MDH and SRC Announce Winners
McDonough District Hospital (MDH) and Spoon River College (SRC) are pleased to announce that Sarah Traser is the recipient of the Student Nurse of the Year award and Angela Cousins has received the Nurse of the Year award. The awards were presented at a reception on May 4 at MDH in honor of the Spoon River College School of Nursing students from the Macomb campus who will graduate this month with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).
Traser was selected as the Student Nurse of the Year by MDH nurses and SRC faculty for her academic achievements, leadership potential, and clinical ability. Traser’s nominator says, “Sarah is always looking for things to do and ways to get experience. She is always pleasant and asks appropriate questions; she’s enthusiastic and cheerful. I feel she will make an excellent nurse.”
A career in nursing seemed to be a perfect fit for Traser’s personality and interests. When asked why she decided to go into nursing she replied, “I thought there would be a lot of opportunities and I knew I could make a difference as a nurse. It’s a wonderful feeling to just sit with a patient and talk and know you have helped them during a difficult time.” Traser was also inspired by her aunt who is a nurse, as well as her mother, Lynn Traser, who is currently a first year student in the SRC ADN program. “It’s been a lot of fun when we have clinicals on the same day and get to work together. My mom’s my best friend and I have been even more enthusiastic about nursing since I’ve been able to share this experience with her.”
Upon graduating and completing the RN exam for licensure, Traser will work in the MDH Emergency Services Department.
McDonoughDistrict Hospitalhas been a clinical site for the Spoon River College of Nursing Program Macomb campus for 36 years. Bruce Western, Recruiter for MDH Human Resources states, "McDonough District Hospital has a rich history of working with the nursing program at Spoon River College. MDH has benefited greatly from the recruitment of the outstanding SRC nursing graduates over the years. We are pleased to recognize Sarah’s achievements as the 2010 recipient of this award."
The Nurse of the Year award recognizes an outstanding LPN or RN from MDH who has been involved with the clinical training of the SRC nursing students. The award is based upon the nurse’s generosity with nursing students, integrity with the care of clients, mentoring ability with students, and knowledge of nursing.
Angela Cousins, who started her career at MDH in April 2008, was selected as Nurse of the Year by students in the second year nursing program. She is currently working in Acute Care as a staff registered nurse. Cousins is also a chemotherapy nurse and works periodically in ICU.
Cousins’ dedication to the field of nursing is evident in her enthusiastic comments about her chosen profession: “Even on my worst day, I love my job.” Cousins enjoys mentoring the nursing students and watching as they grow more confident in their skills. “This has been a great group of students,” Cousins commented. “I have watched them grow so much in the last two years. They are very pro-active and don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities to come to them. They will be great nurses.”
In nominating Cousins, the students praised her willingness to help them. One of her nominators said: “She is a natural leader and teacher. She goes out of her way to offer students learning opportunities with immediate feedback of performance. I feel confident with her at my side. She leads by example and provides patient care that is exceedingly caring and professional. It’s a privilege to learn from her.” Another student noted, “She is always willing to help and never judgmental. She is encouraging while giving constructive feedback. She is very deserving of this award.”
SpoonRiver College offers a two-year, Associate Degree in Nursing program on the college’s Macomb and Canton campuses. After the first year of coursework, students can sit for the Practical Nursing licensure exam and obtain their LPN certification. After completion of the second year, the students are eligible to sit for the Registered Nurse licensure exam.
To learn more about the nursing program, contact the SRC nursing department at (309) 649-6227. For more information about careers at MDH, contact Human Resources at 309-836-1577.
The SRC Nursing Students who were honored at the reception are pictured: front row, left to right: Maria Villicana, Meagan Kliffmiller, Sarah Traser, Mindy Davis, Tiffany Bentz, and Miho Choi. back row, left to right: Jenna Stephens, Tiffany Pool, Mandy Walters, Elizabeth Olsen, Chelsie Bowman, Leah Wilson, Nicole Carithers, and Bill Hagler.
MDH and SRC personnel presented awards to the Student Nurse of the Year and Nurse of the Year.
Pictured, left to right: Daniel Marvin, Director of SRC Macomb Campus; Cheryl Hoffman, SRC Dean of Nursing and Allied Health; Angela Cousins; Sarah Traser; Wanda Foster, VP of Nursing at MDH; and Carol Steward, Director of MDH Acute Care and ICU.
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