Cleveland Clinic Honors 70 of its Nurses from Across the Globe

Recently, The Stanley Shalom Zielony Institute for Nursing Excellence proudly honored and celebrated the recipients of Cleveland Clinic’s 2019 Maria and Sam Miller Nursing Excellence Awards.

The prestigious ceremony, which also included friends, family members and colleagues of award recipients, showcased the exceptional work of 70 Cleveland Clinic nurses from across the globe.

Nursing Excellence Award recipients have excelled in their careers, serving Cleveland Clinic communities throughout the health system’s hospitals, family health centers, operating rooms, classrooms and more. They are nominated for an award by those who have witnessed their excellence, including fellow caregivers, physicians, volunteers and others.

In her welcome address, Cleveland Clinic Executive Chief Nursing Officer Kelly Hancock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, applauded the 2019 award recipients saying, “I personally feel extremely honored to call these amazing nurses my colleagues and am so thankful they are part of our world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Nursing Institute. What they do for our patients, our health system and our profession is remarkable.”

Award categories

The enterprise-wide Nursing Excellence Awards ceremony is held each year in September. Of Cleveland Clinic’s approximately 28,000 talented nursing caregivers, only a select few are honored with this highly commendable recognition.

Nursing Excellence Award recipients are presented awards from the following categories:

• Lifetime Achievement Awards
  • Recognizes significant accomplishments that have advanced the practice of nursing, improved patient outcomes, enhanced the work environment and/or promoted multi-disciplinary teamwork.
• Professional Practice Model Awards
  • Aligns with Cleveland Clinic Nursing’s Professional Practice Model (reflects the philosophies and guiding principals of nurses’ work) and represents: Healing Environment, Professional Development and Education, Quality and Patient Safety, Promotion of Evidence-Based Practice and Research, Excellence in Nursing Research and APRN Excellence.
• Samuel H. Miller Art of Nursing Awards
  • Recognizes the exemplary skills, talents, expertise, commitment and personal attributes of a clinical nurse who promotes and supports healing for patients, families and colleagues.
• Excellence Awards
  • Honors the special skills, dedication and compassion in the delivery of outstanding direct patient care.
• Leadership Awards
  • Highlights outstanding nurse leaders (directors or managers) who continually exhibit excellence in leadership, focusing on Cleveland Clinic Nursing’s values of teamwork, innovation, service, quality, compassion and integrity.

An annual program

The Nursing Excellence Awards ceremony is Cleveland Clinic Nursing’s greatest celebration of professional excellence. It is the culmination of Cleveland Clinic’s year-long Nursing Excellence Awards program, which honors more than 100 exceptional Cleveland Clinic nurses at both local and enterprise levels.

Cleveland Clinic’s Nursing Excellence Awards were founded in 2011 and endowed by long-time Cleveland Clinic supporters, Mrs. Maria and Mr. Sam Miller in 2012 to commend and applaud the outstanding service exhibited by nurses.

The 2019 Nursing Excellence Awards ceremony was especially meaningful as it marked the first enterprise-wide ceremony since the passing of Sam Miller earlier this year.

As a tribute to the legacy and life of Mr. Miller, Hancock led a special moment of silence in his honor. She noted that throughout Cleveland Clinic health system, when a patient passes, the care team honors the person’s life as well as the efforts of the team through a brief period of silence Cleveland Clinic refers to as “The Pause.”

In addition to Hancock, the 2019 Nursing Excellence Awards ceremony included remarks from Cleveland Clinic President and CEO, Tom Mihaljevic, MD; Mario Morino, Chairman of the Morino Institute, Co-Founder of Venture Philanthropy Partners and member of Cleveland Clinic’s Board of Directors; and Alex Weber, a Cleveland Clinic patient and caregiver who shared his touching story about the remarkable nursing care he received at Cleveland Clinic.

See this article to learn more about how Cleveland Clinic created its nursing awards program.