Tammy Aiken, director of Emergency Services at Bassett Healthcare Network, has received the Emergency Nurse Association’s 2024 Gail P. Lenehan Advocacy Award, according to a Bassett news release.
“I am deeply grateful for this recognition,” Aiken said. “It’s a privilege to care for patients in their most vulnerable moments and this award validates the importance of our roles in emergency medicine.”
The ENA describes the Gail P. Lenehan award as a peer-nominated award recognizing a nurse who “has had a positive impact on emergency nurses through a sustained commitment of advocacy for emergency nurses’ well-being and welfare or the welfare of vulnerable populations.”
According to the release, the organization selected Aiken from among this year’s nominees “for her many efforts over the years to support nurses through training and patients through advocacy.” Most recently, her efforts have led to an increase in the number of Bassett nurses certified as sexual assault nurse examiners by 15%, “an essential role helping victims of sexual violence,” the release stated.
Angela Belmont, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Bassett, said, “Tammy is a dedicated leader to her staff and our patients. I am grateful for her contributions to Bassett Healthcare Network and I am glad to see her work celebrated by the ENA.”
“Receiving this prestigious award is a dream come true,” Aiken said. “It fuels my passion for emergency nursing and inspires me to continue making a difference in the lives of others.”