ATLANTA - Ten Emory Healthcare nurses were honored recently for nursing excellence at the 2020 March of Dimes, Georgia Nurse of the Year Awards. The 11th annual event, held virtually this year, honored and paid tribute to the nursing profession by recognizing extraordinary nurses who are making a difference throughout the greater Georgia community.
More than 350 nurses from Georgia were nominated for the awards which acknowledged nurses for their compassion, leadership and excellence in the health care setting and communities in which they work.
The below list includes Emory Healthcare nurse honorees and the categories in which they were recognized:
Distinguished Nurse of the Year: Mary Gullatte, PhD, RN, Corporate Director for Research and Evidence-Based Practice, Emory Healthcare
Nursing Administration:Bob Dent, DNP, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Emory Decatur Hospital
Surgical Services: Callie Cross, BSN, RN, Clinical Nurse, Operating Room, Emory University Hospital
Nursing Education:Carrie McDermott, PhD, RN, Corporate Director, Nursing Professional Practice, Emory Healthcare
Emergency/Critical Care: Joseph Smith, MSN, RN, Unit Director, Cardiovascular ICU, Emory University Hospital
Rising Star/Emerging Leader: Victoria Curry, BSN, RN, Clinical Nurse, Advanced Respiratory ICU, Emory University Hospital
Care Management: Misty Landor, MSN, RN, Care Coordination, Emory Clinic and Adjunct Professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Community Health: Shekita James, BSN, RN, Nurse Manager in Endocrinology, Emory Clinic
General Medical: Virginia Njoroge, MSN, RN, Specialty Director, General Medical, Emory Decatur Hospital (tie)
General Medical: Melissa White, BSN, RN, 6G Unit Nurse Educator, Emory University Hospital (tie)
“We are so proud of the nurses who were recognized in this year’s Georgia Nurse of the Year awards for their exceptional compassion and capability in caring for patients and for their leadership in supporting their teams,” says Sharon Pappas, PhD, RN, chief nurse executive of Emory Healthcare. “I am grateful to the Emory Healthcare nurses for the dedication and passion they bring to the nursing profession and to our patients and families, especially during challenging times battling the COVID-19 pandemic.”
More than 50 percent of the nurses nominated this year were Emory Healthcare nurses, and 119 nurses total were named finalists
The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies and moms and support families in times of need. The organization also has a long, rich history of working with nurses. From the 1950s when more than 40,000 nurses participated in the Salk polio vaccine trials through today, the foundation has always recognized that partnering with nurses is essential to achieve its mission.