Eight Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System (SRHS) nurses have been named recipients of South Carolina’s 2022 Palmetto Gold Award, an honor given to clinicians who have shown a steadfast commitment to excellence in the nursing field. 

Each year through its Palmetto Gold Nurse Recognition and Scholarship Program, the South Carolina Nurses Foundation recognizes nurses who have shown exceptional commitment to professionalism, safety and patient care. 

Megan Burdette, Tammy Denson, Marie Dyer, Krystel Hannon, Katherine Henderson, Kelli R. Honeycutt Collier, Melinda Malone and Erin Masters were among 100 top nurses from across the state honored at the 20th Annual Palmetto Gold Gala on Sept. 16 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia. 

Megan Burdette, BSN, RN — Spartanburg Medical Center   

Megan Burdette works in Spartanburg Medical Center’s 28-bed inpatient neurological unit, where she oversees more than 50 associates as a nurse manager. 

Between formulating goal and action plans and managing daily clinical operations, she also empowers and encourages staff to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Burdette implemented staff education based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to ensure patient and staff safety, and she collaborated with hospital administration to convert the neurological unit for COVID-19 patient care. 

She began her career as a night shift bedside nurse at Spartanburg Medical Center after graduating from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree in 2009. 

Burdette’s mother was a nurse for 35 years, though she disliked visiting her mom’s workplace initially. In college, Burdette began to think about the impact her mother made on the lives of children. 

“Becoming a nurse has been one of the best decisions I’ve made,” she said. 

Tammy Warren Denson, BSN, RN — Pelham Medical Center   

Tammy Denson works at Pelham Medical Center as emergency center director. 

Denson earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing degree and has nearly completed her Master of Business Administration. 

She is a past recipient of the DAISY Award, and an award for excellence in geriatric care. 

Denson has been a nurse for 23 years and has always enjoyed taking care of others. 

“I wanted to become a nurse because I love taking care of people. I love the interaction I have with patients,” she said. 

Outside of nursing, she belongs to the Greer Leadership Development Council. 

Marie Dyer, BSN, RN, ACM, CIC — Spartanburg Medical Center   

Marie Dyer works as a nurse in Infection Prevention, where she is responsible for the surveillance, prevention and control of the transmission of infectious diseases in patients and healthcare workers. 

She is responsible for tracking trends and maintaining accurate data on healthcare-acquired inflections based on state and federal guidelines. 

Outside of her role at Spartanburg Medical Center, Dyer is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, and the American Case Management Association. 

Dyer has been a nurse for 26 years since graduating from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree. 

Dyer said she became a nurse to “gain knowledge and understanding to help patients” through illnesses and conditions, and to “provide care and support during difficult times.” 

Krystel Lynn Hannon, BSN, RN — Restorative & Post-Acute Care 

Krystel Lynn Hannon is a nurse at Spartanburg Regional Home Health, where she works as a case manager. 

Hannon received her associate degree in nursing from Gardner-Webb University and obtained her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Limestone University. 

She has been a nurse for 11 years and has never wanted to do anything else. 

“My dream was to become a nurse from the time I was a little girl until I graduated nursing school. I do believe nursing was my calling. I love being a nurse and caring for others,” Hannon said. 

Outside of nursing, Hannon volunteers at WinShape and Camp Tekoa Youth Christian Camp. 

Katherine Henderson, MSN, RN — Union Medical Center   

Katherine Henderson works as a nurse at Union Medical Center, where she leads the nursing team. 

Through her leadership role, she is responsible for implementing processes to provide excellent patient care and facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration. She also mentors and develops associates, optimizes systems and collaborates with associates to improve and promote a culture of service. 

She has previously worked as an emergency department director and in quality management, as well as a women’s and children’s nurse. 

Henderson has been a nurse for 12 years. She received her Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from Lander University and her Master of Science in nursing degree from Western Governor’s University. 

She said she first became a nurse to “serve people in their most vulnerable moments” and to “make a difference in other’s lives.” 

Kelli R. Honeycutt Collier, BSN, RN — Pelham Medical Center   

Kelli Honeycutt Collier works as a nurse manager for Pelham Medical Center as well as the facility's ICU and central monitoring. 

She manages unit operations, reviews policies, manages expenses, coordinates staffing and advocates for patients, families and associates, among other duties. 

Previously, Honeycutt Collier provided critical care in the ICU, provided primary bedside telemetry care, worked in the emergency room and handled pre-operative assessments for the post-anesthesia care unit. She has also worked as a public health nurse for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, providing compassionate health care to underserved populations. 

Honeycutt Collier has been a nurse for 12 years after graduating from the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2010. 

After seeing her mother’s nursing career – and the impact she made – Honeycutt Collier pursued nursing herself. 

“My parents always instilled in me to be good to others, to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves,” Honeycutt Collier said. “As I got older, I realized the importance of all the lessons I had been taught … and what better way to care and advocate for others than to be in the profession of nursing.” 

Melinda Malone, BSN, RN — Union Medical Center   

Melinda Malone works as a clinical coordinator in Union Medical Center’s Emergency Department. 

Her duties include data collection, education, audits, mentoring, team building, staff development and optimizing processes to provide safe patient care, among other duties. 

Malone is also a past hospice nurse and former University of South Carolina Upstate health center nurse. 

She has been a nurse for 29 years after starting her career as a paramedic. She received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Chamberlain University.  

“I began taking classes while working. With the support of my husband, family and co-workers, I was able to accomplish my dream of helping others. As a nurse, we not only help the patients, but provide support to the families, co-workers and our community,” Malone said. 

Malone said part of being a nurse is about being a role model and mentor to others. 

“A special person once told me, ‘When the light shines the brightest, take a step back and let it shine on those around you.’ I would hope that who I am as a person and a nurse is reflected by those around me.” 

Erin Masters, BSN, RN, CMSRN, ONC — Pelham Medical Center 

Erin Masters works as the spine and orthopaedic clinical coordinator at Pelham Medical Center, where she teaches two preoperative classes to help prepare patients for surgery. Prior to taking that role in 2021, she was a unit educator for Pelham Medical Center and the facility’s and the resource pool. 

In addition to performing audits and analyzing data, Masters performs postoperative follow-up calls to patients to monitor patient progress and prevent readmissions. 

Masters graduated from the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree and has been a nurse for eight years. 

Experiencing her grandmother’s hospitalization for heart surgery in 2005 and seeing how nurses make a difference fueled her desire to become a nurse. 

“Being a nurse gives me the opportunity to help people in their most vulnerable and unexpected moments,” she said.