Morgan Faulkner, RN, honored as 2026 Mercy Award recipient
June 26, 2026
ELKO, Nevada (June 26, 2026) – Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital (NNRH) recently announced that Morgan Faulkner, RN, has been recognized as the facility’s 2026 Mercy Award winner. Faulkner has worked at the hospital for the past four years and currently serves as the nurse supervisor in the Emergency Department.
The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program that honors the life and contributions of Scott Mercy, the founding chairman of Lifepoint Health, NNRH’s parent company. The award recognizes one employee from each of Lifepoint’s facilities across the nation who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded. It is considered the highest honor a Lifepoint employee can receive.
“At NNRH, our caring and compassionate team members are at the heart of advancing our mission of making communities healthier – and Morgan is a shining example of this, day in and day out,” said Steve Simpson, the hospital’s chief executive officer. “We are so proud to recognize her many contributions to caring for patients, supporting our staff and serving our community. I’m grateful for Morgan’s positive influence and the example she sets for all of us.”
As part of the award selection process, Faulkner was nominated by four of her co-workers. She was also recommended for the award by an emergency room doctor and by her department director, Karen Lyons. In her letter of recommendation, Lyons wrote the following:
“In emergency medicine, people often arrive broken, terrified and praying someone will help them survive the worst day of their life. And in those moments – the moments that define humanity at its most fragile – there is Morgan. She has comforted grieving families long after shifts were over because walking away never felt right. She has stood beside frightened nurses who doubted themselves and helped them become stronger, more confident caregivers. She has walked into impossible situations with calmness and mercy, reminding everyone around her that compassion is not a weakness — it is one of the greatest forms of strength.”
In addition to being named the local Mercy Award winner, Faulkner has been selected as a finalist for Lifepoint Health’s companywide award. She and a guest have been invited to travel to Nashville, TN, later this summer for a gala celebration during which the companywide winner will be announced.
Staff members with the Emergency Department at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital celebrate Morgan Faulkner winning the Mercy Award. Pictured from left: Karen Lyons, Anna Pond, Arik Herman, Morgan Faulkner, Angie Demars, Gardenia Mutuberria and Savannah Hope.