Perrigin wins state nursing award

Susan Perrigin, registered nurse, director of the trauma program at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle and Mississippi North Trauma Care Regional director was recently named ‘Nurse in Non-Traditional Setting of the Year’ at the Mississippi Nurses Association and Mississippi Nurses Foundation Nightingale Awards gala March 4 in Jackson.

The award honors a nurse licensed in Mississippi who best exemplifies the art and science of nursing in a non-traditional employment setting. She was nominated for the award by Lisa Bailey, registered nurse, director of inpatient nursing at Baptist Golden Triangle.

Perrigin began working at Baptist Golden Triangle in 1998 as a nurse in the critical care unit. She worked in several other areas of the hospital, including the heart catheterization lab, cardiac rehab, outpatient surgery and pediatrics before transferring to case management and becoming the hospital’s part-time trauma nurse coordinator in 2004. The part-time position quickly grew, and she was named the full-time trauma manager in 2006. She was named the hospital’s trauma director and appointed director of the 18-county North Trauma Care Region in 2007.

Upon receiving the award, Perrigin said, “I am honored to have been chosen to represent not only Baptist Golden Triangle for this award, but also the participating hospitals and EMS providers located in the north trauma care region. This award is a tribute to everyone’s hard work and dedication to improve trauma care across our region.”

“We are extremely proud of Susan. She does an outstanding job directing the trauma program at Baptist Golden Triangle and for the north trauma care region. She certainly deserves to be recognized for her hard work,” said Paul Cade, administrator at Baptist Golden Triangle.