The Nursing Excellence Award

The Nursing Excellence award recognizes those who demonstrate excellence in the categories of clinical practice, education, leadership, outpatient, LPN, and APN are nominated by their unit colleagues. The winners received a $300 educational scholarship, a commemorative plaque, and their names are displayed on the medical center's nursing excellence plaque. Congratulations to the winners and all of the nominees.

Lenette Barth, BSN, CGRN
Digestive Disease Center (GI Lab)
	When I graduated from St. Francis School of Nursing in 1978 the Commodore 64 computer was the big thing. Technology and nursing has indeed come a long way. As a nurse, I have a passion to help, teach and be a blessing to those I come in contact with every day. From rehab to the ICU's, I have experienced and seen exciting things and worked with some extraordinary people. The GI lab staff and doctors I have worked with over the last 17 years have been some of the most thoughtful and caring people. Together we have made an awesome team for the population we serve, each other, and OSF Saint Francis.

Carol Egan, RN
Case Management Services
	A sense of well-being, fun, a felling of accomplishment, financial security, change, learning, teamwork, multi-tasking, caring and a feeling of worth are but a few things I would say about what my nursing career means to me. My nursing career has spanned over 39 wonderful years of learning and change at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Present I am a member of the Case Management Team and work daily with a great group of nurses, doctors, social workers, and clerical staff to care for our patients with the greatest care and love. I've wanted to be a nurse since high school. I made it!

Lynne Reiner, RNC, BSN
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
	Nursing: The experience of a lifetime, and a lifetime of experiences. Working in the intensive care units of the Children's Hospital of Illinois has been an honor and a blessing for 20 years, allowing me to help infants, children and families. I have grown into a leader through leadership training, ongoing education, and mentorship. Shared governance enabled me to be chair of several large unit based and housewide committees, while still functioning in the roles of staff nurse. Witnessing the ongoing changes in nursing through evidenced based practice and increased autonomy is exciting. Nursing is very diverse, and the career of a lifetime.

Jami Riggenbach-Hays, RN, APN, MSN
Heart Hospital
	Nursing is an ongoing lesson in humanity. It gives me the ability to be responsible for and care for those who are not able to care for themselves. Advocating for patients and families is one of the biggest components of job satisfaction for me. Nursing is giving hope, compassion and dignity to those in need and I can't imagine a more rewarding career!

Yvonne Smith, RN, BSN
Sister's Community Clinic
	My career in nursing has allowed me many opportunities to help patients as well as their family members. Through the years I have had a variety of experiences in many different fields of nursing from pediatrics to geriatrics. The medical advances and continuous learning experiences are the cornerstone to practicing the art of nursing. As a member of a great team of nurses that I work with at OSF Saint Francis Sister's Community Clinic, we are able to live the Mission as we provide care and love to our patients.