HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital nurses and colleagues honored during National Nurses Week

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital is celebrating all nurses during National Nurses Week.

The hospital recently announced the winners of the 2025 Nursing Exemplar Awards and congratulated the St. Mary’s Emergency Department for receiving the inaugural HSHS Nursing Team of the Year Award.

On Friday St. Mary’s held its annual Nursing Exemplar Awards Ceremony. Nominations for various nursing awards were submitted by colleagues, physicians, leaders, and others to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals who strive for excellence in their nursing roles.

Below is the full list of winners from Friday’s ceremony.

Rookie of the Year

Shannon Summers, RN in the Emergency Department

Preceptor of the Year

Bailey Bloomfield, RN in the Emergency Department

Partners in Nursing

Lacey Barnes, Staffing Facilitator in Nursing Administration

Michelle Morris, Patient Care Assistant II in the ICU

Patty Howard, Health Clerk on the Med/Surg Unit

Nurse Leader of the Year

Tessa Morr, RN, Team Lead on the Med/Surg Unit

Excellence in Nursing

Cathy Stephens, RN on the Med/Surg Unit

HSHS Nursing Team of the Year

The St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Department (ED) was honored as the first nursing to team to receive the HSHS Nursing Team of the Year award.

St. Mary’s Chief Administrative Officer Timothy Layman shared his pride in the care provided by the nursing staff. “Nursing is more than a profession. It’s a calling, grounded in compassion and service. Our nurses embody that commitment every day, delivering exceptional care to our patients and supporting the health of our communities. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering dedication, hard work and the profound impact they make,” he said.

“I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the St. Mary’s Emergency Department nursing team for their outstanding commitment to improving patient care,” said Kathy Donovan, HSHS Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. “Their innovative approach, dedication to collaboration and relentless drive to create a better patient experience exemplifies the very best of nursing leadership and teamwork. We’re incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved."