Nationwide Awards Recognize Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses, Associates and Nursing Teams at SGNA 35th Annual Course

SALT LAKE CITY, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. (SGNA) is proud to honor the outstanding work of GI and Endoscopy nurses and associates for their dedication to their field and patients through a series of annual awards. The recipients of these awards exemplify the best in GI and Endoscopy nursing, bringing great skills, passion and knowledge to everything they do. The winners of four distinguished awards will be recognized for their exceptional commitment to their profession at the SGNA 35th Annual Course this week at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The SGNA Annual Course provides a meeting place for GI and Endoscopy professionals to share ideas and best practices, in addition to offering important resources and certification opportunities to advance in the GI profession and stay up-to-date on the trends of the industry. The Annual Course also provides a great opportunity for GI professionals to convene and network with new friends year after year, as well as to honor and congratulate individuals for their excellent work.

The awards presented this year and the corresponding recipients are: the Proud to Be GI Award awarded to Janet Hannah, RN CGRN; the Gabriele Schindler Award awarded to Patricia Moushey, RN CGRN; the Distinguished Service Award awarded to Nancy DeNiro, RN CGRN; and the ABCGN's GI Professional of the Year Award awarded to Marianne Houlne, RN CGRN.

Following are details of the awards and additional information on each recipient:

"Proud To Be GI" Award

This award recognizes an individual who exemplifies the best qualities of a GI nurse or association, namely leadership, mentoring, communication and teamwork. SGNA, in partnership with Procter & Gamble (P&G) -- the maker of Asacol(R) (mesalamine) delayed-release tablets -- is proud to present this year's national "Proud to Be GI" award to Janet Hannah, RN CGRN. Janet, a registered nurse at the Inova-Loudon Ambulatory Surgery Center in Lansdowne, VA, was selected by her peers as the local award winner of this award and now has been recognized as the recipient of the national Proud to Be GI award based on her ability to demonstrate leadership, professionalism, integrity, dedication to teamwork, effective communications skills and superior clinical skills.

The SGNA Gabriele Schindler Award

This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates excellence in gastroenterology clinical practice and who exemplifies the skill, knowledge and compassion of Gabriele Schindler, the first recorded gastrointestinal assistant and an early pioneer of GI patient care. This year the SGNA presents this prestigious award, which is sponsored by Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to Patricia Moushey, RN CGRN, who represents Schindler's spirit of compassion, commitment, professionalism and caring. Not only has Pat demonstrated her commitment and dedication to the Endoscopy Department at St. Luke's Hospital in New York, she also has contributed her time by traveling on two medical missions to Peru. In July Pat will be taking part in a third mission that will be featured in a documentary on the Discovery Channel next year.

The SGNA Distinguished Service Award

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to SGNA at both the national and regional levels, while actively promoting the Society and the GI specialty through significant contributions in the areas of public service, legislation and other community involvement. This year's recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, sponsored by ERBE USA, Inc., is Nancy DeNiro, RN CGRN, who has been an active leader in SGNA for nearly 20 years. She has served several years on the national Program Committee, including time as Chair. Additionally, she has also served on the national Board of Directors for over 10 years, including time as Director, Treasurer and President. As a member of the Rocky Mountain Region of SGNA, Nancy has served in almost every position of the Board of Directors, including President, and was also the Editor of the newsletter, Gut Reaction, for many years.

ABCGN GI Professional of the Year Award

The American Board of Certification for Gastroenterology News (ABCGN) seeks to recognize a nurse who is dedicated in validating their qualifications through certification, and who demonstrates commitment and leadership among colleagues and patients to enhance the practice of gastroenterology nursing. ABCGN presents this year's GI Professional of the Year Award, sponsored by Cook Medical, to Marianne Houlne, RN CGRN, who has contributed greatly in an effort to improve the quality of the certification process. She has been recognized as a mentor to those nurses in the endoscopy department at her hospital, and serves as an example of patient care and service.

About Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA)

The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. (SGNA) is a professional organization of more than 8,000 nurses and associates dedicated to the safe and effective practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing. SGNA carries out its mission by advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing through education, research, advocacy, and collaboration, and by promoting the professional development of its members in an atmosphere of mutual support. For more information, visit www.sgna.org.

    SGNA Media Contact:
    Jennifer Kasowicz - Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates,
    Inc. +1-800-245-7462; jkasowicz@smithbucklin.com

    P&G Media Contact:
    Jeff McDowell - P&G Pharmaceuticals, Inc. +1-513-622-5583;
    mcdowell.jd.2@pg.com