Awards ceremony among series of events marking National Nurses Week
Each year during National Nurses Week, UC Irvine Medical Center honors nurses who demonstrate excellence in patient care, education and guidance, mentorship, and teamwork.
"The nursing mission here is to provide compassionate, patient-centered care," said Karen Grimley, chief nursing officer at UC Irvine. "Our patients are feeling that commitment."
She noted that the approximately 1,200 nurses there are caring for patients, as opposed to simply taking care of them.
"You can train anyone to be a nurse and provide a service," Grimley said. "But it takes a special group of nurses to embrace the total care and compassion that elevates the patient experience."
The following were honored Wednesday at the Nursing Exemplar Awards Ceremony, one of a series of events marking National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week at UC Irvine.
Nursing Excellence
- Patricia Pinedo, Neuroscience Step-Down Unit
- Winnie Ramos, primary care pediatrics at Gottschalk Medical Plaza
- Teri Book, For OC Kids Neurodevelopmental Center
- Jennifer Wang, Oncology Infusion Center
- Carolyn Rothfuss, Cardiac Catheterization Lab
Nursing Preceptor (guidance for new nurses)
- Marla Gain, Emergency Department
Nursing Mentor
- Gail Devaney, director, Women's & Children's Services
Nursing Rookie of the Year
- Connie Chung, University Hospital Tower fourth and fifth floors
Friend of Nursing
- Hiep Nguyen, staff pharmacist
Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer