Gaylord Specialty Healthcare Names Nursing Leadership Honorees

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 Caitlin Cote, MSN, RN, PCCN, and Nicole Morrill, MSN, BSN, RN.

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 and Nicole exemplify the core values that embody this award. Their peers have recognized them both as a source of tremendous inspiration and support.”

Caitlin Cote, nursing staff development manager, is an 11-year Gaylord employee. A resident of Southington, peers 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.”

Nicole Morrill is nurse manager of Gaylord’s Lyman 1 unit. The Glastonbury resident and 10-year Gaylord employee was nominated by her colleagues who appreciate Nicole’s continuous, positive encouragement. Nicole was recognized for “stepping up to the plate” by recently accepting the role of manager of a COVID-designated floor.

“She instantly became a role model for us,” wrote one of her team members. “She immediately instilled a sense of pride and ownership of our nursing practices … and did not hesitate to acknowledge and build upon our strengths. Over the time she has spent with us, she truly has demonstrated all the characteristics of what it means to be a nurse leader.”

Morrill commented, “I am so happy to work with a team that is as motivated as I am to drive positive change for our hospital and our patients. I am grateful to be a part of one of the most supportive and outstanding nursing leadership teams; they are each deserving of this award.”

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.