One nurse shares her gifts and talents through education. The nurses at Jamestown Regional Medical Center selected Tara Simonsen, registered Family BirthPlace nurse, as its 2022 Nora Melvold Paulson Excellence in Leadership Award recipient.
Simonsen joined the JRMC family in 2018.
“Tara is indeed a dedicated preceptor on the Family BirthPlace unit. For example, she trains our new nurses and participates in groups to streamline the training process.” said JRMC Chief Nursing Officer Trisha Jungels. “Tara is knowledgeable in her field and always willing to help or answer questions.”
Fellow staff members and patients notice Simonsen’s dedication to excellence, Jungels said.
Family BirthPlace Manager Emily Woodley agreed, saying patients comment on Simonsen’s kindness. In particular her ability to put them at ease through patient education and compassion.
“Tara has always gone above and beyond especially in the name of patient education,” she said. “The repour she develops with those patients in such a short time is astounding. To know Tara is to love her, and all her patients do just that,” she said.
Simonsen attended Pingree-Buchanan High School and later North Dakota State University. She lives in Jamestown with her husband, Josh, and their golden retriever, Nova.
Nora Paulson History
The Nora Paulson Award recipient is voted upon by his or her peers. The award provides an annual grant to a JRMC nurse who consistently embodies a commitment to excellence specifically in nursing education and clinical care. A plaque with the names of all recipients is located on the lower level near the education center of JRMC.
Brian and Nancy Spector established this award nine years ago through a named-expendable fund with the JRMC Foundation. The award honors the memory and legacy of Brian’s grandmother, Nora Paulson, RN. Paulson dedicated her life to clinical excellence programs at what was then Jamestown Hospital.
Past Nora Paulson recipients include:
2013: Renae Lunde, RN
2014: Allison Danzl, RN
2015: Lili Ruby, RN
2016: Courtney Cook, RN
2017: Kacie Edwards Pahl, RN
2018: Marla Wegner, LPN
2019: Lisa Schrenk, RN
2020: Jenna Bredahl, RN
2021: Jess Linderman, RN
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