Presented every year by the South Carolina Nurses Foundation, the Palmetto Gold Award highlights the top nurses from across the state who show unwavering dedication to their patients, profession and communities. This year’s honorees embody the Medical University of South Carolina’s dedication to delivering high-quality, compassionate care throughout the state while advancing excellence in nursing education.
This award honors the top 100 nurses in the state every year. MUSC Health is proud of the 18 nurse honorees whose dedication to patient care sets the standard for nursing excellence.
Once again, the MUSC Health-Pee Dee Division had the most recipients of the Palmetto Gold Award, with 15 nurses representing the MUSC Health Florence, Marion and Black River medical centers. This recognition underscores each facility’s dedication to investing in a culture that enables nurses to succeed and provide exceptional patient care.
MUSC Health Florence Medical Center is especially proud to be the only hospital in South Carolina to have had nurses recognized every year since the program began.
“I'm incredibly proud of our team. For MUSC as an enterprise to have almost 20% of Palmetto Gold Award winners across our state is incredibly inspiring,” said Donna Wilmoth, R.N., chief nursing officer for the MUSC Health-Pee Dee Division. “For 15 of those individuals to be from the Pee Dee Division makes me incredibly proud. I'm very humbled and honored to be able to lead a team with such a magnitude of excellence.”
These honored nurses include (One awardee has since left the organization):
Florence Medical Center
- Janet Bennett, R.N.
- Chelsie McDaniel, R.N.
- Falinda Delly, R.N.
- Jermaine Sweeney, R.N.
- Allison Bass, R.N.
- Robert Sloan, R.N.
- Lathrum Johnson, R.N.
Black River Medical Center
- Debra Holliday, R.N.
- Johnathan Davis, R.N.
Marion Medical Center
- Jimmy Ford, R.N.
- Virginia Davis, R.N.
- Joseph Gerald, R.N.
- Michael Lane, R.N.
- Ola Barr, R.N.
"Our Palmetto Gold Award winners represent the very best of nursing, not just in Charleston but across South Carolina.
The MUSC Health-Charleston Division is pleased to announce its three nurses who received the Gold Award, exemplifying outstanding dedication to their roles: Kaylen Dodson (Houser), R.N., MUSC Health Ashley River Tower, and Sarah Johnson, Ph.D., R.N., and Lynnette Morris, R.N., both with the MUSC Health Institute of Psychiatry.
“Our Palmetto Gold Award winners represent the very best of nursing, not just in Charleston but across South Carolina,” said Brenda Kendall-Bailey, DNP, chief nursing officer at MUSC Health-Charleston Division. “Their compassion, clinical excellence and unwavering commitment to patients set the standard for the care we strive to deliver every day at MUSC Health.”
The MUSC Health-Catawba Division was proud to celebrate Natalie Wessels, R.N., who was honored for her exceptional work at MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center.
“This Palmetto Gold recognition highlights the exceptional care delivered at MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center. It’s a reflection of a team that consistently goes above and beyond for patients and for one another,” said Rachael Drake, DNP, R.N., chief nursing officer of the MUSC Health Catawba Division.
Recipients were honored at the 2026 Palmetto Gold Gala. This event supports scholarships for nursing students across South Carolina, furthering the mission of excellence in nursing education and practice.
Kristin Merkel
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