SAMH Employee National Finalist for Nurse of the Year

Patsy Lilly, RN, CWCA, Clinical Nurse Manager of HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital’s Wound Healing Center, was recently named one of seven finalists nationwide for Healogics’ “Mary Cook Nurse of the Year” Award.  Healogics, the nation’s leading wound care management company, presents this award annually to a dedicated, skilled, and compassionate Nurse Manager whose commitment to the patient and improvement in wound care is at the forefront of everything they do. The award is named after Mary Cook, RN, who was a wound care pioneer and Healogics employee who passed away in 2010.

(PATSY LILLY)

One Healogics Nurse Manager nationwide is awarded the Mary Cook Nurse of the Year Award and named to the President’s Circle. Although Lilly was not chosen as the nationwide “Mary Cook” award winner, she was named winner of the Midwest Region.  She was nominated for the award by Healogics and her Wound Healing Center Director, Tammy Probst. Lilly has been the Clinical Nurse Manager at St. Anthony’s Wound Healing Center since it opened in 2009.  She has maintained an average healing rate of 96 percent during that time.

Lilly’s nomination outlined the many ways that she goes above and beyond her expected duties to demonstrate teamwork, exceed her customers’ expectations, and exhibit integrity and commitment while continually elevating her care.  Some of her attributes that were highlighted in the nomination included:

• She has created a team atmosphere with the nurses and staff. She encourages her team to strive for the best possible outcomes not only with patients but also with the company. She leads by example and it shows with her staff.
• The patients at [St. Anthony’s Wound Healing Center] are always her priority, regardless of what their need is. Patients ask for her by name. She is kind and compassionate and is able to get patients to open up about personal things that the doctors cannot identify.
• Hospital Directors and Managers lean on Lilly for direction on inpatient wound care, regardless of whether the patient is currently established in [St. Anthony’s] Wound Healing Center or just on the floor at the moment. She takes time out of her numerous responsibilities and stops what she is doing to give guidance.

Lilly shared how she felt about receiving the award for the Midwest Region. “I am truly honored but this award is not all about me. We all know we are only as good as the people around us and I have the pleasure of working with some amazing staff and physicians. They all trusted me, saw my vision and helped make the successes of our Wound Healing Center come true,” she said. “It's not hard work when you love what you do and I truly love this job.”

For more information about HSHS St. Anthony’s Wound Healing Center, contact Tammy Probst, Director, at (217) 347-3565 or email  Tammy.Probst@hshs.org, or visit St. Anthony’s Web site at stanthonyshospital.org.  Wound care services are provided at all the hospitals in the Southern Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System, which includes HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland.