For the third consecutive year, a St. Luke's Hospice employee or volunteer has been an award winner at the Pennsylvania Hospice Network's conference in Harrisburg.

This year, St. Luke's Hospice Aide, Denise Tornabene, CNA, was recognized in the category of "Spirit of Hospice."This award recognizes a "hospice/home health aide who has demonstrated outstanding performance, sensitivity, respect and continuous excellence of service in hospice," according to the Pennsylvania Hospice Network.St. Luke's Hospice Patient Care Manager Judith Lichtenwalner, RN, BSN, said Tornabene embodies what an excellent hospice aide should aspire to be."Denise is a very important part of our hospice interdisciplinary team."Her willingness to go the extra mile for her patients, families and co-workers is demonstrated through her compassionate, thorough and skillful care," she said."Her insight into the patients' clinical and emotional condition, as well as the family dynamic, is valued by the case management team."This is not the first award that Tornabene has received in recognition of her excellence in care.She has been the recipient of the St. Luke's Excellence in Nursing Award-Teamwork and was awarded with St. Luke's highest PCRAFT award an honor that embodies the five Network values of pride, caring, respect, accountability, flexibility and teamwork.She has been recognized by numerous co-workers and patients' families, Lichtenwalner said.