Springfield Regional Medical Center—Candace Smith

Candace “Candy” Smith has been a Registered Nurse for 13 years and has worked the entire time at Springfield Regional Medical Center. She is currently a staff/charge nurse in the Acute Rehabilitation Unit. Candy’s co-workers consider her a role model for compassion and empathy toward patients and their families. They have seen her sit with patients’ family members in the lobby after work to encourage them to stay strong during their loved ones’ rehabilitation process. As a patient advocate, Candy uses her critical-thinking skills to further the care delivery for her patients. If a patient or family member voices a concern, Candy quickly uses her skills to correct the situation and ease the minds of those concerned. She is considered an amazing leader who exhibits great decision-making skills, no matter how simple or intense the situation is. Because of her strong desire to improve the delivery of patient care, she shares her knowledge and acts as a mentor to her fellow staff members. One coworker writes, “We should all strive to give the patient care with the kind of compassion that Candy gives.” Candy earned her A.D.N. from Clark State Community College.