BY KAREN BOSSICK
Jennifer Rablin has been awarded the 2023 Carl A. Gray Memorial Award for nursing excellence.
Rablin was chosen for the award by the entire hospital staff at St. Luke’s Wood River.
Rablin is an assistant nurse manager on the Medical/Surgical, Mother/Baby and Emergency Department for night shifts. She started as a medical/surgical nurse at St. Luke’s Wood River 15 years ago, after working as a line chef to pay her work through nursing school.
Her colleagues described her as thoughtful, compassionate and skilled, with a wonderful calm nature. Many noted that knowing that her name is on the schedule is a source of comfort. Besides having good nursing skills and a gift for teaching, she demonstrates exemplary managerial skills, they added.
The Harvey Gray Family established the annual award to honor Carl A. Gay, an avid member of the Sun Valley Ski Club.
Awards of distinction were also given in specific areas of the St. Luke’s core values. Scott Kelly, RN, BSN, Administrative Supervisor for Med/Surg, Mother/Baby and the Emergency Department, was recognized for Integrity. Hadly Steel, RN, BSN, RNBC-AMB, SLWR Internal Medicine, was honored for Compassion. Janet Barton, RN, BSN – Mother/Baby Unit, was recognized for Accountability, and Jennifer Merrick, RN, BSN, CAPA - PACU, for Respect.
Megan Tanous, chief development officer of St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation, said that it is wonderful to have the opportunity to honor hospital nurses.
“Our nurses take on so many roles, never shying away from responsibility, stepping up to help their peers and to advocate for their patients,” she said. “They exhibit compassion, as well as a desire to continually learn and to strive for the highest level of safety and quality in everything they do.”