On April 30, nurses and healthcare leaders in Connecticut gathered at four gala events to honor this year's recipients of the Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing.

The ninth annual awards program included events in Wallingford, Stamford, Groton and Hartford, CT. Honorees and attendees enjoyed a cocktail hour, reception and dinner followed by individual award presentations, scholarship announcements and presentations highlighting nurses throughout the state.

Regional hosts for the events included VNA Health Care Inc., Hartford; VNA of South Central Connecticut Inc., New Haven; VNA of Southeastern Connecticut, New London; and Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Southwestern CT, Stamford.

Nurses recognized are listed by location and employer. They include:

Wallingford Event

·        American Red Cross-South Central CT Chapter: Bahiyah Muhammad, BSN, RN

·        Care Source Inc.: Jacquelyn Goldberg, LPN

·        Gateway Community College: Barbara McFarland, MSN, RN, CCRN

·        Gaylord Hospital: Margaret Conant, RN, Margaret Conant, RN, Karen Doukas, RN, Ann Dwyer, RN, Susan Hahn, LPN, and Margaret Meronek, LPN

·        Golden Hill Health Care Center: Jennifer Marshall, LPN

·        Griffin Hospital: Veronica Ciola, RN, Cathi Colbum, RN-C, Kelly Gurmann, BSN, RN, Robin Michalak, BSN, RN, CCM, Dolores Nappi, RN, and Sue Nystrom, LPN

·        Hospital of Saint Raphael: Dayna Arduini, BSN, RN, CMSN, Nicole Barbarotta, RN, Lori Chieka, BSN, RN, Connie Cole-Ingber, RN, Susan Fisher, EdD, APRN-BC, AOCN, ACHPN, Cheryl Gambrell-Claxton, RN, Elizabeth Gedney, BSN, RN, Annette Haller, BSN, RN, WCC, WOCN, Johanna Piscitelli, RN, Patrizia Schaefer, BSN, RN, Andrea Voets, BSN, RN, and Deborah Zeoli, BSN, RN

·        The Jewish Home for the Elderly: Deborah Colombo, RN, Erena Fitzgerald, RN, Sally Harris, RN, and Nancy Meliso, RN

·        Marathon Health Care Center of West Haven: Joan Apfel, RN

·        The Mary Wade Home: Cecilia DeAngelo, LPN

·        Masonic Home Health and Hospice: Linda Bonneau, BSN, RN, Barbara Jackson, RN, Alice Labonte-Esposito, RN, Mary Moore, LPN, Ann Marie Richardson, RN, and Angelina Tomanio, LPN

·        Milford Hospital: Denise Bias, BSN, RN, Dennis Dilulio, RN, Portia Gonzales, BSN, RN, Sandra McDonald, RN, and Dorothy Quinn, RN

·        New England Home Care: Judith Devin, RN (Cromwell branch); Sue Mazarella, RN (Shelton branch); Sue Miklinevich, RN (Waterbury branch); Kathleen Rickert, RN (New Haven branch); and Lyidmila Zarovny, RN (Windsor branch)

·        Patient Care of Connecticut Inc.: Christina Ferraiolo, RN

·        Southern Connecticut State University: Susan Westrick, JD, MS, RN, CNE

·        Skyview Center: Charlene Wright, LPN

·        VA Connecticut Health Care: Nancy Gourley, BSN, RN, Victoria Lashley, BSN, RN, Tracy Shamas, BSN, RN, APRN, and Hope Sparks, RN

·        VNA Community Health Care Inc.: Patricia DeLucia, RN, and Kathy O'Connor, RN

·        Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut: Marianne Bagley, LPN, Jill Gorecki, RN, Gayle Parks, BSN, RN, Carol Richards, RN, Nancy Schaffer, BSN, RN, and Collette Sengupta, BSN, RN

·        VNA of South Central Connecticut: Nancy Babbit, RN

·        Yale-New Haven Hospital: Carolyn Bradley, BSN, RN, Christopher DeFrancesco, BSN, RN, Gina D'Agostino, MSN, RN, Mary Catherine Gannon, RN, Barbara Kavanagh, RN, Lauren Kieman, BSN, RN, Claire Krueger, BSN, RN, Alison Linske, RN, Earlene Peckham, MSN, APRN, PNP, Rita-Marie Rossetti, MSHA, BSN, RN, LNC, Cynthia Taylor, BSN, RN, and Louise Ward, MSN, BSN, RN

·        Yale University Health Services: Veronica Redente, RN

·        Yale University School of Nursing: Jessica Coviello, MSN, RN, and Mikki Meadows-Oliver, PhD, MPH, CPNP, RN