In May 2024, Vail Health nurses Karen Clous and Sara Dembeck were recognized with statewide Nightingale Luminaries awards. They received the Colorado Nightingale Nurse of the Year Award on Saturday, May 18, for their exceptional achievements in nursing administration and quality improvement respectively.
Sara Dembeck expressed her gratitude for the award, thanking Vail Health for providing a culture that supports and values its nurses. She noted that it was an honor to be recognized for her work as an associate chief nursing officer at Vail Health’s Shaw Cancer Center.
Karen Clous also expressed her appreciation for the recognition, acknowledging the support from her team and leadership at Vail Health. She won the Nightingale Award for Exceptional Achievement in Quality Improvement, recognizing her contributions to improving patient care at Shaw Cancer Center.
Out of a group of 78 regional finalists, a total of 15 Colorado nurses were honored with the statewide award. Four of these nurses from Vail Health were recognized at the Western Slope regional awards in early May, including Jennifer Willoughby and Liz Wodrich who won in Nursing Education Academia and Nursing Education in Professional Development respectively.
Vail Health President and CEO, Will Cook congratulated all the nurses on their achievements, emphasizing their importance to the organization’s success and recognizing their exceptional contributions to healthcare.
