As part of Northwestern Medical Center’s Nurses Week celebration in May, several outstanding nurses and clinical partners were honored for their service and dedication.

The Nursing Excellence Award was presented to Family Birth Center nurse Stephanie Koch, BS, RNC-MNN, IBCLC. This award is given to a Registered Nurse who has a passion for nursing as a profession, is a role model and mentor to all, exemplifies clinical excellence and supports our community through caring. In the nomination for the award, Stephanie was recognized as s

omeone who has worked in a variety of roles throughout her 30-year career. “Stephanie is passionate about teaching and is a go-to person for many of the staff. She is constantly learning and shares this knowledge with her staff,” the nomination read.

The Clinical Partner of Excellence Award was presented to Infection Control Coordinator Courtney Hodet MT(ASCP), MPH, MHA. The recipient of this award demonstrates excellence in his/her professional field, passion for patient care, and exemplifies true teamwork with Nursing. In the nomination for this award, Courtney was recognized for her support of nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nomination noted her dedication and problem solving and said “The knowledge that she was able to absorb and put into practice was truly lifesaving.”

A host of other awards were also given as part of an event held annual at NMC during Nurses Week. Those recognized include:

• Tracey Broderick, RN – Nursing Clinical Partner of Excellence Award
• Kelly Callan, RN – Lifetime Achievement Award
• Krystin Stevens, RN – Nursing Practice Leader Award
• Courtney Leduc, RN – Community Nursing Leadership Award
• Emily Allen, RN – Emerging Nursing Leader Award
• Kari Carpenter, LNA – Nursing Care Partner Award

In 2020, NMC’s Nurses Week celebrations were put on hold because hospital activities were focused on the response to the pandemic. The Nursing team at NMC this year voted to award 2020’s awards to all healthcare workers in our community – recognizing the many ways the healthcare community rose to meet an unprecedented challenge.