L+M Healthcare Announces 2021 Nursing Award Winners

New London, CT/Westerly, RI (June 4, 2021) – In virtual ceremonies at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (L+M), Westerly Hospital (WH) and the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut (VNASC), 18 employees and one clinical department received awards recognizing their excellence in care.

Awards were given in five categories:

Nightingale Awards – given annually to nurses who have demonstrated excellence in nursing care, professionalism, innovative/clinical practice, a collaborative nursing environment and improving health of the community. T

his year’s recipients are:

• L+M: Monica Hamilton, BSN, RNC (Milford, CT), Anna Morgana, BSN, RN-BC (Groton, CT) and Laura Steel, BSN, RN (Mystic, CT)

• WH: Melanie Bowdy, BSN, RN (Westerly, RI) and Bethany Gingerella, MSN, RN (Westerly, RI)

• VNASC: Maggie LaFountain, BSN, RN (Pawcatuck, CT)

Interprofessional Collaboration Award – new this year, given to someone or a team that exemplifies the values of patient centered care, respect, compassion, integrity, and accountability.

This recent recipients are:

• L+M: Pharmacy Department

• WH: Ashley Izzi, mental health counselor (Westerly, RI)

• VNASC: Kendra Price, PT (Old Saybrook, CT)

Rising Star Award – new this year, is given to a nurse with less than two years of experience who exemplifies our values of patient centered care, respect, compassion, integrity and accountability.

The recent recipients are:

• L+M: Frank Robinson, BSN, RN (Groton, CT)

• WH: Jessica Williams, RN (Westerly, RI)

• VNASC: Katie Brule, BSN, RN (Norwich, CT)

Sunflower Awards – bestowed several times annually and recognize a patient care associate (PCA), certified nursing assistant (CNA) or hospital unit coordinator (HUC) who has demonstrated outstanding leadership by developing creative solutions and providing compassionate care to patients and families.

The recent recipients are:

• L+M: Yulonda Wilbur, PCA (Waterford, CT)

• WH: Lisa McKenna, CAN (Charlestown, RI)

• VNASC: Kelly Sylvia, Home Health Aide (Pawcatuck, CT)

DAISY Award – an internationally recognized award bestowed several times annually to a nurse who demonstrates extraordinary care and compassion with a patient and/or a patient’s family.

This recent recipients are:

• L+M: Patty Hightower, RN (Niantic, CT)

• WH: Antoinette (Toni) Gears, RN (Westerly, RI)

Westerly Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a 125-bed hospital that has been providing residents of southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services in a community hospital setting for more than 90 years. Westerly Hospital patients receive the finest quality treatment in the following areas of care: emergency, medical, surgical, radiology, laboratory and rehabilitative services. The hospital also offers heart and vascular care, interventional pain management, wound care, pulmonary rehabilitation services, inpatient geriatric psychiatric care and comprehensive cancer care provided through the Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center. All inpatient rooms are private. westerlyhospital.org

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit, 280-bed general and acute care hospital providing patient care to medical, surgical, pediatric, psychiatric and obstetrical patients in southeastern Connecticut and southern Rhode Island since 1912. Lawrence + Memorial offers cardiac acute, step-down and rehabilitation programs and is the only eastern Connecticut hospital that performs emergency and elective angioplasty. www.lmhospital.org