Please join us in applauding this distinguished group of award winners recognized by their nursing colleagues for their excellence and dedication to nursing at UConn Health.

• Noreen Allsop, RN, BSN – Pulmonology, Staff Nurse
  From her nomination: “Noreen is a true patient advocate.  Some examples: One of our chronic pulmonary patients, well known to our practice, was admitted to our hospital and placed on comfort measures only. Noreen went up to visit the patient. The patient’s daughter had been staying by her mom’s side. Noreen told the daughter to ‘go take a little break, grab some coffee and fresh air, I’ll stay with your mom.’ She then proceeded to give the patient a warm bed bath and back rub to give her comfort during her final hours.”
• Devon Bandouveres, RN, MSN, OCN –  Oncology, Clinical Nurse Specialist
  From her nomination: “Devon is an exceptional nurse and an exceptional educator, but the reason why I am nominating her is for her work with Dr. Harrison to reinitiate the hematopoietic stem cell program here. Devon has worked tirelessly days, nights and weekends throughout every single step of the process of starting the program. Beyond the nursing realm, she took on any task for the project that needed to be accomplished. Aside from Dr. Harrison, I feel she was the integral member of the team that made this program happen.”
• Lyndsay Escajeda, RN, BSN –  Intensive Care Unit, Assistant Nurse Manager
  From her nomination: “Lyndsay cares significantly for the ICU clinical excellence and sits on many ICU committees associated with quality improvement.  She is the first one to jump in to any critical situation, code or deterioration and provide a helping hand. She loves UConn and often works overtime in multiple areas of the hospital. This is in her nature, she would not want a unit to be short staffed and is always willing to step up.”
• Diane Flanigan, RN – Orthopedics/Surgery, Staff Nurse
  From her nomination: “Dianne approaches each and every shift with fresh eyes and utilizes her 28 years of bedside experience to formulate an individualized care plan for each and every one of her patients.  She takes her role as a patient advocate very seriously and realizes she is the protector/ keeper of the patients for her shift.  She thinks outside the box, asks questions and never ever views or approaches her care with complacency. She always has a sense of vigilance about her and demands the same of her co- workers.”
• Raymond Foster, RN, MSHA – General Medicine, Staff Nurse
  From his nomination: “When a patient is nervous about a transport to the Emergency Room, he goes with them. When a patient was vomiting everything she ate and drank and could not get into GI for a month, Ray made a few phone calls and got her in sooner. When a patient who needed a prescription  could not drive to pick it up; Ray picked it up and brought it to his house.  This attention to details, thorough assessments, and collaboration with the providers has left our doctors with nothing but accolades for his dedication and competence to handle the many issues in our needy and complex patients.”
• Sue Ellen Goodrich, RN, BSN, MSN – Nursing Director, Professional Practice
  From her nomination: “Sue Ellen has been instrumental in the creation and advancement of our professional development for the nursing staff throughout UConn Health with a special focus on patient care quality and staff satisfaction.  In 2016, Sue Ellen directed the review and re-design of our Professional Shared Governance, Professional Practice Model and UConn Nursing’s Mission, Vision and Value statement.  Sue Ellen has dedicated her career to the health and well-being in quality care and safety for her patients and their families.  Her devotion to the professional development and advancement of the nursing profession is remarkable.”
• Diana D. Campbell, LPN – Correctional Managed Health Care
  From her nomination: “A recent example clearly illustrates Diana’s outstanding service to inmates. She was attempting to deliver medication to an inmate and noticed he was having difficulty standing and bringing medication to his mouth. He was sent to the ER and treated for complications of diabetes. This is but one occasion when Diana has caught potentially life-threatening problems because she takes the time to listen and notice signs of serious health concerns.”
• Sue DeLaCruz, RN – Correctional Managed Health Care
  From her nomination: “What sets Sue apart from the normal caring nurse, is how she truly empathizes with her patients. She sees addiction for what it is, a disease, and not a moral deficiency. In a time of great vulnerability, Sue is able to give these patients hope, something they are often without. Sue spends countless hours on the phone, verifying medicine doses so that she can best treat her patients.”
• Michael DeSena, MHA, BSN, RN – Correctional Managed Health Care
  From his nomination: “In 2014, Michael was selected as the chairperson of the nursing practice committee where he coordinated with a team of executive and front-line nurses to re-engineer the CMHC Nursing Protocols that have become a national standard in correctional nursing. He still serves as the chairperson with the same zeal and recently developed opioid overdose, pre-hospital nursing care protocols to include spinal immobilization and overall improvements in nursing practice.”
• Kelly Quijano, MSN, RN-BC, CCHP – Correctional Managed Health Care
  From her nomination: “One example of Kelly’s dedication to patient care is the meticulous oversight of care she provided for a relatively young patient afflicted with an aggressive laryngeal carcinoma. Kelly orchestrated his intricate chemotherapy and radiation oncology treatment schedules while ensuring expeditious facility transportation to alleviate the discomfort and stress that multiple trips from the prison to the health center can incur.”