Excellence in Nursing
Nurses from VA North Texas Health Care System traded their scrubs for evening wear and a night of elegance during the first ever Nursing Excellence Winter Gala. The Shared Governance Council created the annual awards program to honor nursing staff for "Excellence in Nursing" and to serve as a catalyst that recognizes hard work and dedication led by nursing staff. The atmosphere for elegance was complete with dinner, music, dancing and of course, recognition.
During the Nursing Excellence Winter Gala, 113 nurses were honored for having nine identified characteristics that would exemplify the type of nurse we want to attract and retain: 1) caring (going above and beyond); 2) serves as a positive role model and being non-judgmental; 3) professional; 4) team player; 5) supportive to co-workers, veterans and families; 6) accountable; 7) community advocate; 8) servant leadership and 9) compassionate.
Nominated by their peers, each of the honorees had to meet all criteria. Competition was fierce and the elimination process was tough. In the end, 113 would stand out as the ones to salute out of the 172 nominations received.
Prideful joy was seen on honorees' faces and cheers erupted when names were called. A night for all to remember, VA North Texas Health Care System's first Nursing Excellence Gala will leave a lasting impression.
The awards gala is one of many celebrations to come as Nursing Service continues on the Magnet™ journey. This journey, marked with leadership from the shared governance council, will lead all nurses to a continued path of excellence with the end result in sight - Magnet ™ Recognition Program, the nation's top nursing honor for healthcare organizations.
When nurses join forces to practice excellence in all they do, the standard is set high and the bar is raised. With the goal to advance towards a more professional, caring and compassionate service, Nursing Service at VA North Texas Health Care System is well on its way to being the best of the best.
