Ceremony Honors 2017 Nurses Of Excellence

Tahoe Forest Health System announced its 2017 Nurses of Excellence in a special ceremony on Wednesday, May 9. Nurses of Excellence exhibit exceptional qualities in areas of clinical competence, leadership, and commitment to the nursing profession. In recognition of National Nurses Week, May 6 through 12, each year since 1990 Tahoe Forest Health system gives special thanks to all nurses and honors exceptional nurses with the Nurses of Excellence award.

Top honors went to the following five nurses, were also specially recognized for their exceptional skill and outstanding service, and also for demonstrating the Tahoe Forest values of quality, understanding, excellence, service and teamwork:

Janet Glenny – Incline Village Community Hospital Emergency Department – Quality

Stacie Renno – Long Tem Care Center – Understanding

Lisa Wry – Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center – Excellence

Samantha Shields – Surgery Department – Stewardship

Lindsey St. Martin – Intensive Care Unit – Teamwork

These nurses were recognized for excellence in their profession, knowledge, teamwork, and high quality care for their patients.

“Our mission at Tahoe Forest,” said Harry Weis, President & CEO, Tahoe Forest Health System, “is to serve our community through excellence and compassion every day. During National Nurses Week, we honor Nurses of Excellence, but we’re also honoring all nurses for their service throughout the year.”

“Your dedication to our patients and your fellow staff has not gone unnoticed,” said Karen Baffone, Chief Nursing Officer, Tahoe Forest Health System, as she addressed the assembled group. “Thank you to all of our nurses for all you do—every day!”

The other 2017 Nurses of Excellence Nominees were:

Vicki Howitt, Missy Pursel, Jadwiga Auckenthaler, Terry Avilla, Heidi Blide, John Christian, Misty Garberson, Lori Graham, Laura Guzzo, Colleen Joslin, Cassy Kiehn, Cora Killian, Brian Lyczko, Wendy Mastroianni, Bev Schnobrich, Lindsey St. Martin

Nominees were selected by their peers and are considered to be dedicated role models in the community. As a nurse, one needs to be a highly dedicated person with varied interests, strengths and passions as nurses work in various facilities like emergency rooms, maternity wards and pediatric offices, to name a few. A dedicated nurse has many roles —from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher, striving to serve all of them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient safety.