From left, Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing recipient Lottie Jones; and 2010 Nurses of the Year Christy Ott Shirer and Stephanie Simmons.

Three nurses at the Regional Medical Center were recently honored with awards for nursing excellence.

Christy Ott Shirer and Stephanie Simmons were honored as Nurses of the Year in General Units/Supervisory Care and Specialty Care, respectively. The Nurses of the Year are selected annually by the RMC medical staff; honorees are chosen based on clinical skills, devotion and compassion.

Lottie Jones received the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Presented annually, the award is voted on by members of RMC's nursing staff. Honorees must demonstrate clinical excellence and concern for patients, family and co-workers; demonstrate leadership; possess enthusiasm while having a healthy work ethic; and honor a commitment to RMC for two consecutive years.

Lottie Jones, Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing

Jones, a native of Allendale, spent many of her formative years in Detroit, Mich. A staff nurse on RMC's Fourth West nursing unit since 2001, Jones is a graduate of Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, with an associate's degree in nursing.

She began her career at RMC in 1998 as a certified nursing assistant in Pediatrics.

Recently, Jones received her certification in chemotherapy nursing and says her nursing career means so much to her.

"It's God's way of allowing me to give love, kindness and special attention to His children," she explained.

She received the Marshelle R. Williams Award for Professional Excellence from the 2002 graduating class of OCtech.

Jones is certified in Basic Cardiac Life Support.

She has two daughters, Kristyn and Ha'lee Pearson, and lives in Orangeburg. Jones enjoys singing, dancing, watching movies and spending time with her dog, Leo. She attends Revelation Ministries Church in Fairfax.

Christy Ott Shirer, Nurse of the Year in General Units

St. Matthews native Christy Ott Shirer serves as clinical coordinator of the Intensive Care Unit.

Shirer, who joined the RMC team as a medical laboratory technician in 2001, received an associate's degree in nursing from OCtech in May 2006. While attending OCtech, she received several awards, including the Edisto Medical Alliance Outstanding Nurse's Award - Excellence in Leadership and Academics, the Clinical Excellence Award and the Best-All-Around Student Award.

Currently, she serves several roles, including staff nurse, charge nurse and clinical coordinator of the Intensive Care Unit.

She is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.

An active member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Jamison, Shirer serves as pianist and choir director. She and her husband, Lin, live in St. Matthews.

Playing the piano, singing, gardening, entertaining her nephews and spending time with her husband are her favorite things to do when not working.

Stephanie Simmons, Nurse of the Year in Supervisory Care and Specialty Care

Simmons, a native of New York, serves as nurse manager of the Fourth West nursing unit.

She first joined the RMC family as a staff nurse on Fourth West in June 1996 and spent a year on Third West as clinical coordinator in 2007.

Simmons received an associate's degree in nursing from OCtech in May 1996 and a bachelor's degree in nursing from South Carolina State University in May 2003.

She was honored with the Marshelle R. Williams Award for Professional Excellence from the 2000 graduating class of OCtech and was a recipient of the RMC Foundation's Virginia B. Johnson Nursing Scholarship in 2001 and 2002.

Simmons is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

She and her husband, James, live in Orangeburg with their children, Miya and James Jr.

An active member of Christian Antioch House of Prayer in Orangeburg, she enjoys attending church, spending time with Grandma, watching movies and traveling.