Chief nursing officer and associate executive director Jim Ballinghoff, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, (third from left), congratulates PPMC’s all-star nurses on their system-wide recognition.
The annual UPHS Nursing Clinical Excellence Awards honor professional nurses, celebrate their achievements, and recognize their dedication to providing high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. Exemplary individuals throughout the health system are recognized by Nursing leadership and their peers for their outstanding efforts. This year, five exceptional PPMC nurses were recognized with special awards.
Laura Solano, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, CCNS, a clinical nurse specialist who has been described as “dedicated, vibrant, innovative, and inspiring” by her peers, earned the Victoria L. Rich Award for Transformational Leadership in recognition of her active role on the Translational Research Council and her leadership in several projects.
James R. Kurtz, MPH, BSN, RN, PCCN, a clinical nurse IV on Cupp 3 East Cardiology who serves on several committees, was honored with the Dianne Lanham Award for Leadership. His colleagues note that he is an admired mentor who “leads by example” and whose “commitment to patients and colleagues, along with a continuous desire to learn and grow, prove him an absolute asset” to PPMC.
The recipient of the Helen McClelland Award for Research and Innovation was Julie Van Duyne, BSN, RN, a clinical nurse II in the Emergency Department, whose “intensive literature reviews” indicate her dedication to being up-to-date on best nursing practices, educating her entire department on the new criteria, and positioning PPMC at the forefront of post-cardiac arrest care.
The Rosalyn J. Watts Award for Community/Patient/Family Relationships was granted to “amazing RN and exceptional human being” Peter Kim, BSN, RN, BFA, OCN, a clinical nurse II on 5 South. Kim’s dedication to his patients is unwavering; he recently took a call from a discharged patient who was contemplating suicide and was able to keep them calm for over an hour until EMS arrived.
“Leader, preceptor, charge nurse, and mentor” Melissa Tomczack, BSN, RN, a OR clinical nurse III, was awarded the Lillian Brunner Award for Exemplary Practice in recognition of her leadership in both the OR and the West Philadelphia Community. Among her many accomplishments are initiatives to implement lotion dispensers in the OR and creating a lab specimen resource guide in order to decrease errors.
“Nurses Week and the Clinical Excellence Awards are among the highlights of the year in our profession. They give us the opportunity to stop and honor our nurses and celebrate our institution’s clinical excellence,” said Jim Ballinghoff, MSN, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and associate executive director. “I couldn’t be more proud of our nurses and everything they do for our patients, their families, and the community we serve. Congratulations to all!”