Meet the 10 Atlanta nurses and 1 nurse leader honored with awards

Nurses are there for people “when they come into this world and when they go out of it — and everywhere in between,” Christy Dempsey, chief nursing officer emeritus at Press Ganey Associates, said Tuesday in her keynote address during The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s 16th Celebrating Nurses Awards.

The coronavirus pandemic shone a spotlight on how vital nurses are not only to healing an individual, but also a world.

In November, we asked you to nominate a registered nurse or nurse leader who has made a significant difference in the lives of their patients and patients’ families through compassion and selfless service. We received more than 1,000 nominations.

During Tuesday’s virtual ceremony, presented by Wellstar, we put the spotlight on 10 of those nurses and one nurse leader, and presented them with awards of excellence. Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor Kevin Riley and former Channel 2 Action News anchor Monica Kaufman Pearson hosted the event. Pearson filled in for Jovita Moore, who had to bow because she is recovering from surgery for a brain tumor.

If you missed the live event, you can watch a replay of it here.

Read more about these health care heroes:

Vicky Hogue, Wellstar Paulding Hospital. Winner of the Nurse Leadership Award, sponsored by Mercer

Chief Nursing Officer Vicky Hogue, Wellstar Paulding Hospital. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Rochanda Crawford, Grady Health System

RN Rochanda Crawford teaches Grady Hospital patients how to live with their newly diagnosed Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Beth Dziczkowski, Northside Hospital Cherokee

Clayton Fowler, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital

RN Clayton Fowler, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, works in a unit that cares for some of the hospital's most critically ill patients. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Danielle Giaritelli, Emory Healthcare

RN Giaritelli Giaritelli does the little things that make a difference for a patient. She never rushes but spends time to make them feel safe. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Jody Leonard, Southern Regional Medical Center

RN Jody Leonard has wanted to be a nurse for as long as she can remember. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Kathleen LePain, Piedmont Healthcare Athens

Kathleen LePain, RN, Piedmont Healthcare Athens

Tasneem Malik, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tasneem Malik, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Laura Moss, Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital

RN Laura Moss, Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital, enjoys working in the community where she grew up. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Laurie Pazda, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital

RN Laurie Pazda, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, works in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Courtesy of Crew Atlanta

Laura Toops, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta