Moon Township, PA, (September 2012) – Heritage Valley Health System announces the 2012 Cameos of Caring Awardees as Amanda Bombiani, RN, Progressive Care Unit/Critical Care Unit at Heritage Valley Sewickley; Karen Tymous, RN, Clinical Supervisor, Critical Care Unit at Heritage Valley Beaver; and Susan Frank, RN, CRNP, Heritage Valley Health System, who will be receiving the Advanced Practice Award, Manager Focus.

The Cameos of Caring Award honors exceptional bedside nurses who work in acute care hospitals. Recipients must demonstrate a commitment to consistent, evidenced based clinical decision-making and excellence in nursing care; serve as an effective advocate for patients and their families; encourage and motivate others, and be recognized as a role model for the profession of nursing; practice nursing involving direct patient care; be a licensed RN and be a direct employee of the hospital. Amanda, Karen and Sue will be honored at the 14th Annual Cameos of Caring Awards Gala on November 3, 2012 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Amanda Bombiani, RN, graduated from Heritage Valley Sewickley School of Nursing in 2008, joined Heritage Valley Health System that same year, and currently works in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) at Heritage Valley Sewickley.  Amanda’s inspiration for embarking on a career in nursing was her Aunt Kelly, who worked at Heritage Valley Sewickley, eventually becoming a Nurse Manager. Although her aunt passed away two years ago after a battle with breast cancer, Amanda has continued to follow in her Aunt Kelly’s footsteps and cross-trained to work in the Critical Care Unit. Amanda is a member of Heritage Valley Sewickley’s PCU Professional Practice which is focused on process improvements, customer service and unit specific goals. She finds that the most satisfying part of her nursing career is “knowing that I try to make a difference in people’s lives by providing good quality care, keeping families apprised of a patient condition and providing emotional support to my families and patients.”

Karen Tymous, RN, has been a nurse for 33 years and is currently a full time Clinical Supervisor, RN on the Critical Care Unit at Heritage Valley Beaver.  She has an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Community College of Beaver County and is a member of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).  Karen comes from a long line of nurses, with her grandmother as a member of the first graduating class at Providence Hospital (Sisters of Charity) in 1915, which has always inspired her. Karen enjoys seeing young nurses grow within the profession.  She feels that the most satisfying part of her job is participating in pulling a patient through a crisis and feeling that she has made a difference. "I am so proud of my profession and of being a nurse," says Karen.  "I feel so lucky to have chosen a profession that I love."

Susan Frank, RN, CRNP has a long and illustrious career providing care for patients over the last 35 years. Currently a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Manager for Heritage Valley’s ConvenientCare walk-in clinics, Sue began her career as an obstetrical nurse in 1977. She graduated from Jameson Memorial School of Nursing and later from Penn State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. In August 2005, Sue graduated with a Master’s in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner Degree from Clarion University, Edinboro University and Slippery Rock University Consortium.

As a manager, Sue tries to foster an environment where each nurse has the tools they need to do their job. She is an advocate for the nurses she supervises by listening to the staff, supporting them by building on their successes, and fostering an environment of collaboration and open communication. She feels one of her significant successes was the opening a new ConvenientCare location in Moon Township as a response to the Aliquippa-Ambridge Bridge closure in Spring 2012. The new walk-in clinic successfully opened in ten business days. “I felt a strong sense of accomplishment and pride to be associated with coworkers that adopted this project as their own and realized the goal,” said Sue.

Sue became interested in nursing when she had her tonsils out as a teenager. She found the nurses to be kind, caring and smart. “That is what I aspired to be,” said Sue. “I think nursing as a profession has something for everyone and many avenues of interest to pursue.”