Jamey M. Ferdinando, RN, is Monongahela Valley Hospital’s Cameos of Caring Award recipient for 2007.

Ms. Ferdinando, a member of the 5-East nursing team, will be honored at the University Pittsburgh School of Nursing’s annual Cameos of Caring Awards Gala on Saturday, October 6 in the Sprit of Pittsburgh Ballroom at the Pittsburgh Convention Center.

According to Josie Fletcher, RN, senior vice president at Monongahela Valley Hospital, Jamey is being recognized for her commitment to the nursing profession and to her patients, experience and expertise.

“When one thinks of nominating a special nurse for the Cameos of Caring Award, one name immediately comes to mind,” Mrs. Fletcher said. “Jamey is special to us and our patients in so many ways.”

Jamey chose nursing as her career after working as a volunteer in the Ringgold High School nurse’s office and had the opportunity to shadow an MVH nurse. The experience, Jamey said, “made me believe I could make a difference in patient’s lives.”

What Jamey loves most about her job are the people. Her goal is that each patient experience will enhance his or her health and well being.

Ms. Ferdinando is a December 1996 graduate of The Washington Hospital School of Nursing. She began her career at MVH in June 1997 and worked on 6-East and as a hospital-wide assessment nurse before transferring to her current duties on the Med/Surg/Orthopedics Unit.

She serves on the Safety Team in the Journey To Excellence program, and the Nursing Communication and Skin Care Committees. In the latter roles, it was noted, she “brings back information to share with and educate our staff to increase our knowledge to ensure delivery of the best possible care to our patients.”

The nomination also said:

“Jamey also takes great interest in our Press Ganey patient survey results and helps those who are new to our unit understand the importance of focusing in on specific areas in need of improvement for our patients.

“She has always made herself available to step into any position needed on the unit, making it a point to know as much as possible about all of our patients. She also has taken time ... to spend with nursing students and help make impacts on their decisions to become nurses.

There is not a member of our team that isn’t happy to “know they are working a shift with her. We wish she could be cloned!”

Ms. Ferdinando’s participation in the Cameos of Caring program was sponsored by the Norman G. Golomb Education Endowment, the MVH Medical Staff and the Hospital.

Other MVH nominees for the Cameos recognition this year were: Lisa Beal, RN; Celeste Gonzalez, RN; Allison Herron, RN; Christine Hixon, RN; Diane Leach, RN; Ruth Legeza, RN; Michele Kaczmarek, RN; Kevin Newman, RN; Mariaelena Perowski, RN; Helen Pokomo, RN; Denise Ricci, RN; Rachel Shields, RN; Rosemary Stankovich, RN; Janice Whiten, RN.