Emergency Room nurse Patty Frame was named Rockdale Medical Center's 2014 Nurse of the Year in a surprise ceremony Tuesday.

Frame has worked in RMC's ER department since 2000 and has been an ER nurse for 24 years, also working at Piedmont Hospital and South Fulton Medical. For the past seven years, Frame has served as a "precept," guiding and mentoring nurses in their first year.

She first started in the nursing field becuase of the chance to help people. "To make a difference," she said. "It's a very hard profession, but very rewarding."

Frame initially thought she was going to the May 6 ceremony for a co-worker. "I was so surprised," she said, when they read her name "All I was doing was trying not to cry."

She said she was drawn RMC's ER because of "the teamwork and my coworkers."

Nurse Emily Holmes, who is in her first year in the Mother Baby department, was named the Rookie of the Year, as part of the Nurses Week celebrations.

"The nurses at Rockdale Medical Center are truly the heart of our hospital, involved in nearly every facet of care delivered here and instrumental to our ability to continuously enhance our quality and service," said Deborah Armstrong, CEO.