#04-127
May 24, 2004

Rosalynn Carter Institute announces inaugural Caring & Competent Caregiver Award winners

Honorees will be recognized at June 15 Atlanta Gala

AMERICUS--The Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) at Georgia Southwestern State University has announced the inaugural winners of its new Caring & Competent Caregiver Award, to be presented at the RCI Gala Celebration of Caregivers, 7 p.m. June 15 at Atlanta Symphony Hall. 

"This honor was established to recognize exemplary professional caregivers across the nation who, through service to others, demonstrate uncommon levels of competence and care to those in need and their family caregivers," said Ronda C. Talley, Ph.D., executive director of the RCI. "Award recipients demonstrate their competence through their knowledge and skill in performing their job responsibilities and recognition of superior job performance by supervisors and peers. They demonstrate competence through the genuine interest, concern, and empathy they show for the persons they serve and their family caregivers," added RCI Deputy Director David H. Haigler, Ed.D., who oversaw the award selection process. 

"In addition, we are pleased to announce that Mariner Health Care has provided the financial support for the 2004 Caring and Competent Caregivers Awards," Talley noted. 

The 2004 awards are made in four categories: Nurse's Aide/Patient Care Technician, Licensed Practical Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Home Health Aide. Winners are: 

• Nurse's Aide/Patient Care Technician--Beverly H. Christman 
• Licensed Practical Nurse--Scott Law 
• Certified Nursing Assistant--Gayle Werre 
• Home Health Aide--Raschanda Cunningham 

Beverly Christman works as a Caregiver at Arden Courts, an assisted living facility for persons in the early to mid-stages of Alzheimer's disease, in Allentown, Penn., where she has worked since 1995. Nominators said Christman demonstrates her competence by providing valuable insight to complex issues, exhibiting creativity in problem solving, and making sound decisions under pressure. 

Scott Law is a Licensed Practical Nurse at Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice in Virginia Beach, Va., where he has worked for seven years. Prior to working there he was an LPN in the U.S. Army for five years and worked in a Combat Support Hospital in the 1991 Gulf War. Nominators said Law demonstrates his competence by being knowledgeable of all community resources and participating in the orientation process for new employees. They said he is caring, compassionate, calm and respectful in his everyday actions, and he cares for both co-workers and his patients, having an ability to put people at ease during very difficult times. 

Gayle Werre is a Certified Nursing Assistant Team Leader at Manor Care Health Services, a skilled nursing facility in Minot, N.D. She has worked at Manor Care for 33 years, since she was 16 years old. Nominators said Werre demonstrates her competence through her leadership skills, technical knowledge, dedication and reliability. They said that she is respected universally among staff, residents and families. 

Raschanda Cunningham is a Home Health Aide at Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice in Independence, Ohio, where she has worked for almost two years. Nominators said Cunningham demonstrates competence through her skill, dependability and continuing efforts to increase her knowledge. They said that she represents her peers on the Quality Improvement Committee and promotes teamwork among co-workers. 

The 2004 award winners will receive a bronze medallion presented by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and a $1,000 educational grant given in honor of Louise Casey, a former LPN. Casey campaigned for licensure of practical nurses in Nebraska. She was given the first test to license practical nurses and awarded license No. 1 as an LPN. At the age of 80, she retired the No. 1 license back to the Nebraska State Board of Nursing and at age 86, she was awarded Nebraska's Nurse of the Year for her pioneer leadership and dedication to a life of caring for others. 

Gala tickets are available for $100 per person. Professional caregivers who serve in one of the four award categories may obtain tickets for $25. Tickets are available through the Woodruff Arts Center box office at (404) 733-5000 or www.woodruffcenter.org/wac/tickets.html.

REPORTERS/EDITORS: 

For more information on the Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) or its programs, call (229) 928-1234 or go online: www.RosalynnCarter.org.

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