Staff from Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Schneider Children's Hospital, and the Zucker Hillside Hospital filled LIJ's New Horizons Cafe May 5 for a celebration of nursing pride during the Center of Excellence Nurses Week awards. Along with Michael J. Dowling, president of the health system, Kerri Anne Scanlon, RN, MSN, ANP, and Maureen White, RN, MBA, CNAA, senior vice president, chief nurse executive, were on hand to pay tribute to the nurses' many achievements throughout the year.

In her address, White spoke of the changes that are ongoing at the health system, changes to which the nursing staff contributes greatly. She stressed that the constant movement only helps them grow stronger. "Transformation is like exercise," she said. "If you don't feel the burn, you haven't stretched enough."

Those changes also have resulted in the respect of noted nurse researchers such as Peter Buerhaus, RN, PhD, FAAN, she said, who looks to the health system for best practices because he knows that "we're one step ahead of everyone else."

Janet Hyland, RN, left, receives congratulations from Terry Pando, RN, senior administrative director, for being LIJ's recipient of the Zuckerberg Family Award for Nursing Excellence.

For their service and inspiration, leadership awards went to Elena Memoracion, LIJ; Susan Fitzgerald, Hillside; and Betty May, Schneider Children's. One nurse from each hospital was chosen for the Zuckerberg Family Award for Nursing Excellence: Janet Hyland, LIJ; Suzanne Monteleon, Schneider Children's; and Marie Horowitz, Hillside.

The Service Guild honored four nurses with the Evelyn Schwartz Award for Nursing: Cathy Lombardo, Elizabeth O'Mara, Loretta Braun, and Maria Giraldo. Awards also went to staff of all three facilities for clinical mentorship and excellence in nursing.

The following registered nurses received 2009 Center of Excellence Awards — Schneider Children's Hospital

Nursing Administration: Dina Cicillini, nurse manager; Joan Hoppe-Freita, ADN; Tara Matz, ADN, Betty May — nurse manager

Adolescent Unit: Ann Marie O'Donell

Med 2: Shari Bernstein, Cindy Westwater

Med 3: Carly Cohen, Gaelle Moise, Tania Lestage Wang

Med 4/BMTU: Maria Hernandez, Lisa Polito

NICU: Karen Clemens, Theresa Egan, Kathleen Hawkins, Joanne Stiehl, Michelle Vella

Pediatric ICU: Nancy Abbene, Kristen Vove, Nancy Krug, Gina Marie Manuele, Renatta Schillizzi, Ann Shea

Pediatric ED: Joelle Jean, Lynn Pellicci, Andrew Rotjan, Jennifer Zapke

Specialty Nurses: Linda Bokor — Peds Endocrinology; Patricia Lee, Marilyn Orlando, Peds Rheumatology; Cindy Rabey, Sue Roberson, Adolecent Medicine

Transport: Allison Carballo

Nursing Education: Ronit Schwartz, Jennifer Simonetti

Center of Excellence Award winner Lawanda Candelario, RN, center, receives congratulations from her supervisor Sherry-Ann Evanson, RN, left, and director Susan Knoepffler, RN.

At The Zucker Hillside Hospital —
Nisha Jayan, Saramma Alexander, Low 3; Jaya Varughese, Gerald Ajayi, Low 4; Linda Minlionica, Jessy Mathew, Low 5; Violetta Debuque, Katrika Lord, Linda Sheehan, Low 6; Debra Norberg, Adolescent Pavilion; Mary Vrtodusic, assistant director of nursing, Nursing Administration; Mercy Prasad, Elson Cottage; Elisa Bailey, Strauss Cottage; Elizabeth Checola, Donna Dwyer, Altschul Cottage; Gail Wyche, Lisa Mazzitelli, Kaufmann Unit; Patricia Mahon, Marie Horowitz, ECT;

At Long Island Jewish Hospital —

Nursing Administration: Debi Zaleski, Regina Faux

Cardiac Services: Elizabeth O'Mara, Meghan Haggerty,Elena Rizzo (CCU); Nicole Filippazzo (7 North); Gerard Yabut, Janette Engesser (7 South/7 Central); Mara Hirschorn, Kathleen McShane(cardiology)

Nursing Education: Agnes Barden

Case Management: Ronni Simon, Tricia Flanagan

TMED: Lawanda Candelario

Critical Care: Maria Giraldo, Eileen Bilello, Helga Holm-Anderson, Ann Marie McCabe, Teri Punch-Borderon, Rebecca Wedderburn (MICU/PCU); Naara Black, Mary Cavaciuti, Seung-Hyun (Amy) Lee (SICU); Jan Derek Hernandez, Kathy Viola (CTICU)

Infection Control: Elaine Lyons

Quality Management: Judy Gerson, Lori Reggio

Dialysis: Dulce Casanova, Vera Benn

Satellite Dialysis: Marilyn Batan

IV Team: Peter Marino

Medicine: Jennifer Topf-Loayza (5 North); Karen Kessler, Laura Massaro (5 South)

Surgery: Martha Scherer (9 South); Desiree Gaines (9 North); Anne Cardella (8 South); Irina Zavurov (8 North)

Emergency: Rose Moses, Ingrid DeJean-Aubry

GWYN: Jung Eun Lee

OB/GYN: Biji Paul, Patricia Barnes (NBN-3 North); Jacqueline Ramirez (4 South); Cathy Lombardo, Joanne O'Brien, Betty Zielinski, Latasha Thomas, Debra Lomonaco, Ellen Cohen (L&D — 3 South)

Oncology: Sophia Colquhoun

Radiation Oncology:Nancy Gong

ACT: Sobhana Presannan

ACU: Leila Sarju

Perioperative Services: Lori Appel, Janet White, Vicki Dunseath, Robert Rodriguez (OR); Caroline McLennon, Maura McAuley (PACU)

Ambulatory Nursing: Madeline Richez

Ambulatory Surgery — Nancy Baransky, Theresa Droluk (CFAM); Joan O'Shea, Sandy Saccente

Radiology: Lisa Scialpi

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