The 100 Great Iowa Nurses award recognizes nurses that have made meaningful, lasting contributions to their patients, colleagues and the nursing profession, and are viewed as mentors to other nursing professionals. This year’s honorees exemplify all of the principles on which the 100 Great Iowa Nurses program was founded. Area honorees include: Melinda Sharff-Eggers, Tama County Public Health & Home Care, Gladbrook Linda Lyons, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, Traer Kim Jones, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell On Sunday, May 1, the program will celebrate the 100 Great Iowa Nurses at the Iowa Events Center – Grand Ballroom in Des Moines. This is the 12th anniversary of this program. The celebration is an annual prelude to National Nurses Week, which begins on May 6 and ends May 12 (the birthday of Florence Nightingale). This year, the 100 honorees represent 39 Iowa counties, and were selected from a pool of more than 400 individuals who were nominated by colleagues, patients, doctors, friends and family members. The field of nominees was narrowed to 100 by a panel of reviewers, including nursing professionals and previous honorees. Nurses selected for this honor represent many sectors of health care, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, school and office nurses. These exemplary nurses are selected based on their concern for humanity, their contribution to the community and to the nursing profession and their leadership and mentoring. This is a statewide event that belongs to the people of Iowa, and is made possible through the generous support of sponsors. 100 Great Iowa Nurses is a nonprofit program that honors great nurses in Iowa, and funds financial awards to support the education of Iowa nurses. Established in 2004, the program recognizes qualities that demonstrate efforts beyond those expected of a nurse within his/her normal duties, such as concern for humanity, significant contribution to the profession and mentoring. For more information, visit www.greatnurses.org.