LEONARDTOWN, Md. (June 26, 2010) - St. Mary's Hospital Vice President of Nursing MaryLou Watson, MS, RN, has been appointed to the 2010 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Baldrige award, created by public law in 1987, is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive. Watson was appointed to the board by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, director of the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
As an examiner, Watson will be responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the award. Approximately 500 leading experts selected nationwide from industry, professional and trade organizations, education, health care organizations and nonprofits, including government, comprise the board.
"I am humbled by this appointment," said Watson, who is responsible for oversight of nursing services throughout the hospital and establishing quality standards for nursing care, treatment and services at St. Mary's Hospital. "This also provides such a wonderful opportunity for me to review highly performing organizations across the country, giving me an array of new ideas for high performance to share here at St Mary's Hospital, while at the same time fulfilling my own civic duty."
Those appointed examiners meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition. All members of the board must take part in a preparation course based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence and the scoring and evaluation processes for the Baldrige Award. The award may be given annually in each of six categories: Manufacturing, Service, Small Business, Education, Health Care and Nonprofit.
Watson joined St. Mary's Hospital four years ago. She came from Southern Maryland Hospital in Clinton, Maryland where she served as the Vice President of Patient Care Services and the Chief Nursing Officer. Prior to her work with Southern Maryland she served as Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Montgomery General Hospital in Olney, Maryland.
She received her nursing degree from the University of Maryland School of Nursing and her Master of Administrative Sciences from The Johns Hopkins University.
Watson is professionally affiliated with the American and Maryland Organizations of Nurse Executives; strongly active within the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA) and a member of the Legislative subcommittee for MHA; longtime member of the Advisory Board in Washington, DC; member of the Maryland Nurses Association and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She was also recently appointed by the governor to the Maryland Board of Nursing.
Source: St. Mary's Hospital