Memorial Hermann awards Service Excellence winners

Memorial Hermann Northeast CEO Louis Smith (far left) and Chief Nursing Officer Linda Stephens (far right) presented certificates and checks to the 2012 Service Excellence Award winners, seated, from left: Kerri Pennington, Mary Fruzia and Greg Wong.

Several area medical professionals were honored for their service as part of National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week.

Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital announced the 2012 Service Excellence Awards during a special ceremony during National Hospital Week. The recipients, nominated by fellow employees, are Kerri Pennington, B.S.N., R.N.C., Education Department, Nurse Excellence Award; Mary Fruzia, R.R.T., Cardiopulmonary Department, Clinical Care Excellence Award; Gregg Wong, Central Transportation, Support Service Excellence Award; and Neurological Unit staff, Team Excellence Award.

Pennington is an education resource specialist with a bachelor of science degree in nursing. She has worked at Northeast for four years. Pennington was recognized for her efforts in encouraging breastfeeding at the Women's Center and making the Northeast campus a mother-friendly worksite. Due to her efforts, Memorial Hermann Northeast once again was selected by the Texas Department of Health as a Texas Ten Step Hospital for her efforts in promoting breastfeeding.

Fruzia, a respiratory therapist with the Cardiopulmonary Department, has been a Northeast campus employee for 14 years. She has an associate degree of applied science in respiratory care from Lone Star College-Kingwood. Fruzia was honored for her positive attitude, her technical skills and her leadership abilities as a safety coach and a smoking-cessation educator.

Wong is a patient escort for Central Transportation. He has worked at the Northeast campus for two years. He was singled out for his ability to solve mechanical problems. Wong, who holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, developed a system to be able to identify patients who are in isolation. Also he created a device that solved an issue with knotted lines looped around the oxygen unit.

The Neurological Unit staff received the Team Excellence Award for its expertise in developing a stroke program, which resulted in Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital earning certification as a primary stroke center. The staff was cited for its commitment to quality and working collaboratively with other departments to educate and care for the stroke patient.

The Service Excellence Awards are given annually during Nurses Week and Hospital Week, which commemorate the birthday of Florence Nightingale, considered the founder of modern-day nursing.