Core Values
of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, excellence, and appropriate judgment, ensuring quality
experience for our Veterans.
2017 Award Nominee
Kaye Tudorache
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Carrie Mason:
Please consider my nominee for the community health category. Kaye has a wealth of nursing knowledge
in homecare and rehab. She uses that knowledge to make an impact with the nursing staff out in the field.
She is a master at phone triage, prioritizing patient needs and getting patient's what they need. She will
dedicate as long as it takes to get patients into a safe environment or make sure they have what they need
to stay in their current environment. She patiently works with staff to help get them trained and ready to
do the best job they can do. She is always their to answer questions, offer and advice and answer any
nursing question that comes up. She is an all around wonderful nurse and person.
2017 Award Nominee
April Turrie
Renown Homecare
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Lyle Engler:
April is a visiting Licensed Practical Nurse for our agency. She ensures that our patients receive the best
care as she follows the plan of care under the direction of the RN Case Manager and physician. She
utilizes her excellent communication skills to coordinate care, always informing the RN about changes in
condition or new patient needs. She makes her patients feel cared for and safe, and her team knows that
our patients are well cared for. She is dedicated to her patients, in the recent rain and snow, April never
missed an appointment. She was determined to get to her patients when they needed her most. April is a
rock in our agency, everyday she quietly goes about the job of giving great patient care.
2017 Award Nominee
Omar Tutakhil
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Candy Carter:
Working with Omar for this past year has been such a pleasure. Though Omar is very quiet, he is always so
approachable and helpful. A few weeks ago, we were getting a VIP patient from PACU. Omar was assigned
to take care of this patient for the night because everyone in leadership knew he was more than capable
and would do a great job. The patient and his family seemed very pleased with the care he provided. My
coworkers and I are always happy to see Omar on the schedule for the night because we know that he is
someone we all can count on. Omar will go on to be part of the rapid response team and even charge nurse
in the near future and he will be very successful.
2017 Award Nominee
Sherri Twedt
Nevada State Board of Nursing
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Catherine Prato:
Ms. twedt deserves recognition of her long term commitment to the Nevada State Board of Nursing. Ms.
Twedt has a position at the Board that is challenging and taxing. She works closely with nurses who
struggle with addiction. She supports nurses through these difficult times in their lives and ensures nurses
have the necessary support to stay on a healthy path. She holds orientations for nurses to help them
understand the process and is there to answer their questions, or guide them in the right direction. Her
treatment of all nurses is fair and ethical. She holds the nursing profession to the highest standard.
2017 Award Nominee
Tammy Uithoven
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Emergency Nursing
Nomination from Caitlin Evans:
Tammy is a very experienced emergency nurse, who is a wonderful resource to our department. Tammy
does well in teaching other nurses and doing education for patients which put their minds at ease during
one of the most difficult times of their lives. Tammy has a gentle spirit that translates to the emergency
department by encouraging a "slow down and think through" mentality. In a place where things go very
quickly, Tammy thinks through assessments, and treats patients on a case by case basis, but does so very
efficiently. She has a big love for health and even on the toughest days, anyone can see very clearly
Tammy's passion for emergency nursing.
2017 Award Nominee
Robyn Underhill
VA SNHC
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Michelle Reynolds:
Robyn Underhill once advocated for a patient with kidney failure who needed an exam and the order was
cancelled. When the patient came in the next day and found that the test had been cancelled, Robyn placed
a call to IR and the exam was scheduled for the next day. She advocated for this patient to ensure he had
the needed procedure, and Robyn is consistently advocating for her patients. She is highly proficient in her
nursing skills and has a lot of experience. Along with a wealth of knowledge, she demonstrates a truly
caring attitude for her patients. She is a leader in her role and takes on many responsibilities above and
beyond expectation.
2017 Award Nominee
Sarika Upadhyay
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Caroly:
Sarika is an amazing nurse!! Sarika was a psychiatric nurse before coming to our facility. With her
knowledge and psychiatric back ground, she fits in with our unit perfectly. Her vase experience really
helps out with all the patient we have. She is great at her job and comes into work ready to go. The
patients and staff on this unit lover her and love being around her. No matter what is going on Sarika is
willing to help out on the floor. She is so sweet to her patients and coworkers. Thank you so much for all
that you do for us and your hard work. You ROCK!!
2017 Award Nominee
Karen Vacca
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Ashley Wilenta:
Karen came to Renown about 2 1/2 years ago to peruse her dream of becoming an operating room nurse.
After completing her Surgical University training Karen quickly became one of our most influential and
reliable nurses in the department. Many of our staff reach out to Karen with questions on large
Neurosurgery cases as well as to help them during trauma surgeries. The surgeons, anesthesiologist, and
scrub techs love working with Karen, due to her positive attitude and willingness to go above and beyond
to help in any situation. Being an OR nurse means that you are the patient's advocate in their most
vulnerable moments. Karen exemplifies patient advocacy by not being afraid to ask "the tough questions"
to ensure her patients are receiving the best care possible. She routinely precepts our new nurses going
through Surgical University. Karen is one of our strongest preceptors, not because she know the most, but
because she is always available to offer words of encouragement, and take the extra time to ensure the
students feel comfortable and supported. Great Leaders don't tell you what to do they show you how its
done. Karen leads by example, and is a true roll model for this department and the may nurses dreaming of
becoming an OR nurse.
2017 Award Nominee
Karen Vacca
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Diana Haigh:
WORKING WITH KAREN IS ALWAYS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, SHE IS BRIGH AND HAPPY AND
ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK HARD. SHE TREATS ALL OF HER PATIENTS WITH DIGNITY AND
COMPASSION THAT THEY CAN TRULEY FEEL AND OTHERS CAN SEE. KAREN NEVER LIMITS
HERSELF OR HER SKILLS, ALWAYS WANTING TO LEARN NEW THINGS. RECIENTLY SHE HAS BEEN
LEARNING TO SCRUB AND IS PICKING IT UP VERY EASILY AND QUICK. KAREN IS VERY SKILLFULL
AND KNOWLEDGEBLE AND IS A WONDERFUL PRECEPTOR. NEW NURSEWS ALWAYS FEEL KAREN IS
SHOWING THEM THE WAY IN A CLEAR AND CALM MANNER. KAREN IS A FANTASTIC ADDITION TO
THE SURGICAL DEPARTMENT.
2017 Award Nominee
Haley Val
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Johanna Lee:
I remember precepting Haley when she was a UNR student. She was confident in her abilities and I felt
she would do well when she became an RN. Now given the opportunity to work with her, she exceeds more
than what I expect from a nurse working a little less than a year. I enjoy working with her for many
reasons. She always comes to work with a positive attitude. Working with others, like Haley, who remain
positive during stressful shifts allows for the shift to be more bearable. She is an awesome team player.
When she has time, she helps to answer call lights and will help the patient even if she is currently not
caring for that patient (my patients included). Working for the three years that I have, she has impressed
me the most and I believe her capabilities as a RN and as an individual will take her far. Way to go Haley!
Nomination from Cnu Leadership Team:
Even from her interview for the New Graduate Oncology Residency Program, we knew that Haley was
special. Her passion for caring for cancer patients is evident in all she does. From the moment she started
on the unit, there has been a flood of praise for her focus on the patients and contributions to our team.
Patients, RNs, CNAs have written several notes to the leadership team to recognize the care she provides.
CNAs have written that, "When I walk into work and see I am working with you I assume no matter what
my day will look like I know it is going to be a good day!!!" Other nurses write that she is, "Always willing
to help," and that "Haley has become an outstanding nurse. From walking her patients to communicating
with family members to provision of excellent compassionate care she is an asset to the Cancer Nursing
Unit team. Haley, I think you are a wonderful nurse and balance excellent assessment skills and knowledge
with caring and compassion. I see you put smiles on your patient's faces every day. I've told you before but
I am so proud of the nurse you are becoming. Keep up the excellent work." Patients have been astonished
to learn that Haley is a novice nurse. They have said, "Haley had just graduated from the nursing program
a few weeks prior and she cared for us on her second day ever working as an RN. Her poise and
composure throughout the morning and until we left the hospital was truly impressive," and, "Thank you so
much for all of your knowledge and expertise. I appreciate all of the time you spent with me and my wife
during my stay. I know we asked a lot of questions but you always seem to have the right answers!" On her
first year anniversary in nursing, Haley wrote to the leadership team, thanking us for allowing her to live
out her dream of caring for cancer patients every day. It is rare to see an individual so new in their career,
perform so flawlessly, with humility and genuine love for the patients, their families, and the team. We
know that we can count on Haley to always do the right thing. She is an example of what all nurses,
regardless of tenure, should strive to be.
2017 Award Nominee
Brian Van Dyne
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Andrew Youngker:
Brian has been an invaluable resource to his fellow co-workers for both his skill and attitude towards
patients, family and peers. He is always eager to help anyone at anytime with no questions asked. Family
members repeatedly praise Brian for the compassionate care he provides. The competence in the field of
critical care that he exhibits is that of an expert. It is no doubt that our unit would not be as cheerful if he
were to leave. It is with these reasons that I nominate Brian for the Northern Nevada Nurses of
Achievement in the area of Critical Care.
Nomination from Kelsey Coe:
A great nurse is someone who assesses with expertise and confidence, collaborates for the best outcome,
acts with a sense of urgency and purpose, and cares and comforts without reservation. On the night of
January 19th I got to witness all these qualities in Brian. Upon getting report on his patient he felt that his
patient had a deeper issue than just the sepsis he was diagnosed with. His ability to effectively
communicate his assessment findings hastened the physician's arrival to the bedside. Brian efficiently
packaged his patient for CT and mobilized the team. When the patient's BP suddenly took a dive in the
elevator, Brian's impressive attention to detail allowed him to find the issue immediately and get the
patient back to the floor to be stabilized, which was of critical importance due to vasopressors infusing. He
was able to delegate and collaborate with the team to get another IV put in quickly so that the patient had
enough assess to get him through the CT. The CT was accomplished and a new central line was placed.
The CT revealed ischemic bowel. Surgery was consulted, but the surgeon determined that the patient was
much too sick to undergo and survive surgery at that time. The patient's condition started to deteriorate
rather rapidly, and a physician came bedside to intubate. Brian, ever the patient advocate, explained to the
patient what was going on. The patient then expressed that he did not want to be intubated, and that he
just wanted to be comfortable and die peacefully. If Brian had not taken the time to do so I fear this patient
would have ended up intubated and passing away sedated and pained. Comfort measures were initiated,
the oxygen removed, the vasopressors stopped. Pain medication was given to finally free the patient from
the hours of excruciating pain he'd been feeling. Brian then proceeded to sit there and hold the patient's
hand for an hour and a half while he passed away peacefully. I am humbled to witness the emotion and
passion on Brian's face as he brought comfort to his patient in his final minutes. No family was present for
they were unable to make the drive from California, but the patient did not die alone. He had Brian there
to help him through. At the end of this emotional and challenging shift I watched Brian clock out, but then
he turned and walk back towards the unit. I asked him where he was going, and he told me that the family
of his patient should be arriving soon so he'd wait for a few more minutes. The family did soon arrive and
Brian treated them with the same compassion and empathy that he showed their loved one. He was able to
provide feelings of closure and ease the pains of the guilt that the family was facing. This is an example of
an amazing nurse, and I am honored to have him as a coworker, team member, and a friend.
2017 Award Nominee
Suzanne VanRekken
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Lifetime Achievement
Nomination from Teresa Whitfield:
Suzanne began her nursing career in as a BSN graduate in June of 1965. She has worked in acute care, a
physician's office, and returned to acute care with us on Medical Telemetry. Like most nurses she took a
little time off to raise her sons, but her passion to help and serve others with not only her nursing talents,
but her own inherent gifts of kindness, compassion, listening, communication, and of knowing. This last
gift is perhaps one of Suzanne's greatest gifts she readily shares with her patients and their families.
Suzanne "knows" from what her patients tell her, and more importantly what they don't say. Suzanne
knows. I was introduced to Suzanne two years ago and noticed her quiet unassuming yet confident
manner.Throughout her fifty-one (51) year career, that this June will be fifty-two years she has been part of
an incredible amount of innovation within the evolution of nursing and medicine. She is resilient. I
wouldn't call her someone who loves and seeks out change, but she understands and accepts it for the
better of the patients she serves.Suzanne has encountered patients from every walk of life; some nice,
some not nice at all. We lovingly call her Saint Suzanne. She is unfailingly gracious to everyone. Both Press
Ganey and Care Connect ask our patients if there is anyone they would like to recognize. Every month
Suzanne's name is mentioned. Sometimes the comment is "Suzanne, and she was my nurse", other times
there is more; "Suzanne, she was truly the angel of mercy nurses are known to be and to me she was our
guardian angel. I could go home and rest, take care of other things for my family and know my mom was
safe.". Just last week, a patient was transferred to Medical Telemetry Unit, Suzanne took one look at the
patient alerted the charge nurse and house supervisor to transfer the patient to the intensive care unit.
Clearly septic, the patient stayed in the intensive care unit for a week before returning to the Medical
Telemetry Unit and after five days with us returning to her home at Manor Care. I know without a doubt
that this is one of many times Suzanne saved a life, yet she would never share that she has done anything
heroic. Suzanne has a career of nursing heroism that is not yet ended to the benefit of those of us who
learn from her and are cared for by her. She is one of the true unsung nursing leaders in caring and
advocacy by her every act of genuine compassion.
2017 Award Nominee
Jessica Vega
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Anji:
Jessica is a new graduate nurse in the Sierra ICU. Since day one, she has been an exemplary nurse,
coworker, and role model. She is determined to advocate for each of her patients, and is driven to provide
the upmost quality of care. She consistently goes above and beyond. After receiving multiple patients from
Jessica, each one is extremely well taken care of, resembling that of more experienced nurse. Jessica is
always willing to help, and never backs down from a challenge. In a short period of time, she has gained
the trust and respect of her coworkers and patients.
2017 Award Nominee
Sonja Vera
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Kristine Bena:
I would like to nominate Sonja Vera for the Med/Surg Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement Award.
Sonja works in Tahoe pre-op Renown Regional, and is the kind of nurse that we all hope to become one
day! She is knowledgeable in her field, and takes the time to precept new nurses to our unit, as well as
assist current nurses with any questions they have. Her knowledge level is evident when she is
communicating with her patients and their families, as she takes the time to explain how the day is going
to look, and what to expect. Sonja's strong communication skills not only play an important role with her
patients and their families, but also with her coworkers. When she is Charge Nurse, Sonja clearly leads the
team to keep the day organized and running smoothly. She also uses her voice to support the team and is
not afraid to speak with management about questions or concerns throughout the unit. One of the most
impressive qualities that makes Sonja such an important part of our team is her ability to spend quality
time assessing and preparing her patients for surgery, while still having impeccable time management
skills! One particularly busy day in pre-op, our patient loads were already tight, when we had a sick call.
Sonja did not hesitate to take on extra patients, and even paired with another nurse to double her original
load! All the patients were prepared for their surgery in a timely manner, keeping pre-op and the OR
running smoothly! Sonja is a kind, positive, and hardworking nurse, and a true asset to our team! Our unit,
our hospital, and our community are lucky to have her!
2017 Award Nominee
Tina Vesely
VA SNHC
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Jessica Mayes:
Tina is a great nurse, very knowledgeable, and always willing to help out her fellow staff members. After
one of our supervisors in Primary Care left to go to another department; Tina stepped in and has been
assisting our current Supervisor with additional duties, even though she has not been promoted or given a
raise.Specifically toward the award category "Innovation and Advocacy", Tina initiated a 'walk-in' service
process that has increased access for our Veterans. Previously, if patients walked in without an
appointment for a problem, like a cold or flu, but it was not a big enough problem to go to the Emergency
Department, the patients may or may not have been seen that day. They were squeezed into their Primary
Care doctor's schedule or their PACT team RN's schedule or a note would be sent to their doctor. The
process was not efficient and did not allow for same-day access for care.The program that Tina
implemented consists of a Walk-In care doctor, who is available if the patients cannot be put into their PCP
schedule for that day. A RN assesses every walk in patient prior to being seen by a doctor to triage all the
patients. This allows for greater access to care for our Veteran's on a daily basis.
2017 Award Nominee
Yvette Viado-Hebron
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Cindy Fox:
When I became aware of the Nurses of Achievement nomination, I thought of the nurses who care for
patients in the hospital. As I considered the opportunity to nominate a nurse, I thought of Yvette ViadoNebron in Employee Health at Saint Mary's. She is always friendly, helpful, cheerful, and goes above and
beyond to assist the employees. She is a pleasure to work with as she patiently explains the need for
compliance and keeps track of the areas of compliance she is responsible to monitor. Her efforts with flu
vaccination compliance have resulted in a 97% vaccination rate! In the busy and often overwhelming work
load a nurse has to carry, she maintains a calm, professional demeanor as she is always quick to respond
to questions and provide whatever assistance is required.
2017 Award Nominee
Barbara Vonarx
CareFlight
nominated for
Education
Nomination from Diane Rolfs:
Choosing a category in which to nominate this nurse was a daunting task. She is so involved in so many
ways within her role as Clinical Development Coordinator. She provides direct patient care as needed, she
reviews nursing documentation for quality improvement and she is the primary educator for this air
transport service. She accomplishes all of this while consistently bringing new evidence-based practice and
innovative ideas to her colleagues. So I finally decided to nominate her in the Nursing Educator category
because without her enthusiastic and innovative attitude towards the life-long learning that is nursing,
along with her attitude of colleagueship and personal accountability, we would not be able to deliver the
state-of-the-art, progressive nursing care for which this company is known. This nurse has dealt with the
growth of the company and the need to organize and arrange four new employee orientations this year by
designing a comprehensive orientation program that provides a three week didactic ground school and
then a detailed, all-inclusive preceptor program with clearly defined objectives. She established nurse
preceptor classes dealing with concepts of adult learning and developing a culture, to not only train and
educate new nurses, but to provide an onboarding process that helps with retention. You can only imagine
how formidable an orientation program for a nursing role that will take you completely out of your nursing
comfort zone, into a very autonomous practice, 10,000 feet in the air, with critically ill patients must be for
new nurses. This nurse not only teaches these nurses what they need to know to feel comfortable in their
patient care and safe in the air, but she also becomes their mentor, confidant and cheerleader. She never
allows any "eating of the young"In addition to, what seems constant orientation of new employees; this
nurse also teaches theTransport Nurse Advanced Trauma Course across the country, is an ACLS and PALS
instructor and will be presenting at the national air transport conference (ASTNA) this year.I have
witnessed new nurses in her office crying and venting after a tough day, examining if their care was the
best it could be, questioning protocols and practices, or discussing an interesting case. She is always there
for them and ready to engage in a learning dialogue. She is well respected by the entire staff, new and old,
for her dedication to providing continuous, researched-based education to make them all the best nurses
they can be. She is truly deserving of the Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement Award in the Category
of Nursing Educator.
2017 Award Nominee
Catherine Wade
RNSelf-Employed. Grief Recovery Specialist 495 Apple Street, Reno 89502
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Elizabeth S Cogan, Msn, Rn:
I met this amazing nurse during graduate school. At the time, she was working towards her 3rd advanced
degree. During one live class session, we were required to give a presentation to our cohort on an
Evidence Based Practice. She covered her topic with such knowledge and passion, afterwards I asked if
she would develop the talk into a one hour class and be a speaker for the following year, 2016, at my
facility's annual nursing professional development series. I told her I could not pay her for her time: she
was more than willing to come speak for free. We agreed on four dates, but through a central scheduling
error, her talk was scheduled on an additional three dates, for a total of seven. She generously agreed to
the additions. Of over 30 class options to chose from, her talk was one of the five most attended classes,
with nearly 200 of our 1400 on staff attending.Catherine has a degree in and passion for mental health
issues and for the drug addicted population as well. Her topic was on prevention of Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome (FAS). It was not until the end of 2016 she confessed to not having spoken in front of such large
audiences before this class series. It never showed: from the first date, she came across as both polished
and personable. The audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive. This topic turned out to be relevant
to acute care RNs from a community perspective, from a patient education perspective, and, as it turned
out, at a personal level for many. After every class, she was swarmed by staff asking advice on dealing with
alcoholic siblings or adult children. Others came asking for help caring for children they had adopted who
were FAS and getting out of control as they grew. This topic literally affects so many it should be
considered not pandemic, but endemic. Everyone who was privileged to listen was thankful for having
done so.It was not until we graduated I discovered this "little" talk had also become her master's project.
She has said this will continue to be a focus of her career going forward. In fact, this issue is so prevalent
and so important she has also been asked to adapt it to a webinar which will be offered on the Nevada
Board of Nursing website in 2017.Catherine is truly working to make a difference by advocating for nurses
to take an active role in FAS prevention. She is a Nurse of Achievement
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Walker
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Administrative Leadership
Nomination from Michael:
Jennifer Walker's morals, strength of character, and process improvement has, and continues to shape, the
quality and safety of care, treatment and services provided by thousands of nurses. Her background as a
critical care nurse has established an amazing foundation for her current role as Director of Quality
Clinical Excellence, where she serves as a role model for the profession in this region, as well as nationally.
Jennifer Walker's morals, strength of character, and process improvement has, and continues to shape, the
quality and safety of care, treatment and services provided by thousands of nurses. Her background as a
critical
2017 Award Nominee
Jesse Ward
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Candy Carter:
Jesse is such an amazing nurse. She tirelessly works to provide the best care for her patients. She always
performs her work calmly and rationally, whether her patient is coding or on the verge of coding. Jesse is
always the first one to volunteer for taking an admit, no matter how sick they are. Jesse is being nominated
for rookie of the year because, although she is a newer nurse, she does an incredible job every day she
comes to work. She is sometimes pre-assigned our sickest patients because she is more than capable of
doing a great job. A few weeks ago, we had an extremely sick post-cardiac arrest patient admitted to our
unit. It was Jesse's patient. This patient was on multiple drips and required extensive ventilatory support.
Jesse handled this patient's care with the utmost competence. We are all so lucky to get to work next to
her on a daily basis.
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Ward
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Sarah Key:
I graduated nursing school with Melissa. I have had the privilege of working with her for the last 5 years
first on tele and now ICU. Melissa is compassionate, organized and over all wonderful nurse. I have gotten
to go to nursing conferences with her she is always wanting to develop her education. She is always
pushing herself to be a better nurse, person, mother, and wife. The skills that she has developed in the last
2 years in the icu is something to be envied. Melissa treats her patients with caring and compassion. She
provides the best care possible. Melissa is one of my best friends she pushes me to a better nurse. I'm glad
I get to call her friend.
2017 Award Nominee
Melanie Warfield
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Merle Ocampo:
Melanie is a product of our TPP Program and has exhibited clinical excellence together with her
compassion for her patients and her willingness to learn, to grow and to better herself as a nurse. She has
been a very active member of Infection Control and prevention and has help reduce our C. Diff. rate and
also help increase our compliance to hand hygiene. She is an active member of our education committee
contributing to topics or inservice that matters to floor nurses especially the new ones. She has crosstrained in Cardiac Cath Lab and continues to work as Relief Unit Supervisor. She exhibits good leadership,
well-respected by her peers and takes care of her patients and her co-workers with utmost compassion and
respect. It is an added bonus that she speaks fluent Spanish and she is very willing to step-in when needed.
2017 Award Nominee
Melissa Washabaugh
Pershing General Hospital
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from Marti Nolan:
I've worked with this nurse for several years and I know she does a lot of work for mental health patients.
She has been a lead grant worker to bring mental health screening through a video tele health project.
This project is being used all over the state. Melissa stays after work and goes to meetings about this
project even after working all night in the ER. I know she is collecting data for the state to improve care
for all our patients in the rural areas. Melissa is also very excited about a second project where she will be
doing some kind of suicide prevention training for our community. She works hard on all of these projects
and it helps our patients get better care in this small community.
2017 Award Nominee
Lisa Weir
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Veronique Pond:
Please consider my nominee for the Northern Nevada Nurses of achievement in the Community Nursing
category.I have seen my nominee develop confidence in her skills as a Home Health nurse. She takes every
opportunity to educate herself. She has shown dedication and commitment to this agency and its patients.
She is a knowledgeable, compassionate team player who consistently displays and promotes the highest
ethical standards. She a positive role model, a collaborative interdisciplinary team player and often
mentors our staff and nursing students.Nursing is a field that demands much of those who pursue it. It
takes a caring nature, empathy, a strong attention to details, emotional stability, physical endurance, quick
thinking, great judgment and strong communication skills. My nominee without a doubt has all of the
above.
2017 Award Nominee
Valerie Welty
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Jessica Doty:
Valerie Welty is an exceptional nurse who has taught me as a nurse newer to oncology care, what it means
to be a compassionate advocate for the cancer patient. She is the epitome of compassion, and caring. She
is always positive and during the times when we have lost patients we cared greatly about, and it made it
difficult as the staff RN, she offered a hug, and kind words of advice about continuing on in what I consider
to be one of the greatest nursing fields: oncology. She more than deserves this award for the heartfelt care
she gives to her patients, the nurses around her, and her own family.
2017 Award Nominee
Virginia Werth
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Innovation and Advocacy
Nomination from John Miceli:
Virginia Werth RN Virginia has been a nurse in the medical and intensive care units at Northern Nevada
Medical Center (NNMC) for 24 years. She is an active member of AACN, Great Basin Critical Care. In
2006, Virginia joined the Cath Lab team, where she demonstrated a strong and diverse skill set in this new
service line for our hospital. In 2009, Virginia became a part of the Chest Pain Center team and in 2013
was promoted to Chest Pain Center Coordinator. Virginia has been instrumental in realizing the Chest Pain
Center's goal of ensuring implementation of practices that will positively impact patient care and elevate
outcomes throughout NNMC and the community.What makes Virginia special is her extraordinary ability
to foster relationships based on trust and respect. She has developed innovative and creative approaches
to hardwire solutions to improve patient outcomes. For example, she spearheaded a committee to provide
an internal community heath assessment and implemented processes to improve cardiac rehab referrals
for our patients to reduce motility and morbidity. Further, she created physician education processes
through the medical staff office. She works with our local REMSA and rural EMS to enhance processes of
door-to-door to balloon times.As one of her major accomplishments, Virginia established weekly
workgroups designed to review and enhance processes to achieve improved patient outcomes. This
workgroup, under her direction, created a STEMI process known as "15, 15, 15, and 15" to achieve STEMI
times of 60 minutes or less. This process broke down the practice of identifying, transferring, setting up
and performing the PCI heart cath into 15-minute increments. Once created, she then became an advocate
to implement this new process and train staff. In 2015, our door-to-balloon times improved by 20 percent
and in 2016 it dropped by another 10%. This innovative approach is our process today, and we believe that
it sets the standard to ensure positive patient outcomes when minutes matter. As a Chest Pain Center
Coordinator, it has been her role to ensure that we have processes for the more than 200 requirements
and measures impacting patient outcomes with positive results. This takes dedication and considerable
understanding of chest pain regulations and appropriate patient care. Virginia identifies issues that could
benefit our patients and eagerly addresses them. Recently, Virginia identified that we had low cardiac
rehabilitation referral compliance and implemented a new process to measure and report compliance
daily. This increased referral compliance to 85 percent, which ultimately improves patient care and
outcomes.Besides Virginia's role as Chest Pain Center Coordinator and her creating innovative ways to
generate improved patient outcomes, she actively works in the Cath Lab as part of the team and rotates
call duties. This means that she, like other members of the Cardiac Cath Lab Team, is available day and
night to assist patients who may be having a heart attack. Thank you, Virginia, for all you have done for the
patients and staff at Northern Nevada Medical Center.
2017 Award Nominee
Teresa Whitfield
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Carla Adams:
Teresa Whitfield, RN, MSN, CPHQ, CHSP is the director of our Medical Telemetry Unit. Teresa's devotion
to clinical excellence is evident in her background and we are very fortunate to have her as a valued
member of our leadership team! Teresa has fostered comradery among her staff as a key priority to move
safety and quality metrics to an all-time high for this unit. She is a gentle leader with a strong backbone
and knows how to set clinical processes in place effectively. Teresa by way of listening to her staff has
created a "Valuables in Safe or Meds in Pharmacy" band for patients as a solution for forgetting to retrieve
items upon discharge. Teresa writes cards daily to patients who were on her unit and connects and knows
nearly all of her 31 patients as she does leader rounds daily. She writes notes to her staff to show
appreciation and has a team that loves and is devoted to her as their leader. Teresa is co-chair of a LEAN
Discharge group that made significant progress and met their goal of 50% patients will be discharged
between 6A-2P by September, 2016 through nursing process changes such as a discharge checklist,
removing barriers to discharge, communication with families, etc. She is now making progress on the next
step of 25% discharges will occur between 6A-11A. Teresa has a gift for growing others. She has groups of
staff preparing for certification exams to raise the bar and engage her staff in the growth that nursing has
to offer. Teresa is a transformational leader with a humble approach and an engaged team following her
lead. Teresa truly knows how to honor life's journey for those she serves.
Nomination from Carolyn:
Teresa is the BEST manager we have ever had at Northern Nevada Medical Center. Her cheerful attitude
is contagious and uplifting. I know some days are hard and draining, but no matter what Teresa comes to
work with a smile on her face and is willing to help patient and coworkers. The way she cares about her
employees is incredible, you really can tell she is passionate about all of her workers and wants all of us to
succeed in life. When things get tough for the nurses, Teresa is right there on the floor helping as much as
she can. Her positivity helps this unit become more together and upbeat. Teresa is an angle and deserves
this award and so much. I can keep going on and on about Teresa and what a wonderful and incredible
person she is at work and outside of work. Thank you Teresa for being there for us and being the BEST
manager EVER!! You ROCK and always keep that smile on your face. We all LOVE you SO SO MUCH!
Nomination from Kacie:
WE ALL LOVE HAVING TERESA AS OUR BOSS!! WITH HER POSSITIVE ATTITUDE AND FRIENDLY
SMILE, SHE MAKES ALL OF US FEEL LIKE FAMILY INSTEAD OF EMPLOYEES. TERESA IS SO
KNOWLEDGEABLE AT WHAT SHE DOES, BUT SHE ISN'T AFFRAID TO STEP IN FOR A NURSE TO HELP
OUT ON THE FLOOR, OR FOR HOUSE KEEPING TO STRIP ROOMS, OR A CNA TO ASSIST IN CLEANING
UP A PATIENT. SHE IS HERE FOR THE PATIENTS AND FOR HER EMPLOYEES. SHE HAS THE BIGGEST
HEART AND IT SHOWS EVERY TIME SHE SHOWS UP TO WORK. TERESA GREETS EVERYONE WITH A
SMILE AND A HELLO, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE. IT'S SO REFRESHING TO HAVE A
POSSITIVE ATTITUDE ON THE UNIT. WITH HER POSSITIVITY IT MAKES US POSSITIVE AND WITH
HER HELPING HAND IT MAKES US FEEL LIKE WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THOSE REALLY TOUGH
DAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH TERESA FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US. YOU MAKE WORKING AT
NNMC SO MUCH FUN. WE LOVE YOU!!
2017 Award Nominee
Ashley Wilenta
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Amanda Woo:
Ashley by far has been one of the best clinical leadership that I have come across over my nursing career.
Starting out new in the OR at Renown was challenging and overwhelming to me. As my direct supervisor
she always made it a point to check in on me, make sure everything was going well, help me with
complicated cases and share all her knowledge in the OR especially with neuro cases. She helps not only
myself but other feel more comfortable in this demanding setting. When we are short staff or need help
with our call schedule, she recognizes those who give the most time and even takes more call to help out
the team. She is amazing at what she does and I am grateful to have her as a coworker and leader.
Nomination from Karen Vacca:
Ashley is a great example of what a great leader is. She will stay and help with the surgical team when
cases become hard (even if that means staying late), and she will make sure the surgeons have what they
need for surgery. As a leader Ashley is positive, supportive, and dependable. Ashley is a great resource
when staff need help with equipment, changing the call schedule, and with helping turning over the OR
rooms between cases. She is someone you can trust in a leader because she can get things done in a timely
manner, who knows, maybe that is the Jersey in her.
2017 Award Nominee
Molly Wilder
Northern Nevada Medical Center
nominated for
Clinical Leadership
Nomination from Wendy Merchant:
I would like to nominate Molly Wilder for her roles as Charge Nurse and now newly appointed Supervisor
to the medical surgical floor. She is a dynamic nurse who is competent and caring. Her ability to multitask
and yet meet the needs of the floor is strong. She commands respect of the physicians, staff and patients.
She maintains professionalism on the most difficult of days, and is also able to be jovial and light hearted
when needed. She strives to be a worthy coworker, always trying to make work a little easier for her staff.
She is solution oriented, and efficient at communication. Her patients have described her as," excellent,
competent, and wonderful". She is constantly striving to better herself and grow as a nurse and leader.
She is an advocate not only for her patients but also for her staff. She takes pride in her work which is
evident by the accolades from her patients. She deserves to be a Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement.
2017 Award Nominee
Rick Williams
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Lindsey Bleuss:
I am nominating Rick for his amazing nursing skills in the OR. Rick is always there to help us with the
robot and even at times will scrub in to offer Stacy or I lunch or scrub in to help us set up the robot. He is
such a vital part of our team and helps the robot rooms run so smoothly. Rick will help out with anything
that is necessary at the time, regardless of what the task is. Rick definitely makes my job easier and more
enjoyable. Rick is a pleasure to work with and a great member of our robot team. I appreciate him more
than he knows!
2017 Award Nominee
Sean Wilson
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Maria Theresa Dabu:
Sean joined our Oncology team July 2016. Sean rapidly progressed through his orientation and quickly
demonstrated his innate calm ability to see " the big picture". His sweet, cheerful personality shines
through in all he does and his patients are the central focus of his night. Sean was precepted and mentored
by different nurses, with varying levels of experience, and remained calm and positive throughout the
adjustment period. As a result of his flexibility and openness to new experiences, Sean has gained
confidence and grown quickly in his clinical practice. He is our champion on Wound care team and able to
share his knowledge and expertise to his peers. Sean demonstrates that he consistently practices at a level
far beyond his years. He works as part time on mentally challenged and with behavioral problems facility
and he's able to apply his psychology knowledge effectively on most of our patients. He provides exemplary
patient care, fosters teamwork, and supports the advanced care philosophy to the fullest. I am honored and
humbled to nominate Sean Wison for Nursing excellence award as Rookie of the Year. ( He's a great singer
too- that's a plus:))
2017 Award Nominee
Heather Wiskerchen
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Sonja Vera:
I am nominating Heather Wiskerchen for Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement. Heather works at
Renown Regional in the Tahoe Tower pre-op area. Heather is an amazing nurse and patient advocate. She
is very efficient, knowledgeable, caring and compassionate. She makes sure our heart patients are put at
ease when they come in and are anxious. She is able to pinpoint a patients needs before they express it.
She is proactive and makes their day go seamless. She is assigned to fast lines and recognized by the
surgeons for keeping them on time while providing excellent care to their patients. She leads by example
in our department and is a great role model for new nurses coming to our unit. Heather is a natural born
leader. She is calm and cool headed under pressure. Heather precepts many of our new employees. She
has the ability to put their anxieties at ease so they can better learn and feel part of the team. When I was
assigned 5 open heart patients she assisted me in making sure they were at ease and ready for the OR. She
went above and beyond in completing their pre-op. This could have been a stressful assignment but she
made it light and the patients were at ease.
2017 Award Nominee
Caitlin Wolfe
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
(Considered for award in Rookie of the Year, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Jess Whitelock:
Caitlin has such a vivacious personality! She brings a smile to every patient she treats or even come in to
contact with. You can often find her laughing ans sitting with one of our severely demented patients about
nothing, helping them "finish" a puzzle.... even though none of the pieces are quite put together.The
greatest part of her is that she is so genuine in everything she does. She loves people and treats each
patient with such kindness and compassion it is inspiring. She inspires my patients, my staff and me to do
better/ be better for each one of our patients every day.She inspires our patients to educate themselves in
disease processes and advocate for themselves even when she is not around. We often get patients that
come back to us just to say hi. When the patients see Caitlin their faces light up, she goes over, hugs them
and she talks with them as if she is just catching up with an old friend. Taking care of people is what it's all
about. This is why we all went into nursing! She does a phenomenal job! Witnessing her be an amazing
nurse each day is absolutely beautiful. We just so appreciate everything she does. She deserves this
nomination/award and many more to come.
2017 Award Nominee
Jennifer Wolanin
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Maternal/Child
Nomination from Lia Lonich:
Jeni deserves this award for going above and beyond for her community. One day as Jeni's husband was
driving her into work for her shift at Renown Regional they saw a man go down in the second street
parking structure. Jeni immediately got out of her car to help. After an initial assessment Jeni realized the
man was unresponsive and without a pulse. She immediately began chest compressions as her husband
called 911. Jeni continued to perform resuscitation measures until REMSA arrived on the scene. Jeni was
doing all of this while she was 37 weeks pregnant. The man was successfully resuscitated and taken to
Renown's ER. Thanks to Jeni's quick action this man is still alive. She didn't let the fact that she was
pregnant deter her from using her nursing skills to help someone in need. Jeni really did go above and
beyond on this day. Furthermore, Jeni is a compassionate nurse in her everyday labor and delivery
practice. She truly cares about the well-being and safety of her patients. She would be an excellent
candidate for this award!
2017 Award Nominee
Amanda Woo
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
(Considered for award in Medical/Surgical, due to eligibility restrictions)
Nomination from Karen Vacca:
Ms. Woo has been a great circulating nurse to the OR staff. Amanda has been requested by her scrub techs
and surgeons to be in her room for her accountability, her sense of humor, and her professionalism. She is
caring, confident, and reliable. Amanda demonstrates the willingness to learn new tasks and is not afraid
to ask for assistance in her room. When Amanda is not doing cases she is in other rooms helping staff
members turnover their rooms, she is helping opening supplies needed for a case, and is giving breaks to
other circulating nurses. Another example that Amanda demonstrates teamwork is she is willing to trade
shifts with other circulating nurses that need time off with their families. Amanda Woo is the Rookie of the
Year.
2017 Award Nominee
Amanda Woods
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Critical Care
Nomination from Jennifer James:
Some of the many words used to describe this nurse include: exemplary preceptor, compassionate,
advocate, and helpful to name a few. This nurse always goes out of her way for her patients and her peers.
She is able to handle herself under very stressful situations with a professional and calm demeanor. The
following patient care story demonstrates the above attributes. This nurse was taking care of a patient
whom had a sudden change in demeanor and became dangerously agitated and verbally aggressive and
threatening to the staff. This nurse was able to use her calming presence and the relationship she has built
with this patient to help de-escalate the situation. Because of the relationship she built with the patient she
was the only person the patient would allow in the room. She stayed calm, spoke respectfully to the patient
and was to de-escalate the patient enough to administer the necessary medication to help this patient. Her
professionalism and compassion prevented this situation from getting worse, and most importantly allowed
the patient to get the care he needed. On more than one occasion this nurse has used her calming
presence to make a difference in her patients' lives. In another instance she was taking care of a very ill
patients who needed emergent transfer to a higher level of care. This critically ill patient was refusing the
transfer to another hospital because his wife was not permitted to fly with him. This nurse spent significant
time with this family providing empathy, emotional support, and compassion and was ultimately able to
help the patient realize the importance of the transfer and thus change his mind. The patient was
emergent transported to another facility to get the care he needed. This nurse is not only amazing with her
patients she is an excellent preceptor and mentor for new nurses. One of her mentee's described her as
'going above and beyond to create an excellent learning experience ... she has taught me invaluable
techniques and tricks of the trade while adhering to best, evidence-based practices. She has sought every
opportunity to provide me with an interesting and challenging learning experience'. It is not uncommon for
this nurse to provide exceptional care to her patients, nor is it uncommon to be a great team player. Her
peers constantly describe her as willing to help and going out of her way to ensure her peers have the
support they need to provide the highest quality care possible. This nurse is very deserving of the
Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement in the category of Critical Care Nurse
Nomination from Tori Lanski:
It was Christmas Eve night, Amanda had been the nurse of this patient for a couple of days. On her shift,
the patient had decided to go comfort care. The family had been at her bedside for several days. The
family, very hesitantly, had said that they were going to go home for a couple hours to shower and eat.
Amanda assured the family that their loved one would not be alone while they were away. When the family
had left, Amanda went in the patient's room, sat next to the patient and held her hand. She also turned on
the TV to "It's a Wonderful Life" and sat there and watched the movie with the patient as their loved ones
were away. That night there was a potluck on the unit, but that did not matter to her. She was at her
patient's side the entire night. She very easily could have just checked up on her patient every once and a
while, but she took it upon herself to go the extra mile. As nurses there is a lot of tasks, charting, and
policies that we are thinking about every shift. So often we forget that it is the little things that we do that
really impact the patient's experience. Being in the same pod as Amanda that night, it was so touching
hearing the movies' dialog and seeing her at the bedside holding her hand. Amanda always goes the extra
mile for her patients to make sure that they are comfortable or to make sure their experience was great.
She brightens every room that she enters bringing positive energy and light, which is most needed in the
Critical Care Arena. Because of Amanda's dedication to her patients and this one of many touching
moments, is why Amanda should be awarded the Critical Care Award!
2017 Award Nominee
Heidi Wright
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Medical/Surgical
Nomination from Cassidy Jost:
Heidi has been a valued member of care team for the past 2 years. She began on our unit as a Nurse
Apprentice during nursing school, and then as a new graduate nurse in 2015. I had the pleasure of being a
preceptor to Heidi when she was first learning. As with any new grad nurse, Heidi struggled to perfect her
practice and organization at first. However, she really has strong rooted determination to succeed. She
pushed through, stayed focused and achieved her goals. Another special quality of Heidi is her relationship
with her patients. She is a very kind person by nature, and this really shows in her patient relationships
and patient care. Our unit has received countless gracious thank you cards and letters regarding the
superb and compassionate care they received while under Heidi's watch. It is truly special how grateful
her patients are for your care. When Heidi is at the bedside, she makes the patient feel like they are the
only priority for her. Her patients were so impressed by her, that she was nominated by them for our
organizations Daisy Award. Our administration was so pleased with her, that she was awarded our first
ever Daisy Award recipient in 2016. For this, we are extremely proud. It has been a blessing to have her on
our unit. Not only is she embracing her bedside patient care, but she is also embracing more of a
leadership role on the unit. In the last year, she has learned how to be a Team Leader, so that she may
take on more responsibilities and be the leader of her team. During shifts where she is the team leader, the
staff is appreciative of how much assistance and guidance she provides to them. She is always willing to
help out her fellow team mates, especially when they are struggling or in times of critical changes in care.
Our unit can count on her to respond and hugely contribute to deteriorating patients, rapid responses and
code blues. It has been a pleasure to be part of her growth, both in nursing practice and profession, and to
see her succeed so much. Please consider her fo r the nomination in the Medical/Surgical category.
2017 Award Nominee
Janna Yates
Saint Mary's (all facilities & groups)
nominated for
Rookie of the Year
Nomination from Colleen Lawson:
When I think of Rookie of the Year, I think of Janna. I had the good fortune of being one of her Preceptors.
Janna demonstrates critical thinking skills, the ability learn and build upon her knowledge base. She is
very thorough in her day to day practice, and always strives to give the best care she possibly can. All of
her colleagues love working with her and she has become a huge asset to the Med/Surg unit. She brings a
positive attitude to any situation and attempts to always look at the whole picture. Her patients absolutely
adore her and they know they are in excellent hands with Janna. She always finds the good in people and
communicates her feelings to let them know how important they are to her. She has a genuine love for
nursing and its paramount to her that she is a competent practitioner that makes a difference in the lives
of her patients. I can tell you first hand that she makes everyones lives a better. She is an excellent source
of support and always strives to work as a team. I'm so proud of her and so proud to call her a colleague.
2017 Award Nominee
Debra Young
VA SNHC
nominated for
Office/Outpatient
Nomination from Tina Vesely:
Debra works in the primary care dept at the Reno VA. She has been a tremendous asset to our department.
She brings many years of nursing experience and knowledge, is compassionate and kind and is always
willing to take on a larger workload or project. Since joining the primary care department approximately 1
year ago, Debra has played a very big role in assisting where we have been short handed, aking on another
doctor (2 teams) taking on a new project that takes a lot of time and dedication and has transitioned a new
doctor and now transitioning a retiring doctor. Debra tirelessly takes on extra loads and we very much
appreciate her in our primary care unit.
2017 Award Nominee
Kathleen Zaski
Renown Regional Medical Center
nominated for
Nursing Informatics
Nomination from Chelsea Minto:
Kathleen is currently the Supervisor of Clinical Informatics for Renown Health. She is a person of great
conviction and takes every opportunity to improve electronic workflows for our clinicians and patients.
Kathleen understands that technology and innovation can either enhance or hinder the clinical processes
so she works tirelessly with stakeholders and end users to understand and evaluate the need before
suggesting change.Kathleen is passionate about the work she does and it is evident by every interaction
she has with fellow clinicians, leaders, and those she manages. She uses every opportunity to improve her
leadership skills, communication, and knowledge base with clinical informatics. I a honored to work with
her, learn from her, and grow with her as a fellow informaticist. She worked on a project this last quarter
that was focused on reducing clinical documentation for bedside RNs. This optimization effort is an
attempt to increase RN availability and time with the patient by only documenting what is necessary in the
medical record. Kathleen worked with the Nursing Supervisor Residents to develop a thorough and
cohesive documentation platform in order to improve RN retention efforts and patient satisfaction. I am
excited to see this project go live and the impact it will have on patients and the clinicians who care for
them.
2017 Award Nominee
Shawna Zorio
Renown South Meadows Medical Center
nominated for
Community/Behavioral Health
Nomination from Jenn Allen:
Shawna is an ER nurse on her regular days; but she spends her vacation time helping others. Shawna
volunteers yearly for Operation Smile. Recently she went on a trip to Morocco and worked nights for an
entire week taking care of postoperative patients. These patients had surgical procedures related to cleft
lip or palate repair; in addition to some bone grafts, just to name a few. She helped education the family
members to help care for their loved ones. When she speaks of her experience it is amazing to see her eyes
light up. She recognized the value of her experience and learning how many cultures are so happy and
grateful for so little. She is dedicated to caring for these individuals and has many great experiences. She
is an inspiration to us all and is giving back to caring for this community as well as our international
communities.