Southington Resident Honored for Excellence in Nursing Leadership

In honor of National Nurses Week, Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, a nonprofit rehabilitation-focused healthcare system headquartered in Wallingford, presented its first annual Nursing Leadership Award to Southington resident Caitlin Cote, MSN, RN, PCCN.

According to Gaylord Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Kalafus, MSN, BSN, RN, the peer-nominated award honors registered nurses in managerial, supervisory or educational positions who consistently demonstrate excellence in nursing leadership.

“By fostering a culture of engagement, positivity, growth, collaboration and accountability, Caitlin exemplifies the core values that embody this award. Her peers have recognized her as a source of tremendous inspiration and support.”

Cote, nursing staff development manager, is an 11-year Gaylord employee. Her colleagues say that Cote “never shies away finding a solution to a challenging solution” and “genuinely wants the nursing staff to be the best they can be.”

“Caitlin has made incredible, positive changes for nursing education and the entire nursing department,” wrote a colleague. “She is an amazing resource to all staff and usually has the answer to everything. If not, she will find the answer almost immediately.”

“I am truly honored to receive the Nursing Leadership Award,” Cote said. “I can honestly say I love what I do. The incredible staff at Gaylord and the amazing work we do to transform lives inspires me every day. Helping the staff learn and grow ultimately translates to better patient care and truly fills me with gratitude.”

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system located in
Wallingford, Connecticut, that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in
their journey from illness or injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a long-term acute care hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient Services and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require
diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Together, these entities deliver a complete
continuum of rehab care driven by technology, research, clinical experience, and human
compassion. For more information visit www.gaylord.org.