Adventist Health Portland Names 2023 Nurse of the Year

Nadia Fursov, RN, has been named the Adventist Health Portland 2023 Nurse of the Year. This annual award is presented to a nurse who is identified by their peers for excellence not only in fulfilling their job responsibilities, but through a commitment to support their team and demonstration of the Adventist Health mission through compassionate service of patients and peers.

That compassion shines in Nadia’s work in the nursing float pool, where she’s known for bringing her smile and infectious attitude to any unit where she works. “She is a true example of letting your light shine,” one colleague wrote in support of Nadia’s nomination. “We can all learn from her.”

Whether she’s checking on a fellow nurse to make sure they’re remembering to drink water or diving in to learn everything a patient she’s covering, Nadia brings kindness, curiosity and courage to every shift. “She lives the mission of caring for the people she works with but also caring for our patients,” explained a co-worker.

Another nurse shared an example of how Nadia approaches her work: “I was working as charge nurse on a particularly busy day without CNA. … Nadia…noticed that we had transfers that needed to happen, and she sought out the nurses and assisted with all the transfers without me even knowing. The relief I had that I didn't have to orchestrate these tasks was immense. …By expediting these transfers we were able to pull ER patients more quickly than we would have otherwise.”

This story—one of many—shows why Adventist Health Portland is delighted to name Nadia the 2023 Nurse of the Year. As a co-worker says, “We can all follow her example.”