Part 5 of a 5-part series commemorating nurse executives who have led through the pandemic.
HealthLeaders is celebrating National Nurses Week, May 6-12, by highlighting nurse leaders each day throughout the week who were among healthcare workers nominated by a colleague for HealthLeaders' "Leading Through the Pandemic" sweepstakes. Each nomination included comments from the colleague, which are featured here.
Afton May, RN, director of Quality and Risk
Mid-Valley Hospital & Clinic, Omak, Washington
Afton had been a prime example of leading from the front. She is a main organizer of our mass vaccinations while juggling her normal everyday duties of the hospital in our rural area. She has put countless hours into ensuring swift notifications and safety practices for mass vaccination clinics on a weekly basis, as well as keeping track of those names that are vaccinated and when they are due for their next vaccine dose.
She spent many hours calling and speaking with patients to ensure they are signed up and fit the appropriate phases to ensure the most compromised people are taken care of first. She reports our state vaccination numbers as well as testing numbers and positivity rates for our area/site. She is a true example of leadership.
AnnMarie Papa, DNP, RN, CEN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN
Vice president and chief nursing officer, Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, East Norriton, Pa.
AnnMarie Papa has been an exceptional leader during this global COVID-19 pandemic. She has remained accessible and engaged, starting from the beginning of the pandemic last year.
She makes daily rounds on the nursing units, keeping herself engaged with staff and situationally aware. AnnMarie has continued to foster personal resilience and professional growth in her staff during the pandemic.
Kit Bredimus, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CNML
Vice president of Nursing/chief nursing officer, Midland Memorial Hospital
Kitโs contributions extend well beyond the organization. His professional colleagues have described him as an exemplar of academic and professional excellence through leadership, advocacy, and practice. These attributes enhance his ability to lead and positively influence others through creative and visionary leadership.
This influence was seen throughout the pandemic when Kit was featured in interviews with local, state, and national media outlets, including Texas Nurses Association, Nurse Leader Journal, Petrie Dish Podcast, and NPR.
During National Nurses Week, we have run stories recognizing dedicated nurse leaders who have made sacrifices as they've led their nursing staffs through unprecedented and difficult times.
Catch up on previous stories:
Part 1: Honoring 3 Nurse Leaders Who Worked Tirelessly
Part 2: Taking Care of the Frontline Caregivers
Part 3: Nurse Leaders Worked Elbow to Elbow With Their Staff Caring for COVID-19 Patients
Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.