NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.
All references to “Company” and “HCA” as used throughout this document refer to HCA Holdings, Inc. and its affiliates.
