Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital nurses honored
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital awarded this year’s Jean Ewing Nursing Excellence Award to Mary Beeson of Wadsworth.
Beeson, who works in the Northwestern Grayslake Emergency Center, received the award during a Nurse’s Week luncheon.
“This award could not have gone to a more deserving nurse,” said her supervisor, Dawn Frank, director of the Grayslake Emergency Center. “She goes above and beyond for her patients and has mentored countless nurses on staff at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. I have worked with her for 24 years and can tell you how lucky the program is to have her.”
Beeson began her career as a nurses’ aide at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital in 1966. She has been a registered nurse since 1974.
She is a trauma nurse specialist and also sits on the Exemplary Practice Council at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.
Eight years ago, Beeson had the opportunity to help set up and develop the new facility in Grayslake, where she is now the charge nurse on the day shift Monday to Friday.
“I’ve loved watching this organization grow,” Beeson said. “The team here has become part of my extended family. I was shocked when I heard I had been chosen Nurse of the Year.”
Beeson lives in Wadsworth with her daughter and also has three grown children. She also serves on the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Coalition for Sexual Assault, which seeks to improve the care for those who are abused or sexually assaulted.
The hospital honored 10 other nurses with the 2011 Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Nursing Excellence awards. The winners are:
Quality of Practice — Dawn Clarke, Lindenhurst.
Education — Jocelyn Evangelista, Grayslake.
Professional Practice Evaluation — Julianne Brennan, McHenry.
Communication — Christine Tilker, Lake Bluff.
Collaboration — Stephanie Gray, Barrington.
Ethics — Fred Bacaling, Gurnee.
Evidence-Based Practice and Research — Darnell Keesling, Mundelein.
Resource Utilization — Peggy Funk, Grayslake.
Leadership — Sharon Scopel, Lindenhurst.
Environmental Health — Sharon Dufault, Mundelein.
The hospital also gave an award to members of the support staff, who are listed below:
Health Care Support Staff — Danielle Wiemann of Ingleside.
Exemplary Leadership in Impacting Patient Care — Maureen Hunt of Libertyville.
Nurses from the hospital’s Westmoreland Extended/Long-Term Care unit were awarded the Speci-Cup (Special Presentation by Exceptional and Caring Individuals) for their innovative work, illustrated in their poster “Nurses Trusted to Care.”
The hospital presented the unit with a trophy during the May 11 celebratory luncheon.