Behauden Omer, a Bellevue resident, is a recipient of a 2017 Shining Star award for nursing excellence from King County Nurses Association (KCNA). The award was presented at the KCNA Annual Meeting and Spring Banquet May 11.

Omer is a public health nurse at King County Correctional Facility, where he has worked for four years, including two years as charge nurse. Previously, he worked in medical/surgical, critical care and the emergency departments at Swedish Medical Center.

According to nominator Carolyn Clark, registered nurse, Omer came to the Jail Health Services with excellent skills and applied them in the complex position of correctional nursing.

“He gives his best every day, no matter the circumstances,” she said. “He is a smart, caring, accountable, dependable and exemplary leader who cares dearly for the vulnerable patient populations he serves.”

He also maintains a sense of humor, she added, and doesn’t let stress affect his job.

KCNA is a professional organization of registered nurses committed to promoting healthy communities through education, advocacy and outreach. Founded in 1903, the association serves 4,400 nurses from a variety of specialties and settings.