Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2013

CONTACT:

Sabrina L. Miller (312) 814-8194

www.idph.state.il.us

State Public Health Department Honors Rockford Schools Nurse with Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Pediatric Care

Ron W. Lee, MD Pediatric Care Award – Lifetime Achievement

ROCKFORD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program today honored Rockford Schools nurse Victoria Malley, with a lifetime achievement award for her contributions to childhood care. The Ron W. Lee, MD – Excellence in Pediatric Care Awards are given annually by IDPH and EMSC to recognize those dedicated to pediatric emergency care and childhood injury prevention initiatives. Individuals or organizations can be nominated in one of three award categories - Lifetime Achievement, Clinical Excellence and Community Service.

Malley is a pediatric registered nurse, working with Rockford Public School District 205 for 22 years. She currently is the school nurse at Thurgood Marshall School in Rockford and also holds master’s degrees in nursing and education. Malley also was part of the original team that now annually conducts the School Nurse Emergency Care Course in Rockford providing nurses with emergency and disaster preparedness information and resources to school nurses.

“Nurse Malley’s dedication to quality pediatric care for students is evident not only by her education and experience, but also by the initiatives created and protocols developed to better care for school children,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck.

Malley served as the District’s Director of Health Services, updating policy and procedure manuals, and crafting district health policies that are still currently in place. She is also known for tutoring and mentoring grade school students and aspiring nurses and, after witnessing an extreme allergic reaction to peanuts by a student about 15 years ago, Malley wrote the policy allowing EpiPens in the Rockford Public School System.

“Victoria approaches all situations with wisdom and compassion,” said Thurgood Marshall School Principal Jill Faber. “You can often find a parent sitting with her seeking advice. Mrs. Malley treats all students with the care she would want for her own children.”

The Ron W. Lee, MD Excellence in Pediatric Care awards are presented each May. Dr. Lee was the director of emergency medicine at Loyola University Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing and fostering the EMSC program in Illinois. He passed away in 1998.

The Illinois EMSC program is a collaborative effort of the Illinois Department of Public Health and Loyola University Medical Center. It was established in 1994 to ensure the emergency medical care needs of children are adequately addressed.

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