HCA (NYSE:HCA) today presented the 2014 HCA Awards of Distinction to
five recipients at a ceremony in Nashville.
The HCA Awards of Distinction include the Frist Humanitarian Awards,
which annually honor an employee, physician and volunteer, each of whom
embody HCA co-founder Dr. Thomas Frist Sr.’s volunteer spirit and
compassion. The HCA Awards of Distinction also include the HCA
Excellence in Nursing Awards, a new honor that celebrates HCA nurses who
promote professional mentorship and compassionate care.
“For more than 40 years, HCA has honored individuals for their
achievements and contributions to their communities and our organization
through the Frist Humanitarian Awards,” said Milton Johnson, chairman
and CEO of HCA. “This year, through the new HCA Excellence in Nursing
Award, we also recognize two exceptional nurses whose work and lives
reflect the patient-centered and humanitarian values upon which our
company was founded.”
At today’s 2014 HCA Awards of Distinction ceremony, the 43rd
annual Frist Humanitarian Awards were presented to three recipients:
Christy Allen, a cardiac care nurse at West Florida Hospital in
Pensacola, Fla., Jan Wilson, a 94 year-old volunteer at Alaska Regional
Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, and Dr. Jennifer Dow, an emergency room
physician at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.
Recipients of the first HCA Excellence in Nursing Awards also were
announced at the ceremony. This new award will be presented annually to
two HCA nurses who demonstrate excellence in compassionate care and
professional mentoring. Barbara Edwards, a medical-surgical nurse at St.
Lucie Medical Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and JoAnne Pryor, a
critical care nurse at West Florida Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., are the
first two recipients of these awards.
Frist Humanitarian Award Recipients
Established in 1971, the Frist Humanitarian Awards honor outstanding
individuals for their humanitarian and volunteer activities. The awards
are given annually in recognition of the caring spirit and philanthropic
work of the late Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., a founder of HCA. Employees,
volunteers and medical staff members who demonstrate commitment and
dedication to providing outstanding care and humanitarianism are
selected from around the country, and honorees are recognized at the
local level. The three national recipients were selected from more than
200 hospital-level honorees.
The Frist Humanitarian Awards include a $5,000 donation to the charity
of the recipient’s choice and $5,000 in cash for the employee and
volunteer. The medical staff honoree receives a $10,000 donation to
their charity of choice.
“Every year as we celebrate the Frist Humanitarian Awards, I am
extremely proud of the level of compassion, service and commitment
demonstrated by our employees, physicians and volunteers,” said Johnson.
“Dr. Frist Sr. would be proud of the selfless acts Christy, Jan and Dr.
Dow have made in their pursuits to help others.”
Christy Allen, RN, the employee recipient of the 2014 Frist Humanitarian
Award, has dedicated her time and talents to serving others. Her
compassion and selflessness extend from her work as a cardiac care nurse
at West Florida Hospital, to time spent volunteering with children’s
homes and rehabilitation centers, to a very personal relationship with a
local homeless man. Since meeting this man in 2010, Christy has met with
him twice a week to personally wash and care for an infection on his
foot. She also has helped him access medical supplies, care, housing and
encouragement. He says of Christy, “she has given me a new life.”
Jan Wilson, the volunteer recipient of the 2014 Frist Humanitarian
Award, has volunteered with the Alaska Regional Hospital Auxiliary for
33 years. She began a lifetime of volunteer work as a member of the
Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES) during World War
II, and at 94 years old, still logs several hours of volunteer work each
week at the hospital’s information desk. In addition to her dedication
to volunteerism, Jan enjoyed a successful 30-year career as a lawyer,
and maintained her license until she was 90.
Jennifer Dow, MD, the physician recipient of the 2014 Frist Humanitarian
Award, has used her career to pursue dual passions of spending time
outdoors and helping others. In addition to her 18 years of work in the
emergency room at Alaska Regional Hospital, Dr. Dow serves as a
volunteer medical advisor for the Alaska region of the National Park
Service. In this role, Dr. Dow spends time training other medical
volunteers and caring for patients suffering from unexpected medical
issues while hiking, camping or exploring the national parklands. Dr.
Dow also serves as chair for the American Red Cross of Alaska Board of
Directors.
Excellence in Nursing Award Recipients
The Excellence in Nursing Awards were established this year to honor
outstanding HCA nurses who demonstrate excellence in professional
mentoring and compassionate care. The awards will be presented annually.
In this inaugural year, the two national recipients were selected from
more than 100 hospital-level honorees.
The HCA Excellence in Nursing Awards include a $5,000 donation to the
charity of the recipient’s choice and $5,000 in cash.
“At HCA, our more than 56,000 nurses contribute directly to our mission
of providing the highest quality care to the patients we serve,” said
HCA senior vice president and chief nurse executive Dr. Jane
Englebright. “We are excited to introduce the HCA Excellence in Nursing
Awards, which honor the exceptional work done by our nurses. Barbara and
JoAnne set a high standard as the first recipients of this award, and we
look forward to recognizing more outstanding HCA nurses over the years
to come.”
Barbara Edwards, RN, is the recipient of the 2014 HCA Excellence in
Nursing Award in Professional Mentoring. In her more than two decades at
St. Lucie Medical Center, Barbara has worked to improve patient care and
the patient experience by mentoring nurses, hosting workshops for new
nursing graduates and serving as co-chair of the Nursing Quality
Council. She mentors nurses at 13 hospitals and has written two
publications. Barbara is also dedicated to her community, and serves as
a mentor at the Boys and Girls Clubs and a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s
Association and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
JoAnne Pryor, RN, is the recipient of the 2014 HCA Excellence in Nursing
Award in Compassionate Care. As an ICU and CVICU nurse at West Florida
Hospital, JoAnne often works with patients and families who need
end-of-life care. She supports survivors by creating handprint or
footprint mementos of their loved ones and providing words of comfort.
For the senior population of patients in the ICU and CVICU, JoAnne,
provides ‘spa level pampering’ sessions to help them feel their best
while hospitalized, including shampoo, hair styling, makeup for the
ladies and a shave for the men. Her compassion and intuition have helped
many patients and families through periods of grief.
For more information about the 2014 Frist Humanitarian Awards and HCA
Excellence in Nursing Awards recipients, please visit www.HCATodayBlog.com.
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document refer to HCA Holdings, Inc. and its affiliates.
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