Thirty-eight nurses were honored with Nurse of the Year awards during a public celebration held at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
As part of National Nurse Week activities, a licensed practical nurse, an advanced practice nurse, a registered nurse and a rookie nurse from each of Jackson Health System’s patient care centers, specialty areas, satellite centers and hospitals were selected by their colleagues as the nurses who have contributed the most to quality care throughout the system.
Carlos A. Migoya, president and CEO of Jackson Health System, and Ric Cuming, RN, MSN, EdD, NEA-BC, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nursing executive, presented the awards.
The Clinical Excellence Award is presented to the nurse who best exemplifies selfless dedication, compassion and nursing pride systemwide throughout the years. Winners include:
Myrlene Denis, RN, Ambulatory Care Center, for her excellence in professional practice and her compassion for patients and their families.
Mamie Armbrister, RN, Holtz Children’s Hospital and Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Women’s Hospital Center, for consistently displaying professionalism, autonomy, excellent clinical judgment and empathy.
Pieta Pelobello, RN, BSN, Jackson Memorial Hospital, for consistently providing excellent patient care, critical thinking skills, and customer service.
Elvira De Guzman, RN, BSN, Jackson North Medical Center, for her hard work and dedication to the patients, families and colleagues in the pediatric unit of Jackson North Medical Center.
Maria Derr, RN, Jackson South Community Hospital, for being a leader, teacher and a patient advocate.
Elizabeth Basiratmand, RN, MSN, Jackson Mental Health Hospital, was honored for her dedication and compassion to her patients. She always finds the time to interact with patients, families and colleagues.
To qualify for the Nurse of the Year award, nurses must demonstrate excellence in job performance, proven by a consistent, above-average evaluation, no record of counseling or disciplinary action during the past three years, demonstrate fulfillment of Jackson Health System Standards of Excellence and evidence of well-round- ed professional activities that consolidate the nurses as role models. They must have been employed for at least three years of continual service; for the “rookie” category, it can be one year or less.
Honorees for the Nurse of the Year awards are:
Ambulatory Care Center — Guillermo A. Barquero, RN, BS, and Marie Theodat, LPN.
Cardiovascular Services — Marie Gelin, RN.
Community-Based Primary Care Centers — Jackie Master, MSN, ARNP, FNP-BC; Maureen Allen-Barnes, LPN, and Deborah C. Rushing RN, BSN.
Corrections Health Services — Gerry Francois, LPN, and Lorena Carrasco, RN.
Education and Development — Bensita Joseph, RN, BSN.
Emergency Care and Trauma Services — Douglas Houghton, MSN, ARNP, ACNPC, CORN, and Gelena Dimaano, RN.
Holtz Children’s Hospital — Nicole Thompson-Bowie, ARNP, NNP, PNP; Angela L. ones, LPN, and Dawn Allen, RN.
Jackson Memorial Long Term Care Center — Marcell Nicholas, LPN, and Bernadette Jeanniton, RN.
Jackson Memorial Perdue Medical Center — Elizabeth Maybee, LPN, and Leonila Liddell, RN.
Jackson North Medical Center — Barbara Seay, LPN, and Marie Jean Louis, RN.
Jackson South Community Hospital — Carina A. Ryder, ARNP; Maria E. Fernandez, LPN, and Dolce Ortaliz, RN.
Medical-Surgical Hospital Center — Philip Dlugasch, ARNP, Jean Jecrois, LPN, and Olive Lewis, RN.
Jackson Mental Health Hospital — Marie Joseph, RN, BSN.
Ortho-Rehab-Neuroscience Hospital Center — Myrna Lee-Keow, ARNP, MSN, FNP-BC; Marietta Gervais, LPN, and Rocio Mariel Simunovic, RN, BSN, MHA.
Perioperative Services — Nichole Crenshaw, ARNP; Anne-Marie Fernandez, RN, B.S.N., and Jacqueline Buigas, RN.
Specialty Areas — Maribel Valmocina, ARNP, and Maria Luisa Rodriguez, RN.
Women’s Hospital Center — Nancy E. Griffis, ARNP; Denise Lamothe, LPN, and Ozaida Astapan, RN.
