West Hartford nurse honored at Nightingale gala

Liane Smith, RN, of West Hartford received the prestigious Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. A cardiac telemonitor nurse with VNA HealthCare in Hartford, Liane uses her astute assessment skills to help more than 200 patients avoid hospital readmissions.

She received this lifetime achievement award along with 110 other nurses at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. Hosted by VNA HealthCare for the tenth time this year, more than 500 people attended to recognize the nurses from 32 different institutions.

The Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing program was originally developed by the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut to be a collaborative effort to celebrate outstanding nurses and elevate the nursing profession. The goals of the program are to encourage retention, inspire future nurses, focus public attention and recognize the breadth and scope of nursing practice at the local level. In 2003, two years after inception, the program grew to include galas in Eastern Connecticut, Fairfield county and Hartford, as well as the original program in New Haven. 

Photo: Ellen Rothberg, (right) President and CEO, VNA HealthCare with Liane Smith, both of West Hartford, as Liane received the Nightingale award for Excellence in Nursing.