DERBY – Griffin Hospital recently held its 33nd Annual Nurse Day Celebration to honor its more than 350 staff nurses.
Carol Lauer, RN, BSN, of Naugatuck, Gene Brazee, RN, BSN, CCM, of Plymouth, Maria Cantito, RN-BC, of Middlebury, and Heather McFarland, RN – BC, BSN, of Southbury, were named winners of the 2019 Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Originally developed by the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, the Nightingale Award celebrates outstanding nurses and elevates the nursing profession. The goals of the Nightingale Award program are to encourage retention, inspire future nurses, focus public attention and recognize the breadth and scope of nursing practice at the local level.
Ashley D’Agostino, RN, MSN, of Oakville, clinical educator in Professional Development, received the 2019 Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award.
As a nurse at Griffin for more than 10 years, D’Agostino started in Griffin’s Telemetry Unit and has grown into an exceptional clinician and compassionate patient advocate. She transitioned to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit and recently became an educator for the Department of Professional Development.
“This year’s outstanding nurse of the year strives to be the best at everything she does. You will never see her give less than 110%,” said Griffin Hospital Vice President of Patient Care Barbara Stumpo of D’Agostino. “Her peers describe her as ‘the epitome of what a nurse should be.’ To say her patients adore her, it is an understatement.”
In addition, Dike Miller, RN, of Shelton, received the Mary Schumacher Nursing Leadership Award; Patricia Coffey, RN, Orange, received the Mary Nelligan Continuing Education Award; Kristen Richards, RN, of Prospect, received The Richard Stivala, M.D., Obstetric Nursing Excellence Award; Heather Kean, RN, of Seymour, and Susan Bouton, RN, of Oxford, received Shirley Yale Nursing Scholarship Awards; Artina Pipa, RN, of Middlebury, received the Marie Santini Perioperative Nursing Excellence Award; and Julianna Butler, MST, of Derby, won the Donald Torok Memorial Scholarship Award.
