Texas County Memorial Hospital recently celebrated the work of its 107 nurses during National Nurses’ Week.
On Tuesday and Wednesday last week, the TCMH nurse managers held a skills lab training session for all TCMH licensed practical nurses (LPN) and registered nurses (R.N.). It included 12 hands-on training stations for nursing activities such as ostomy care, wound care, infection control, patient transfers and more. A nursing-specific “Jeopardy” game was also created for the nurses to participate in.
“We had very good participation from our nurses,” said Doretta Todd-Willis, TCMH director of nursing. Seventy-three nurses participated in the skills lab.
The nurse managers at TCMH hold the annual skills lab training as a way to help nurses keep up with in-house educational needs.
Culminating the week, a breakfast or lunch was provided to all nursing staff on Friday.
The Life Uniform from Springfield came to TCMH to allow nurses and other employees the opportunity to shop for uniforms during the day.
TCMH nurses Rhonda Wake, Kathy Murray, Melanie Evans, Brenda Cooper, Joanne Bradshaw, Nancy Branson and Amy Jordan were nominated by their peers for the TCMH “Nurse of the Year” award. Each was honored with a special gift.
“All of the nominees represent nurses that are recognized by their peers as outstanding nurses,” Todd-Willis explained.
From the nominees, the TCMH nurse managers chose Connie Flowers, a nurse in the surgery department. Flowers received several nominations by her peers.
TCMH presented to Flowers a $100 gift certificate from the TCMH medical staff, $250 cash, a trophy and fresh flowers. Wes Murray, chief executive officer at TCMH, presented the award to Flowers at the Friday luncheon.
“There are many things that Connie does as a nurse that when put together make her very deserving of this honor,” Murray said.
Todd-Willis noted that Flowers has a personality that “brightens a room.”
“Connie has great compassion and is very fun loving,” Todd-Wills said, noting that Flowers’ passes her enjoyment of life along to her co-workers and her patients. “Connie is highly dedicated to the profession of nursing.”
Nurses’ Week is celebrated annually at TCMH. Nurses work in many departments of the hospital – medical surgical, obstetrics, emergency room, surgery, intensive care, home health, hospice and clinics.