Nurse nominees sought for Nightingale People's Choice Award

Nurses demonstrate competence, compassion and care every day as they perform their daily duties, but sometimes a nurse will go beyond his or her responsibilities.

Kathleen Cotant, a 93-year-old nurse from Northville, for example, spent seven decades in the nursing profession, moving from nurse maid to master practitioner and even after retirement created a scholarship for and still volunteers at the hospital where she spent so much of her life.

Or Jacquelyn Smiertka of White Lake not only owns and operates a bariatric surgery facility, but also personally ensures that her clients are comfortable and as free from anxiety about their procedures as possible. Her work includes endless hours of preparing educational materials, making preliminary and follow up phone calls and running biweekly support groups to maintain clients' successes.

Kathleen and Jacquelyn were the winner and runner up in the 2011 Oakland University Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence.

Those who know of deserving nurses such as these are encourage to nominate them for recognition durintg the Oakland University School of Nursing's 24th Annual Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence. Awards are given based on nurses' achievements, as well as community and professional involvement. The People's Choice award recognizes a nurse whose exceptional care has had a personal, lasting effect in another's life.

Nomination forms are provided online at oakland.edu/nightingale and must be received by Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. All nominations are reviewed and rated by a committee comprised of nurses from various hospital affiliations and members of the School of Nursing Board of Visitors. Winners and runners-up will be determined in March.

The winners and runners up in all eight categories will be honored at The Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence on May 10, 2012. All winners will receive a solid bronze statue of Florence Nightingale, a $1,000 check and Nightingale pin, while runners-up will receive an engraved plaque and pin. All nominated nurses will receive a certificate of honor.

Those interested in nominating a nurse should send nominations to the Oakland University School of Nursing, Nightingale Nominations, Attention: Cynthia Rutledge, 445 O'Dowd Hall, Rochester, MI, 48309 or e-mail them to carutled@oakland.edu. Faxes will not be accepted.