March of Dimes honors 3 local nurses

Honored by the March of Dimes were (from left) nurses Elizabeth Gaines, Nancie Brininger and May Smith.

Three Elmore Medical Center nurses were honored at the March of Dimes 2009 Idaho Nursing Excellence Awards held last month in Boise.

Elizabeth Gaines, Nancie Brininger and May Smith, all registered nurses, were among the 44 honorees selected from throughout the state.

Elizabeth Gaines, RN, works on the Elmore Medical Center Acute Care Unit and has been a nurse for 32 years. She teaches lifesaving courses and serves as a mentor to other nurses.

Nancie Brininger, RN, is a community education nurse with 22 years of experience. At Elmore Medical Center she teaches lactation and childbirth classes.

May Smith, RN, has been a nurse for 2 years and was a recipient of the Elmore Medical Center Foundation Nursing Scholarship, which provided funds to allow her to complete her RN nursing education.

"We are very proud of all three of our honorees," said Deborah Mills, Chief Nursing Officer. "Our nursing staff works hard everyday to provide the best possible care to our patients, these three are great examples of the quality of our nursing staff."

The annual March of Dimes event honors nurses and health care professionals from across the state, acknowledging the difference that they make in their communities and for the facilities they work for.

"Nurses are health care professionals who are always there. Nurses care for mothers as they welcome babies into the world and they support families as they say goodbye to loved ones who are dying. Nurses have the privilege of being with people at the most intimate times in their lives… there is no more special occupation," stated Dr. Springer in her chairman letter to the recipients.