On Monday, Feb. 26, six Blount Memorial Hospital nurses were recognized not only for their hard work, but also for their commitment to furthering their career expertise as part of January’s Clinical Ladder Awards.
Clinical Ladder Awards honor nurses who go the extra mile to ensure patient encounters are guided by experience, compassion and clinical expertise by focusing on continuing education, clinical practice, professional development and leadership – all while working their regular shifts caring for hospitalized patients.
Recipients are divided into separate categories based on their experience level. Level 4 honorees have a minimum of three years of RN experience, a Bachelor of Science in nursing or specialty certification, and have achieved a minimum of 40 points in the Clinical Ladder program.
January’s Level 4 recipients were registered nurse (RN) Keonda Hannum (not pictured), registered nurse Holly Dockery, registered nurse Annatasia Myers, registered nurse Cherie Annette Cross and registered nurse Sherri Pesterfield. Both Cross and Pesterfield were first-time recipients. Alexandria Vardaman also became the first licensed nurse practitioner (LPN) at Blount Memorial to receive a LPN Clinical Ladder Award.
“Traditionally, nurses have to leave the bedside to advance in their careers to become educators or nurse managers,” said Blount Memorial OB clinical educator Lora Irwin. “The Clinical Ladder Program offers a way to reward and recognize expertise, challenge them and offer a monetary bonus for them each year as they complete the Clinical Ladder. We’re really proud that we have an opportunity to recognize our expert nurses and keep them at the bedside where they can continue to impact patient care,” she added.
