submitted by Ray Smith of SVHC
Each year, Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) honors a nurse whose accomplishments in the areas of leadership, service and scholarship are worthy of the health system’s highest recognition. This award is called the Search for Excellence, and the 2016 honoree is Karen Hewson, MSN, RN, CEN, of Hoosick Falls, NY.[private]She was celebrated at the SVHC’s 2016 Nurses Week Celebration in May.
Hewson received her associate’s in Nursing, Sisters of St. Joseph; a bachelor’s in Nursing, Southern Vermont College; and a master’s in Nursing, University of Phoenix, and holds additional certifications in emergency nursing, critical care nursing, and post-anesthesia care. She has worked as a nurse for 44 years.
Most recently, Hewson helped develop Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s Transitional Care Program for high-risk patients. The program provides a nurse to accompany patients through the medical system and during home visits with the aim of reducing inpatient admissions.
“I worked in the Emergency Department for 20 years. I had some speculation about what patients were up against in their home environments. Now I get to really see it and help them get over those barriers,” Hewson explained. “And I am afforded more time with the patient, which is exactly what they need.”[/private]