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BROWNSVILLE NURSE TO BECOME 1ST FROM VALLEY TO RECEIVE NATIONAL NURSING AWARD
Brownsville, August 21, 2009 -- Ingrid Steinbach, RN, CEN, Director of Emergency & Trauma Services for Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville, has become the first person from the Rio Grande Valley selected for a national “Nursing Professional” Award from the Emergency Nurses Association, a national organization based in Illinois.
Ms. Steinbach will receive the prestigious award Oct. 8 in Baltimore, Maryland, before a crowd of nearly 5,000 people expected for the Emergency Nurses Association’s annual conference. The 33,000-member organization started the annual awards program in 1976.
“This is a huge honor,” Ms. Steinbach said. “I never thought I would be even considered for such an award. I was shocked when I found out. I am so grateful to my staff for their support, as this would not be possible without them. I am happy the award came to Texas.”
“We are very proud of Ingrid and very thankful for all she does to serve the patients of Brownsville and the Lower Valley,” said Leslie Bingham, CEO for Valley Baptist-Brownsville. “This amazing accomplishment is a tribute to Ingrid’s hard work and dedication … and her commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and the community.”
Prior to being selected for the national award, Ms. Steinbach received a state “Emergency Nursing Professionalism Award” after being nominated by the local chapter of the organization, the Rio Bravo “Chachalacas” chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association.
“Our chapter here in the Valley is only six years old, but we have achieved many accomplishments in a relatively short time and have won several awards,” Ms. Steinbach said. In addition to Ms. Steinbach’s national award, Jose Espinosa, RN, Trauma Coordinator for VBMC-Brownsville, received a state-wide “Rising Star” award from the association, while Marcia Fuller, RN, CEN, BSN, MHAN, of the Valley Baptist-Harlingen Emergency Dept. received a state award for “Behind-the-Scenes Contributions.”
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Ms. Steinbach started working at the Brownsville hospital in 1988, first as a nurse in the ICU and then in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. She started working in the Emergency Dept. in 1992, and has been the Emergency Dept. Director since 1998. She also serves as the hospital’s Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, helping prepare the staff for hurricanes and other major crisis events.
Under Ms. Steinbach’s direction, the Emergency Dept. at VBMC-Brownsville has won five customer service awards from Professional Research Consultants (PRC). The hospital has also won three “Triple Recognition” awards from the American Heart Association, and was named only the second “Primary Stroke Center” in the Valley by the Joint Commission, a national accrediting organization.
Ms. Steinbach has been involved in many professional and community organizations, serving as past president and treasurer for the Emergency Nurses Association’s chapter in the Valley, as well of as co-chair of the state Emergency Preparedness Committee. She has also participated on the Rio Grande Valley Trauma Regional Advisory Council and the Cameron County Local Emergency Planning Committee.
When she’s not working, Ms. Steinbach enjoys fishing (she participates every year in the Ladies Kingfish Tournament on South Padre Island); gourmet cooking (she competes in the “Frijole Olympics” at the annual Sombrero Festival in Brownsville); reading and knitting. She is also continuing her professional education.
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