Rookies no more! July 2012 new grads complete their first year as RNs

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Chona H.

The 2012 July cohort of new grads completed their first year as rookies and celebrated with a graduation ceremony on July 18, 2013 in the Health Science Institute. They’ve completed the Nursing Graduate Internship program and have successfully made the transition from being student nurses to registered nurses.

Their colleagues have nothing but praise for these soon to be seasoned AAMC nurses! Here’s a little something about each of them:

Rachel Baker, RN,  NICU:  Rachel brings a new refreshing energy to our team. She is very professional, dedicated, compassionate and has a winning team spirit.

Patrick Boyce, RN, 6-South: Pat is known for being a team player, helping whenever he can, being organized, caring and going above and beyond for his patients. His patients and families love him.

Brittany Brown, RN, MSU: Brittany always has a smile that lights up the night, she always cares for her patients and does what’s right.  Brittany loves her job so much that I heard when she has the chance in the wee hours of the night, she jumps up and starts to dance!

Candace Corbin, RN, MSU: Candace was so excited to become a nurse and now look where she stands today, smart, confident, eager to learn. A great nurse in every way.

Erica Smith, RN, MSU: From the beginning of the shift with every patient she cares for, Erica always does her best, and then she always gives a little bit more. Erica is very quiet but we don’t need her to wear a bell; if you are looking for Erica her happy patients will always tell.

Johanna Burton, RN, GSU: She’s always there to make us laugh and tell funny stories. Johanna is one of a kind and I’m thankful to have the chance to work with her, along with the rest of GSU!

Christine Clark, RN, WSU: She has demonstrated great critical thinking and problem solving skills. Chrissy is very organized, smart, stays calm in difficult situations and known for staying on top of things.

Mary (Katie) Gooding, RN, L&D: As a new grad, Katie had one of the most complicated patients right off orientation. She had a patient that had a C/S and was not doing well in PACU. It was her persistence, calm demeanor and astute critical thinking skills that saved this patient’s life.

Jennifer Lefler,RN, L&D: Eager to learn comes to mind when I think of Jennifer. She values the knowledge of the seasoned nurses, seeing how years of experience makes a positive difference in nursing care.

Heather Coleman, RN, PEDS: She is the Ravens cheerleader, Pediatric Champion (Child Life), and is compassionate to patients and enjoys teaching. Heather is the epitome of a great team player, always looking for opportunities to assist and support others.

Stephanie Harrison, RN, PEDS: Rookie of the year, great attitude, fast learner, easy going, and Pediatric Champion (Child life) are just a few adjectives that can describe Stephanie. She has really grown in her role as a pediatric nurse, where she provides high quality and compassionate care.

Ashley Comer, RN, HVU: It was amazing to see Ashley grow into a competent and prudent nurse. Ashley is a great team player and pays attention to detail.  She has a knack for customer service as well as being a great example for her peers.

Jamie Van Allen, RN, HVU: Jamie is a great asset to HVU and has grown tremendously over the last year. She is not afraid to ask questions to find the right answer to meet her patient’s needs.

Erika Welck, RN, HVU: Erika is an excellent nurse, very caring, vigilant and efficient. When I precepted her, I remember thinking she was so good, she really didn’t need me. She was so comfortable and confident, but knew when to ask for help.

Diana DiSalvo, RN, M/B: Diana speaks Spanish fluently and our Hispanic patients often confide in her, sharing information they have not told anyone else. A patient states, “I felt so welcomed by her and felt like she genuinely cared and I wasn’t just a patient – I was a person.”

Ashley Minietta, RN, M/B: Ashley was chosen as our Rookie of the year for the M/B unit. Ashley focuses her energies on assuring her patients receive the best care possible and never hesitates to ask questions and seeks assistance from others when needed.

Kelsey Fetsko, RN, CCU: Kelsey exudes confidence and has demonstrated a team spirit. She is skillful and compassionate and an avid learner who seeks out complicated patients to continue to build on her skills.

Catherine Ngaithe, RN, CCU: Even while out of orientation, she continues to seek out opportunities to increase her knowledge base and skill in dealing with the critically ill. Catherine can be counted on to remain professional and courteous in all her dealings with all members of the health care team, including patients and families.

Lindsey Gannett, RN, ONC: Lindsey is kind and attentive to our patients an always a patients advocate. Her teamwork and flexibility, willingness to support and assist her team is commendable and very apparent with her peers.

Jessica (Gray) Martin, RN, ONC: Regardless of the situation, she is a team player and has a very infectious positive attitude along with a great sense of humor. She is an independent nurse that has already headed back to school to further her nursing education.

Lisa Thomas, RN, ONC: Care of the patient and attention to detail are hallmarks of this no-longer-new grad. She has a good understanding of what the “big picture” is as it relates to staffing and patient safety.

Caroline Levine, RN, ED: Caroline is an enthusiastic and driven new graduate RN. She is actively pursuing her professional development by applying to the clinical ladder and is just waiting on a date to interview.

Stephanie Rosenberg, RN, ED: Stephanie has a fresh and positive energy that she brings to her nursing care as a new graduate! She always has a smile and provides compassionate care.

Erin O’Hara, RN, OR: Erin completed the OR consortium with flying colors, exceeding everyone’s expectations. She is swift and detail oriented and provides excellent care to all of her surgical patients.

Joshua Smith, RN, OR: Josh’s confidence, skill level, and ability to anticipate the needs within the OR is extraordinary, and is a true asset. Recently Josh was hit quite hard with a grueling work schedule — he worked for 10 hours, was on call and called in overnight, and still showed up for work the following day — and took call again that night to help out someone in need. All this while he had a few papers to write for his MSN program, yet he never complained.

Congratulations to all! We are proud to have you as part of our AAMC team!