Chief Nursing Executive Award at Shepherd Center.

This special award recognizes nurses within our organization whose professionalism, leadership, mentoring, quality of nursing care and contributions to the practice of rehabilitation nursing are exemplary. Each year Shepherd Center recognizes one nurse in each of the following three categories.

Click below to download ballot information and award criteria for each of the three categories:

Staff nurse, charge nurse

Management, educator, other

LPN, PCT, US

The 2006 Award Winners

The three staff members who won the award in 2006 were in very competitive fields with other healthcare professionals who have been working exceptionally hard to help Shepherd Center achieve MAGNET status. To become a MAGNET hospital, our nursing staff must change practive both locally (within our own facility) and nationally through research, education and quality initiatives.

The awards were presented in a special Nurse Senate meeting held at Shepherd Center on Jan. 18. The winners are:

Linda Dufour

Category: Management, Educator, Other

Linda is a registered nurse, who in 2006 presented at numerous conferences, two of which were for Sigma Theta Tau's 17th Annual International Research Congress focusing on “Evidenced-Based Practice” in Montreal, Canada, and ARN 32nd Annual Education Conference in Chicago, Ill. She also has spoken at professional state and local meetings, served as a preceptor, conducted MAXIM projects on her unit, published in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing and participated in research projects. Linda teaches a CRRN (Certified rehabilitation registered Nurse) prep course, serves as the chair of the Nursing Senate 2006 and continues to make many contributions to the nursing practice at Shepherd Center.

Tiffany Lecroy

Category: Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse

Tiffany is a registered nurse, who in 2006 presented at professional meetings, served as a preceptor, participated in MAXIM projects, published in NursingMatters and participated in research. She is a member of several committees, coauthored a chapter in the 2007 ARN Core Curriculum, participated in family and patient education and presented at neighboring colleges to peers in her FNP program. She is working on her master’s degree. Tiffany is certified in ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and as a MSCN (Multiple Sclerosis Certified Nurse).

Monica Gaskin

Category: LPN, PCT, US

Monica is a senior nursing student who has a strong work ethic and is revered as a team player. She is also noted for her positive attitude and communication skills, has participated in MAXIM efforts and research projects, and has cross-trained as a secretary.

Three additional nurses were recognized for their impact on nursing at Shepherd Center:

- Robin Gehrke for being the top energizer for achieving MAGNET verification;

- Beth Owens for the most professional growth in a year through achieving national certification, presenting a poster at a national conference and co-chairing the Quality Committee for Nurse Senate

- Glenn Prescott for his efforts on reducing the nursing vacancy rate from 17 to 2 percent.

The co-chairs of the Senate committees also were recognized for their leadership for the past year in moving Shepherd Center closer to becoming a MAGNET hospital in 2007:

- Donna Loupus and Patricia Nelson, Policy and Procedure Committee

- Joycelyn Craig and Linda Dufour, Education Committee Joycelyn Craig, Ethics Committee

- Amy Clavijo, Issi Clesson and Nancy Gilvin, Research Committee

- Sandra Hunter and Beth Owens, Quality Committee

- Robin Gehrke and Glenn Prescott, Recruitment and Retention Committee

- Laurie Schmeier, Advance Practice Committee