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AAPACN 2024 Awards – Honoring LTPAC Professionals

AAPACN 2024 Awards – Honoring LTPAC Professionals

At the AAPACN 2024 Conference held in Hollywood, Florida last week, AAPACN honored the work of LTPAC professionals who embody the vision and values of AAPACN – integrity, innovation, inspiration, and influence – and who have made a lasting impact on post-acute care and nursing. Let’s meet the AAPACN 2024 Award winners in this video and below.

Image of Jen Grimes

The Impact Award is presented to a member whose actions over the course of their career have had a positive impact on the nursing profession, the post-acute care field, or AAPACN.

Jen is the Senior Director of Revenue Integrity at American Health Partners in Franklin, Tennessee. A champion for nurse education, Jen has helped team members advance from LPN to RN and RN to BSN, even encouraging past AAPACN Education Foundation scholarship winners to further their education. As her colleague, Wendi Hays, wrote in her nomination of Jen, “Jen is a firm believer that knowledge is power and anything can be accomplished as long as there is a knowledge base. She is compassionate and dedicated to her team. Jen goes above and beyond each day to reflect company values of respect, integrity, teamwork, excellence, compassion, and professionalism.”

Image of Cherokee County Health and Rehab, winner of an AAPACN 2024 Award

The Organizational Excellence Award recognizes an organization or facility team that has implemented innovative processes and practices to improve the quality of resident care.

Cherokee County Health and Rehab in Centre, Alabama, earn this award encouraging residents to suggest an extra monthly activity such as water balloon fights, going to the fair, or shrimp boils, even the most disengaged residents have joined the fun. As administrator Jennifer Cambron, explained, “Studies with older adults have found that laughter therapy improves quality of life – including relieving tension and stress, increasing happiness, improving immune system function, boosting memory, and increasing bonds with caregivers. Our over-the-top activities have been proven to put big smiles on faces, increased socialization with others, and added more memories to share.”

Image of Donna Patrick

The Clinical Leader of the Year Award is presented to a clinical leader who embodies the four values of AAPACN – inspiration, influence, integrity, and innovation.

A Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, Donna is the director of nursing and assistant administrator at the Meadows at Osborn Park in Huron, Ohio. Donna is a leader and advocate in both her facility and community. As Leslie Williams explained in her nomination of Donna, “Recently, Donna saw a need in the community for people wanting to enter the healthcare field but not having the resources to do so. She convinced our county’s commissioners to let us pay for the STNA classes and certification, while providing a salary for students in school.” Because of her efforts, Donna helped more than 50 staff obtain their STNA education and certification.

Image of Holly Sox, winner of an AAPACN 2024 Award

The LTPAC Shining Star Award honors a member who embodies a spirit of inspiration, touching the lives of residents, families, and co-workers.

Holly is an MDS Coordinator for NHC Lexington in Gilbert, South Carolina. Physical therapist, Leonard Pressley wrote in his nomination of Holly, “Holly is committed to being the best LTC nurse she can possibly be, and she does so much more than complete assessments. She leads IDT groups that solve problems, educates our staff on the latest practices to ensure we are as accurate as possible, and even finds time to sing with our residents in groups and individually. I have known her to drop in and sing with residents in the lowest or loneliest hours even after she has worked long hours and is physically exhausted. She is truly a shining star. I am a better clinician and a better person from working with Holly Sox.”

Image of Mary Joceyln Cabrera

The Clinical Assessment Professional of the Year Award, recognizes a nurse assessment coordinator or other member of the IDT who holds a RAC-CT or RAC-CTA credential and who exemplifies the highest level of knowledge, skill, and integrity within their role in the RAI process.

Mary Joycelyn is an MDS coordinator at New Jersey Eastern Star Home in Bridgewater, New Jersey. As administrator Dawn Giakas wrote in her nomination of Jocelyn, “Mary Jocelyn consistently strives for excellence in providing a standard of service and care that reflects her own moral compass of integrity, ethical standards of practice, and leadership as the MDS Coordinator and as a mentor to her fellow professionals. She initiated an MDS training process with the IDT that not only elevated the facility’s culture of excellence but above all, ensures that residents receive the highest quality of care and maintain the highest quality of life. In my almost 25 years as an administrator, my facilities have never had a deficiency related to MDS under Jocelyn’s watch.”

Finally, AAPACN recognized the achievements of AHCA President and CEO, Mark Parkinson, with the LTPAC Lifetime Impact Award. Parkinson retires this year. Learn more about how Mark’s dedication, vision, and tireless commitment have left an indelible mark on post-acute and long-term care in this short video.

Congratulations to the AAPACN 2024 Award Winners! Learn more about the AAPACN Awards and meet more past winners.