Sheridan Memorial Hospital is proud to announce the recipients and nominees of our 2026 Nurse of the Year and Friend of Nursing awards.
The Nurse of the Year award recognizes nurses who demonstrate exceptional dedication to their profession, their patients and Sheridan Memorial Hospital. This year, the hospital honored two recipients — one representing outpatient care and one representing inpatient care.
Outpatient Nurse of the Year: Katy Collins, RN, BSN, CARN
Collins, a nurse in Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Addiction & Internal Medicine clinic, was selected as the 2026 Outpatient Nurse of the Year after receiving two nominations recognizing her outstanding patient care, leadership and commitment to addiction medicine.
According to her nominators, Collins consistently goes above and beyond to build trusting relationships with patients by remembering the small details that make them feel seen, heard and supported. She is known for delivering compassionate, individualized care while serving as a dependable mentor and resource for her colleagues.
In addition to providing exceptional patient care, Collins stepped into a clinic supervisor role over the past year while continuing to serve as the clinic’s lead nurse. She also earned her Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) credential, mentors other nurses pursuing addiction nursing certification, has helped improve clinic scheduling and patient care processes, and serves as a liaison with community partners to strengthen continuity of care.
Her nominators also credited her compassion and strong relationships with patients with helping guide one patient in crisis to seek lifesaving treatment.
Inpatient Nurse of the Year: Josie Fagerland, BSN, RN, RNC
Josie Fagerland, a nurse in Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Women’s Health and Pediatric units, was named the 2026 Inpatient Nurse of the Year.
Her nomination highlighted her unwavering reliability, willingness to help wherever needed and consistently positive attitude. Whether adjusting her schedule, picking up additional shifts or assisting other departments, Fagerland is known for stepping up without hesitation.
She is also committed to professional growth, recently earning her inpatient obstetrics certification, becoming a certified child passenger safety technician and bringing new knowledge back to her team through education and skills training. Outside the hospital, she teaches prenatal classes and volunteers as a youth soccer coach and board member, reflecting her commitment to serving families both inside and outside the workplace.
Other 2026 Nurse of the Year nominees in both inpatient and outpatient settings were Julie Barker, Elizabeth Christensen, Shelby Christensen, Nichole Ferguson, Edy Homan, Megan Kerr, Yvette Romero, Leann Schutte, Lisa Silcox, Shawn Smith, Amanda Stach, Alexa White and Lori Williams.
Friend of Nursing: Rebecca Stonelake, CMA
Rebecca Stonelake, a certified medical assistant, received Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s 2026 Friend of Nursing award for her extraordinary flexibility, teamwork and commitment to supporting patients and staff across the organization.
According to her nomination, Stonelake is known for stepping in to assist clinics throughout the hospital with little or no additional training, volunteering wherever she is needed and helping ensure departments remain fully supported during staffing shortages. She played an important role in the opening of SameDay Health & Imaging and has helped streamline the hospital’s new employee drug screening process.
Her colleagues praised not only her versatility and strong work ethic, but also her consistently positive attitude and compassionate care, noting that both coworkers and patients value her willingness to help and her welcoming presence.
Other 2026 Friend of Nursing nominees were Ashley Reece, Ethan Sexton, Dr. Jacob Lieb, Danielle Laumann, Vanessa Broyles, Kristen Moore, Kristen Owens, Kaitlyn Puuri, Kyle Seeley, Rae Hartsell, Rose Heiman, Ryan Howe and Edith Bowen.
Sheridan Memorial Hospital congratulates all of this year’s award recipients and nominees and thanks them for their dedication, compassion and commitment to serving our community with excellent, patient-centered care.
From left to right: 2026 Outpatient Nurse of the Year Katy Collins, BSN, RN, CARN; Chief Nursing Officer Cathy Bealer, RN, MHA; and 2026 Inpatient Nurse of the Year Josie Fagerland, BSN, RN, RNC
Chief Nursing Officer Cathy Bealer, RN, MHA, and 2026 Friend of Nursing Rebecca Stonelake, CMA