NADINE ANDERSON-LAWRENCE CROWNED NURSE OF THE YEAR 2007

LASCO Pleased With Tradition Of Excellence of NOY Awardees

KINGSTON, JAMAICA- July 22, 2007: Nadine Carol Anderson-Lawrence who is attached to the island’s largest maternity and child-care institution, Victoria Jubilee Hospital, last night copped the prestigious LASCO/ NAJ Nurse of the Year 2007 Award. In between outbursts of tears of joy and laughter, she was crowned and sashed by the outgoing Nurse of the Year Dawn Marie Richards at the Awards Ceremony at Knutsford Court Hotel.

Commenting on her victory, Mrs. Anderson-Lawrence stated, “It is an unexpected, yet great pleasure…I know there is hard work ahead but with the collaboration of my colleagues, family, friends and God, it will be an exciting reign.” She also paid tribute to the other finalists in the Nurse of The Year competition. Mrs. Anderson-Lawrence expressed confidence, “I anticipate a successful, exciting and profitable year.”

She walked away with prizes from the LASCO Group of Companies including $130,000, a gold trophy, a jumbo gift basket and certificate of participation. Mrs. Anderson- Lawrence was also presented with shares in the Nurses Cooperative Credit Union worth $10,000 and a scholarship from the Ministry of Health to pursue post-graduate studies.

The new Nurse of the Year was one of the first Registered Nurses at the Victoria Hospital and subsequently completed her midwifery training in 1996. Mrs. Anderson-Lawrence also holds a Master of Science degree in Nursing Administration.

Anthonette Patterson of Kingston Public Hospital was first Runner-Up while the second Runner Up spot went to Public Health Nurse Scotilda Piper-Banton. They received trophies and cash prizes of $80,000 and $50,000 respectively from LASCO. The new Student Nurse of the Year who was also crowned last night is Georgia Johnson of Cornwall School of Nursing and she received $20,000 and a trophy from LASCO.

Addressing the participants in Saturday night’s Nurse of the Year (NOY) Awards Ceremony, Lascelles Chin, Chairman and CEO of the LASCO Group of Companies said his company is “happy to identify and reward unsung heroes in the field of nursing who are proactive in advancing the interests, professionalism and welfare of members of the profession, while being actively engaged in community service.”

Noting that it has been an eight-year partnership between LASCO and the Nurses Association of Jamaica in staging the NOY competition, Mr. Chin noted that the Awardees over the years continue to blaze a trail of excellence in their professional and personal lives.

Commenting on the challenges within the health sector, the LASCO CEO emphasized that there is no room for complacency in improving the sector. “I am urging the government to employ all the resources and manpower necessary to ensure that no equipment and appliance shortages affect our health institutions,” said Mr. Chin.

He also called for collaborative action in tackling the problems in the sector:

”Community organizations, public and private sector interests, non-governmental organizations and Jamaicans in the Diaspora must also see it as their social responsibility to assist with bolstering supplies at hospitals and health centres.”

On the matter of other solutions for the sector, Chairman and CEO of the LASCO Group of Companies advised that the Health Ministry use innovative strategies of engaging its employees. “Ongoing consultation and engagement with your nurses and other health professionals on all matters affecting their welfare will be the ‘secret sauce’ that strengthens productivity, performance and job satisfaction,” recommended Mr. Chin. He proposes that the engagement of workers be not limited to face-to-face intervention,” but leverage the power of technology, such as online chat-rooms or forum for the island’s nurses, to encourage and receive feedback from them”.

Keynote speaker at the Awards Ceremony, Dr. Stephanie Corinthian-Reid echoed similar sentiments, urging the health sector to utilize more advanced and relevant technology to assist its activities in being more efficient and cost effective

She expressed concern that too many health institutions “struggle with budgets that do not live up to providing for the needs of those institutions.”  Dr. Corinthian-Reid urged policy makers to create a positive practice environment in health institutions by putting in the much-needed infrastructure.

The Nurse of the Year Awards Ceremony marked the culmination of Nurses’ Week which was held under the theme, “Positive practice environments: quality workplaces = quality patient care”.   Among other highlights of the week were: a church service on Sunday July 15 at Trinity Moravian Church on Montgomery Avenue, Nurses’ Summer School on July 17-18 at Knutsford Court Hotel, Founders’ Day Prayer Breakfast on July 19 at Knutsford Court Hotel, and a Courtesy Call on Governor General Professor Kenneth Hall.