2018 Nursing Excellence Awards Presented

Release Date: 10/22/2018

This month, Women & Infants Hospital, a Care New England hospital, presented their annual nursing excellence awards at a ceremony held at the hospital. Nurses from across the organization were honored for their impact on patient care.

Below is a list of honorees.

Meghan Bertrand, RN, of Danielson, CT, a nurse on the Mother/Baby Unit, received the Home Loan Unsung Hero Award in recognition of her action in caring for a patient with opioid dependency. Her nomination read, “Meghan stands out for her innate ability to effectively communicate and compassionately care for even the most distraught women as they struggle with being separated from their newborns. Meg once again willingly stepped up to take onto her assignment a mother due to be discharged that evening to a hotel room without her infant. As discharge approached the mother grew increasingly upset and vocal….Meghan expertly de-escalated her and advocated to have her transferred to an inpatient psychiatric facility…Days later, the patient called the nursery not only checking on her infant’s progress but also expressing heartfelt thanks to Meghan for saving her life that night.”

Judy Gonzalez, CNA, of Providence, a certified nursing assistant on the Antenatal Care Unit, received the Nurses’ Choice Award in recognition of her support for patients, particularly those who are Spanish speaking. Her nomination read, “One of the best examples of her incredibly caring personality is the time she was ready to end her shift and noticed a patient who was heading to the labor room alone, without a support person. She only spoke Spanish. Judy decided she could not let the woman experience the birth alone so she went with her to the labor room and stayed with her the entire time while also communicating everything that was happening. Judy did not hesitate; she did not give it a second thought; she just went. Judy is the perfect example of what Women & Infants represents.”

Deborah Schoenfelder, MSN, RN, CNL, of Riverside, a professional practice specialist in the Department of Clinical Practice and Professional Development, received the Mary Dowd Struck Award in recognition of dedication, collaboration, and professional collegiality. Deborah has a unique ability to connect with and engage staff. Her nomination read, “If I had to identify a true leader in women’s health I would say it is Deborah. She is often sought out for her insight and expertise. She has a gift in her approach; often helping staff recognize that they have the answers already and when they don’t, working with them to find the answers together. She is a nurse and educator that fosters the best in those she interacts with.”

Julie Spirito, RN, of Cranston, nurse director of the Antenatal Care Unit (ACU), received the Carol Opiekun Scholarship Award. In recommending her for this award, a colleague wrote, “Julie continually emphasizes the importance of respect, transparency, and collegiality among all team members, which include a full care team spectrum of CNAs, RNs, clinical nurse midwives, physicians in various levels of practice, and senior leaders. Julie is a hands-on leader who focuses on the importance of continual clinical education among her team members.”

 

About Women & Infants Hospital 

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation’s leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. A major teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women’s medicine, Women & Infants is the 9th largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country and the largest in New England with approximately 8,500 deliveries per year. A Designated Baby-Friendly® USA hospital, U.S.News & World Report 2014-15 Best Children’s Hospital in Neonatology and a 2014 Leapfrog Top Hospital, in 2009 Women & Infants opened what was at the time the country’s largest, single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.

Women & Infants and Brown offer fellowship programs in gynecologic oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery, neonatal-perinatal medicine, pediatric and perinatal pathology, gynecologic pathology and cytopathology, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. It is home to the nation’s first mother-baby perinatal psychiatric partial hospital, as well as the nation’s only fellowship program in obstetric medicine.

Women & Infants has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiography; a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology; a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence by the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and a Neonatal Resource Services Center of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Gynecologic Oncology Group and the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network.