Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital recognizes Nurse of the Year, others

DOWNERS GROVE – A versatile nurse who is equally skilled in general patient care, post-op surgical care, orthopedic care, geriatric care and trauma care, Michelle Wright is the “epitome of nursing excellence,” according to her winning nomination as Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital’s Nurse of the Year.

“If I could clone one nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital, it would be Michelle Wright,” said Dr. James P. Cole, Jr., assistant trauma medical director, who nominated her for the award. “She works harder than any nurse I have ever known. Her attitude is always uplifting, her work ethic is always exemplary, and her enthusiasm to go above and beyond is always humbling. Michelle is the nurse that physicians want caring for their patients.”

Wright, team leader of unit 52 (orthopedics) and a Plainfield resident, was recognized at a ceremony at the hospital May 9, during National Nurses Week. She was one of six nurses recognized with nursing excellence awards, which are provided by the Medical Staff office. Each winner receives $500 and a certificate. The other winners are:

Michelle “Mickey” Nottoli, orthopedic nurse navigator and nurse clinician, of Chicago: Nottoli’s passion for patient care is palpable. “She is frequently mentioned by name in patient surveys because she has an uncanny knack for minimizing the anxiety associated with surgery through humor and wit coupled with her clinical expertise,” said Maura Brown, director of nursing program administration. Nottoli is the Total Joint Replacement class instructor and in 2012 managed the care of 645 total joint replacement patients. She also regularly makes poster presentations at the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses to advance the profession and mentors other nurses.

• Christie Chacon-Taba, staff nurse, neonatal intensive care unit, of Westmont: Chacon-Taba volunteered to switch her day shift to night shift to cover a staffing need. She also produces a monthly unit newsletter and makes holiday greeting cards on behalf of the babies to give to their parents, each with poems and individual personalized handprints and footprints from the infants.
• Ann Sparapany, staff nurse, neonatal intensive care unit, of Bolingbrook: Sparapany shares her personal experience of high-risk and premature deliveries with the families of the patients for which she cares, creating a special bond with them. She’s also a member of the associate satisfaction committee, working to make sure her colleagues feel supported.
• Karen Harris, team leader, unit 43 (oncology), of Lombard: Despite only having been a nurse for four years, Harris is one of the clinical coaches for new nurses coming to the unit. She also is co-chair of the unit-based shared governance. “Under her leadership, we have become a more cohesive team,” said Jodi Overbeck, nurse manager, oncology. “Karen has helped bring all shifts together, encouraged staff accountability and consistently asked staff for feedback to help with associate and patient satisfaction improvement.”
• Sarah Nelson, nurse clinician, emergency department, of New Lenox: Currently pursuing her master’s degree in nursing, Nelson is known for her attention to detail and process improvement. As the emergency department representative on the hospital’s stroke committee, she helped streamline the department’s response to potential stroke patients. “Sarah is a very active member of our nursing staff whose vision extends beyond that of a bedside patient care provider,” said Evelyn Clark-Kula, emergency department and interim trauma manager. “She recognizes opportunities for improvement in her daily routine and has taken the initiative to address problems without any prompting.”

In addition, the hospital also recognized a nurse leader of the year, a nurse mentor of the year and a friend of nursing. Those winners are:

Nurse Leader of the Year award: Jennifer Scheeringa, supervisor of clinical bed management, of Plainfield: A transformational leader who is constantly advocating for her staff, Scheeringa has been a nurse for more than 20 years. She returned to school and earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Elmhurst College and is currently completing her master’s degree in nursing administration from Benedictine University. She obtained medical/surgical certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), was instrumental in converting her department to an all-RN staff and has worked closely with the nurses within her department to return to school to obtain advanced degrees as well as nationally recognized certifications. Under Scheeringa’s leadership, three of the clinical bed management nurses have gone back to school to obtain their bachelor’s degrees while almost 60 percent are board certified. She can frequently be found sitting with an associate teaching them how to maneuver different functionalities of the hospital’s various computer programs. “When an associate doesn’t understand a new process or change in technology, she invites them to sit with her to learn. She never makes them feel uncomfortable or inadequate even when they have been provided previous instruction,” said her supervisor, Denise Bentz, director of nursing operations and care management. “She loves to learn herself and wants other to thirst for knowledge.”

Nurse mentor of the year: Lisa Lockett, manager of the float pool, of Downers Grove: Lockett earned a master’s degree and continually pushes her associates to pursue additional education and training; 64 percent of the nursing staff in the float pool are certified. “Lisa is a true example of what it is to be a driven, passionate mentor,” stated the nomination submitted by Ilona Zavidovsky and Sarah Hoffman, two float pool nurses. “Lisa devoted an entire day of her vacation time to aid the six of us on finalizing our (nursing certification) application packets and papers. A hospital associate for 22 years, Lockett also is active in the community and encourages her associates to do likewise. Her volunteer service includes conducting blood pressure checks at her church, participating in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, volunteering with the Girl Scouts and a figure skating organization and cooking for a PADS food pantry.

Friend of nursing: Cindy Smith, administrative assistant, of Downers Grove: Smith supports eight monthly nursing committees and maintains payrolls for two large departments. She also provides clerical support to seven nurse leaders in addition to supporting many of the hospital’s nursing events, including the annual Nurses Week awards ceremony and dinner, the nursing research showcase and the annual nursing/physician golf outing. “While she accomplishes so much for the department, it’s not really what she does but rather how she goes about her work that makes her special,” said Maura Brown, nursing program administration director. “No request is too much and she has an incredible gift of foresight that allows her to complete tasks before being asked.”