MDH & SRC ANNOUNCE AWARD WINNERS

McDonough District Hospital (MDH) and Spoon River College (SRC) are pleased to announce that Ashley (Brooks) Frederick is the recipient of the Student Nurse of the Year award and Brittany Cromer has received the Nurse of the Year award. The awards were presented at a reception on April 28 at MDH in honor of the Spoon River College School of Nursing students from the Macomb campus who will graduate in May with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).

Frederick was selected as the Student Nurse of the Year by MDH nurses and SRC faculty for her academic achievements, leadership potential, and clinical ability. Frederick’s nominator says, “Ashley is very dedicated. She is always smiling and works well under pressure. I never have to ask her if something has been done; she is always a step ahead. She works well as a team member. She will have no problem taking on the RN role.”

A career in nursing seemed to be a perfect fit for Frederick’s personality and interests. When asked why she decided to go into nursing she quickly replied, “I like taking care of people and enjoy serving others. I give my mother credit for teaching me to be caring.” Ashley was also inspired by her aunt who is a nurse.

Frederick started at MDH as a Nurse Assistant in Acute Care in January 2008 and has worked as an LPN in Acute Care since July 2008 while pursing her ADN degree. With balancing family, work, and school, Frederick has little free time, but says she enjoys photography and spending time with her family. Frederick lives in Macomb with her husband, Chad, and she has a stepson, Ethan. Upon graduating and successfully completing the RN exam for licensure, Frederick plans to continue working at MDH in Acute Care.

McDonough District Hospital has been a clinical site for the Spoon River College of Nursing Program Macomb campus for 35 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 Ashley’s achievements as the 2009 recipient of this award."

Cromer was selected for the honor of Nurse of the Year by students in the second year nursing program at SRC. Cromer is currently working in Acute Care at MDH as a staff registered nurse.

The Nurse of the Year award recognizes an outstanding LPN or RN 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.

A resident of Macomb, Cromer started her career at MDH in 2003 as a nurse assistant in Acute Care. She obtained a practical nursing certificate and licensure in 2005 and an associate degree in nursing in 2006. She continues to work as a registered nurse in Acute Care.

“I enjoy working in Acute Care,” said Cromer. “It’s not the same thing every day and I like meeting the different patients.”

Cromer was surprised to receive the award, but stated how much she enjoys working with the students. “I think it’s neat because I was just where they are three years ago,” she said. “I can relate to them because I know what they are going through.

In nominating Cromer, the students praised her willingness to help students. One of her nominators said: “She’s very willing to help the students.” Another student noted, “She is always helpful, always informative.

“Brittany has been a great mentor to first and second year nursing students,” said SRC nursing instructor, Julie Auger. “She always has a professional demeanor and appears to have a naturally cheerful disposition even in times of high stress. Her welcoming smile makes her very approachable when students have questions.”

Spoon River 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 successful completion of the second year, the students are eligible to sit for the Registered Nurse licensure exam.

For more information about the nursing program at SRC, contact the nursing department at (309) 649-6227. For more information about health careers at MDH, contact the Human Resources Office at 309-836-1577.