Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Honors Its Nurse of the Year

Nozicka has been a nurse since 1980 and a Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital employee since 1983. The award she received goes to the nurse nominated by coworkers who is judged to best exemplify all nine of the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Standards of Professional Performance. These standards include quality of practice, education, collaboration (with patient, family and others), ethics, research and leadership.

This is the first year this prestigious award bears the name of Jean Ewing, RN, the Maternity Services nurse who won it last year – one of the honors bestowed upon her during the year that marked Ewing’s 40th anniversary of continuing distinguished service at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.

Nozicka says she truly enjoys her interesting and challenging work as an emergency services nurse. It’s a career she definitely recommends to others. “I think nursing is a calling,” she says.

“I’ve found it to be the perfect blending of science and humanity – the most rewarding career that any person could have. It’s truly a privilege to be able to touch peoples’ lives the way I do every day.”

For her part, Ewing still finds nursing to be exciting after 41 years because there’s so much to learn that can lead to so many opportunities today that didn’t exist when she began her career.

In addition, nine Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital nurses were honored for best exemplifying one of the ANA standards.

• Quality of Practice: Glenda Terry, RN, Acute Care
• Education: Claire Hernandez, RN, Telemetry
• Professional Practice Evaluation: Loretta McCarley, RN, Occupational Health
• Collegiality: Karen Suydam, RN, Emergency Services
• Collaboration: Janet Deal, RN, Home Care
• Ethics: Iva Kurien, RN, Breast Care Center
• Research: Julie Nellessen, RN, Education
• Resource Utilization: Hazel Tiu, RN, Acute Care
• Leadership: Adel Vyeda, RN, Telemetry

Nurses Week was also marked at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital with the May 7 dedication of the Nursing Wall of Excellence and the first-ever Nursing Recognition Dinner May 8.

The Nursing Wall of Excellence, located near the emergency and radiology departments, displays photos of nurses who’ve stepped up to leadership roles in the many ways available to them at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. It s purpose is to recognize nursing’s contribution not only to Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, but to society in general and the difference nurses make every day in the lives they touch.

The May 8 dinner honored clinical staff members who have demonstrated superior leadership and commitment in setting and reaching professional goals. A total of 37 certificates recognizing achievements such as job promotions and new certifications dating back to 2005 were presented at this first Nursing Recognition Dinner, which is expected to be a regular feature of National Nurses Week at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.