Two YRMC nurses are finalists in Nurse of the Year awards

Two Yuma nurses are finalists in the 2010 Nurse of the Year awards, sponsored by the March of Dimes Arizona Chapter.

Raymond Kronenbitter is a finalist in the Leadership category, while Kristie Van Dyn Hoven is a finalist in the Mentoring category. Both work at Yuma Regional Medical Center.

“We are honored that two of our nurses have been nominated for recognition by the March of Dimes,” said Sharon R. Gardner, YRMC vice president of human resources.

“There are many deserving nurses within our community, but I have no doubt that either of these two would represent the nursing profession and our health-care community well.”

Kronenbitter, who has been working at YRMC since 1998, has been a cardiac educator and currently works as a staff nurse (Nurse IV Expert) on Tower II, in the cardiac inpatient unit.

He also serves as an instructor and mentor in the YRMC nursing programs. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing.

Gardner noted that Kronenbitter is involved in numerous leadership roles, including various nursing councils and is currently chairman of the Clinical Quality Council. He is a member of the Rio Colorado AZNA Chapter 7, is politically active at the state level in the Arizona Nurses Association, is the director of governmental affairs for AZNA and a board member of the Western Arizona Health Education Center and Regional Border Health.

In addition, Gardner said, he is a community volunteer involved in many outreach efforts.

Van Dyn Hoven, who was hired by YRMC in 1995, actively mentors other nurses. She is an academic liaison clinical educator working with the hospital's nursing programs on campus.

She participates in shared governance councils at YRMC, such as the clinical Education Council and Shared Governance Coordinating Council; is active in the YRMC Preceptor Workshops, Nurse Extern Program, Research Advisory Council, RN Residency Program and Nursing Peer Review Council; and is an active volunteer within the community, Gardner added.

The awards will be presented at the Nurse of the Year Awards Gala on Aug. 28 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

More than 300 nurses throughout Arizona were nominated by their patients, peers and administrators in one or more of 14 different categories.

“We had an overwhelming response from the community as well as people inside the health care arena,” said Claire Marren, March of Dimes community director.

The awards committee received double the nominations as compared to last year, she noted.

The volunteer committee, made up of industry professionals and community leaders, reviewed blinded nominations to select three finalists in each category.

This year's theme, “The Year of the Nurse: A Global Appreciation,” honors the 2010 International Year of the Nurse. This year is the centennial anniversary of the death of the “founder of modern nursing,” Florence Nightingale (1820-1910).

In its seventh year, the awards program was established by the March of Dimes “to bring awareness to the critical nursing shortage throughout Arizona as well as support future nurses through scholarship funding.”

According to the March of Dimes, the organization has presented over $100,000 in scholarships to nursing colleges at Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, Maricopa County Community Colleges, Northern Arizona University, Pima Community College and University of Arizona.

This year's presenting partners are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and University of Phoenix.

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or 539-6856.