Margaret Smith, RN, of Norwalk was honored with the Marian Nowak Award, a prestigious award given to the employee who best embodies the values of Greenwich Hospital.
Smith, known for her compassion for patients as well as her sense of humor, was honored for her impressive work ethic and high standard of patient care. As a 41-year veteran of the hospital, Smith has worked for more than three decades as the only nurse administrator on the night shift.
The Marian Nowak Award, established in 1990, is considered the “highlight” of the Employee Service Awards ceremony.
“Margaret’s nature inspires excellence in everything she does,” said Norman Roth, Greenwich Hospital president and chief executive officer. “Greenwich Hospital has greatly benefited by having Margaret in a leadership role.”
Smith noted that Greenwich Hospital’s inclusive culture and employee recognition contributed to her desire to stay at the hospital throughout her long career.
“It’s a great honor to receive such a prestigious award,” said Smith. “The award is quite poignant because I had the privilege of knowing and working with Marian Nowak.” Nowak was a Holocaust survivor who exemplified the qualities of hard work, kindness, loyalty and humility.”
As a Trinidad native, Smith received a scholarship to attend the Kemperhof Kranenhaus Nursing School in West Germany and left her homeland at age 18. After mastering both the new language and her nursing studies, she began to specialize in critical care.
Smith worked in Germany for several years before she returned to Connecticut, where her family had settled. She joined Greenwich Hospital in 1978 and pursued a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Bridgeport while simultaneously working her full-time position.
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