Congratulations to Nursing Recognition Award winners

The awards, which were established in 1990, serve as recognition of the contributions that nurses make in support of patient care, teaching, research and the public service mission of UNC.

“All of this year’s recipients truly embody a Commitment to Caring with their compassion and dedication to high-quality patient care,” said Tony Lindsey, MD, UNC Hospitals’ Chief Medical Officer, in his introduction of the winners.

The awards are valued at $1,000 each and may be used over a three-year period to cover expenses related to professional development. Winners were divided into four categories: Inpatient Services, Outpatient Services, Advanced Practices and Specialty Services, and Nurse Management.

Inpatient Services Winners:

Joshua Deal, RN
Emergency Department
Joshua has been voted “Best Nurse” two years in a row by the Emergency Medicine Residency Program as recognition for his work training recent graduates as well as numerous nurses and paramedic candidates. In addition to this obvious commitment to the residents and staff of the Emergency Department, Joshua maintains a high standard of patient care, with one patient recently writing that he had “touched their lives with his love and kindness.”

Kim Novak Jones, RN, IBCLC
UNC Maternity Care Center
Kim was instrumental in helping UNC Hospitals achieve “Baby Friendly USA” recognition. She worked to create initiatives to ensure that all postpartum patients receive pertussis vaccinations and also led the transition to couplet care. In addition, she has collaborated with other hospitals seeking “Baby Friendly” status and remained a trusted mentor for nursing students.

Shannon Heath Smith, RN
Newborn Critical Care Center
Shannon has coached medical students and residents on neonatal resuscitation and also spearheaded and evacuation plan for the Newborn Care Center. Her colleagues say that she excels at building collaborative relationships while also serving as a strong leader.

Outpatient Services Winners:

Rhonda Burton, RN, OCN
Bone Marrow Transplant Program
In addition to her work as Transplant Nurse Coordinator with the Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Rhonda also works as the Related Donor Coordinator and works as a nurse in both the BMT Clinic and BMT Infusion. In these roles, she has created follow-up procedures for lymphocyte infusions and also leads educational sessions.

Elizabeth Schreiber, RN
Division of Trauma and Critical Care
Elizabeth serves as a Nurse Educator and her colleagues say, “The division would not function without her.” Schreiber manages patient flow and triage for eight surgeons and four ARPs while also coordinating patient tests and follow-ups.

Advanced Care and Specialty Services Winner:

Alzora Benjamin
Critical Care Services
Alzora, a nurse practitioner, was tasked with creating an entirely new critical care service, a process that meant she would have to recruit providers, reinforce nurse-physician collaboration in the cardiothoracic ICU and also improve critical care education. She successfully navigated all of that while continuing to meet the complex needs of patients.

Nurse Management Winner:

Kenneth Neuvirth
Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Radiation Oncology
Ken has led 10 successful formal improvement activities and also enhanced patient access to a wider array of services. All of this has contributed to Ken’s clinic achieving Top-5 status multiple times based on Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys. His colleagues describe him as a strong leader who has successfully fostered an environment of trust and communication.