|
ANA honors 13 nurses for exemplary contributions to profession, patient care
Barbara Thoman Curtis Award
Linda H. Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN
Over the past 30 years, Linda H. Aiken has been influential in shaping legislation and policy to benefit nursing practice and the public nationwide. While vice president of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Aiken persuaded the foundation's board of trustees to invest in two large, multi-site, multi-million dollar demonstration programs to document the role of advanced practice registered nurses in improving patient outcomes while reducing costs to Medicare and Medicaid. Her influence on key congressional committees also led to Medicare extending direct reimbursement to all nurse practitioners. In another issue, the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association member convinced the foundation to co-sponsor a project to show that hospice care was safe, which cleared the way toward passage of Medicare hospice legislation. Since joining the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania in 1988, Aiken has conducted research on important issues to nurses, including needlestick injuries and the nursing shortage. Her research and technical expertise were key to the passage of a federal needlestick safety and prevention legislation. Her research on the nursing shortage has been widely used during federal and state debates and in legislation to address this pressing issue. Mary Mahoney Award
Jean Rochelle Marshall, MSN, RN, FAAN
Jean Rochelle Marshall has been instrumental in promoting the nursing profession, working to end health disparities, and increasing educational and leadership opportunities for minority nurses. As the only African-American president of the New Jersey State Nurses Association, she implemented the Marshall Plan, which significantly increased Black membership in the association. She's collaborated with New Jersey schools of nursing to address issues that might prevent Blacks from staying in school and speaks around the country about recruitment and retention issues that affect Blacks. She has guided countless numbers of minority nursing programs, tirelessly working with schools to develop buddy programs to increase the number of minority nurse graduates. Marshall initiated an award-winning grassroots effort to improve the health of minorities by organizing "Partners in Health," made up of representatives from 14 African-American fraternities, sororities and professional groups. It focused attention on disparities in health care in areas such as infant mortality, pediatric asthma, cancer and heart disease. The Partners in Health work with Meridian Health System to focus attention on disparities in the minority community in areas such as infant mortality, pediatric asthma, cancer and heart disease. Her efforts alerted African American constituents to the issue, which resulted in a huge statewide effort to reduce the Black infant mortality rate. Pearl McIver Public Health Award
Jean B. Heady, MSN, RNC, CNA
Jean B. Heady is an effective leader in public health nursing, and her leadership has strengthened the quality of care residents receive in her county. While meeting the administrative challenges as director of patient services of Jefferson County Public Health Service, the New York State Nurses Association member continues to utilize her clinical skills by participating in immunization clinics and making home visits. During major disasters, Heady functions in clinical, management and administrative roles to ensure safe and effective practice. In 1993, Heady and her administrative colleagues were awarded the New York State Department of Health Outstanding Leadership Award for successfully managing an outbreak of bacterial meningococcal disease in the county. And in January 1998, her collaborative leadership was key to public health staff meeting the needs of thousands of residents who were left without electricity and phone service for about three weeks after a major ice storm. Under Heady, her county was selected as a demonstration pilot to participate in the New York State Department of Health Outcome-Based Quality Improvement Project. She's also held numerous leadership positions in professional associations and shared her expertise on public health, rural and community nursing issues at the state and national levels. Mary Ellen Patton Staff Nurse Leadership Award
Cheryl L. Johnson, RN
Cheryl L. Johnson is a champion for patients and staff nurses -- a tireless advocate for patient safety, safe working environments, equitable pay and recognition for the value of the professional staff nurse. Johnson has been active at the local, state and national level, holding numerous key positions including chapter president and vice president of the Michigan Nurses Association. She was instrumental in the creation and ongoing success of the United American Nurses (UAN), AFL-CIO, the labor arm of ANA. Serving as the first UAN chairperson, Johnson's leadership resulted in a successful affiliation with the AFL-CIO, where she brings the voice of nursing to outside labor groups. By working full-time in critical care while serving as UAN chairperson, Johnson has remained grounded in the realities of staff nurses' work environment. Patients, coworkers and managers alike describe her as "dedicated," "caring" and "exceptional in her delivery of patient care." Patients and families have remarked about her willingness to "take time to explain and listen" and her compassion. Johnson has demonstrated experience in direct patient care and is highly skilled in teaching, mentoring and role modeling professional involvement. And because of her ongoing leadership and advocacy, professional staff nurses will achieve their rightful place in the health care system. Hildegard Peplau Award
Madeline A. Naegle, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN
Madeline A. Naegle's contributions to ad-vancing the clinical practice and knowledge base within psychiatric-mental health nursing and its related addictions and substance abuse sub-specialty are legendary. She's equally re-nowned for her organizational leadership, scope of influence, tireless advocacy and commitment to advancing public policy on behalf of vulnerable populations -- namely consumers of mental health services. Naegle has been a national and international advocate for nurses with alcohol and drug dependence problems. As chair of the New York State Nurses Association Committee on Impaired Nursing Practice, she provided leadership for the development of the New York State Peer Assistance Network, now a nationally recognized model program for impaired nurses and other licensed professionals. And she has been a strong advocate for incorporating an addictions sub-specialty as a core component of nursing and psychiatric-mental health nursing practice. Her expertise led to the award of a 1995 Fulbright Fellowship. As a Fulbright Scholar, she consulted on revisions of the baccalaureate nursing program and the psychiatric-mental health curriculum at the University of Malta, and her recommendations there led to a strengthening of standards for psychiatric nursing practice contributing to improved patient care and outcomes. Naegle has written extensively about the practice of addictions nursing, and her seminal textbook, Addictions and substance abuse -- Strategies for advanced practice nurses, was recently published. Jessie M. Scott Award
Norma M. Lang, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN
One of the world's leading authorities on nursing standards and outcome measures, Norma M. Lang is internationally recognized for promoting the role of nursing in health policy. She pioneered the development of an international classification for nursing practice, the Nursing Minimum Data Set, which is used to evaluate the quality of nursing care. Her own words perhaps best convey the significance of her work: "If you can't name it, you can't treat it." She also was instrumental in the establishment of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. As dean of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, Lang nurtured in her faculty the importance of risk-taking and strategic planning. Her efforts led to the creation of the Penn Nursing Network, an innovative, interdisciplinary, nurse-managed clinical practice model. This network of practices provides patients with a range of primary care services, while providing faculty and students with clinical sites in which to demonstrate best nursing practices tested through rigorous, faculty- directed research. Nowhere are Lang's contributions to nursing education more evident than in the vitality and growth of Penn Nursing, which ranked among the top three graduate nursing programs in the nation and among the top schools of choice for undergraduate applicants. Shirley Titus Award
Gwendylon E. Johnson, MA, RNC
An exceptional leader and proud staff nurse, Gwendylon E. Johnson has worked at every level of the association to improve the rights of nurses to provide safe, quality care to patients. The District of Columbia Nurses Association member helped develop the UAN to ensure a stronger ANA, and was key to securing approval of the AFL-CIO affiliation. Johnson has called for justice on the job, safety in the workplace and better care for all health care consumers, from Capitol Hill to rallies to public policy forums. As an ANA board member, she was recognized for the assistance she provided the Institute of Constituent Member Collective Bargaining Programs in its early efforts to confront compromised care delivery. She was instrumental in ANA's launching a national data collection project to connect quality patient outcomes with RN care, which she believed would give real substance to the profession's pro-RN staffing argument. In changing the dynamics on this key issue, she advanced the economic and general welfare of her colleagues and the profession. In 2000, Johnson's key efforts during a Washington, DC, RN strike led to a settlement that restricted mandatory overtime. Her work on health and safety issues has led to securing strong, innovative contract language to protect nurses. Distinguished Membership Award
Cecilia F. Mulvey, PhD, RN
Cecilia F. Mulvey's loyalty, commitment, enthusiasm and indefatigable work on behalf of ANA has been extraordinary and ongoing. She has provided thoughtful and insightful service as a delegate to the House of Delegates for two decades, and served on ANA's Board of Directors from 1996 to 2000. Her appointments as a member and chairperson in special and standing committees are numerous. Most recently, she served with distinction on the Centennial Committee and was the chairperson of the Expert Panel, Continuing Professional Competence, where she tackled this controversial issue by listening to members' concerns and providing detailed responses to their questions. Her leadership on the Committee to Study the Structure of ANA assisted members in understanding the issues, thereby strengthening support for organizational changes. On the Reference Committee, she worked hard to ensure delegates understood the issues so they'd cast informed votes. She's served on other organizations, as well, including as trustee and president of the American Nurses Foundation and board member and president of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. And she's a role model for others through her academic role at Syracuse University, her leadership positions, including president of the New York State Nurses Association and District #4, and her activities in the public health and public policy arenas. Honorary Human Rights Award
Ellen L. Palmer, PhD, MSN, RN
Ellen L. Palmer is a model of leadership in the area of human rights -- both nationally and internationally -- and she has made a difference in countless lives through her involvement in education and creating programs to improve access to health care for people in developing countries. In 1976, she became involved in providing care to Haitians, first as part of a surgical eye team and then as a part of an effort to train the community to run their own eye clinic. From 1979 until today, she has been an active volunteer with International Child Care, which provides health care to children in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. As an ICC volunteer she helped nurses and health care providers implement new procedures involving IVs, NG tubes and other treatments. She also helped ICC expand its program. Through one of her several ICC board positions, she has become an ardent advocate to improve the wages of health care providers, especially nurses. She also has led volunteer teams in numerous countries, including Bolivia, Zaire, and Mexico, where she's assisted people in meeting basic needs, including food, water and access to schooling. She also has conducted numerous health education workshops internationally, including annual trips to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where she's been accompanied by a small group of nurses. Honorary Nursing Practice Award
Ernest J. Grant, MSN, RN
Ernest J. Grant has provided bedside care for hundreds of patients over the past 19-plus years as a burn nurse, encouraging survivors and their families to take an active part in their recovery. Uppermost is his philosophy that patients and their families come first, and he makes himself available any time of the day or night to address concerns that they or staff have. Initially an LPN, the North Carolina Nurses Association member showed it's possible to further one's education while working full-time -- receiving his bachelor's in nursing first and then his master's. He also works with staff to ensure that prejudice and misconceptions don't get in the way of giving every patient the best care. Besides participating on the Burn Center's Quality Assurance Committee, he has been instrumental in disseminating information to the public about burn prevention and care. He serves as the Center's mascot "Sparky the Firedog," teaching safety and burn prevention at schools and health fairs. He helped implement the National Fire Protection Association's "Learn Not to Burn" curriculum in fourth grades classes, which has led to saving 15 lives. In another effort, he successfully lobbied the legislature to pass a bill making it mandatory that all hot water heaters sold in the state be pre-set at a temperature of 120 degrees. Honorary Recognition Award
Martha L. Orr, MN, RN, CAE
Martha L. Orr's unfailing commitment, thoughtful analysis, vision and tenacity are hallmarks of her leadership ability and have contributed directly to her many contributions to the advancement of ANA and to the well-being of the profession. Always on the cutting edge, she established one of the first clinical nurse specialist roles in the mid-'60s. In the '90s, she helped ANA develop a quality assurance and assessment process for constituent member associations to measure their effectiveness and was instrumental in its implementation and evaluation. As the executive director of the New York State Nurses Association during the infamous North Shore decisions of the '80s, she provided the leadership and vision that resulted in changes to the association's policy, structure and bylaws that preserved the multipurpose nature of the association while assuring that the collective bargaining program was sufficiently insulated from supervisory influence. This model withstood court challenges and became a model for other CMAs. Her achievements include designing and implementing a nationally recognized leadership program, fending off numerous assaults on the nurse practice act, and establishing programs, such as peer assistance and cultural diversity training, as well as innovative educations programs on topics ranging from latex allergy to delegation and supervision. Staff Nurse Advocacy Award
Jan Pickett, MA, RN,CNS, CS,OCN
Jan Pickett is an experienced clinician who practices in rural America. In her role as a member of a cancer care team, she quickly gained the trust of physician team leaders because she understood the medical model perspective of cancer care. Her positive patient outcomes have influenced all members of the cancer care team to appreciate a broader world view of the meaning of illness and wellness. And because she's been open and responsive to the best from the traditional medical model and holistic nursing, patients in rural Texas today have more health care options -- like self-hypnosis, massage therapy and herbal counseling -- for approaching the treatment of their illness and maintenance of their wellness. The Texas Nurses Association member does not accept bureaucratic limitations to providing quality patient care. She is superb at reframing patient problems, which opens a world of new options to patients. And at a time when not-for-profit health care systems are challenged by various operating pressures and clinicians are forced into seeing more patients to generate more revenue, Pickett is able to keep the focus of the rural cancer team on the individual patient's needs. And finally, when patients and their families feel vulnerable, she is always there to listen, reflect and discuss their concerns. ANA Board of Directors' Special Recognition Sally Sample, MN, RN, FAAN
The ANA Board of Directors issued a special recognition to Sally Sample, MN, RN, FAAN, to acknowledge her dedication in representing nursing as a commissioner on the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Board of Commissioners since 1993. Sample has the distinction of being the first nurse appointed to the nurse-at-large position on the JCAHO Board of Commissioners. She has served as a member of the executive committee, the standards and survey committee and chaired the accreditation committee. She also served as the ANA representative on the JCAHO Hospital Accreditation program from 1986-1993. Sample recently facilitated the JCAHO Roundtable on the nursing shortage and its nursing summit: "Solving the Nursing Shortage: Strategies for the Workplace and the Profession." She was a pioneer in the development of "organizational bylaws" to promote shared governance concepts and in the creative utilization of clinical nurse specialists at Vanderbilt University Hospitals in Nashville, TN (1972), and at Harborview Hospital in Seattle, WA (1976), where she was the nurse executive. At the University of Michigan Medical Center Ann Arbor (1983), she developed the corporate nurse executive position, providing leadership during a major transition to the new hospital. Returning to Vermont in the 1990, Sample created the Center for Nursing, a collaborative venture with the University of Vermont School of Nursing and the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont. She provided leadership in the implementation of the Robert Wood Johnson/Pew Charitable Trust grant for the Vermont Nursing Initiative. Sample received honorary doctorates from Norwich University and the University of Vermont (UVM). Sample served on the Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Nursing Shortage and currently serves on the UVM School of Nursing Advisory Board and as the chair of the Board of the Nightingale Institute for Health and the Environment. |
|
Political Nurse | Media Briefs | Miscellaneous | Staff | Previous Issues Back to Nursing World | Advertise in The American Nurse |
