From staff reports
Clarion Hospital nurse Sue Baumcratz received the hospital’s first Linda Steiner-Mander Nursing Excellence Award during a presentation Monday afternoon.
Steiner-Mander, who was a nurse at the hospital for 40 years, presented the award to Baumcratz.
“It’s all so much,” an emotional Baumcratz said as she posed for pictures with Steiner-Mander.
The hospital arranged the ceremony to coincide with National Nurses Week this week. The hospital’s Personal Development Quality Nursing Council created the award.
“Nurses at Clarion Hospital go above and beyond every day,” said Colby Hunsberger, an oncology nurse navigator who helped organize the event.
Hunsberger explained that Clarion Hospital has had a long history of excellent nurses, but one stood out – Steiner-Mander.
Steiner-Mander described her time at Clarion Hospital as 40 years spent with family.
“You are my family, you are still my family. I am so glad to be here,” she said.
Hunsberger also said that being a nurse at a community hospital like Clarion means nurses don’t go home at the end of the day. Instead, they are constantly surrounded by their patients.
“Our patients are our friends, neighbors and family,” said Hunsberger.