Press Releases

CMS Announces 2009 Nurse Practice Award Winners

Company Honors Top Nurses as Part of Annual Nurse Recognition Program

St. Louis - May 08, 2009

Correctional Medical Services, Inc. (CMS) is pleased to celebrate National Nurses Week with an announcement of its 3rd annual Nurse Practice Award winners.

The awards are sponsored by the company’s Nursing Leadership Council to recognize exemplary nursing practice by a CMS nurse. Employees were invited to nominate themselves or their fellow colleagues by submitting an essay describing an individual’s nursing practice. An eight-member internal multidisciplinary judging panel then evaluated entries on the following criteria:

• Clarity of the exemplary nature of the nursing practice described
• Demonstration of CMS Values
• Impact of care on the patient or patient population

Employees submitted a total of 175 nominations for the awards, and judges selected three winners from the group.

“Each year of the nursing practice award program has enriched our understanding and appreciation of the dedicated care provided by CMS nurses everyday,” said Clinical Education Manager Lorry Schoenly. “We are inspired each year by the work described in the nominations.”

The 2009 CMS Nurse Practice Award winners are as follows:

Gold Award
Libby Green, LPN
Donaldson Correctional Facility, Bessemer, AL
Entry Excerpt:
“She has found the perfect balance in a correctional setting of being compassionate while understanding the environment we work in. Her peers, patients, the DOC [Department of Corrections] and Warden all love and respect her both as a person and an excellent nurse.”

Silver Award
Cindy Johnson, RN
RN Coordinator, Alabama Regional Office
Entry Excerpt:
“She is continuously showing the staff that doing a nursing function correctly is always the best thing to do and we should always give quality care.”

Bronze Award
Bobbie Allison, LPN
McPherson Women’s Correctional Unit, Newport, Arkansas
Entry Excerpt:
“Ms. Allison’s complete history and careful monitoring after an inmate’s head injury led to a quick diagnosis of an unusual metabolic disorder. During this situation Ms. Allison remained calm and professional. Her skills were right on target and her diligent nursing paid off for this inmate. CMS is lucky to have Bobbie Allison on our team.”

The Grand Prize or Gold Award winner will receive a $500 monetary award, an all expense paid trip to CMS headquarters in St. Louis for recognition at the company’s management meeting, and a celebration dinner with CMS’ Chief Executive Officer and Nursing leadership. CMS will provide all nominated nurses with an appreciation gift and certificate of participation.

About Correctional Medical Services, Inc (CMS)

Correctional Medical Services, Inc (CMS) is a nationwide leader in the provision of correctional healthcare services, offering a comprehensive suite of medical, dental, pharmacy and mental health services for the incarcerated population. CMS currently maintains a presence in 18 states and manages medical services for 10 statewide systems. More than 6,000 employees and independent contractors work with CMS nationwide. For more information, visit the CMS Web site at www.cmsstl.com.