SALISBURY — Novant Health Rowan Medical Center has awarded Connie Hoffner with the Tammy L. Bernhardt Nursing Excellence Award. Hoffner is a clinical educator and board-certified lactation consultant in the medical center’s women’s and children’s health department.
Hoffner has been a nurse at the hospital for 36 years and was named to the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina, Who’s Who in Nursing in North Carolina and Novant Health’s Circle of Excellence employee award and Customer First award earlier. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society in Nursing.
In addition to her role as clinical educator and international board-certified lactation consultant, Hoffner is a certified Lamaze child birth educator; obstetrical certified nurse; neonatal resuscitation instructor; CPR instructor; Safe Sitter instructor and Healing Touch practitioner.
She is team leader for the Best Fed Beginnings/Baby Friendly hospital breastfeeding initiative at Rowan Medical Center, which is one of five North Carolina hospitals participating in the effort to promote breastfeeding and healthy babies. She serves on a system-wide team for Novant Health, which develops and shares best practices for infant feeding and women’s health education.
Hoffner is a board member at Smart Start Rowan, where she is secretary. She takes part in the Healthy Baby Coalition of Rowan County.
Hoffner said helping patients and their families is the favorite part of her career. She continually sees former patients and their families at the hospital and in the community, and she takes delight in helping new families as they begin their journey into parenting.
“Connie’s commitment to her profession and new families at our medical center is evident. Connie is a role model to all nurses as she demonstrates excellence in everything she does, from patient care to community outreach to clinical best practices. I am proud of Connie and all she has accomplished,” said Cora Greene, director of nursing at the hospital.
Hoffner and her family live in the western part of Rowan County, where they own an organic family farm, which has been host to such local events as the Dairy Dash 5K and last year’s Bread Riot “Riot in the Pasture” farm-to-fork event.
She grows flowers and vegetables but is most proud of her family that includes her husband Alan; son Chris Hoffner and his wife, Tara; daughter Amy Poirier and her husband, Justin; and grandchildren Owen and Ansley.
The Tammy Bernhardt Nurse Excellence Award is awarded each year to a nurse whose actions and beliefs demonstrate dedication to nursing by showing concern for others, fostering teamwork and setting the example. The award is given during Nurses’ Week in honor and memory of Tammy Bernhardt, a former nurse who set the example of service excellence through exceptional care in the coronary care unit. The award recipients are nominated by their peers.