(Baltimore, MD) — Nine Mercy Medical Center nurses have been recognized as among “the best of the best” in the region by Baltimore magazine’s 7th annual “Excellence in Nursing Awards” survey, May 2021 issue.
The survey attracted hundreds of nominations covering 19 different specialties over a 9-month period. Nominations were reviewed by a panel of nurse advisors (including Mercy’s clinical director of nursing, Donna Disney) who helped determine the winners. From Mercy, the following nurses were recognized:
- Acute Care/Family Practice/General Medicine — Deb Hockett, CN III, Endoscopy
- Cardiovascular — Laura Chowdhry, PCCN, Medical-Surgical Cardiac
- Intensive Care — Brian Avaritt, BSN, Clinical Nurse II, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
- Management/Nurse Executives — Stacey Trotman, Critical Care/Leadership
- Medical-Surgical Nursing — Kristin Kraus, Operating Room
- Oncology — Stephen Daily, BSN, Outpatient Infusion Oncology
- Oncology — Maureen Klein, PCCN, Unit Manager, Outpatient Chemotherapy
- Orthopedics — Cheryl Geary, OR Clinical Coordinator, Crane OR
- Women’s Health — Mélange (MeMe) Davis Scott, Mother-Baby Post-Partum (profiled/photographed for the issue)
The magazine “solicited nominations from peers, supervisors, and patients of registered nurses, both in and out of hospitals, who represent the finest in their field.”
“Mercy has a strong reputation for providing quality nursing care to patients. We are excited to see Mercy nurses being recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to excellence,” said Kimberly Schwenk, MSN, RN, Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy.
“All of us at Mercy are very proud of the work our nurses do,” said Susan Finlayson, DNP, RN, Senior Vice President of Operations for Mercy. “Mercy nurses are noted for their expertise, leadership and compassionate care, and we are proud to celebrate their success.”
Mercy RNs are committed to staying at the forefront of nursing excellence to provide the best care possible for patients. Mercy nurses enhance their clinical practice skills via such programs as the Clinical Advancement Program and OR Nurse Residency Program. Mercy has nearly 250 nurses nationally certified in specialty care areas such as critical care, oncology, orthopedics, OR and inpatient obstetrics.
Mercy’s achievement in nursing is further evidenced by earning the coveted Magnet recognition. Magnet Designation is a national standard for nursing excellence awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and one of the most prestigious nursing awards in the United States.
Additional Mercy nursing awards and accreditations include:
- Forum for Shared Governance Accreditation— This accreditation recognizes Mercy’s commitment to nurse involvement in making decisions that impact clinical practice, quality improvement and professional development. Increased engagement through shared governance contributes to greater job satisfaction, outstanding patient experience and excellent clinical care.
- Best Hospital in Maryland for Nurses— Mercy has been named the #1 Best Hospital in Maryland for Nurses by Nurse.org, a nursing career website. The organization analyzed surveys from nurses in hospitals across Maryland to determine the results.
- 30 Most Nurse-Friendly Hospitals— Mercy has been recognized as one of the Top Nurse-Friendly Hospitals in the nation by TopRNtoBSN.com, citing Nursing Excellence awards, an atmosphere of teamwork and mentoring and an attractive benefits package.
Founded in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a university-affiliated hospital with a national reputation for women’s health care. For more information about Mercy, visit http://www.mdmercy.com and MDMercyMedia on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
