Saturday, June 18, 2022

Griffin Hospital in Derby honors nurses at annual celebration

Yangchen Dhondup, RN, left, with Kimberlee Richard

DERBY - Griffin Hospital recently held its 34th Annual Nurses Week Celebration to honor its more than 350 staff nurses. 
The Nursing Department staff members were treated to refreshments, gifts, raffles, and award presentations to nurses who provided exceptional care during the year.

“The country is celebrating National Nurses Week at a time when the sacrifices and efforts of our health care workers have been unprecedented,” said Griffin Hospital Vice President of Patient Care Kimberlee Richard. 
“Our Nursing staff have exhibited a passion, grace and humility which inspires our leadership team. We are proud to serve and work side-by-side with them every day!”

Yangchen Dhondup, RN, of Naugatuck, a nurse in the Griffin Hospital Emergency Department, received the 2022 Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award.

A caregiver at Griffin since 2001, Dhondup started as a Multi-Skilled Technician and advanced her career to earn her LPN and RN degrees. Throughout the surges in COVID-19 infections, she was an inspiration and source of comfort for her fellow caregivers in the Griffin Hospital Emergency Department.

“Yang battled all the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while giving 100%, demonstrating true selflessness and compassion for everyone she encounters,” Richard said. “She remained a positive influence for her team, cooked food to lift their spirits, kept a smile on her face even on the hardest days, and treated each patient with dignity, respect, and compassion through it all. She is a true hero in the Emergency Department because her spirit of serving the Griffin team and the Griffin community has never changed.”

Blerina Petitti, RN

Stephanie Velez, RN

Elsa Zewdu, RN

Caitlin Gaetani, RN

Jessica Schepp, RN

Petitti, Karleen Guluzzy, RN, of Ansonia, and Sheetal Sharma, RN, of Trumbull, won the Donald Torok Memorial Scholarship Award. Third from left is Linda Torok.


In addition, Blerina Petitti, RN, of Southbury, received the Mary Schumacher Nursing Leadership Award; Stephanie Velez, RN, of Ansonia, and Elsa Zewdu, RN, of East Haven, received the Mary Nelligan Continuing Education Award; Caitlin Gaetani, RN, of Waterbury, received the Shirley Yale Nursing Scholarship Award; Jessica Schepp, RN, of Oxford, received the Marie Santini Perioperative Nursing Excellence Award. 


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.