May 8, 2007 
Berlin, Vt –The sixth annual Rose Black Nursing Excellence Awards at Central Vermont Medical Center were presented on Monday to two women who provide their patients superior nursing care. Dr. Percy Black, Rose Black’s son, welcomed everyone and gave thanks to today’s award recipients and all of the nurses at CVMC, on behalf of his mother and the Black family.
CVMC Chief Nursing Officer Helen Spring, MSN, RN presented the award to Laurey Tyo, RN, C, CMSRN. Laurey, a Barre resident, is currently Clinical Nurse Coordinator on the Medical Surgical Unit at CVMC. She graduated from the Jeanne Mance School of Nursing in Burlington, Vermont in 1966 when it was a nursing diploma program. She has subsequently earned two certifications in medical/surgical nursing, one from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the other from the Academy of Medical Surgical Nursing.
“Nursing has changed a lot,” noted Laurey. “When I graduated from nursing school…we stood up and gave our chairs to the doctors when they came to the desk area….(today) we don’t stand up and give doctors our chairs but we do stand beside them as partners in caring for our community.”
Joan Potter, RN, Director of Nursing at Woodridge Nursing Home presented the award to Sue Walker, RN. Sue, a resident of South Barre, originally worked at McFarland House, one of the precursors of Woodridge, She subsequently worked at Woodridge and was their first admission/discharge coordinator. Sue returned to direct patient care more than one year ago. In accepting the award, Sue said that she was proud and honored to receive the award and dedicated it to Mary Welch, her high school health occupation teacher who “…told me to always treat every patient as I would my mother, father, sister or brother, ” words which influenced the way she practiced nursing throughout her career.
Rose Black and her family, which includes son, Dr. Percy Black, his daughter Dr. Deborah Black, Rose’s daughter, Edith Black Zfass and their respective families had a genuine desire to honor nursing. This was the result of Rose’s experience as a patient at CVH beginning in early 2000 and Woodridge Nursing Home during 2001 and 2002.
Rose Black died in 2002, at the age of 97, after a long and vital life. She was a great inspiration to many with her example of service, love and family life. She always had a special place in her heart for others who were models of caring, particularly nurses.
At the close of Monday’s ceremonies Dr. Percy Black presented a check to Daniel Pudvah, CVMC’s Vice President of Community Relations and Development, for the furtherance of the Rose Black awards program.
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