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AMY PAKES, RN, NURSE MANAGER OF NASSAU COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS BURN CENTER AT NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, SELECTED AS NURSE OF DISTINCTION BY THE NASSAU-SUFFOLK HOSPITAL COUNCIL FOR THE

April 24, 2008

Contact: 
Shelley Lotenberg
(516) 572-6055
shelley@numc.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 AMY PAKES, RN, NURSE MANAGER OF NASSAU COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS BURN CENTER AT NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, SELECTED AS NURSE OF DISTINCTION BY THE NASSAU-SUFFOLK HOSPITAL COUNCIL FOR THE
NURSE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

SELECTED FOR HER COMPASSION TO NUMC’S CRITICALLY ILL BURN PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND HER COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION OF PROFESSIONALS ON FIRE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY

East Meadow, NY…..Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the Nassau Health Care Corporation proudly announced that the Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council has selected Amy Pakes, RN, nurse manager of the Nassau County Firefighters Burn Center at NUMC, to be the recipient of the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council Nurse of Excellence Award.  “I am delighted to announce the well-deserved selection and recognition of nurse manager Amy Pakes, as the recipient of the Nurse of Excellence award.  The compassion that she shows our critically ill patients and their families on a day-to-day basis and her commitment to educating the general public on fire prevention, make her an excellent choice for this prestigious award,” stated Mr. Gianelli.

Julie Mirkin, MA, RN, CAN, Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services joined Mr. Gianelli in congratulating Amy Pakes on her well-deserved award:  “Ms. Pakes has been a vital member of NUMC’s nursing department during the last twenty-four years.  Her special qualities of commitment, compassion and caring extend far beyond the walls of the hospital as she participates in significant outreach programs to benefit critically ill trauma and burn patients.”

Ms. Pakes attended Molloy College for her nursing degree and discovered that she had an interest in taking care of burn patients.  She has worked in the burn center at NUMC in some capacity for the past twenty-four years.  During her tenure, she has spent countless hours caring for both the critically injured as well as the non-critically injured burn patient of any age.  Ms. Pakes currently is the nurse manager for not only NUMC’s burn unit but for the hyperbaric unit and surgical intensive care unit.
            
During her career, she identified a deficiency in the community’s knowledge of fire prevention and safety.  She has been a resource person for outside organizations, both professional and non-professional alike, educating them on not only fire safety and general safety, but has incorporated carbon monoxide safety education into her programs as well.
She has been and continues to be a clinical resource to the nursing community and has developed educational programs on burn care and related conditions that are treated in burn centers.  She has lectured at regional nursing conferences and senior nursing seminars.  Ms. Pakes is the burn center’s liaison with the Nassau County Firefighter’s Burn Center Foundation (NCFFBCF).  Through this affiliation, she has provided education to over 10,000 firefighters in Nassau County.  She has recently worked with the foundation, the NY Islanders and the Stephen Siller Foundation (a foundation formed to honor a NYFD firefighter who lost his life on 9/11) to raise funds for the three regional burn centers.  The funds are used to assist in the mission to provide quality care to the very unique burn patient population.
Her most recent accomplishment has been her involvement in the development and opening of the state-of-the-art burn center at NUMC.  She participated throughout the process with the design and construction of this facility with intense involvement every step of the way.  With the opening of this unit, our candidate’s vision has come full circle.  Her staff, as well as future staff, can practice in an environment these very special patients and their families deserve.

Mr. Gianelli concluded by saying:  “Ms. Pakes is an exemplary nurse whose dedication and commitment to NUMC, the surrounding communities and professional colleagues make her an asset to NUMC and the nursing profession.”