Advocate Sherman Hospital nurse receives Nurse of the Year award

Jerilyn Damiani, a registered nurse who works in the post-anesthesia care unit and the emergency department at Advocate Sherman Hospital, was selected as an Advocate Health Care 2022 Nurse of the Year. This award recognizes nurses who demonstrate Advocate’s core nursing values and provide unwavering delivery of exceptional nursing care.

Mary Beth Kingston, executive vice president and chief nursing officer of Advocate Health shares, “We are proud to celebrate our 31 Nurse of the Year honorees for their commitment to high-quality care and patient outcomes. Their compassion, strength and perseverance is inspiring.”

Damiani of Hoffman Estates was selected as Advocate Sherman’s Nurse of the Year for her work to increase awareness of and improve care for patients experiencing human trafficking. As a participant in the Evidence-Based Practice fellowship program, Damiani focused on human trafficking awareness and shared a podium presentation on her work at the 2022 National Evidence-Based Practice Conference.

“I’m proud to be educating and spreading human trafficking awareness among our team members, patients and the community,” Damiani shares. “By further educating everyone, we can work together to better identify the warning signs and offer resources to those who may be experiencing trafficking.”

To accomplish this work, Damiani’s connected with local law enforcement and community organizations including the Elgin Police Department, Homeland Security, Elgin Family Crisis Center, Elgin Breakfast Rotary Club and Rahab's Daughters. Her efforts, along with input and education from these experts, helped Advocate Sherman staff better identify and assist potential victims. Damiani’s work resulted in a special self-identification system that is now in place in Advocate Sherman’s emergency department bathrooms for anyone needing assistance in an unsafe situation.

“Jeri demonstrates exceptional nursing practice and exemplifies nurse-scientist characteristics,” shares Susan Morby, chief nursing officer of Advocate Sherman. “She has a talent for providing compassionate trauma-informed care and a heart for amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable among us.”

Over 750 nominations for this premier award were received on behalf of nurses from a variety of specialties across the patient care continuum. These frontline nurses represent diversity in their backgrounds and experiences, including honorees with decades of experience and others new to the profession yet already making an impact on their patients, colleagues and communities.

Nominations were submitted by clinicians and team members and reviewed by peer committees for blinded judging according to each nominee’s passion for patient care, commitment to service, solution-oriented abilities and evidence-based practice.