Nurses honored for their dedication with Nightingale Award

An interesting thing happened at this year’s Florence Nightingale Celebration. Instead of honoring one of St. Mary’s special clinicians, the hospital’s Professional Issues Committee felt they had no choice but to bestow the honor on two of them!

Leanne Dean, RN in the Emergency Department, and Jeannine “Dee” Solon, RN on the Medical-Surgical-Pediatrics Unit, both were honored. For the first time in the five-year history of the award, it was given to two recipients because the committee could not deem one nurse as more deserving than the other.

In order to be considered for the Nightingale Award, the staff member must be nominated by a co-worker and work in the Patient Care Division. Nominees must demonstrate caring for patients and the professional attributes exemplified by Florence Nightingale. These attributes include professional image, compassion, knowledge, leadership qualities, perseverance, patient focus and self-direction.

“She always goes the extra mile,” stated a nomination form for Leanne. “She thinks about all the family members as well as the patient, from stickers for the kids to warm blankets. If anything needs to be done, you will find her doing it. She often volunteers to do the extra things.”

Leanne is a Streator resident and has been a St. Mary’s employee since 1998. During that time, she has coordinated departmental education days for RNs and given in-services to co-workers after attending workshops. She also serves on the Professional Issues Committee. Her nomination form also noted Leanne’s professionalism both in dress and in actions, her drive to finish what she starts, and her “great patient care.”

“[Dee] is the first person who comes to mind when I think of knowledge and perfection,” stated a nomination form for Solon. “She takes her time with all of her patients and never rushes through her patient load, even when a patient takes up a large amount of time. She is a dedicated nurse, a true professional, a gentle, kind, sympathetic and always helpful nurse. She goes above and beyond her duties. She is not just a nurse to her patients; she is a friend.”

Dee also resides in Streator and has been a St. Mary’s employee for 14 years. She serves as a Resource Nurse. In addition to her duties at St. Mary’s, Solon is a nursing instructor at Illinois Valley Community College. Dee also was complimented for never letting stress or frustration show when Fourth Floor gets hectic, living St. Mary’s Core Values, demonstrating team work, ability to prioritize job duties, and always stepping up “to the plate to help out” to make sure there is enough coverage for patients if any shift is short-staffed.

Both women were congratulated by members of their family, who joined the nurses after they received the awards.

In total, twelve staff members were nominated for the Nightingale Award. Other nominees were Amy Missel (Women’s Health), Melody Remeta (Patient Care Administration), Julie Huffman and Cathy Melvin (ICU), Trina Hamrick (Med-Surg-Peds), Katie Carlson and Brooke VanCoppenolle (Float), Donna Whitley (Extended Care), Mary Connell (Extended Care/Emergency) and Pat Klein (Emergency).

The awards presentation was the much-anticipated highlight of the Florence Nightingale Celebration which included guest speaker Connie de Veer, MFA, CPCC, refreshments and dessert prepared by Nutritional Services, and drawing for prizes donated by several physicians, community businesses and individuals.

The evening was organized by the Professional Issues Committee, which is comprised of RNs Cindy Knight (Chairperson), Sally Cox, Leanne, Tina Canada, Julie Huffman, Jami Puetz, Nancy Hagerty, Mary Mattes and Sue Chalkey.