St. Catherine Hospital Honor Phelps during Nurses Week 2017

St-Catherine-Hospital-honor-Phelps-during-Nurses-Week-2017 St. Catherine Hospital nurses shared their talents of Leadership, Dignity, Compassionate Care, Quality and Stewardship during National Nurses Week through a series of events that included special recognition for nursing staff and a basket raffle to support the hospital’s mission to care for the poor and underserved.

Nursing staff was served various food offerings along with a Nursing Excellence Awards Tea to recognize excellent work across multiple departments.

Paula Swenson, chief nursing officer for St. Catherine Hospital, said the Nursing Excellence Awards Tea is an important event for the entire hospital and the nursing team.

“Nursing is a highly-rated, respected profession,” Swenson said, and as medical technology has expanded, so too have the roles of nurses over the years. “Nurses are in the front lines of the care we deliver to our patients, and together serve as the backbone of extraordinary care we provide across all our hospital units. For those reasons and more, it is important to recognize them for their contributions.”

Twenty-five nurses received recognition at the Awards Tea. Jill Phelps, the hospital’s first stroke coordinator, was chosen from that group to receive the 2017 Nursing/Caregiver Excellence Award.

Phelps, a St. Catherine Hospital nurse for 20 years, began her healthcare career as a nursing assistant. She worked as a nurse technician and nurse apprentice before becoming a registered nurse in 1999. Phelps has served patients in 5 West and the Intermediate Care Unit. Today, she is the Intermediate Care Unit charge nurse who is also completing her Bachelor of Science nursing degree.

The other honorees were: Karina Alcantar, Fe Ceralde-Boyle, Michael Brown, Heather Budzowski, Linda Buiter, Valerie Cline, Alison Cook, Renee Cortez, Katie Cruz, Alison Dewes, Agnes Errihani, Michele Ferrell, Francine Fox, Kim Harrison, Quinnique Lyke, Lisa Luna, Vera Moore, Megan Mullins, Venessa Paraschos, Steve Pritchard, Michelle Scherette, Rudo Thomas, Vicstachia Thomas and Juanita Woodfaulk.

Proceeds from the raffle benefited the Nazareth Home and St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home.

To learn more about St. Catherine Hospital and the Community Healthcare System, visit: www.comhs.org/st.catherinehospital