Mrs. Carol Lynn Punsalan – Ilanga , BSN, MSN, RN, CPN, an alumna of the FCC College of Nursing Class 1980 was one of the finalists in the 2004 NurseWeek Nursing Excellence Awards for the South Central Region which covers the states of Texas and Louisiana. This yearly activity aims to recognize nurses who are nominated because of their exceptional job in any of these eight areas: Advancing the Profession, Clinical Care, Community Service, Creativity/Innovatio, Leadership, Mentoring, Patient Advocacy and Teaching. Carol Lynn who is currently a Pediatric Clinician of Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas was nominated for Mentoring – and the only Asian among the six finalists in this area, the rest were all Americans. Nominees in this area are nurses who have provided a positive professional influence, guidance and support of other nurses in any setting.
An excerpt of the message of Dr. Beth Ulrich (Senior Vice President, Professional Services of NurseWeek and Nursing Spectrum) below, as lifted from the souvenir program of the aforesaid activity would show how these nominee/finalists are emulated:

“The nurses whose work we celebrate for the 2004 NurseWeek Nursing Excellence Awards are nurses who are very worthy of recognition and who make us all proud to call them our colleagues. They represent the best of us.”

Although Carol Lynn was not lucky enough to get the top spot but for many of us especially for the Filamerian community, being a finalist is already a remarkable achievement which surely calls for a thanksgiving and celebration. A concrete proof that Filipinos, Filamerians in particular, can excel in their chosen field of endeavor in any part of the globe.

(Source: NurseWeek Nursing Excellence Awards Souvenir Program, October 9, 2004)