Carol Smith honored for efforts following hurricane
Carol Smith of Peabody was one of 10 winners selected from hundreds of nominees for recognition through "Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare."
Established as a public service in 1989 by the University of Kansas, the program recognizes outstanding registered nurses.
"The most satisfying part of my career is doing something to help others," Smith said. "Knowing I have touched someone's life, even if it is holding their hand, putting a cool cloth against their brow, just being there for them when it counts."
When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Smith, ICU staff nurse at Memorial Hospital, McPherson, had an idea that after the devastation of the storm, her fellow nurses of New Orleans and other areas were going to need some help getting back on their feet. She knew that these people, many who lost everything themselves, would find it difficult to be prepared to get back to work as even their hospitals and nursing homes were struggling to reopen after the effects of the storm.
According to a press release from KU Medical Center, before the true extent of the damage was even known, Smith started a crusade to get scrubs and other much needed supplies to the area. After phone calls and requests, scrubs, stethoscopes, and other supplies came in. To date, more than 25,000 scrubs, shoes, office supplies, stethoscopes, radios, and flashlights have been distributed throughout the coastal region. Smith's remarkable deed has earned her the title of true "heroine."
Smith was honored with nine other RNs Oct. 14 at Overland Park. She was nominated for the award by John Jones, head of Louisiana Medical Center in New Orleans.
Jones also nominated Smith for the "Tribute to Nurses" award given by the New York Times and the 2006 Nursing Excellence award where she was a finalist and attended a banquet and ceremony in October in St. Louis. The award is sponsored by Nursing Spectrum magazine.
