State hospital association honors regional ‘heroes’

Mobile, Ala. – On January 12, 2006, the Alabama Hospital Association honored 10 area hospital employees for their dedication to the health care industry. The awards were presented at a reception hosted by the Southwest Alabama Regional Hospital Council of the Alabama Hospital Association.

The reception is one of seven regional awards presentations being held as part of the association’s third annual statewide “Health Care Heroes” contest, an effort to honor the dedication of health care workers in the state and to highlight health careers. The contest will culminate with an awards banquet in February where one overall winner from each region will be recognized.

Alice Antone, RN, an emergency department nurse at Evergreen Medical Center was among 10 area honorees from the Southwest Region. Antone began her health career as a nurse’s aide at Evergreen Medical Center more than 22 years ago. Since she herself progressed through the ranks as a nurse’s aide, then a licensed practical nurse and finally, a registered nurse, Antone understands the demands of each position. For that reason, she is often seen performing duties beyond her job description and assisting in the hospital’s “Clinical Ladder” program, a program that encourages nurses to further their education.

Alice Antone’s co-workers agree she deserves this honor of Health Care Hero. Antone promotes a team effort when on the job. She has a positive attitude and she encourages her co-workers to perform at the highest of their potentials.
She is a true Health Care Hero to her patients and the community. The comment we hear most often about her is, “If I were in an accident, Alice is who I would want in the ER.” She is a clinically sound nurse and treats every patient as an individual even when the ER is very busy. Her name appears frequently on EMC’s patient satisfaction surveys stating her best attributes are her compassion, concern, caring and skill used with her patients.

“It’s a great honor to be named a Health Care Hero,” states Alice. Her strong belief in God gives her the foundation on which she stands. She believes she was born to serve others, and her dedication to her profession is one of the ways she has to exercise her gift.

The Alabama Hospital Association, based in Montgomery, is a statewide trade organization that represents more than 100 hospitals and numerous other health care providers by offering membership services designed to enhance the provision of health care in Alabama.