Decker alumna Colleen Cameron wins excellence in nursing award

Decker School of Nursing alumna Colleen Cameron ’97, DNP ’15, received the 2017 Excellence in the Profession of Nursing Award from the Professional Nurses’ Association of South Central New York (PNA of SCNY) at the organization’s 35th annual Nurses’ Day Breakfast May 11. The award recognizes a member of PNA of SCNY who demonstrates outstanding performance in the practice of nursing, including contributing to the community.

Cameron, a family nurse practitioner and cardiovascular disease manager with Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, was chosen following a vote by the officers and directors of the board of the PNA of SCNY, who had reviewed her letters of nomination and support.

“Colleen has been instrumental in the development of a program that treats heart-failure patients and standardizes treatment and education in collaboration with physicians, nurses and families,” says Cheryl Orzel-Teris ‘97, MS ‘99, president of PNA of SCNY and nursing director at Lourdes Hospital. “She has spoken nationally on her [congestive heart failure] research project while completing her DNP at Binghamton University. Her nomination letter for the award was written by her colleagues and states, ‘To sum it up, she is a great nurse and leader. She sets the example that anyone in the nursing profession can be proud of.’”

The Professional Nurses’ Association of South Central New York is an affiliate of the American Nurses Association-New York.