Griffin Hospital recognizes employees

Honorees Bonnie Halligan and Patricia Thibodeau

Bonnie Halligan, RN, of Seymour, and Patricia Thibodeau, Medical Records, of Bridgeport, will share honors as Griffin Hospital’s 2012-13 “Employees of the Year.”
Laura Howell, Radiation Oncology, of West Hartford, won “The Spirit of Planetree Award” and the staff of the Radiology/Cardiology, was named “Department of the Year” at the hospital’s annual Employee Recognition ceremony May 17 at the Crowne Plaza in Southbury.
Griffin Hospital CEO and President Patrick Charmel made the award announcements at the event, held each year during National Hospital Week, which recognizes employees and physicians for years of service and for outstanding performance.
In addition to the employee and department of the year winners, 68 employees and physicians were recognized for five-year milestones.

Topping the list of service award recipients were: Carol Dalton, of Ansonia, Gene DeLaurentis, of Wallingford, Harold Hebb, of Naugatuck, and Nira Silverman, MD, of North Haven, for 40 years of service; Donna Branch, of Ansonia, Donna Costanzo, of Seymour, Thomas Creed, of Oxford, Gerald G. Germano, MD, of Oxford, Alma Harmon, of Ansonia, Thomas Hughes, of Milford, and M. Koneswaran, MD, of Shelton, for 35 years of service; and John Cannici, of Southbury, Israel Dvoretzky, MD, of Hamden, James R. Pinke, MD, of Shelton, Rory Proctor, of Ansonia, Kenneth A. Ward, MD, of Woodbridge, and Geraldine Robinson, of Derby, for 30 years of service.

The hospital's Employee of the Year selections come from its monthly ITIP (I Take It Personally) program, in which employees are nominated by fellow employees for the honor.
Each month, four employees are selected on the basis of attitude, behavior, accountability and personal appearance, one in each of four categories: Ancillary, Nursing, Service and Support.
Of these, four are selected as finalists for the honor of “Employee of the Year.” In addition to Halligan and Thibodeau, Howell and Ed Valente, RN, of Naugatuck, were finalists.

Four hospital departments also are honored annually as “Department of the Quarter,” with one selected as “Department of the Year.”
In addition to Radiation/Cardiology, Department of the Quarter winners were the Emergency Department, Information Services/Meaningful Use Steering Team, and Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Valente wins Nurse of the Year

In addition to these awards, several people were honored at the May 9 Griffin Hospital Nurses Day celebration, including: The Outstanding Nurse of the Year, given to Valente; The Physician of the Year, given to Joseph Gnanaraj, MD, of Oxford; The Marie Santini Perioperatice Nursing Excellence Award, given to Sue Bouton, RN, of Oxford; The Richard Stivala, MD, Obstetric Nursing Excellence Award, given to Jen Liao-Liu, RN, of Watertown; The Mary Schumacher Leadership Award, given to Susan Gucwa-Bucasas, RN, of Shelton; The Mary Nelligan Award for Continuing Education, given to Stephanie Sewersky, RN, of Bridgeport; The Donald Torok Memorial Scholarship, given to Lisa Vitale, MST; of East Haven; and two Shirley Yale Scholarships, given to Tricia DeGennaro, RN, and Yang Dhondop, LPN, both of Naugatuck.

The above was taken from a press release from Griffin Hospital in Derby.