Local cancer center nurse is named 2008 Nurse of Distinction
Local cancer center nurse is named 2008 Nurse of Distinction
Steve Mabe, a registered nurse at Moses Cone Health System's Regional Cancer Center in Greensboro, was honored Tuesday as the top nurse of distinction among 10 nurses selected by the N.C. Nurses Association (NCNA) Awards Committee. This was the second annual awards program held to honor outstanding nurses from across the Triad, in a partnership with the News & Record's Triad Careers division and the NCNA. The program coincided with National Nurses Week, which began Sunday, May 4, when the News & Record published a special section profiling the 10 extraordinary area nurses.
Mabe's selection was announced by Robin Saul, president and publisher of the News & Record, at the conclusion of a luncheon and presentation at the O. Henry Hotel in Greensboro.
Eileen Kohlenberg, president of the NCNA and a Greensboro resident, gave an introduction and served as the emcee for the program. "It's wonderful to have this celebration as we begin National Nurses Week," she said.
While all nurses are special, Kohlenberg said, the area nurses honored are some of our "crown jewels." The local honorees included nurses from a wide spectrum in nursing, including cancer centers, pediatrics, a women's center, area hospitals, a urology center, public health and a church congregation.
The luncheon audience numbered more than 120, including the 10 nurse honorees, the person or persons who nominated each nurse and their guests, plus representatives of sponsoring organizations and companies.
Videos of the 10 honorees were played, followed by a presentation by the nominators. The videos and additional photographs of the nurses honored can be seen at TriadCareers.com.
Mabe has been an RN for the past two and a half years. He began working in the emergency room at Moses Cone five years ago while he returned to school. Mabe, 54, has switched careers several times, from textiles to telecommunications and finally, health care.
He later made a transition to the Intensive Care Unit, or ICU, but recently left that unit to work at the cancer center. "He's an outstanding caretaker and is a fine example of what every nurse should be. He's the epitome of what nursing is all about," Carol Coggin, one of Mabe's nominators, said at the luncheon.
"Steve is a star in Wesley Long's crown," noted Sheila Handy, another nominator and a former patient of Mabe's in the ICU unit at Wesley Long Community Hospital, where the cancer center is also based.
In accepting his award, Mabe took note of those present and noted that Tuesday was another special occasion. "It's so great to see all the families here. This is such a great honor and I really do appreciate it. And don't forget to vote today."
In addition to Triad Careers and the NCNA, additional major sponsors for Celebrating Nurses 2008 were Moses Cone Health System, High Point Regional Health System and Randolph Hospital.
In his remarks, Saul noted the News & Record was pleased to be part of an annual program that publicly recognizes outstanding nurses in the Triad who are nominated by the public, their patients and their peers.
If you would like to nominate a nurse, you can do so by going to http://www.triadcareers.com. Or for more information, contact Nicole White at (336) 373-5777 or send her an e-mail at nwhite@news-record.com
