Three nurses at the Regional Medical Center were recently honored with awards for nursing excellence. Calvin Haynes and Karen Sutcliffe were honored as Nurses of the Year in Specialty Care and General Units/Supervisory Care, respectively. The Nurses of the Year are selected annually by the RMC medical staff; honorees are chosen based on exemplary clinical skills, devotion and compassion. Sylvia Ott received the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Presented annually, the award is voted on by members of RMC’s nursing staff.

Sylvia Ott, RN Staff Nurse Fourth West Nursing Unit 2009 Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing

Nightingale Award

Sylvia Ott, a native of Branchville, was recently honored with the Regional Medical Center’s Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Criteria for the Nightingale Award includes: must demonstrate clinical excellence and concern for patients, family and co-workers; must demonstrate leadership, possess enthusiasm while having a healthy work ethic; and must honor a commitment to the Regional Medical Center for two consecutive years.

Ott, a staff nurse on RMC’s Fourth West nursing unit since 1991, is a graduate of the Orangeburg Regional Hospital School of Nursing, with a diploma in nursing.

Upon graduation she served as a staff nurse at the Orangeburg Regional Hospital for a year and then worked in physician practices for some 15 years before taking a few years off to raise her family. She returned to nursing by joining the staff of the Regional Medical Center in 1991 and until recently served as a full-time staff nurse. Currently she works at RMC two days each week. Serving in the role of charge nurse, she orients the new staff on the evening shift.

Ott is certified in Basic Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and previously earned her certification in medical/surgical nursing.

She is the widow of Gene Ott and has three sons, one daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. She enjoys cooking for her family, working in her yard and spending time at the beach.

Calvin J. Haynes, RN, BSN Unit Based Educator Intensive Care Unit 2009 Nurse of the Year – Specialty Care

Nurse of the Year – Specialty Care

St. Matthews native Calvin Haynes was recently named the Regional Medical Center’s Nurse of the Year for Specialty Care. He serves as unit based educator of the Intensive Care Unit.

Haynes, who joined the RMC team as a phlebotomist in January 1999, received a bachelor’s degree in biology from South Carolina State University in December 2000. He chose to pursue a career in nursing and was a recipient of the RMC Foundation’s Virginia B. Johnson Nursing Scholarship. Haynes earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from South Carolina State University in 2003 and is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

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

He and his wife, Valeria, reside in Orangeburg. In their spare time they enjoy watching movies with their children, reading and playing sports.

Karen Sutcliffe, RN Staff Nurse Fourth West Nursing Unit 2009 Nurse of the Year – General Units & Supervisory Care

Nurse of the Year – General Units & Supervisory Care

Karen Sutcliffe was recently named the Regional Medical Center’s Nurse of the Year for General Units and Supervisory Care.

Sutcliffe, a native of Orangeburg, joined the Regional Medical Center staff as a registered nurse on Fourth East in 1991 and transferred to Fourth West in 1992.

A May 1991 graduate of Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College with an associate’s degree in nursing, Sutcliffe previously attended Winthrop University and the College of Charleston. During her more than 18 years at RMC, she has served in several roles, including staff nurse, charge nurse and unit based educator of Fourth West.

Sutcliffe is a Basic Cardiac Life Support instructor.

She and her husband, Tommy, have three sons, Cole, Austin and Jake. The Sutcliffe family resides in Cordova and enjoys traveling and attending NASCAR races.