Nursing Spectrum Nurseweek
» Subscribe «

Nurse.com

Home  Heartland
Heartland Nursing Finalists Set Examples of Excellence
By Lisette Hilton
Monday November 10, 2008
E-mail to a friend | Print This | Select Text Size:

 advertisement 



Nominated by their peers as leaders in the profession, 24 nurses who live and work in America's Heartland were finalists in six regional categories of the coveted 2008 NurseWeek Nursing Excellence Awards.

The finalists represent the categories of Advancing and Leading the Profession, Clinical Care, Community Service, Management, Mentoring, and Teaching. The winners from these categories went on to represent the Heartland region in the national competition for Nurse of the Year, where they were judged against winners in their categories from across the country.

The 2008 NurseWeek Excellence Awards finalists are from Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.

ADVANCING AND LEADING THE PROFESSION

Katherine Bechtold, RN, BSN, MHA, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, St. Anthony Hospital Central, Denver
Bechtold graduated from the University of Wyoming School of Nursing in 1983, joined the Air Force as a staff nurse, and has steadily advanced her position for 25 years. She believes nursing is exciting because it provides nurses with the opportunity to create individual careers based on their needs and personalities. For Bechtold, nursing is a labor of love and the realization of a dream. She believes she can change practice, policy, and the future of healthcare, and is an incredible nurse advocate who works hard to give nursing a voice.

Carol Gregory, RN, MSN, MBA, chief nursing officer, HCA-HealthONE, The Medical Center of Aurora (Colo.)
Gregory exemplifies the practice and philosophy of Florence Nightingale daily in her professional and personal life. She is highly respected, visible, and available as a role model for nursing staff. She has been instrumental in addressing the nursing shortage and decreasing turnover rates through workforce stabilization. She has been a healthcare leader in the Denver area since 1976.

Mary Jensen, RN-C, BSN, MBA, clinical nurse coordinator, cardiac pulmonary rehab, telemanagment heart failure program, P/SL Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, Denver
During the tremendous upheaval associated with the merger of two hospitals, Jensen stepped to the plate, championing an evidence-based program that would ensure patients receive optimal care. In 2002, the cardiac rehab program for outpatient and inpatient clients was honored by the American Heart Association for Performance Achievement, an honor the staff has maintained.

Kerry Mrsny, RN, BSN, lead nurse, cardiac intermediate care unit, The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
Mrsny has advanced nursing at the center by leading in shared governance and by improving core measures, quality of care, and patient outcomes. Staff nurses ask for her advice and help because she is a positive, professional role model who enjoys the opportunity to teach and facilitates the growth of her staff nurses.

CLINICAL CARE

Trish Fischer, RN, BSN, staff nurse cardiac/intermediate care, The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
Fischer consistently provides exemplary holistic patient care and fosters the development of peers and nursing students. She consistently takes a leadership role in the promotion and improvement of quality patient care and contributes to a positive work environment by taking responsibility for ongoing professional development and improvement of patient care and satisfaction.

Bonita Leiber, RN, BSN, pediatric progressive care unit staff nurse, St. Louis Children's Hospital
With her compassion and calming nature, Leiber has turned nursing into an art. She helps her medically complex patients heal. One co-worker gives the example that watching a crying baby calm in Leiber's arms when all other attempts have failed to bring comfort is amazing.

Therese Ratigan, RN, PACU staff nurse, Alegent Health Mercy Hospital, Council Bluffs, Iowa
As a nurse for more than 40 years, Ratigan has earned an outstanding reputation among nursing and medical staff members who ask for her advice. She treats each patient with the same respect and care regardless of age, illness, or situation. Ratigan senses impending emergent situations before others see the clinical symptoms.

Jenifer Zipf, RN, operating room nurse, VA Medical Center, Minneapolis
A valuable member of the cardiothoracic team in the operating rooms, Zipf also is an OR scheduling and case cart management nurse. She exemplifies a compassion for nursing; commitment to patients, family, and coworkers; work ethic; collegiality; and ability to prioritize complex patient care needs in the OR. Her vast knowledge of surgical instrumentation, medical-surgical supplies, heart valves, on-and-off bypass procedures, endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting, video-assisted thoroscopic surgery, and laparoscopic surgery, and her critical care skills deliver safe and effective nursing care.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Karin Ashley, RN, BSN, staff RN, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Ashley started to share her passion for nursing even before becoming an RN about one year ago. She co-hosts an annual event for breast cancer survivors and has traveled to Mexico for two years to volunteer at clinics in poverty-stricken areas. Ashley serves as a model for giving back, inspiring other nurses to volunteer.

Karon Gibson, RN, CCM, television educator, AmericaNurse, Williams Bay, Wis.
A volunteer since her candy-striper days, Gibson often spends her time and money to promote nursing and wellness. She recruits nurses who have left the profession, educates the public about health and the role of nursing, and uses her role as a nurse in the public eye to advocate for the profession.

Sharon Rickley, RN, patient care manager operating room/surgical services, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
For 10 years, Rickley has volunteered for weekly mission trips to Jamaica. Her stories of journeys to help others in Jamaica and other parts of the world have inspired Rickley's colleagues to come along. Many people she cares for on those trips greet Rickley with hugs.

Yun Yann, RN, Regions Hospital, St. Paul, Minn.
A Cambodian refugee, Yann overcame great hardship, loss, and torture before coming to the U.S. more than 20 years ago. Yann has made it a point to reach out to the Cambodian community in St. Paul, and he returns to Cambodia every one to two years with hospital staff to volunteer and provide medical care to those who are less fortunate.

MANAGEMENT

Patricia Harkness, RN, BSN, patient care supervisor, surgery clinic, urology clinic, Center for Breast Care, Wound, and Ostomy Clinic, Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, La Crosse, Wis.
Harkness has helped to transition wound and ostomy nursing services to the surgery clinic, overseeing the expansion of services, patient encounters, and personnel. With her oversight as supervisor, the surgery clinic has expanded from four to seven providers; the urology clinic expanded, moved, and was remodeled; and the Center for Breast Care was established. In addition to her supervisory roles, she is the clinic nurse for the colorectal surgeon.

Jackie Loomis, RN, emergency department patient care manager, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Loomis is a committed leader who is available 24 hours a day and practices the motto "Page me!" Her open-door policy allows her to communicate in a straightforward, respectful, and honest manner. Loomis brings a sense of stability to the department and inspires staff not only to come to work but also to be the best they can be.

Wendy Rockey, RN, telemetry nurse manager, Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, Denver
Charged with management of the telemetry floor, $16 million, and about 50 full-time employees, Rockey has to balance many responsibilities. Despite her duties, she excels in employee engagement, physician relations, patient satisfaction, clinical quality, and fiscal responsibility.

Amy Schaben, RN, BSN, CPN, house supervisory clinical nurse coordinator, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Schaben stands out for her compassion and commitment to patients and staff. She demonstrates strong leadership skills as a role model by mentoring and shares her knowledge and skills to help staff achieve new levels of expertise. By not demeaning or intimidating her staff, she promotes critical thinking and helps staff spread their wings.

MENTORING

Theresa Alvarado, RN, CNOR, operating room staff nurse, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
For more than 29 years, Alvarado has worked in the OR at the hospital. She shares her knowledge as a preceptor and enjoys the reputation of having all the answers. She routinely goes above and beyond to aid the development of the nurses around her.

Abby Groteluschen, RN, BSN, CPN, pediatric floor staff nurse, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Groteluschen stands out as a mentor. She starts every shift with a smile and uses that joy and enthusiasm to lift the morale of others. She encourages independent critical thinking by gently guiding fellow nurses through the learning process. Groteluschen is a positive mentor outside of work and has formed a tight-knit group with nurses who, like her, are pursuing master's in nursing degrees.

Candi Jacobs, RN, BSN, staff nurse in the Children's Ambulatory Recovery and Express Stay, CARES unit, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Because Jacobs is passionate about child safety and preventable injuries, she became a certified child passenger safety technician. She takes time at the nurses' desk to share statistics and educate colleagues about car seat safety. Now, she's taking that message on the road to the Safe Kids Nebraska annual child passenger safety technicians conference. Jacobs' passionate nature and desire to make a difference impacts the lives of patients, families, and nurses.

Lucy O'Hanlon, RNC, NICU staff nurse, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
As a 25-year NICU veteran, O'Hanlon is a revered nursing resource and adviser. O'Hanlon has a genuine desire to share her knowledge and has guided countless new RNs throughout their careers. Although orientation might only last 10 to 12 weeks, O'Hanlon transitions into the mentor role by constantly offering encouragement and support.

TEACHING

Nancy Noble, MSN, APRN, associate professor of nursing, clinical instructor, and coordinator of medical-surgical clinicals, Marian University, Fond du Lac, Wis.
Noble rolls up her sleeves to get involved. She has served as the treasurer for the district nurses' association for the past 10 years, adviser for student nurses at the state level for 12 years, and faculty adviser for the student nurses' association for 16 years. Noble also is involved in the nursing school's service learning committee, nursing curriculum committee, nursing evaluation and outcomes committee, nursing senate, and faculty senate.

Rebecca Stratbucker, RNC, BSN, neonatal clinical education specialist, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Stratbucker coordinates and personalizes the education of new staff, travel nurses, preceptors, while conducting ongoing education with the NICU staff. Stratbucker identifies everyone's individual talents in order to assist in professional and personal development. She inspires NICU nurses to become certified as neonatal intensive care nurses, a certification she obtained in 2007. Today, Stratbucker is walking the talk by completing her master's in nursing, as a neonatal clinical nurse specialist.

Tara Teply, RN, BSN, CCRN, emergency department clinical educator, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Charged with reviewing, updating, and developing hospital policy to ensure safe and effective patient care, Teply offers a thorough review of current best-practice literature and excellence in critical thinking ability. She constantly meets with product representatives, attends conferences, and investigates the latest technological advances to promote optimal outcomes. If it is 3 a.m. and a nurse is having trouble priming the new IV tubing, Teply personally will walk that nurse through the steps.

Luke Tipler, RN, staff nurse, nurse preceptor, Children's Hospital, Omaha, Neb.
Over the years, Tipler has precepted about 15 students and nurses and accepted an impressive slew of back-to-back preceptees. Tipler, whether conducting his role as a staff nurse, wearing the charge, or attending committee meetings, almost always has a new staff member or student at his side. His knowledge, clinical skills, and professionalism make him a gifted teacher, and his diplomatic tendencies and gentle nature set an excellent example.

Lisette Hilton is a freelance writer. To comment, e-mail editorHTL@nurseweek.com.

DEL.ICIO.US