PHOENIX – May 8, 2024 – In honor of National Nurses Week and the extraordinary work that our Arizona nurses do every day, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) congratulates the five winners of its Nurses Who Inspire contest. Winners were selected based on nominations showcasing their passion and commitment for nursing, the impact they have made on their patients, and how they have been an inspiration.
“We received more than 250 nominations and are truly inspired by the heartfelt stories we received last month when nominations opened,” said Dr. Cara Christ, Chief Medical Officer at AZ Blue. “Our nurses in Arizona are the heart of patient care, and we can’t thank each and every one of them enough for their passion and dedication to serving others.”
Each nurse will receive $1,000 cash, $420 in perks including a SpaFinder gift card and two suite tickets to the Diamondbacks Game on July 28, and the opportunity to donate $5,000 to a local non-profit of their choice. The winners also will be recognized on the field at the Diamondbacks Game on July 28 and will be given the opportunity to be part of the first pitch.
AZ Blue congratulates the following nurses for receiving this year’s honor:
- Haley Wright – A Registered Nurse at Banner University Medical Center, Tucson Campus, where she works in the Oncology, Hematology, and Bone Marrow Transplant unit. Upon receiving the award, Haley commented:
- “I am passionate about nursing because of the nurses who took care of my brother, James Jr. He was 15 years old when he lost his life to cancer and, while this was the most devastating chapter of my life, his nurses provided my family with so much hope and compassion. I knew that I wanted to make an impact on families the way they did mine.”
- Susan Carroll – A Registered Nurse at Dignity Health, Chandler Regional Medical Center, in the ICU and Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Upon receiving the award, Susan commented:
- “As a bedside nurse for 21 years, the number one thing that I’ve always done and will continue to do is treat every patient with compassion. Having the ability to communicate to patients and their families, while supporting them through their difficult journey, is the most important part of nursing.”
- Roxanne Fry – A Registered Nurse at Oro Valley Hospital with 10 years of experience. Upon receiving the award, Roxanne commented:
- “I am passionate about nursing because I love how the profession opens the door immediately to be able to help, love and support the patient. I love how being a nurse becomes who you are as a person. It defines you unlike any other profession.”
- Nicole Hancock – A Care Management Lead Registered Nurse at Terros Health. Upon receiving the award, Nicole commented:
- “My passion for being a nurse stems from watching my father struggle with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He was diagnosed with Stage IV Melanoma when I was 20 years old and passed away one year later.”
- Jami Fallert – A Registered Nurse at Banner Children’s at Desert working in the Neonatal ICU. Upon receiving the award, Jami commented:
- “I’m passionate about nursing, especially in the NICU, because of the continuity of care I can provide for my patients. Even though it’s not easy sometimes, I still push forward with providing the best care possible for my tiny patients and their families.”
For more information about the Nurses Who Inspire contest, and the 2024 winners, visit: https://www.azblue.com/inspire-health/blog/az-blue-nurses-who-inspire-contest-winners.
ABOUT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF ARIZONA
Blue Cross ® Blue Shield ® of Arizona (AZ Blue) is committed to helping Arizonans get healthier faster and stay healthier longer. With a mission to inspire health and make it easy, AZ Blue offers health insurance and related services to more than 2 million customers. AZ Blue, a non-profit company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The company and its subsidiaries employ more than 3,000 people in its Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson offices. To learn more, visit azblue.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.