BY KAREN BOSSICK

Two nurses at St. Luke’s Wood River have been honored with the 2019 Carl A. Gray Memorial Award for nursing excellence.

Votes ended in a tie between Brittany McFarland and Donna Wright.

McFarland is the lead nurse in the Emergency Department. Her colleagues described her as an ER nurse to the core—compassionate, thoughtful and mindful of her interactions while being able to lead in tough situations. She’s “always ready for the unexpected,” they said.

Wright is a nurse in the Mother/Baby unit where she is known for offering a personal bedside manner.

“From delivering fresh homemade bread to patients each morning to her meticulous care of our Wood River newborns, she never overlooks the details which make each patient’s experience special from the minute they arrive,” her colleagues said.

The St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation’s Board of directors and the Harvey Gray Family honor a nurse every year who is selected by the nursing staff. The Gray Family established the award to honor Carl A. Gray, who was an active member of the Sun Valley Ski Club.

Awards of distinction were also given to Jason Lyman in Surgical Services for integrity; Angela Brady, nursing manager, for accountability, and Sue Henry, who just celebrated 40 years of service with St. Luke’s, for respect.