Anthonette Patterson, a 19-year veteran of the nursing profession, is the Nurse of the Year for 2009/2010.

Patterson, who works at the Kingston Public Hospital, out-stripped her colleagues to take the crown on Saturday at the annual Nurse of the Year awards ceremony hosted jointly by LASCO and the Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ) at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St Andrew.

The trendsetter in the nursing profession walked away with $130,000 from LASCO, the LASCO Nurse of the Year trophy, a trip to Miami courtesy of the NAJ, a LASCO gift basket and other prizes including a scholarship from the Ministry of Health tenable in the master's-level programme at University of the West Indies (UWI).

Ms Patterson is currently pursuing the master's degree in nursing education at the UWI.

Enthusiasm and hard work

The LASCO/NAJ Nurse of the Year, who is active in nursing and community development, was elated with her achievement, crediting her stellar accomplishment to her enthusiasm and hard work.

"You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. With it there is accomplishment. Without it there are only alibis," she said.

Patterson has professional training in mental-health nursing, midwifery, nursing management and general psychology, and still finds time to be a council member of the Kingston Public Hospital's NAJ group.

She is a certified bereavement counsellor, a member of the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control Group, and a past president of the Optimist Club of Cross Roads.

Prudence Grandison of the National Chest Hospital emerged first runner-up and Jillian Mason-Cleary of the Hanover Public Health Department was the second runner-up to the Nurse of the Year.

Micaela Lunan of Brown's Town Community College copped the LASCO/NAJ Student Nurse of the Year award.

Anthony Chang, group managing director, LASCO, applauded nurses for their dedication, unwavering tenacity and professionalism in the face of great challenges on the job.

He also urged them to intensify the use of the latest technology as a necessary tool in addressing the health needs of Jamaicans, and appealed for the health authorities to put in place mobile wellness centres in remote communities.

Keynote speaker Kay Osborne, general manager of TVJ, commended nurses for their dedication and urged them to publicise their innovations and collaborations which have been benefiting the nation.

The LASCO/NAJ Nurse of the Year awards ceremony marked the culmination of National Nurses' Week, which began on Sunday, July 19.