Celebrating the future of nursing with the 2023 Nursing Excellence Awards
Summary:
For Nursing Week 2023, SickKids recognizes the outstanding nurses that represent the best of the best when it comes to strengths-based, family-centred care.
Our Nurses. Our Future. Our Kind of Nursing.
At The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), our nurses are lifelong learners who always strive to grow in their profession and be their best in a challenging and rewarding workplace. SickKids nurses are pioneers of strengths-based paediatric care, committed to gaining the knowledge and tools to discover and develop the strengths within our patients, families and communities — and within themselves. In addition to their continuous commitment to learning, they are also mentors and teachers dedicated to setting up the next generation of nurses for success.
SickKids nurses represent the future of nursing. The Nursing Week 2023 theme is Our Nurses. Our Future.
Watch this video to learn more about why Our Kind of Nursing is unlike anywhere else.
About the Nursing Excellence Awards
The annual Nursing Excellence Awards recognize SickKids nurses who have demonstrated dedication, distinction and commitment to their profession, and to our patients and families.
The Nursing Excellence Awards and the Elizabeth McMaster Inspiration Award are made possible thanks to generous endowments from the families and friends of Grace Evelyn Simpson Reeves, Maria Györössy-Csepreghy Kluge and Iris Weiss.
This year, SickKids announced three new awards to add to the Nursing Excellence roster: the Clinical Extern award, New Graduate Nurse award and the Bresler Family Neurosurgical Nursing award.
- The Clinical Extern award recognizes a SickKids clinical extern who demonstrates outstanding practice in the care of patients as a nurse extender.
- The New Graduate Nurse award recognizes a SickKids nurse who demonstrates tremendous growth and development within 18 months or less of paediatric nursing practice.
- The Bresler Family Neurosurgical Nursing award recognizes a SickKids nurse who provides exemplary neurosurgical care for children, youth and their families receiving care within the Division of Neurosurgery.
Meet the winners of this year's Nursing Excellence Awards!
The Bresler Family Neurosurgical Nursing awards
Ziggy Bankas
Registered Nurse, Neurosurgery
Sara Breitbart
Nurse Practitioner, Neurosurgery
Arbelle Manicat-Emo
Nurse Practitioner, Neurosurgery
Elizabeth Pawlica
Nurse Practitioner, Neurosurgery
Elisabeth White
Nurse Practitioner, Neurosurgery
Rosemary Demirkok
Registered Nurse, Operating Room
Arlene Quiambo
Registered Nurse, Operating Room
Millie Markovich
Registered Nurse, Operating Room
Tenecia Hiller
Registered Nurse, Operating Room
Michelle Chow
Registered Nurse, Operating Room
Irina Baranova
Registered Nurse, Operating Room
Clinical extern
Christine Clarke
Clinical Extern, Haematology/Oncology
New graduate nurse
Madison Beatty
Registered Nurse, Paediatric Medicine. Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Disease
Maria Györössy-Csepreghy Kluge award
The Maria Györössy-Csepreghy Kluge award recognizes SickKids nurses for excellence in infant and neonatal nursing.
Stephanie Irwin
Registered Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Sarah Brown
Registered Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Grace Evelyn Simpson Reeves awards
The Grace Evelyn Simpson Reeves awards recognize SickKids nurses for demonstrated excellence in nursing practice, education, leadership, research or innovation.
Career achievement
Jane Lowry
Registered Nurse and Clinical Program Coordinator/Contact Nurse, Blood and Marrow Transplant/Cellular Therapy Program
Jane Stuart-Minaret
Registered Nurse, Emergency Department and Call Back Team; Educator, Centre for Global Child Health
Christina Mendoza
Registered Nurse, Medical Day Care Unit and G.I. Procedure Room
Nursing education
Katie Bowden
Registered Nurse and Clinical Support Nurse, Neurosurgery; Clinical Instructor, University of Toronto
Reenu Chhokar
Registered Nurse and Connected Care Interprofessional Practice Coordinator
Nursing innovation
Tonia Roman
Registered Nurse and Interprofessional Education Specialist, Psychiatry
Chantal St. Jules
Registered Nurse, Infectious Diseases, ABILITY Program, Paediatric Consultation Clinic
Nursing leadership
Andrea McCormick
Senior Manager, Quality Management and Emergency Preparedness
Nursing practice
Susan Awrey
Clinical Program Coordinator, Haematology/Oncology
Sandy Melo
Registered Nurse, Neurology Clinic
Bina Gandhi
Clinical Program Coordinator, Haematology/Oncology
Victoria Porco
Registered Nurse, General Surgery
Maria Di Mola
Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
Jennifer Vincelli
Nurse Practitioner, Haematology/Oncology Clinic
Nursing team
Respiratory Medicine
- Jennifer Welsh, Registered Nurse, Respiratory Medicine
- Nancy McDonald, Registered Nurse, Respiratory Medicine
- Jessica Hildebrandt, Registered Nurse, Respiratory Medicine
Dialysis Apheresis
- Maria Di Mola, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
- Ryan Enginco, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
- Usha Dinesh, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
- Ashley McNaughton, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
- Joan Hidalgo, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
- Julie Kilb, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
- Rose Nemec, Registered Nurse, Dialysis Unit
Nursing team
Critical Care, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Nursing team
Peri-Anesthesia
Nursing team
General Surgery
Nursing team
Inpatient Cardiology
Iris Weiss Memorial Award for Excellence in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
The Iris Weiss Memorial Award for Excellence in Child and Adolescent Mental Health recognizes a SickKids nurse who provides exemplary care for children, youth and their families receiving care within the Division of Child and Adolescent Medicine and Psychiatry and who are interested in pursuing a professional development opportunity.
Joanna McMurchy
Registered Nurse, Psychiatry
Elizabeth McMaster Inspiration award
This award honours Elizabeth McMaster, founder of SickKids. This award was established to honour a nurse who truly inspires the best in others.
Maite Browning
Inter-Professional Education Specialist, Emergency Medicine
Learn more about the Nursing Excellence Awards categories and how we're recognizing SickKids nurses all year round.