Jacksonville, Florida, April 19, 2007 -- Most of us, or our loved ones, have been touched by that special nurse whose great skill, caring and compassion made a memorable and positive, even life-changing, impact. It is time to honor these exceptional people. The Great 100 Nurses of Northeast Florida, Inc. has selected 100 talented nurses -- 24 of whom work for Baptist Health -- to receive the prestigious awards. An elegant dinner and awards ceremony will be held on May 12, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Jacksonville, where colleagues, family, patients and community members will honor these special nurses.

Nurses have been selected from five different counties including Baker, St. Johns, Clay, Duval and Nassau and are employed at area hospitals, hospices, home health care agencies, and other health care related businesses. These nurses exemplify the spirit of the C.A.R.E. model which includes C-Clinical or Community Nursing, A-Administrative Nursing or Advocacy, R-Research or Role Model, E-Education or Entrepreneur.

Nurses continue to be in critically short supply in Northeast Florida. The Great 100 Nurses of Northeast Florida, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to efforts to reduce this shortage by raising money for nursing scholarships, celebrating nursing within the community and to showcase the link between good nursing care and good health. In their last three events, honorees were recognized for their exceptional impact on the health and quality of others' lives. It is time, again, to show these special nurses how much they have contributed to the communities of Northeast Florida.

Below is the list of Baptist Health's Great 100 Nurses award recipients.

Japhetia L Blackwell
Baptist Home Health

Regina Brennan
Baptist Medical Center Nassau

Jonathan Brewton
Baptist Medical Center Downtown

Charles E. (Eddie) Brown
Baptist Medical Center South

Nancy Cann
Baptist Medical Center Beaches

Antonina Cuaresma
Baptist Medical Center Beaches

Lucinda Deputy
Baptist Medical Center South

Doreen Donohue
Baptist Medical Center Downtown

Melissa Estervig
Baptist Medical Center Beaches

Barbara Gingher
Baptist Medical Center Nassau

Fern Hannigan
Wolfson Children's Hospital

Linda McClendon
Baptist Medical Center Downtown

Kathleen Murray
Baptist Medical Center Downtown

Cathy Nasby
Baptist Medical Center South

Violeta Olmoguez
Baptist Medical Center Beaches

Mollie O'Neill
Wolfson Children's Hospital

Teresa Pye
Wolfson Children's Hospital

Diane Raines
Baptist Health

Jennifer Randolph
Baptist Medical Center South

Esther Shepherd
Baptist Medical Center Nassau

Yvette Sims
Baptist Medical Center South

Laura Thomas
Baptist Medical Center South

Melony Vermillion
Wolfson Children's Hospital

Kristin Vondrak
Baptist Health