Bayhealth Celebrates 2026 Delaware Today Top Nurses and Honorees

Bayhealth celebrates its exceptional nursing professionals recognized at the 2026 Delaware Today Excellence in Nursing Awards, where Bayhealth nurses earned top honors and widespread recognition for their outstanding patient care, leadership and clinical excellence.

Two Bayhealth nurses were named Top Nurses in their respective categories, while an additional 165 nurses were nominated and recognized among Delaware’s best across 20 specialties. The following team members from the Bayhealth Sussex Campus were honored as Top Nurses:

• Joni Goepel, RN, CCRN for Inpatient/Acute Care Nursing
• Ashlee Smeak, RN for Nursing Newcomer

“The strong presence of Bayhealth nurses among this year’s honorees reflects our culture of clinical excellence and the deep respect peers across the state have for the care delivered by Bayhealth teams every day,” said Senior Vice President & Chief Nurse Executive Rosemary Wurster, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE.

As a Magnet®-recognized health system, Bayhealth is committed to advancing nursing excellence, professional leadership and compassionate care. Visit Bayhealth.org/Careers/Nursing to learn more.

Image Caption: Joni Goepel, RN, CCRN and Ashlee Smeak, RN, both nurses at Bayhealth Sussex Campus