DPH Recognizes South Carolina’s Nurses During National Nurses Week

DPH’s approximately 400 public health nurses work at the agency’s clinics and in the community in every South Carolina county, where they provide a myriad of services, including those for maternal and child health, immunizations, sexually transmitted infections, and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, among others. Public health nurses at DPH also help to set strategies and policies for statewide programs and take part in emergency response, disease control and other efforts.

In April, six DPH nurses were recipients of the 2025 Palmetto Gold award: Ivy Howard, Tina Rumph, Michele D. Plenzler, Stephanie Derr, Enderia Mitchell, and Sharon Bennett. Only 100 registered nurses are selected statewide per year following a nomination process based on excellence in nursing practice and commitment to the nursing profession.

“DPH is proud and honored to celebrate our 2025 DPH Palmetto Gold Public Health Nurses for their dedication, expert leadership, outstanding practice, and achievements,” said Kathryn Gramling, DPH’s State Director of Public Health Nursing. “They embrace service, inspire innovation, promote teamwork, and demonstrate excellence as they care for our clients and their families. The positive impacts they make helps improve quality of life and promotes healthy people and communities throughout South Carolina.”

Additional highlights involving DPH’s dedicated nursing staff over the past year include:

• DPH’s Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) nurses served 2,637 clients, including 437 new enrollees into CYSHCN services. CYSHCN nurses also:
  • Provided 588 clients and their families with health care transition planning to support the purposeful, planned movement of adolescents and young adults from child-centered to adult-centered medical care;
  • Provided long-term follow-up to the families of more than 100 infants with abnormal newborn screenings; and
  • Welcomed and cared for a more than 200 campers at Camp Burnt Gin (a camp for those with special needs) throughout summer 2024.
• DPH’s State School Nurse Consultant partnered with the Lowcountry Area Health Education Centers and the South Carolina Association of School Nurses to create a free 10.5-hour web-based course for school nurses and others who work with children and adolescents.

While all nurses play an important role in the health of South Carolina communities, the nurses within DPH Healthcare Quality (HQ) play a unique role in health care. HQ currently employs 25 nurses and oversees and regulates nursing homes and acute care services like hospitals, ambulatory care facilities and renal dialysis facilities.

Through conducting inspections, surveys and investigations, DPH’s HQ nurses specialize in making sure health care facilities and service providers are following health and safety standards that protect patients and ensure they receive the best possible care. HQ nurses have the unique understanding of what it means to be a nurse and work closely with other healthcare professionals to ensure that state and federal regulations are enforced in South Carolina facilities.

“During National Nurses Week, we proudly celebrate the vital contributions of HQ nurses,” said Gwen Thompson, DPH’s Director of Healthcare Quality. “Their deep knowledge and dedication play a critical role in guiding healthcare facilities toward excellence, ensuring regulatory standards are met, and more importantly, helping to improve the health and well-being of South Carolinians.”