American Sentinel University and Colorado Hospital Association Name Nurses at Sterling Regional MedCenter January Colorado Health Care Stars

AURORA, Colo., Jan. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- American Sentinel University and the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) recently named Theresa "Tracie" Byczkowski, RN, BSN and Janet Pierce, RN, BSN, as the January Colorado Health Care Stars Award Winners. This award recognizes Byczkowski and Pierce, both members of the medical/surgical team at Sterling Regional MedCenter (SRM), as exceptional health care professionals.

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Colorado Health Care Stars is a statewide health care professional award recognition program sponsored by American Sentinel University and CHA. The program was launched in February 2015 to acknowledge clinical professionals in Colorado who exceed expectations in the delivery of health care.

Byczkowski is a long-tenured employee at SRM and supports the medical/surgical areas as well as the postpartum newborn families in the Family Birthing Center. She plans to begin orientation to the Intensive Care Unit through the hospital's Banner-ICU Academy.

Recently, she served in an interim four-month role as a preceptor for a BSN student from the University of Wyoming.

"Tracie's faithful advocacy of patients, families and co-workers is enduring at our hospital," says Wade Tyrrell, CNO at SRM. "She's an inaugural member of our Nursing Peer Review Subcommittee and is always giving back to the nursing profession."

The second award recipient, Janet Pierce, is a key member of SRM's medical nursing team. "She consistently demonstrates a calm, supportive and compassionate approach," says Tyrrell. "Her style is unique, comforting, focused and skillful."

Tyrrell says that Pierce is an integral member of SMR's Quality and Safety Committee and actively participated in an FMEA on patient falls to identify key factors contributing to increases. As a result, Pierce and the committee provided education to co-workers to decrease fall rates over the prior year and her work continues today.

"Her potential is limitless," says Tyrrell.

Nominate The Next Colorado Health Care Stars Winner
Nominate an exceptional clinical professional. Complete the nomination submission form at http://www.chacareercenter.com/Employers/Employer-Items/Colorado-Healthcare-Heroes.aspx.

Each month CHA draws from the pool of nominees and chooses an individual that will be featured the following month on the CHA Career Center website, receive a $100 Visa gift card courtesy of American Sentinel University and be entered into a drawing at the end of the year for a monetary scholarship toward an accredited health care certificate or degree at American Sentinel University. 

"These two outstanding nurses are frontline care providers that are making a positive difference in the delivery of health care at Sterling Regional MedCenter every day. We are proud to honor them with the Health Care Stars Award in recognition for their tremendous efforts in the field of nursing," says Chris Wolfe, Director of Program Strategy and Alliances at American Sentinel University.

Learn more about American Sentinel University's online degree programs at http://www.americansentinel.edu/nursing or call 866.922.5690.

About American Sentinel University
American Sentinel University delivers accredited online degree programs in nursing (BSN, MSN, and DNP) and healthcare management (MBA Healthcare, M.S. Information Systems Management, and M.S. Business Intelligence and Analytics). Its affordable, flexible bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), of One Dupont Circle, NW Suite 530, Washington, D.C., 20036. The DNP program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) of 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Ga., 30326. The University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, DEAC, 1101 17th Street NW, Suite 808, Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 234-5100, www.deac.org

For required student consumer information, please visit: www.americansentinel.edu/doe

About the Colorado Hospital Association
The Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) represents 100 member hospitals and health systems throughout Colorado. CHA partners with its members to work towards health reform and performance improvement, and provides advocacy and representation at the state and federal level. Colorado hospitals and health systems are committed to providing coverage and access to safe, high-quality and affordable health care. In addition, Colorado hospitals have a tremendous impact on the state's economic stability and growth, contributing to nearly every community across the state with 72,000 employees statewide.

Contact:
Renee´ Hewitt
Hewitt PR for American Sentinel University
845.382.9152
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SOURCE American Sentinel University