Mentors to nurses recognized

Four participants in the University of Colorado Hospital's (UCH) preceptor program recently were recognized for their work to help orient and mentor nurses who are newly arrived from nursing schools or other institutions. Those receiving recognition for the fourth quarter of the year are:

• Kim Kirk, R.N., medicine/geriatrics. In nominating Kirk, Clinical Nurse Educator Deborah Ford, R.N., wrote, "It is unusual for Kim not to have either a student nurse or a graduate nurse resident by her side. Feedback from orientees is that Kim is helpful and yet allows enough freedom for the orientee to develop time-management skills... (She) is a kind and exceptional nurse and she expects that of her orientees as well."
• Cheryl Spangler, R.N., cardiovascular intermediate care unit. "Cheryl has been an active and dedicated preceptor for the (unit) for the last eight years," wrote nominators Shannon Barone, R.N., and Clinical Nurse Educator Stephanie Cradick, R.N. "She has taken the lead in precepting three to five new R.N.s to the unit each year and has been an active member of the unit's preceptor council. She continues to mentor and support R.N.s well after their orientation has ended."
• Sarah Wandland, R.N., oncology and BMT unit. Wandland completed the UCH graduate nurse residency program in 2005, wrote her nominator, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Educator Barbara Wenger, R.N. "Approximately one year after her graduation, she started precepting students on the unit and later became one of the primary preceptors for new graduate R.N.s," Wenger noted. "It is evident when Sarah is precepting that she enjoys explaining not only the procedure but the concept behind it. She embodies the preceptor role with her ability to critique and give feedback along with encouragement for the next time."
• Kimberlee LaMothe, R.N., burn/trauma intensive care unit. LaMothe, a longtime preceptor at UCH, "always provides a safe and supportive learning environment for student nurses, new graduate nurses, as well as nurses new to (the hospital)," wrote nominator Camy Boyle, R.N., a clinical nurse educator for the unit. "Kimberlee consistently sets the student or new nurse up with a strong clinical foundation that is based on the best evidence."