WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, May 12, 2023 — Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, a nonprofit rehabilitation-focused healthcare organization headquartered in Wallingford, is pleased to announce that Seymour resident and nurse Emily Clifford, RN, BSN, was honored with the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing.

One of Connecticut’s most prestigious nursing honors, the Nightingale Award annually recognizes nurses who go above and beyond the call of duty in various clinical and educational environments.

Clifford cares for medically fragile patients at Gaylord Hospital who are recovering from life-altering illnesses and injuries. Her peers say that Clifford pours love into her practice and inspires everyone around her to do the same.

“Emily is a dedicated nurse who provides compassionate care and is a role model to all around her,” said Lisa Kalafus, Chief Nursing Officer.

Kalafus explained that Clifford continuously seeks ways to improve her patients’ quality of life. When one patient asked to have her hair washed, Emily came in on her day off to give the patient a mini-spa day, making the delighted woman feel like herself again. For another patient nearing the end of his life, Emily held his hand while he passed to ensure he wouldn’t be alone in his final moments.

“Emily puts her heart and soul into her practice, keeping her patients at the center of all she does,” said Kalafus.

Clifford, who began working at Gaylord Hospital in 2017, said she is greatly rewarded by a “fulfilling career” in which she gets to watch her patients “work through their recoveries and make progress.”

“I’m honored to have been selected as a Nightingale Award honoree,” said Clifford. “It’s an achievement I was not expecting, but I am grateful to know that those who nominated me believe that I deserve it.”
 

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut, that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness or injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a long-term acute care hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient Services and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Gaylord's Milne Institute for Healthcare Innovation is a hub for accelerating world-class rehabilitative research, technology development and innovation to