Recently the Times Union asked for nominations in their Salute to Nurses and Nurse of the Year initiative and we were honored to nominate Erica Smith as our Superhero Nurse! Erica was selected as a finalist and we are excited to share our nomination below.
“Living Resources is an organization that provides programs and services that support individuals with developmental disabilities and/or brain injuries. As part of our services we have nurses on our team that not only provide necessary care but also provide us with the guidance to continue to ensure the health and safety of those we support and our entire staff. For this reason, we would like to nominate Erica Smith.
2020 brought many challenges to health care and human service organizations with daily changing information and guidance that required many moment-to-moment pivots to ensure the health and safety of all. During this time, Erica proved herself to be a decisive, confident, and caring leader. Her dedication during the Coronavirus pandemic has been never ending. She has worked around the clock, seven days a week, to respond to the needs of the individuals we serve and the staff that support them. Her commitment allowed us to keep everyone safe while continuing to provide high quality care to all, including individuals positively diagnosed with the virus. When individuals were hospitalized due to this pandemic, Erica was there to speak with hospital staff to ensure that they received the best possible care and treatment. She worked diligently to ensure that there was a safe and healthy environment to support them when they were discharged. Going above and beyond is a daily occurrence in her world and in the world that surrounds her.
Erica embodies all you would hope for in a Nurse: she cares about the wellness of everyone – the staff, administration, and the organization as a whole. She did this while also taking care of her own family, on boarding and training new nurses at the Agency, and recognizing the accomplishments of her peers – promoting a new Nurse Manager and keeping morale of her team high. It is our honor and privilege to have someone of Erica’s caliber and values on our team. For all of the reasons listed above, we respectfully nominate Erica Smith for Nurse of the Year!”
Thank you Erica for being a Living Resources Superhero and sharing your strength, commitment and heart with us!