Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Celia Barselou, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Celia is a hard-working, dedicated, and very responsible operating room nurse. She plans appropriately to show up for work on time despite the challenges that go along with getting into Boston in commuter traffic and inclement weather. For example, she’s working this weekend, and because of the blizzard yesterday, she stayed at a hotel close to the hospital. When she’s on-call she also manages to arrive within half-an-hour of being called. Celia is humble by nature, so when she periodically does share stories of her work, I’m always incredibly impressed and proud of her intelligence and capability. Anyone who has the privilege to have Celia working in the operating room during their surgical procedure is one lucky patient. —Nominated by Virginia Simeone

Jacqueline FitzGerald, Finard 4 ICU Staff, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

In this unusual year, I believe the Globe should focus on groups of nurses who worked together during the COVID-19 pandemic. As one of those nurses (I retired last June), I feel that nominating just one nurse doesn’t reflect the reality. Every patient requires a team effort to get them through a crisis. Every staff member needs other staff to make it through a shift. We rely upon each other on our days off for emotional support when things get overwhelming, because no one else understands what we do and no one can help us through a rough stretch like we can.

In the beginning of COVID, we were hailed as heroes. Now, it’s gotten even more difficult; people are done with COVID, and yet we continue to take care of the sickest of the sick. COVID is not done with the medical staff. Staff members are exhausted emotionally, physically, and mentally. 

This is not about one person. This is about a team that works together and helps each other. All medical workers deserve recognition, especially now. This includes respiratory therapists, patient care technicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, the housekeepers, unit coordinators, social workers, radiology … I could go on. I offer my sincere and genuine and heartfelt thanks to all of you for all that you do. I know it is not easy. —Nominated by Pat Wenger

Dotty Grace, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Milton

I have had the privilege to work with Dotty for the past 20-plus years. She’s worked many different positions in her 30-year career at BILH-Milton, including the Med-Surg floor, ICU, Endoscopy, and now as the clinical nurse consultant of the Endoscopy Department. In every position, she has given 200 percent of herself to her patients. She exemplifies what a nurse and CNC should be: her kindness, compassion, strong work ethic, and love for the elderly don’t go unnoticed. No matter how sick her patients are, or how busy her day was, she always has a smile, and her patients love her. —Nominated by Andrea Hayes

Seble Gurmesa, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Seble was instrumental in my healing, post-cesarean section. As soon as we met, she had a plan to help my pain, and within a couple hours I felt great and was able to move around. She spent a long time helping me breastfeed my son and giving me advice and education on nursing and pumping. I still think back to the time she spent with me and appreciate it so much. And best of all, she got me a REAL coffee, since I couldn’t leave or have visitors due to COVID restrictions. I want her to know how much her kindness meant to me. —Nominated by Katlyn Campbell

Stephanie King, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Neurology Floor

This nurse is my best friend. She’s been with this hospital for 20 years. A couple of weeks ago, she called and told me she had tears in her eyes. I said, “Why?” BIDMC is a training hospital, and a student asked if she could study under her. Steph asked her why. The girl said, “because you are everything a nurse should be.” You see, Steph never looks special, but she is, the way she helps patients and how staff look up to her. Even with a messy family situation in progress, she puts her patients first and loves her job, yet finds time to be an amazing mom. I call her Supermom—get home from night shift, drive kids to school, sleep a couple of hours, do what needs to be done at home, pick kids up, spend time, then back to work. 

One patient stands out—a deaf man. She had the translator to help, and during his stay she laughed and made him feel special. For the past three Christmases he’s sent a card signed “the Li’l Deaf Man” thanking Steph. Through COVID she worked as many shifts as needed and still was a mom. She’s a very humble woman who loves her job and is the true meaning of nursing. —Nominated by Michele Bussiere

Stephanie Konz, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston

I am a 55-year-old, stage 4 metastatic cancer patient. When I was diagnosed two years ago, I was hopeless. I had to undergo one of the most awful radiation treatments that there is. I had burns beyond belief all over my pelvis and bottom. It was embarrassing, incredibly painful, and possibly pointless, as my life expectancy was not good. Stephanie showed respect, kindness, brilliance, and even humor when it was needed. She got me through two months of radiation, with me seeing her almost every day, except when the burns opened up and I had to pause treatment. She knew how I was by the way I walked in, and when my eyes would start to tear up she would get me into a private room to help keep my dignity.

Two years later, I am still here. Those scars have healed (mostly thanks to Stephanie and her team—I have a friend who had the same treatment at another facility, and she is still suffering from scar tissue effects). I am in palliative care now, as three surgeries and chemo haven’t worked, but I still fight. Last November I was back in her unit getting more radiation for a pleural effusion in my lung from growing tumors. 

She was the ONLY reason that I got through this last round, and even got in a trip to Disney just after my treatment ended. She worked her magic to keep me hydrated and healthy…and laughing. She knew how important it was to my son to go there with me. I had to stay behind and have treatment in 2020 while I sent my family on the vacation that we had saved and planned for. This time, she wasn’t going to let that happen, if she could help it.

Beyond all of that, what really made me want to nominate Steph was that one day before last Christmas I walked in, got my johnny on, and was waiting for my radiation. Stephanie walked out of an exam room holding an elderly man’s hand. He was laughing and so was she. He had a very strong Italian accent but I could understand enough to hear how fond he was of her and how she had made this awful process actually enjoyable for him. Her smile beamed as she spoke so kindly to him. She was telling him how she didn’t want him driving if it snowed the next day and how he could just call her and she would figure everything out for him. He left taken care of, respected, and smiling.

He and I are not the only ones. Any time that I mention Steph to anyone who has interacted with her—a patient in my support group, another nurse, and even doctors at different hospitals—they can’t sing her praises loudly enough. 

Nurse Stephanie is light when there is so much darkness. She is a wealth of read and learned knowledge and tricks that she freely shares to improve her patients’ quality of life. I’m here today and have hope for a tomorrow in large part because of my team at BIDMC, but Stephanie is one of the reasons that the quality of my life is worth living. THAT is everything for a 55-year-old, stage 4 metastatic cancer patient. —Nominated by Laura Keegan

Daniel Nadworny, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Milton

Dan has been a nurse leader at the Milton hospital for the ICU and Emergency Department. He also is president-elect for the Massachusetts Emergency Nurses Association, where he currently serves as the chair of Government Affairs. Along with his work in the state, he also works in collaboration with the American College of Emergency Physicians, as well for the government through FEMA. Dan puts in so much time working as a leader, covering sick calls of stretcher-side nurses when needed, and advocating for nurses at the federal level. He tirelessly supports what is best for patients and for nursing. He’s one of the hardest-working nurses that I have ever known. Nights, weekends, holidays…patients and staff come first. In August 2020, he worked in a COVID ICU to assist those who were overwhelmed in Baton Rouge. —Nominated by Jessica Marcoux

Gretchen O’Brien, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Needham

Gretchen is a thoughtful, effective, knowledgeable nurse-practitioner who responds effectively, warmly, and promptly to patients’ questions and their medical needs. She’s lucidly informative on diagnostic and therapeutic issues, astute in her physical exams, and knowledgeable on therapy and pharmaceuticals. She really knows her anatomy, physiology, diagnostic procedures, and therapy of the heart and circulatory system—her specialty—and is also well-informed and helpful on other medical issues. Her responses via email and telephone are as timely and effective as she is in-person. Gretchen works smoothly with the cardiologist with whom she is associated. She practices both in Needham and at BIDMC in town, but her timely responses give no sense of where she might be on any day—not only which hospital, but even whether she’s on- or off-duty. She’s a pleasure to see or to question by email. —Nominated by Mitchell Rabkin

Suzanne Silvestri, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

My baby sister is the best! She took care of me when I had my gallbladder out, and for both cesarean sections! She rocks!—Nominated by Heidi Ricker

Sharon Rooney Wrangel, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

On the morning of Aug. 3, 2021, we welcomed our third baby at BIDMC. As Pediatric ICU nurses at Boston Children’s Hospital, it’s no accident that we chose to deliver our babies at the BI. The nursing care delivered at the BI has always been top-notch. Zoey had a traumatic delivery into this world, and we are forever grateful for the nursing care provided to all of us. From triage to labor and delivery, postpartum and Neonatal ICU, we’ll never forget the nursing care delivered to our family. 

Sharon and her NICU colleagues were some of the most compassionate nurses we have met. Their exceptional nursing practice always had Zoey’s best outcome in mind. As both parents and pediatric ICU nurses, this experience was extremely stressful, but also incredible. Sharon and her colleagues constantly addressed our concerns and involved us in their care plan. For many reasons, I constantly reflect on our experience and their model of care. I will forever be grateful. I attribute Zoey’s success story to these nurses. I write this letter with a very full and thankful heart while looking at a thriving 7-month-old who’s meeting her milestones and adored by so many. —Nominated by Molly Jansen

Anne Shea, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Many years ago, I became quite ill from a prescription interaction. Despite being overdue on her pregnancy, Ms. Shea stayed beyond regular hours to assess and plan treatment, including blood tests, for me.

For over two decades, she has always been very empathetic and compassionate. Her advice has been direct, but not condescending. She’s always respectful and addresses me by my last name. The nurse’s treatment has been beyond the required. Extra tests, precautions, and professional advice are always provided as needed. She has stayed on top of when I have needed to have lipids tested, as well as my nutritional needs.

Ms. Shea is a powerful example for others. Hopefully, other nurses and medical professionals will learn from her. —Nominated by Howard Mintz

Jiyun Shi, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

As an oncology nurse, Jiyun Shi has provided me an outstanding blend of mastery, compassion, and organization. I am a 93-year-old hematology oncology patient who’s had a career in nursing myself. I know nursing and can say unequivocally that the care Jiyun has provided has been exemplary. She always goes beyond—for example, providing the right kind of bandages for my older skin, offering heating pads for my sore back, helping me navigate appointments, and coming to visit me when I’m receiving treatment in another clinic within BIDMC. All these thoughtful steps are beyond what is necessary. She adds them to an already-packed schedule and yet somehow leaves me feeling that she would devote whatever time and consideration I need. Over the past two years, Jiyun has become a family friend. We treasure her and will be forever grateful for the care she provides. —Nominated by Lucy Wierum

Beverly Hospital

Laura Andree, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Beverly Hospital

Laura is professional in every aspect. She is caring, extremely knowledgeable in her position, and interacting with her is comforting and reassuring that your life/condition is being taken care of. She knows when to assert herself for the patient. She has a keen sense of looking beyond what’s in front to see what others may miss. She is not afraid to use her voice for her patient. —Nominated by Melanie Leach

Linda Healy, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Beverly Hospital

Linda has always been an excellent caregiver. When I had my first total knee replacement, she was able to get me into a private room post-surgery at no added cost to me. —Nominated by James Healy

Joslin Diabetes Center

Julie Griffith, Joslin Diabetes Center

I’ve been seeing Julie Griffith as my nurse educator in the pediatric ward of Joslin Diabetes Center for many years now. The nurse educator role, particular in diabetes care, is highly influential in the way a patient approaches their own diabetes management. Especially in the pediatric unit, the nurse educator comes in during a very difficult time in a patient’s life. Although people can be diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at any age, it typically is diagnosed in children and adolescents. After diagnosis, patients and their families will feel an overwhelming range of emotions: confused, stressed, angry—and overall, just scared. 

This is when they are tossed a lifeline from the nurse educator, who knows the ins and outs of diabetes and is there to help patients find the care that works best for them. They encourage the patient to try new technologies, such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, and they help them navigate the very tangled world of diabetes, including managing the disease with school, sports, diet, activities, and every aspect of a young life. 

Julie came into my life during a low point. I was diagnosed at age 13, but I learned to manage my diabetes throughout high school as a three-sport athlete. When I entered college, diabetes management was even more difficult. I began to experience diabetes burnout, and struggled with the overhaul to my everyday life. During this time Julie became my lifeline again. She understood the mental and physical challenges I was facing, and helped me overcome them.

During the pandemic, Julie continued to be that lifeline. I surpassed the age of the pediatrics unit in 2020, but Julie stayed on as my nurse educator. She knew how important it was for me to have someone to rely on during a turbulent year, especially while immunocompromised people feared for their lives. 

I last met with Julie in December. I can hardly put into words what she’s meant to me over the past 10 years. Julie is kind, patient, caring, and empathetic. She understands the toll that diabetes can take on everyday life, and helps patients find ways to not just live, but to thrive with diabetes. She embodies everything that a nurse is. I want to say thank you, Julie, for making me into the strong person living with diabetes that I am today. —Nominated by Meghan Gabel

Ashley Keating, Joslin Diabetes Center

Ashley has been instrumental in guiding our family through having a child with Type 1 diabetes and managing his care. She cares. She’s knowledgeable and provides us with a foundational understanding of this disease both mentally and physically. The Campbell family wouldn’t know what to do without Ashley. She’s the best, and we know she always has our back. —Nominated by Chad Campbell

Pamela Walcott, Joslin Diabetes Center

Having worked with Pam Walcott over the past three years, it is difficult to think of only one time she has exhibited compassion, clinical competency, excellent communication, trust in care, and advocacy for patients, because she does this DAILY. Pam has worked at Joslin for over 13 years as the senior clinical research nurse in the Clinical, Behavioral and Outcomes Research Department in the Clinical Research Center. 

Day in and day out, she leads by example, ensuring patients are comfortable, explaining study procedures to them, and answering all questions in an assured and calm manner. Her ability to read patients and interact with them is natural to her. Pam makes sure she has the need-to-know information before working with a patient (history of fainting, falls, dietary restrictions in case of low blood glucose, etc.) as patients with diabetes are at risk for many things. Pam always asks for consent to retry a blood draw or IV placement, should a venipuncture not flow or an IV fail, and always leaves it up to the patient whether they want to continue. It is in these moments that Pam demonstrates her advocacy for her patients, because while the study coordinators and principal investigators focus on the protocol adherence, Pam’s No. 1 priority is the patient.

A fantastic problem-solver with troubleshooting talents, Pam makes sure every study visit runs smoothly and according to protocol. She has taken on every single training of new nurses and study coordinators who have rotated in the CRC, and holds them to a high standard. She knows that new staff will take a bit of time to master clinical skills; however, she always encourages the staff to try on their own once trained, but ensures that she is always there for support. —Nominated by Julianne O’Connell

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

Janice Morrissette, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

I have had the pleasure of working with Janice for years. I recently had a patient in the hospital who was really struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, and missing his therapy pup. When I mentioned it to Janice, she was ON IT! She immediately reached out and arranged for our hospital therapy dog to come by for a visit. She is a wonderful problem solver. She is a fabulous, compassionate, funny, energetic, lovely nurse. —Nominated by Nancy Todd

Ravi Narasimhadevara, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

Ravi is very helpful to anyone who is needs help. There is no one like Ravi. —Nominated by Sandhya KC

Donald Walk, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Peabody

Don works in the infusion room. He exemplifies what it means to be a patient advocate and a team player. His kind and calm demeanor puts his patients at ease. He is such a hard worker and always willing to help his fellow nurses. Don works tirelessly (sometimes even on his days off.) to schedule patients for their infusions in a timely manner that works for them. Our patients are often going through treatment for difficult diagnoses and Don goes above and beyond every day, whether that means taking time to listen to a patient’s concerns or buying holiday decorations for the department to brighten everyone’s day. He is such a kind and empathetic nurse who works to make every patient he encounters feel appreciated. With all that he does, he never asks for praise, and we hope he can be appreciated by the Globe for being so wonderful. —Nominated by Marie Walton

Donald Walk, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Peabody

Don Walk is one of the most caring, compassionate, hard-working nurses I’ve ever met. He is always early for work and stays late to finish things up even when he doesn’t need to. He spends so much time making appointments for his patients and makes sure their infusion experience is excellent. He is just a great coworker and I know that when he’s on, we’ll all have a great day. Don spends his own money to buy decorations to make the unit festive for all holidays. Patients love him and his IV skills are phenomenal. I’m so lucky and blessed to call Don a coworker, and he deserves recognition for a job well done every day. —Nominated by Amy Benammi

Donald Walk, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Peabody

Don works in the infusion room at Lahey Peabody. He exemplifies what it means to be a patient advocate and a team player. His kind and calm demeanor puts his patients at ease. He’s a hard worker who’s always willing to help his fellow nurses. Don takes on a lot of responsibility to help his unit run smoothly. He works tirelessly (sometimes even on his days off.) to schedule patients for their infusions in a timely manner that works for them. Our patients are often going through treatment for difficult diagnoses and Don goes the extra mile every day, whether that involves taking extra time to listen to a patient’s concerns, or buying holiday decorations for the department to brighten everyone’s day. He’s a kind and empathetic nurse who works to make every patient he encounters feel heard and appreciated. With all that he does, he never asks for praise. —Nominated by Marie Walton

Kathy Weisse, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

Kathy Weisse has spent her entire 30-year career at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, specializing in orthopedic medicine. Not only is she a caring, compassionate, and excellent nurse, but she is also my mom. She has shown me how to provide excellent care as I started my career in the health field. I hadn’t realized how much of what she taught me at home would carry over into caring for others. Her clinical competency is unmatched. Kathy educates patients in the most caring and communicative way, breaking down everything. She deserves much more applause and recognition. —Nominated by Shannon Kelley

Fran White, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center

Fran White was my nurse manager at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center on the 6 Central Floor for 20 years, and she is nothing less than extraordinary. In my 43 years of nursing, I have never known a nurse manager who was as intelligent, encouraging, organized, and fair as Fran. I have never heard her raise her voice or seen her lose her temper, but she exudes a quiet strength and is most effective and respected as the nurse manager of an incredibly busy liver kidney transplant pre-and post-op floor. 

When Fran expected a particularly difficult night due to patient acuity or staffing issues, she would often show up at six in the morning, with coffee cake and fresh fruit. I was the charge nurse on the night shift, and, inevitably at 6 a.m. it was all hands on deck. Every staff member was involved in someone’s room or in an emergency situation, and as the charge nurse I felt the pressure of the call button going off and felt the stress of needing to answer it. So often I would hear Fran’s soft voice on the intercom answering that light. And then I would see her running down the hallway to take someone to the bathroom or help them with a bedpan. No task was below Fran—if we were expected to do it, she also did it.

Every morning, Fran holds a huddle at the desk with the night shift and the day shift. No matter how chaotic the floor could become, she was always the voice of optimism and reason. She also used this time to acknowledge accomplishments of different staff members, whether it be educational, personal, or just that they had stepped up the shift before and made a difference to their patients and co-workers. Fran knew about it and publicly acknowledged them. 

Fran is about to retire, and after many years of an amazing career she deserves a nod and a salute for what she has done for the nursing profession, for Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, for the 6 Central Floor and patients, and for so many nurses like myself who were privileged to call her their nurse manager. —Nominated by Denise Gallagher

Mt. Auburn Hospital

Wendy Cayton, Mt. Auburn Hospital

How is it possible to look forward to going to the hospital for treatment of metastatic breast cancer? The answer is Wendy Cayton, one of the oncology nurses at Mount Auburn’s Hoffman Breast Center. Wendy is not just competent, as are all the other nurses at this center, but envelops me with trust that she is always checking on what’s right for my particular case. She makes me laugh (laugh? for treatment of the big C?) when it comes time for her to wrangle a colleague to help deliver two simultaneous very large injections as they count one…two…three—and in they go. We talk about family and love of novels during my infusion, and she checks with my oncologist and nurse practitioner to make sure all is going well. It’s not possible to feel down when in the company of Wendy Cayton. —Nominated by Nancy Pike

Kerry Preytis, Mt. Auburn Hospital

After being sent home after a surgical lobectomy for lung cancer, I was readmitted three hours later for atrial fibrillation to the cardiac unit of Mt. Auburn, where I stayed for another three days. Two days later, I was confused and panicked after another morning a-fib event and didn’t know what was happening to me. My nurse that day was Kerry Preytis and, though incredibly busy on her 12-hour shift, she sat and held my hand to calm me down. She took time throughout the day to come and visit, got me a social worker, and generally talked me down and cared for me. It was beyond what she needed to do to fulfill her job. I thank her from the bottom of my heart and feel that she saved me that day. —Nominated by Barbara Lawrence

New England Baptist Hospital

Katie Corrigan and Lauren Koloski, New England Baptist Hospital

Katie Corrigan and Lauren Koloski are quality performance managers and infection control preventionists at NEBH. They are responsible for leading and achieving exemplary quality and safety patient outcomes, performance improvement initiatives, and regulatory compliance across the enterprise. They lead nursing and musculoskeletal care programs impacting the delivery of care and services to patients and their care partners. Additionally, they support our infection control, prevention, and surveillance program. Katie and Lauren have been instrumental in supporting NEBH physicians, staff, and patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together, Katie and Lauren provide exquisite, detailed, and focused communication. Creative and innovative in their approaches, they continue to demonstrate excellence in clinical care and consistently leverage evidence-based best practices. 

COVID-19 has been a challenge. Katie and Lauren’s professional, poised, and can-do attitudes have been a tremendous resource. Their availability, dependability, and expertise aided all. As they created or updated policies or procedures regarding evolving COVID-19 practices, Katie and Lauren supported clinical teams and patients through myriad changes. They exhibit sensitivity, trust, and advocacy for health-care team members and patients alike. They are strong communicators and visible leaders, impacting quality and safety at NEBH. On behalf of the Nurse Executive team, we salute Katie and Lauren for their tireless and relentless pursuit of excellence. —Nominated by Tricia Ide

Winchester Hospital

Judy Anderson, Winchester Hospital Pain Management Center

Judy is very personable with everyone, whether you are a patient or co-worker. I am both. I was working with Judy when having my injection. I was very nervous, and she talked to me through the whole procedure, then stooped down to me if she noticed I was stressing. Judy will reach out to help you even if she has a lot to do. She never has a bad word to say about anybody. Judy could calm the meanest person out there, and they would not even know it. —Nominated by Mary Stanton

Inpatient and Emergency Room Nurses, Winchester Hospital

Working the night shift, you can get accustomed to feeling alone, but not at Winchester Hospital. I’ve worked the night shift for six years, and I’ve met some of the most amazing nurses. During the peaks of this pandemic, I have seen more dedication, strength, knowledge, and compassion from these fine women and men, whom I’m proud to call my colleagues, than I’ve ever seen in my 11 years of nursing. I watched nurses fight for their patients, hold their hands, and rub their backs while they died alongside a stranger-turned-confidante in their last days. I watched them juggle multiple drips and medications, and use their expert knowledge to help keep patients alive long enough to say goodbye to their loved ones. I watched them listen to a patient while various other people wanted their attention, making them feel like they were the most important person in the world. I watched them cry, hugged them, and told them I knew how they felt when they lost a patient.

We’ve lost more nurses than we can count to the burnout of this pandemic, in this job. To those who stay, day after day, night after night, and continue to fight for our patients—I thank you. Now, as a manager who’s no longer a staff nurse, I have even more fight in me to give to you, and to ALWAYS let you know how very appreciated you are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. —Nominated by Emily Callery

C3 Medical/Surgical Nurses, Winchester Hospital

I am writing to spotlight a group of nurses who make progress annually, monthly, and daily by embodying the spirt of a “Nightingale Nurse” —one who is curious, enthusiastic, patient-centric, and team-focused. Winchester Hospital’s C3 Medical/Surgical nurses embrace the art of the possible. This mindset heightens each nurse’s resilience to support peers and exhibit compassion while tending to patients. 

This past year instilled a fierce, heartfelt determination to come together and dig deeper into the meaning of nursing after seeing so much death and hardship. The C3 team embraces the preciousness of life during every moment of care for the feeble and infirm.

The C3 nurses are dynamic. From differing communities, races, and backgrounds they come together to provide extraordinary care to each patient. —Nominated by Debra Barbuto

Denise Darlington, Winchester Hospital

Denise has oriented every single nurse who has started at Winchester Hospital for the past 17 years. How many nurses has this warm, smart, committed nurse welcomed into the organization? Who can count? Denise models from Day One what it means to be a magnet nurse in a community hospital. And how many nursing students has this educator helped find the right place for their clinical experience? Who can count? Nursing instructors throughout the region have repeatedly expressed gratitude for the gentle way Denise shepherds these students into their placements. Denise has spent the greater part of her nursing career teaching, caring for, helping, and developing nursing students, new graduate nurses, and experienced new nurses. The thought of trying to count the enormous number of these fortunate students and nurses is mind-boggling.  Denise is the champion of the students and nurses who have gone on to excel in their practice—in large part because Denise gave them a solid start. —Nominated by Kathleen Beyerman

Rebecca Reuland, Winchester Hospital

Becky always maintains a calm and cheery disposition, providing support not only to her patients but her co-workers as well. She can always be counted on and is willing to help in any way she can. She has a way of setting patients at ease that can only improve their care. —Nominated by Seana Blanchard

Donna Sherrill, Winchester Hospital

Donna does a fantastic job as the assistant chief nursing officer of both maternal child health and surgical services. She provides support, strength, and stability to every department. The past few years have been increasingly difficult in hospitals. Donna has continued to support, motivate, and share her vision of patient safety, achieving better outcomes for patients. Donna has decided to retire, but not without a plan to share her knowledge. She has spent the last year mentoring new leaders. Succession planning is important in nursing and Donna has taken this on with enthusiasm to watch others grow. She guides, solves problems, and promotes personal growth for every new leader. I wouldn’t be where I am today as a leader without her. More than just a nurse, a caregiver, an advocate, and a mentor, she’s devoted more than 30 years to the health care profession. We need to honor the nurses who pass on their knowledge to new nurses and new leaders, for without them we would be lost. —Nominated by Patricia Barry Godino