Maitland Nurse Wins Statewide Recognition as FHCA Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2016
Contact: Kristen Knapp, APR
kknapp@fhca.org

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The 2016 Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year is a Maitland long term care professional with one of the most unique stories in the award’s history. Mary Stevenson, a 74-year-old CNA at the Rehabilitation Center of Winter Park, was honored by the Florida Health Care Association at its 2016 Long Term Care Excellence in Nursing Awards presentation, held in St. Pete Beach. The care center is located at 1700 Monroe Avenue in Maitland.

“Florida is home to our nation’s finest long term care centers, and they wouldn’t be able to maintain this exceptional level of excellence without the selflessness and dedication of our outstanding health care professionals,” said FHCA President Joe Mitchell. “These honorees represent the best our long term care profession has to offer – they’re not only leaders but also role models to be admired by everyone.”

For 46 years, Stevenson has served as both a devoted long term health care professional and a staple in the community. In addition to the numerous awards she has received in recognition of her contributions to the nursing profession, Stevenson drew special honors from local government officials, including designation of her very own holiday, Mary Stevenson Day, on April 20.

Today Stevenson uses her unique skillset in a number of capacities outside of health care. As a member of the restorative nursing program at her home facility in Maitland, she helps residents transition to independent living while also mentoring CNAs new to the profession. Perhaps what is most remarkable about Stevenson, however, is her status as a breast cancer survivor – after beating  cancer just one year ago, she returned to work almost immediately, declaring that she has no plans to leave anytime soon.

Excellence in Nursing Award honorees are health care professionals, nominated by FHCA member centers, who reflect the unique characteristics, professionalism, and expanded skill sets of the long term care nursing profession. The annual awards recognize individuals for their important roles in helping centers achieve one or more of FHCA’s four national Quality Initiatives: reducing hospital readmissions, decreasing the use of antipsychotic medications, reducing staff turnover, and increasing customer satisfaction.  

Other recipients of this year’s awards are:

• Nurse Administrator of the Year: Kristin Rutherford, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing Bayside Health and Rehabilitation Center in Pensacola
• RN of the Year: Carman Dockham, RN, Assistant Director of Nursing Services at Lady Lake Specialty Care Center in Lady Lake
• LPN of the Year: Amy Welty, LPN, PruittHealth-Santa Rosa in Milton
• Rising Star in Nursing: Amina Dubuisson, Executive Director of North Beach Rehabilitation Center in Miami

ABOUT FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION  
The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation that serves almost 1,000 members and represents over 500 long term care centers that provide skilled nursing, post-acute and sub-acute care, short-term rehab, assisted living, and other services to the frail elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. The mission of FHCA is to advance the quality of services, image, professional development, and financial stability of its members. As Florida's first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the elderly they serve, the Association has worked diligently since 1954 to assist its members with continuously improving quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about Florida Health Care Association, visit [url=http://www.fhca.org]http://www.fhca.org[/url].

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