The 2011 Nurse of the Year Award has been given to Debbie Cannon, R.N.<\/strong>, staff nurse in Cooper\u2019s Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU). Cannon, of Beverly, N.J., has been a part of the Cooper family for over 30 years. She graduated from nursing school in 1974 from what it was then known as \u201cThe Cooper Hospital.\u201d After graduation, she pursued several nursing careers in critical care at hospitals all over the Burlington County region and Philadelphia, including St. Agnes Burn Center, Philadelphia, P.A. She returned to Cooper in 1990 as a full time staff nurse in the TICU and has been there ever since. Known as a \u201cFirst Alert\u201d nurse in Cooper\u2019s TICU, Cannon is one of the first to respond to incoming Trauma patients and is responsible for the immediate hands-on care of the new patient. As a part of the Trauma team, she not only takes care of the patient\u2019s physical and emotional needs, but she also attends to the needs of the families.<\/p>\n Dianne S. Charsha, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer; John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO; Debbie Cannon, R.N., 2011 Nurse of the Year; Joan S. Davis, Vice Chairman.<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cI have always thought that my every action and attitude influenced those around me; and as a bedside nurse, I truly believe I help facilitate healing for my patients and their families,\u201d said Cannon. \u201cThis award is for all of \u201cus\u201d bedside nurses who know we make a difference in the lives of those that come to Cooper.\u201d<\/p>\n This May, Cooper also celebrated the One Year Anniversary of the Nursing Shared Governance Council. A team of 74 staff nurses, together with nursing leadership, developed a new shared governance model at Cooper that allows direct care nurses the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process on all issues affecting the nursing profession including practice standards, policies and procedures, education and operation. Through this initiative, eight Nursing Councils and 22 Unit Based Councils (UBC) were developed. Since then, the members of these councils have become a pivotal \u201cvoice\u201d in each of the clinical areas within the hospital, discovering that shared governance is essential to a productive and satisfying work environment.<\/p>\n Cooper\u2019s 2010 Winners and Awards are:<\/p>\n The prizes and commemorative plaques were presented to each of the award winners at a formal recognition dinner on May 9th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" These prestigious, peer-nominated awards honor the work of the recipients, whose leadership and practice promote the delivery of quality healthcare at Cooper. Each award, together with Nurse of the Year, has its own set of criteria for eligibility, including three letters of recommendation from staff within each nominee\u2019s clinical discipline.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[67],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-ddevenney","4":"has-excerpt","5":"has-more-link","6":"post-2382","8":"format-standard","9":"category-events","10":"post_tag-nursing"},"yoast_head":"\n![\"2011](\"http:\/\/blogs.cooperhealth.org\/news\/files\/2011\/05\/inside_201105_nurseawards.jpg\" "\\"2011")
\n
\nBarbara Murphy, R.N.C.-OB, from Haddon Township, N.J. \u2014 Labor & Delivery<\/li>\n
\nMarilyn Yusay, R.N., from Blenheim, N.J. \u2014 Cardiac Catheterization Lab<\/li>\n
\nJessie May Dotson, R.N., M.S.N., A.P.N., from Lumberton, N.J. \u2014 Anesthesia<\/li>\n
\nKevin O\u2019Brien, R.N., from Medford Lakes, N.J. \u2014 Intensive Care Unit<\/li>\n
\nLisa McKeeby, R.N., B.S.N., C.R.N.I., from Williamstown, N.J.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0SDS\/SPU\/PAT<\/li>\n
\nMegan Staerk, R.N.-B.C., B.S.N., from Delran, N.J. \u2014 Medical\/Surgical Unit<\/li>\n
\nCindy Garretson, R.N., B.S.N., from Audubon, N.J. \u2014 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit<\/li>\n
\nKathy Devine, R.N., M.S.N., C.C.R.N., from Haddonfield, N.J. \u2014 Patient Care Services<\/li>\n
\nBarbara Sproge, R.N., M.S.N., O.C.N., from Medford, N.J. \u2014 Palliative Care Medicine<\/li>\n
\nStacey Staman, R.N., M.S.N., C.C.R.N., from Williamstown, N.J. \u2014 Trauma<\/li>\n
\nStephanie Jennings, R.N., from Westampton, N.J. \u2014 Gynecology\/Oncology<\/li>\n
\nMaria Eastlack, R.N., B.S.N., from Wenonah, N.J. \u2014 SDS\/SPU<\/li>\n
\nTammy Beringer, R.N., C.P.N., from Gloucester City, N.J. \u2014 Pediatrics<\/li>\n
\nPatricia Spahn, R.N., from Sicklervillie, N.J. \u2014 PACU<\/li>\n
\nJames Moffit, from Collingswood, N.J. \u2014 Operating Room<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Gladys Pollock, R.N., from Barrington, N.J. \u2014 Emergency Department<\/li>\n
\nDebbie Cannon, R.N., from Beverly, N.J. \u2014 Trauma Intensive Care Unit<\/li>\n
\nLuz Mercado from Camden, N.J. \u2014 Emergency Department<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n