Each year, Nurse.com Nursing Spectrum calls upon our readers to nominate an exceptional nurse colleague for our Nursing Excellence program. For more than a decade, we have received thousands of entries that contain stories of phenomenal nurse leaders, mentors and clinicians. This year has proven no different. The nurses nominated for our 2012 Nursing Excellence program have proven true nursing excellence is alive and well.
ABOUT THE AWARDS
The peers of these exceptional nursing professionals sent detailed nominations for Nurse.com Nursing Spectrum?s Nursing Excellence Awards. The nominees included staff nurses, specialists, nurse practitioners, vice presidents and nurse executives who work in settings as disparate as occupational health, education, intensive care, cardiology, med/surg and pediatrics. No matter the role or setting, these nurses have found ways to raise the bar for their peers and for the quality of life of their patients. Nurse.com Nursing Spectrum hopes their stories will inspire all of our readers to reach for excellence. From the many tributes we received for this year?s program, we narrowed the competition down to five nurses in each of six categories, for a total of 30 finalists.
ADVANCING AND LEADING THE PROFESSION: Well-known and respected RNs who are visionary, innovative leaders and change agents who have moved the profession forward through work in patient care administration, education or research, or who have strengthened it through other professional activities, endeavors or contributions. Sponsored by University of Phoenix.
CLINICAL NURSING, INPATIENT: RNs who have demonstrated superior clinical nursing knowledge and expert skills, and who have applied both in ways that have measurably impacted quality of care and improved patient care outcomes in any inpatient clinical setting or nursing specialty.
HOME, COMMUNITY AND AMBULATORY CARE: RNs who have exemplified outstanding clinical knowledge and nursing expertise in caring for patients in settings outside the hospital in professional home care nursing, home hospice, subacute and intermediate care, or in other ambulatory community, industrial or school nurse roles.
STAFF/PATIENT MANAGEMENT: RNs who have made significant contributions to the management, supervision or direction of the environment of care and the performance of staff, demonstrating an ability to lead, influence and improve outcomes of care in any inpatient or outpatient setting.
EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP: RNs who have contributed to nursing?s body of knowledge through formal nursing education, skills training or continuing education, or who have guided, supported or influenced nurses? career development in meaningful, measurable ways through the art of professional nursing mentorship. Sponsored by The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing?s Future.
VOLUNTEERISM AND SERVICE: RNs who have given of themselves in outstanding humanitarian or heroic ways by providing nursing care, skills and expertise in outreach to the community, either at home or abroad, to improve the lives, well-being and healthcare of others.
Advancing and Leading the Profession
Patricia C. Dykes, RN, DNSc, FACMI, FAAN
Senior Nurse Scientist, Brigham and Women?s Hospital, Boston
For the past 20 years, Dykes has focused on building a framework for evidence-based practice, and exploring the impact of health information technology on the work of nurses. Using informatics tools to establish links between the work of nurses and positive patient outcomes is her passion and guides her research program. Her most recent cluster-randomized study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was conducted in four urban hospitals and indicated that the use of a fall prevention tool kit in hospital units significantly reduced the rate of falls. Her interdisciplinary informatics research training provides a solid foundation for the innovative work she is leading locally, nationally and internationally. She was the lead author on the first book on interdisciplinary clinical pathways and psychiatric clinical pathways. Also, she is extremely generous with colleagues and is accessible to nursing staff and leadership, thus making her research and leadership come alive on the patient care units.
Anne Gross, RN, PhD, NEA-BC
VP, Adult Nursing and Clinical Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
For the past 10 years that Gross has served in her position, nursing practice and interdisciplinary clinical services has grown by 30 and retention of highly expert nurses and nurse practitioners has been extraordinarily high, with an attrition rate of less than 1%. Magnet designation also was achieved under Gross? leadership. The organization recently received its highest patient-satisfaction marks ever. Gross? expertise and interests are vast, and her clinical expertise focuses on patient- and family-centered care, practice innovation, process improvement, teamwork and patient safety. Her work is a balance of clinical operations leadership and clinical nursing practice leadership in an interdisciplinary practice environment focused on both clinical research and clinical care. Her leadership is compassionate, transparent and inclusive. She also spends a portion of her time advancing her program of research, with a focus on quality of life in patients with ovarian cancer.
Susan M. Lee, RN, PhD, NP-C
Nurse Scientist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
Lee collaborates with others to design clinical investigations and guides new scientists in the development of research programs. She partners with staff and faculty at clinical sites and universities to generate initiatives that improve quality care, especially to the elderly and those at the end of life. Lee is dedicated to professional development of nurses in practice and has obtained funding for projects that enhance nurses? knowledge and create new excitement for staff in clinical practice. Her dedication and scholarly efforts have resulted in external funding and the recognition of nurse-driven initiatives. Lee?s work on a geropalliative care residency led directly to the new AgeWISE initiative, which is rolling out nationally. She also helped refine the committee structure to promote evidence-based practice throughout the organization. She is an effective listener and always ready to offer creative solutions to challenging problems.
Nadine Linendoll, GNP, PhD, Mdiv
Neuro-Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Tufts Medical Center, Boston
As a key member of the interdisciplinary team, Linendoll collaborates to provide specialized care to patients with brain tumors and other neurological tumors from diagnosis to the end of life. Her strength is in her ability to calmly, confidently and knowledgeably manage a large caseload of complex patients through the continuum of their care. She is a compassionate clinician whose professional training and sensitive nature results in care for the whole patient in a synergistic manner. Linendoll advocates for her patients, providing support and guidance throughout their cancer journeys, and consistently exceeding the standard of practice. She is an excellent communicator, always keeping the patients at the center of her care, and effectively keeps the staff and nurse managers informed of treatment plans. Her research has involved the development of training manuals for staff working with cognitively impaired patients. She is viewed as the go-to person for neuro-oncology, by both patients and the nursing staff.
Kathleen M. Thies, RN, PhD
Senior Clinical Researcher, Elliot Health System, Manchester, N.H.
Thies joined the facility in 2007 after an extensive and highly distinguished career in academia. In her role, she collaborates with other system leaders in overseeing the development and implementation of various initiatives related to research, evidence-based practice and advancement of professional nursing practice throughout the health system. She holds primary responsibility for the establishment and ongoing development of the nursing shared governance structure. Her work covers the spectrum from frequent and direct interactions with core bedside clinicians to dialogues with national nursing leaders about strategies for excellence in patient care and professional practice. She supports and develops direct-care nurses in numerous settings to be accountable for and critically evaluate their practice, leading to continuous improvements in patient outcomes. Thies is an avid proponent of continuing formal education. She has mentored many staff to advance their formal education, in some cases by recognizing and cultivating talent, which in turn has given staff the confidence and motivation to return to school.
Clinical nursing, inpatient
Jenifer Ash, APRN, MPH
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Hartford (Conn.) Hospital
Ash is a leader in many quality-related service-line, divisional and organizational initiatives. Her efforts in forging close partnerships with providers, nurse managers, staff nurses, case managers and other clinicians lead to positive outcomes. She initiated progressive care rounds that focus on each patient, implementing interventions when needed, reinforcing staff education and maintaining quality measures, including a review of core measures as appropriate. Her leadership is integral to the facility?s cystic fibrosis program, has produced excellent patient outcomes, and enabled the organization to achieve and sustain national accreditation. Ash embeds evidence-based research and best practices into all quality and patient-care initiatives and any associated policy or procedure she produces to support and guide practice. Under her leadership, critical test result reporting compliance outcomes have improved from generally less than 20% to about 75% overall. She spends most of her time working directly with nurses and APRN staff in patient-care areas.
Lisa Bouvier, RN, BSN
Staff Nurse, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
Bouvier comes to work every day ready to make a positive difference in the day of patients and colleagues alike. She is not only an advocate for patients but also an advocate for nursing in all interactions with other disciplines. She leads debriefing sessions when difficult patients are on the floor to discuss their stay, their care and how staff can improve outcomes. Bouvier focuses on the community at large in her nursing endeavors. This past summer she helped lead a trip to an orphanage in Honduras, where she engaged with the children and worked long hours at a local clinic. She educated the unit about her experience and similar opportunities upon her return. She may not have a high position of authority in the nursing professional community, however, she is a bedside nurse you would be lucky to have. She leads by example, with compassion and as a mentor.
Tara Ferrauolo, RN, BSN, CCRN, CME
Staff Nurse, ICU, Midstate Medical Center, Meriden, Conn.
Ferrauolo is responsible for the implementation of the individualized plan of care for her patients, based on her assessments in collaboration with the healthcare team. She also collaborates with pharmacy, nutrition, social work and case management. She is goal-oriented and outcome driven. Ferrauolo actively participates on committees and routinely attends quarterly cardiology conferences to stay current with the best care for her patients. She has taken the lead in promoting the growth and professionalism of staff, helping staff prepare for certification exams. She also is focused on core measures and Press Ganey scores. She watches numbers and formulates ideas to improve them, and headed a team effort to earn the Beacon Award for Critical Care. She goes above and beyond with students that rotate through the unit, mentoring, teaching and encouraging them as they work with her. She is always one of the first choices of nursing instructors as a student mentor.
Kate Moriarty, RN-BC, MEd
Staff Nurse, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Medford, Mass.
Moriarty shows tremendous motivation in actively advancing her skills and knowledge, with the goal of both professional advancement and patient safety. As required by the med-psych unit, she earned Crisis Prevention Institute certification. In addition, she took the IV training class and immediately completed her hands-on successful IV insertions. She then moved on to central venous access device and telemetry training, and later earned her ACLS and med-surg certifications. She was identified as a potential charge nurse, so proceeded to take the charge nurse program in November 2010, increasing her credibility as a nurse and a leader to her colleagues. She also is pursuing her bachelor?s degree in nursing. She uses the knowledge and skills that she gains toward patient care and acts as a resource to her colleagues. She consistently adheres to policies and procedures; practices safety in her care delivery; is goal-oriented, cooperative, immensely respectful, calm and optimistic.
Susan D. Serfass, RN, CRNI
Staff Nurse, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Dover, N.H.
Serfass has served as chairwoman of the nurse practice council for several years, is pursing her bachelor?s degree through an online program, and plans to move immediately into an MSN program. She has made a measurable difference for patients with her passion for excellence in intravenous therapy. She is known as the ?IV whisperer? on her unit. She has been the IV superuser on the unit for equipment and policy changes, but has gone above and beyond to precept and coach colleagues personally. She has set herself apart in the workplace by constantly challenging herself. She developed and validated her clinical expertise by earning the Certified Registered Nurse Infusion credential, and developed a pilot special interest group, called the IV Tree, made up of staff members from multiple inpatient and outpatient units. She also launched her own website (ivtree.org) and blog. Serfass is the kind of colleague who raises the bar for everyone in her midst.
Home, Community and Ambulatory Care
April Bartley, RN, CCM
Program Director, Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, Keene, N.H.
Bartley?s presence has markedly increased the quality of care to clients. Her motto is: If it?s the right thing to do for the client, that?s what we do. She helps her clients in all aspects of care that need to happen for them to stay home safely. When a challenge is presented, she is open to input from the staff members involved. She is a supportive and respectful manager. Each person in her department has strengths and is encouraged to develop them further. Her strong leadership has placed staff in positions to best use their talents, which creates a department with high customer satisfaction. Advocacy also is a huge part of Bartley?s work ethic. She will fight professionally for what her clients need without judgment or discrimination. The staff strives to do their best because that?s the environment Bartley creates.
Carolyn L. Fallica, RN, MS, APN-BC, OCN
Hematology/Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Hallmark Health Cancer Center, Stoneham, Mass.
Fallica is a nurse practitioner in a very busy cancer center and also has her own practice. She is responsible for teaching all new patients who come to the center for their initial chemotherapy treatments. She also collaborates with the nurses who work in infusion to assure the highest levels of quality and safety. Fallica is approachable and understands the needs of the patients and families, as well as the needs of the nurses. There is not one moment she does not make herself available to them. One of the strongest ways she represents the profession is by her community outreach. She is key in screening clinics and additionally dedicates her time to community events and public speaking related to prevention of various cancer disease states. Fallica has dedicated her career to best outcomes for the patients and families she serves and doesn?t give a second thought to the hours she puts in to make sure they come first.
Jennifer Frye, RN, CCC
Charge Nurse PCPT, FMC Devens, Ayer, Mass.
Frye?s team is responsible for the healthcare needs of approximately 500 federal inmates, 300 of whom have chronic care issues that need constant monitoring and follow up. She consistently assesses, evaluates and prioritizes the needs of the inmates. She exhibits excellent clinical judgment and exceptional nursing skills while providing comprehensive nursing care. She also plays a vital role in mentoring and orienting new staff to their roles as nurses in a federal prison, which can be an extremely challenging population to care for. As the Companion Program coordinator, she assists with supervising federal inmates who apply for positions as inmate companions. She maintains a firm, fair and consistent approach with the inmates that creates a respectful relationship. They consistently seek her advice and guidance with their day-to-day activities. She leads by example and is always willing to jump in to get the job done.
Pamela Keefe, RN, CFN, SANE-A, SANE-P
ED Staff Nurse, Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, Nashua
Keefe is an excellent ED nurse but she truly shines as a caregiver for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She provides a compassionate continuity of care for victims. She is kind and gentle with her patients, allowing them the time to proceed through the examination at their own pace. She treats all patients with dignity and empathy. She understands what triggers the sometimes-challenging behavior of those coping with the psychological trauma of this type of personal violation. Her strong clinical skills, genuine interpersonal skills, and comprehensive knowledge base are readily apparent to her colleagues and her patients. She has been instrumental in creating evidenced-based sexual assault order sets to ensure the utmost in quality care. She is extremely active in the community in the fight against sexual assault and domestic violence. She is a co-chair on a committee tasked with creating a community Sexual Assault Response Team.
Rebecca L. Sherlock, RN, PNP-BC
Clinical Coordinator, Myelodysplasia Clinic, Children's Hospital, Boston
Sherlock is an integral part of high-quality care for families with children who have spina bifida. She has established a coordinated approach that starts in the early stages and continues across the lifespan through the point of transition to adult care for spina bifida patients. She established a self-esteem building camp for adolescent girls called Better Living N? Girls Camp, which helps them learn to confidently embrace their abilities, individuality and femininity. The BLIN?G Camp was such a success that Sherlock has developed a similar program for boys. Most of all, she is an anchor and knows each patient, family and their unique needs. She is a highly respected and expert clinician, providing exceptional assessment and clinical care for these children. She advocates for each child relative to the care needed in the community from supplies to services. Her vision to improve the health and self-esteem for this special population is remarkable.
Staff/Patient Management
Anne Bane, RN, MSN
Nursing Director, Clinical Systems, Innovation & Medication Safety, Brigham and Women?s Hospital, Boston
Bane has achieved remarkable success and led the institution nationally and internationally in nursing and multidisciplinary approaches to medication safety. Most importantly, her role in staff and patient management is unique and critical in the institution in that she is accountable for every staff nurse?s success in learning, adopting, evaluating, and influencing technology initiatives. In her role, she is the leader in a complex, highly successful clinical initiative related to medication safety and electronic medication administration and recording. She also led the efforts with her pharmacy colleagues in the medication barcoding initiatives, for which the institution is internationally renowned. Bane is also a co-author on several peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary publications that address the nursing and team roles in medication safety. She is a compelling advocate for patient safety from a nursing viewpoint in multi-disciplinary forums. As technology and clinical innovations become key in the work of all staff nurses, Bane is a pivotal individual in nursing and clinical innovations.
Lisa Q. Corbett, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN
Team Leader, Wound Care & Ostomy Program, Hartford (Conn.) Hospital
On a daily basis, Corbett sets herself apart as a role model for the profession. She inspires her nursing staff to use evidence-based practice, continually improve their practice and participate in life-long learning. She is sought out, not only by her nursing colleagues, but also by the medical staff for her clinical expertise in wound care and pressure ulcer prevention. Those qualities that exemplify how she was able to create and sustain this culture change include her clinical expertise, teaching abilities, skill in helping groups work toward a collaborative goal, attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to inspire inquiry. Although Corbett?s role began as consultative resource for bedside staff treating skin breakdown, she quickly expanded the role beyond the bedside to solve systems issues. She has made the bedside nursing staff more expert in their care, more attuned to evidence-based decisions, and more cognizant of the direct relationship of outcomes to the finances of their workplace.
Kathryn McNamara, RN, BSN, MS, CCRN
Assistant Nurse Manager, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Mass.
McNamara positively affects the quality of patient care, the work environment, and the profession of nursing through her actions and her attitude. She is professional in her demeanor, functions at the expert level clinically, is compassionate, and is collaborative in her approach to issues. She actively seeks out situations that will challenge her to learn and to grow. She promotes those same qualities in the staff, raising the level of professionalism throughout her areas of responsibility. McNamara makes staffing assignments based on the synergy model, matching the skills of the nurse to the needs of the patient. She monitors the care provided, instructing and coaching as needed. She is an expert clinical resource, encouraging staff to use current literature, policies and guidelines to determine the best plan of care. The knowledge that she treats everyone equally gives her tremendous credibility with the staff. Her enthusiasm for the profession of nursing permeates everything she does.
Julie Sherman, RN, BSN
Clinical Nursing Director, Tufts Medical Center, Boston
Sherman is focused upon leveraging the interdisciplinary team to create an environment that delivers outstanding outcomes in a patient-centric manner. She has a natural touch and connection with others that allows her to engage staff in an extraordinary way, which facilities exemplary patient outcomes. She is honest with her staff. She is a go-to leader and a clinical expert who can articulate an issue within a moment?s notice. Despite competing priorities, she takes time to know her patients and their families. She guarantees their needs are met; that quality, satisfaction and efficiency are forefront; and that staff are secure in their ability to deliver care. Her strong integrity shows in her decision-making abilities. Her personal approach as a consensus builder has led to improved standards, while simultaneously improving morale and patient satisfaction. All of her colleagues are comforted knowing that she continuously strives to provide the safest, most compassionate environment for patients.
Anne M. Steele, RN, DNP, CCRN, NE-BC
Nurse Manager, Exeter (N.H.) Hospital
Steele possesses unwavering commitment to patients, families and staff. She creates and sustains an environment of open inquiry for innovation, always towards best practice outcomes. She is engaged in key clinical practice projects within the ICU, the hospital and in professional organizations. She inspires educational and professional advancement. She is a catalyst for her ICU staff members and others with whom she collaborates to become actively engaged in a sprit of inquiry and innovation. As a leader, she raises the bar each year to inspire advancement of professional practice, education, certification, conference attendance, and involvement in committees, councils and the community. She seeks staff and leader input in moving projects forward, and removing obstacles and barriers to positive outcomes. With her leadership, the ICU team achieves multiple measures of improvement in processes and care delivery for patients and families. They often exceed established benchmarks of national standards.
Education and Mentorship
Eileen Callahan-McCarthy, RN, BSN, CPEN
Pediatric Clinical Educator, ED, Tufts Medical Center, Boston
Callahan-McCarthy has a combined role as clinician and educator for the pediatric emergency department and Level 1 Trauma Center at Floating Hospital for Children. She embodies excellence in nursing scholarship and practice, and at same time brings an equal measure of diplomacy into all she touches. All new staff are oriented and mentored through a curriculum she developed to reflect best-in-class and evidence-based practices for pediatric emergency care. The nominee brings her open and nonjudgmental approach to each inquiry and listens astutely before she probes into the literature or her own wealth of experience and knowledge to provide an answer. She understands teamwork and how to function and lead others. She mentors staff from all disciplines on how to ensure that the patients and their families are their focus. And she takes the lead in the community, providing needed education on topics such as shaken baby syndrome and the effects of bullying.
Mary Horn, RN, MSN, RRT
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Children's Hospital Boston
As both a nurse and a respiratory therapist, Horn has devoted her career to the care of children and families with respiratory illnesses and especially tracheostomies. She provides hospital-wide clinical support and education to the patient population and staff. She continues to follow patients throughout their hospitalization. This can be as many as 30 patients per day. She often stays late into the evening and comes in on weekends to accommodate the schedules of family members. Horn established a tracheostomy committee, which has evolved into a subject matter expert group. Her mentoring fosters empowerment of staff, especially those who may lack the confidence to speak up on unit-based rounds. She is a frequent speaker and lead coordinator for respiratory care conferences, such at the Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses, the Respiratory Nursing Society and hospital-based conferences. Her enthusiasm for learning motivates others to explore important clinical questions and contribute to knowledge development.
Carol Ann Lamoureux, RN, MS, NEA-BC
Director, Center for Professional Practice Development, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, R.I.
Lamourex has worked at TMH for 37 years in multiple leadership roles: nurse manager, critical care educator, and director of operations. She guides her team to meet the overall needs of the nursing department, and at the same time facilitates the individual development of staff. She builds a climate of collaboration and creativity in which independent thinking flourishes. In daily interactions and formal evaluations, she holds her staff accountable for upholding professional standards, such as those of the ANCC, the Magnet Model Framework, the ANA?s Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice, and UHC/AACN standards for nurse residency programs. One of her greatest leadership assets is her sophisticated understanding of the business of TMH, and how business goals affect individual patients and staff. As a strong proponent of bridging academia and the clinical setting to facilitate transition from novice to expert, Lamoureux brought to fruition the recent establishment of a dedicated education unit.
Janet E. Madden, RN, MS, CCNS
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
Madden is responsible for the orientation and ongoing education of all 68 NICU nurses. The nominee researches and reviews the current literature for new practices that would enhance the care provided to NICU patients, and inspires the nursing staff to do the same by facilitating the NICU Journal Club. The nominee possesses expert mentoring skills and a passion for educating and coaching. She has done a superlative job developing, implementing and supporting a comprehensive, organized and well-designed orientation program that is tailored to the new hires? individual needs. In addition to her wealth of knowledge and critical thinking, what makes Madden stand out immensely is her ability to guide, direct and encourage the advancement of others. She has given a neonatal voice to a multitude of hospital-wide initiatives, and in doing so, has helped many realize that neonates have unique needs and are not just smaller versions of pediatric patients, which is a cultural shift vital to patient safety.
Vincent M. Vacca Jr., RN, MSN, CCRN
Clinical Nurse Educator, NICU, Brigham and Women?s Hospital, Boston
Vacca?s days begin at 6:30 a.m., when he meets with night staff to discuss events and practice issues they?ve encountered. He offers suggestions, advice and will follow up as needed. With the arrival of day shift, Vacca checks in with both charge nurses, to discuss the upcoming day. He reviews scans and reports of every patient, and participates in rounds for discussion of patient plans. Vacca is on multiple quality, safety and practice committees, all of which are designed to support the nursing and ancillary staff in his unit, and campuswide. He developed a tracking tool to guide new nurses to develop the abilities, and gain knowledge and skills needed to provide excellent care to patients and families. He developed a nurse-nurse handoff tool to ensure comprehensive and seamless delivery of care essential to patients and families. Vacca will tell you that he is a life longlearner ? reading, attending lectures, writing and speaking professionally.
Volunteerism and Service
Nelson J. Aquino, CRNA, MS
Senior Certified RN Anesthetist, Children's Hospital Medical Center Anesthesia Foundation, Charlestown, Mass.
Aquino?s passion for nursing is profound. He is always professional, mature, and articulate, with a wonderful sense of humor. He delivers superb family-centered care. He was able to blend his expert pediatric critical care knowledge base, passion for working with families, and exceptional intellectual capacity to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. The most striking and remarkable quality of Aquino, however, is his volunteer work. Since 2000, he has been part of non-profit organizations that provide critical medical and surgical care to developing countries. He has participated with medical teams in Palestine, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Chechnya and Haiti. His efforts in Haiti in response to the devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed the capital and killed over a quarter of a million people were heroic and life-changing. He was the first CRNA to get there and treat patients. His daily blog accounts were honest and emotional, but overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to help.
Sheila Davis, DNP, ANP, FAAN
Director of Global Nursing, Partners In Health, Boston
Davis has a passion for underserved and vulnerable populations and teaches courses on these subjects. She co-founded a nurse-run non-governmental organization working in South Africa on a rural nurse run clinic and orphan feeding program in an urban township. Her clinical focus is in infectious disease, where she works with patients with HIV/AIDS. She has identified many opportunities for Partners In Health in nursing research and education in Haiti, Rwanda and Lesotho. She is helping develop a master?s program in global health nursing in which opportunities will be provided for modeling true collaborative care teams working in resource limited settings in global areas. She has presented on a number of topics in global health and infectious diseases nationally and internationally. Her passion for human rights and justice may begin in the healthcare needs of developing countries, but she brings her passion to the classroom, where graduate students are alit by her enthusiasm.
Kathleen E. Houlahan, RN, MHA, MSN
Nurse Director, Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center, Boston
Houlahan has worked in pediatric oncology for more than 30 years and has always been willing to go the extra mile. She designed and implemented one of the first back-to-school programs, which has helped hundreds of children make the challenging transition back to the classroom after missing significant time due to cancer treatment. She also developed a hospital-to-home-program that allows a nurse from the oncology program to go to patients? homes and meet with families to review medications and other important information. This bridge from hospital to home has been the basis of the international work that Houlahan has become involved in. She has been to Egypt multiple times and works with a core group of nurses there to advance their practices. She also has been instrumental in helping launch a national cancer program in Rwanda. Nurses who work with her know that when she gets an idea in her head, it is going to happen.
Barbara Moloney, RN, MSN, CCRN, DNPc
Assistant Professor, Lawrence Memorial/Regis College Nursing Program, Medford, Mass.
Moloney?s strongest advocacy is for critically ill patients and their families. She took her first semi-annual trip to Haiti four years ago and began working with the nurses from Hopital Sacre Coeur in Milot, teaching the nurses to become the educators. When the earthquake hit in 2010, thousands of injured from Port-au-Prince were sent to Hopital Sacre Coeur. The knowledge Moloney brought to Haiti saved many lives in the wake of the disaster. The level of nursing care at Hopital Sacre Coeur has changed in the small, third-world country, and that can be directly connected to the work of Moloney and a few of her colleagues. Moloney also returned following the earthquake and was assigned to work in the ICU. She saw hundreds of patients and in the race to save lives and limbs, she brought knowledge, strength and courage to her nurses from Haiti. She quietly goes about her missions, occasionally requesting help from another colleague.
Deborah Rideout, RN, BSN, CNOR
Director Perioperative Services, Southcoast Hospital Group, New Bedford, Mass.
Rideout has volunteered as an operating room nurse with Medical Missions for Children on 20 surgical missions in the past 15 years spanning three continents and six countries: Tanzania, India, Bhutan, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala. She has spent almost six months of her time ? away from family and friends ? to travel on these missions. Not only does she use valuable personal vacation time, she also pays an annual fee to do so. She is a skilled, calming and focused presence in and out of the OR. She loves the kids, the experience, the team, the results, the hope and future given these kids. She is always willing to go the extra mile to help the kids or even her teammates, quietly and with no muss. She simply lends her hand wherever and whenever needed, and that is why her team is blessed to have her leading the way in the OR.
