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For immediate release:  May 2, 2007 (Clyde, NC)

HRMC Nurses Celebration an Overwhelming Success

Over one hundred people attended Haywood Regional Medical Center’s first annual Celebrating Our Caring Nurses event on May 1, 2007. The occasion was held to honor and recognize twenty-one nurses for their outstanding achievements in providing exceptionally compassionate service to patients.

HRMC’s interim vice president of clinical services, Mrs. Shirley Harris, RN, MSN, MBA, emceed the event. In attendance were many public dignitaries, including four Haywood County Mayors, representatives from congressman Heath Shuler’s and senator Elizabeth Dole’s offices, and Haywood County Commissioners, Larry Ammons, Skeeter Curtis, Maryanne Enloe, and Bill Upton.

Ms. Harris shared her pride in the nurses slated to receive recognition. “The nurses that we recognize today have gone above and beyond expectations to obtain and maintain the most current updated knowledge through the Clinical Ladder Program,” she said. “The Clinical Ladder Program is designed to assist the bedside nurse with continuing education; evidence based nursing practice, self development and the most current information in the art of nursing.”

Ms. Enloe addressed the nurses, expressing gratitude for their dedicated care and reminiscing her personal experience when she was a patient at the old hospital in 1970. “It is indeed a blessing to be here today with these angels of mercy,” she said.

Mayor Jerry Walker, presented a proclamation from the Town of Clyde to honor HRMC’s nurses on this special day. The document, stating that nurses “provide vital services to patients every day,” and “nurses strive to meet the constant challenges of an ever evolving health care system while continuing to provide safe, dependable, conscientious care for each of us,” was concluded by encouraging the citizens of Haywood County to observe the day in ways appropriate to its importance and significance.

Canton Mayor Pat Smathers emphasized the local aspects of our nurse’s involvement in healthcare. “Whatever the healthcare system will be in the future, it is the local people who will determine the level of healthcare in this community and I commend each of you for upholding high standards of care.”

Dr. Nancy Freeman, Chair of the Hospital Authority Board of Commissioners, thanked the nurses for their daily diligence in providing patient care. “As a physician, I would like to thank you for the professionals you are, working along side us to take care of Haywood County’s people while they are healing from illness and injury. Thank you for the valiant attempts to read all those orders...and for the midnight phone calls, for the IV’s you start, for the medicines you dispense, for changing the patients’ beds and for your notes on how the patient has done in my absence.” Dr. Freeman’s concluding words were to encourage the nurses to be patient with the changes going on at HRMC and to give feedback to administration, department managers and Ms. Harris.

The event culminated in distribution of acknowledgement pins, given to the honorees by the four mayors in attendance. RN Honorees included Laura Barton, Susan Beasley, Jane Christoffersen, Donna Crusius, Michelle Deville, Lynette Enloe, Chenoa Gass, Melissa Hughes, Julia Lanning, Lynn Lepak, Debra Mann, Sherry Meserve, Kyndra Mesimer, Rebecca Murray, Pam Patterson, Mesial Sharpe, Christie Shuler, Gina Vankaupp and Susan Wynne. In addition, HRMC President David Rice bestowed special recognition for more than 75 collective years of service to Matilda Lavagne, RN and Ruth Treadway, RN, whose bio denoted “nursing keeps me young!”

RN ANGELS OF MERCY - Back row (left to right) Susan Wynne, Gina Vankaupp, Christie Shuler, Mesial Sharpe, Pam Patterson, Sherry Meserve, Lynn Lepak, Debra Mann, and Laura Barton. Front row (left to right) Julia Lanning, Melissa Hughes, Chenoa Gass, Lynette Enloe, Michelle Deville, Donna Crusius, Jane Christoffersen and Susan Beasley. Not pictured: Rebecca Murray and Kyndra Mesimer.