EMPORIA, VA (January 6, 2012) – Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center (SVRMC) recently announced the winners of the Employee of the Year, Clinical Manager of the Year and Non-clinical Manager of the Year for 2011. Given annually, these awards recognize and honor the chosen employee and managers as being crucial to the success of the hospital.
SVRMC staff selects the Employee of the Year from the winners of the Employee of the Month. The Employee of the Year for 2011 is Cassandra Singleton, RN. Employed at SVRMC since October 2006 as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Ms. Singleton also functions as the Clinical Coordinator for the ICU and the Progressive Care Unit (PCU), participates on the Medical Care Committee, is a founding and active member of the Nursing Council, and acts as a mentor and preceptor for new nurses. In addition to her professional commitments, Ms. Singleton is also a mother and currently a full time student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Upon completion of the BSN program, Ms. Singleton plans to continue her education and obtain a Master of Nursing degree with aspirations of becoming a Chief Nursing Officer. As an ICU nurse, she is known for her professionalism, calm demeanor during stressful situations, positive attitude and the compassionate care she provides her patients and their family members. Ms. Singleton exemplifies quality customer service, and is a true role model for all SVRMC staff.
As the SVRMC Employee of the Year, Ms. Singleton and a guest will be treated to an all expense paid weekend at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, TN. During the trip, Ms. Singleton, along with the Employee of the Year winners from each of more than 120 Community Health Systems hospitals nationwide, will be recognized at the Employee of the Year Banquet. Each of the Employee of the Year winners will receive a commemorative plaque and cash award.
Peggy Dunn, RN, Director of Surgical Services for SVRMC, was chosen as the 2011 Clinical Manager of the Year. Employed with the hospital since 1986, Ms. Dunn has been in her current role for one year, but she has served in many different capacities in her 25 year tenure while working her way through nursing school. As the Director of Surgical Services, Ms. Dunn manages the Operating Room, Recovery, Outpatient Services, Oncology and Central Sterile Supply in addition to serving on numerous hospital committees and work groups. Recognized for her long standing commitment to the organization and her co-workers, Ms. Dunn was instrumental in securing Stereotactic Breast Biopsy as a new service offered at SVRMC in 2011. She is also credited with improving physician satisfaction upon her departments to greater than 60% very satisfied while the outpatient customer service scores have sky rocketed to greater than 80% very satisfied. Known to be caring, professional, dependable and a team player, Ms. Dunn has earned the respect of employees, fellow managers, administration, and the SVRMC medical staff. In addition to this honor, Ms. Dunn was named SVRMC Employee of the Month in February of 2000 and the Emporia/Greensville Boys and Girls Club Volunteer of the Year in 2002.
For the second time in five years, SVRMC named Rosemary Prince, RN, Southern Virginia Medical Group Practice Manager, the Non-clinical Manager of the Year for 2011. Ms. Prince, who came to work at the medical center in 2005, has the responsibility of overseeing the daily functions of a busy four physician medical practice as well as two physicians who practice within the hospital. In 2011, she played a vital roll in the recruitment and practice start-up a new General Surgeon and increased clinic patient volumes by more than 24%. Outside her work at the hospital, Ms. Prince is a wife, mother, grandmother and tireless volunteer with the Hospice Support Group of Southside Virginia and in her church. In addition to being a two-time winner of the Non-clinical Manager of the Year, Ms. Prince was named SVRMC Employee of the Quarter in 2006 and has also been honored as Volunteer of the Year for the Hospice Support Group.
The Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center Clinical and Non-clinical Managers of the Year compete regionally against other Clinical and Non-clinical Managers of the Year for the titles of Divisional Clinical and Divisional Non-clinical Manager of the Year. Managers selected as Divisional Managers of the Year are invited to attend the Employee of the Year Banquet in Nashville, TN along with the Employees of the Year from each facility and the other Divisional Clinical and Non-Clinical Divisional Managers of the Year.