Knoxville — We have all met at least one outstanding nurse whose courage, competence, and commitment to patients and the nursing profession stands out above all others. Each year 100 Great Iowa Nurses are honored at a ceremony, created for the state of Iowa, by nurse and community leaders. Alyssa Clark, RN, BSN in the Surgical Department at Knoxville Hospital & Clinics has been selected as one of this year’s prestigious honorees.
This year’s 100 Great Iowa Nurses will be honored on May 2 at the sixth annual celebration in Des Moines. Nurses selected for this honor represent many sectors of health care, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and school and office nurses.
Alyssa, employed at KHC since November 2006, knew from an early age that she wanted to be a nurse. She wanted to be like her mother, Mona Milledge, a nursing veteran with 32 years of nursing experience.
“She [my mother] is my role model and has taught me what being a nurse is truly about,” said Alyssa. “I have seen the hard work ethic it takes to be a good nurse and the goodness she has gotten out of her job.”
The patients are what Alyssa enjoys the most about being a nurse. Having the opportunity to see the patients through from start to finish and being their advocate during surgery is in Alyssa’s eyes a very rewarding part of the job.
“You create a rapport with your patients – you see them in pre-op where you answer any questions they might have and help make them feel comfortable. During surgery, you get to be their eyes, ears, and voice, to make sure they receive the best individualized care possible. Then after the surgery you see them in recovery where you are able to celebrate the success of the surgery with them and help educate them about their post-op care.”
When asked what her reaction was to being nominated, Alyssa said she was very surprised.
“Then when I found out I won, it was a combination of breathtaking, overwhelmed, and honored! There were a number of other KHC nurses nominated who are just as deserving of this award as I am.”
In addition to Alyssa, eight other KHC RNs received nominations this year:
Melody Abell, R.N – Emergency Department Care Coordinator; Diana Carlson, R.N. – Surgical Services; Heather Cook, R.N. B.S.N. – Obstetrics Care Coordinator; Cheryl James, R.N. – Nursing Med/ Surg.; Kellie Jones, R.N. – Emergency Department; Jane Kruger, R.N. B.S.N – Nurse Manager, Nursing Administration; Deb Lefler, R.N. – Emergency Department; and Amy Zoutte, R.N. B.S.N – Surgical Services Care Coordinator.
“Alyssa is an excellent nurse and I am very happy that she has been publicly recognized for the role she plays in our organization. She is dedicated to her patients, other nursing peers, and the nursing profession as a whole,” said Gloria Reed, Director of Nursing at Knoxville Hospital & Clinics. “All of the KHC RNs who were nominated have made a difference in the nursing profession. Our nurses have found ways to raise the bar for their peers and improve the quality of life of their patients and I am very honored to work with such fine individuals.”
Alyssa is married to husband, Darin. They have one son, Cash, and are expecting a second baby in May.
“I enjoy working at KHC with other nurses who all strive to provide high quality of care to our patients. I feel fortunate to work with [general surgeon] Dr. Busick. She provides support to the nurses and helps us excel within our roles,” commented Alyssa.
