Atlanta, GA, November 21, 2011 —

On November 19, 201, at the Hyatt Regency, the March of Dimes celebrated excellence in nursing throughout Georgia. The Nurse of the Year Awards were hosted by Grady Health System with platinum sponsors Northside Hospital and Emory Healthcare. The event, chaired by Susan Grant, Chief Nursing Officer at Emory Healthcare, recognized nurses across all specialties for their tireless work to provide care, comfort and support to patients in our community. Sixteen winners (see full list below) emerged out of nearly 500 nominations. More than 450 community members attended the awards dinner. (Photos available upon request.)

The Nurse of the Year selection committee reviewed hundreds of applications across 16 categories ranging from Home Health and Palliative Care to NICU and Hospice disciplines. More than 190 finalists emerged, all representing the March of Dimes vision for a healthier, stronger generation of babies and families.

“Nurses play an incredibly critical role in our community. They are truly the unsung medical heroes of the healthcare field and we join the world in saluting them,” says Sheila Ryan, March of Dimes Georgia Chapter, State Director.

The Nurse of the Year Award is supported by host sponsor Grady Health System and Platinum partners Northside Hospital and Emory Healthcare along with media sponsors, Atlanta Magazine and 11 Alive. Additional sponsors include Atlanta VA Medical, Aramark Healthcare, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, BDR Partners, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and Barefoot Wine.

2011 Nurse of the Year Winners

Category: Advanced Practice, sponsored by WellStar
Winner: Carolynn DeSandre, North Georgia College & State University

Category: Behavioral Health, presented by Atlanta Magazine
Winner: Mary Roberts, Atlanta VA Medical Center

Category: Critical Care, sponsored by Emory Healthcare
Winner: Debra Barker, Emory Healthcare

Category: Education, sponsored by Emory School of Nursing
Winner: Karen Rawls, Bauder College

Category: Emergency Care, sponsored by Aramark
Winner: Laurie Reed, Center for Disease Control

Category: General Medical/Surgical Services, sponsored by Grady Health System
Winner: Rita Walker, Atlanta VA Medical Center

Category: Hospice, Home Health & Palliative Care, sponsored by Visiting Nurse Hospice Atlanta
Winner: Ora Douglass, Atlanta VA Medical Center

Category: Long Term Acute Care/Rehab, sponsored by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Winner: Zina Floyd, Atlanta VA Medical Center

Category: Managed Care, presented by 2012 Nurse of the Year Leadership
Winner: Dorothy Truss, Kaiser Permanente

Category: NICU, sponsored by Kimberly Clark
Winner: Nancy Wagner, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Category: Nursing Administration, sponsored by Atlanta VA Medical
Winner: Marie Mompoint, Atlanta VA Medical Center

Category: Oncology, sponsored by BDR Partners
Winner: Alice Kerber, Saint Joseph’s

Category: Pediatric, sponsored by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Winner: Angela Hawthorne, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Category: Public Health, presented by March of Dimes Board of Directors
Winner: Judith Wold, Emory Healthcare

Category: Rising Star, sponsored by Saint Joseph’s
Winner: Thomas Flynn, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Category: Women’s Health, sponsored by Northside Hospital
Winner: Judy Gretz, Emory Healthcare