Nurses, clinicians, and professionals were honored for excellence in nursing at Baton Rouge General’s (BRG) 2019 Nurse Excellence Awards Ceremony and Banquet held at L’Auberge Casino Resort. The annual event recognizes nurses and individuals whose contributions and leadership advance the practice of nursing, and support the health and wellness of our communities.
The ceremony opened with a welcome by Edgardo Tenreiro, president and CEO of BRG, and Chief Nursing Officer Monica Nijoka, RN, MSN, served as master of ceremony. Phyllis McLaurin, chairman of BRG’s Board of Trustees, and Louis Minsky, MD, chief of staff, also provided remarks.
“Baton Rouge General has a reputation for superior nursing care in our community, and each of this year’s nominees contribute to the profession, which for them is truly a calling,” Nijoka said. “Nursing is gift, and nursing excellence is when we pass that gift on to our patients.”
The 2019 BRG Nurse Excellence Award winners are:
Nurse of the Year (Traditional)
Rosiefer Tulagan, RN, Cardio-Telemetry
Nurse of the Year (Non-Traditional)
Laura Gomez, RN, Education
Edith LoBue Nursing Leadership Award
Jennifer Manale, RN, Director of Perioperative Services
Nurse Rookie of the Year
Colleen Prejean, RN, ICU
LPN of the Year
Lakesha Wilson, LPN, Employee Health
PCA of the Year
Itearia Breaux, Oncology and Beth Mayo, Oncology
In addition to the awards, scholarships were presented at the ceremony to Marcia Henry, RN, and Hannah Reynolds, RN, to support advancing their nursing education. These nurses were honored for their commitment to the highest nursing standards and providing exceptional patient care.