DAISY Foundation Award
The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day. The following DAISY Award winners are recognized as role models in our nursing community.
July 2021: Annette Lopez – 13 West Tower
August 2021: Stephanie Esterland – RUSH Cancer Center
September 2021: Nichol Cunningham – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
October 2021: Katelyn Taylor – Operating Room
November 2021: Lindsey Heffron – Clinical Staffing Office, Women and Children
December 2021: Tanikka Slowe – 9 Kellogg
January 2022: Kathryn Arensmeier – 12 West Tower
February 2022: Margie Hernandez – 10 East Tower
March 2022: Chelsea Intal – RUSH University Cancer Center
April 2022: Rebecca Rochacz – 13 West Tower
May 2022: Keeley Binion – 9 Kellogg
June 2022: Maricela Guzman – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Illinois Nurses Foundation
The Illinois Nurses Foundation chose thirteen nurses and nursing faculty members from the medical center as recipients for their annual 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders Award.
Tintu Abraham, RN, Medical Surgical Unit
Justine Alipio, RN, CCRN, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Camille Brownlee, MSN, RN, CNL, Perioperative Services and Endoscopy
Quinn Butler, MSN, RN, Inpatient Adult Psychiatry
Katie Dato, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement
Erin Dowding, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, OCN, Inpatient Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant
Kateri Evans, RN, MPH, Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement
Jasmyn Hernandez, RN, College of Nursing, Office of Faculty Practice
Will Jones, DNP, RN, CNL, CNML, Medical Oncology
Chase Lodico, MBA, RN, CEN, Emergency Department
Jenna Maloney, RN, MSN, CNL, Adult Observation Unit
Norah Vo, RN, PMH-BC, Department of Psychiatry
Colleen Wallek, MSN, RN, CNL, CMSRN, Medical and Surgical Oncology
Ellen Elpern Voice of the APRN Award
The Ellen Elpern Voice of the APRN Award is given annually to an Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) working at RUSH who exemplifies the characteristics of leadership, commitment and excellence in advanced practice nursing as demonstrated by former colleague Ellen Elpern MSN, APRN. This award celebrates the contributions that APRNs make toward continually improving patient care at RUSH.
*Award winner in bold
Meghan Baldwin, PMHNP-BC, MSN, Psychiatry
Racheal Coleman, DNP, APN, AGACNP-BC, Neurology
Erin Dowding, MSN, APN, ACNS-BC, OCN, Inpatient Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant
Ross Duerksen, APRN, Hematology, Oncology and Cell Therapy
Renee Evans, ACNP-BC, MSN, CCRN, General Surgery Transplant Managed Service Provider
Marcia Lovett, RN, MN, FNP-BC, Surgery
Frances Uy, MSN, AGACNP, Adult Medicine
Nicole Steinberg, DNP, FNP-C, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Susanne Swasey, FNP-C, Radiology
Jennifer White, MSN, DNP, AGACNP-BC, Cardiology
Magnet Course for Excellence Awards
The RUSH Magnet Course for Excellence Award recognizes individual nurses or teams that exemplify the excellence conveyed by Magnet status, the highest honor in nursing.
*Award winner in bold
Candace Moore BSN, RN, RUSH University Cancer Center
Ma. Eliza Michaela (Mica) Alcantara, BSN, RN, Medical Surgical Unit
Mary Zindrick, BSN, RN, RUSH University Cancer Center
7 South Atrium SWAT Team
9 Kellogg Falls Committee
BMT Fast Track Clinic
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, 11 East Tower UAC
Chemotherapy Desensitization Nurses
Medical Intensive Care Unit Education Committee
Nurse Engagement Recognition Committee
Pediatrics Interdisciplinary Care
Perioperative and Interventional Services Blood Glucose Management Team
Professional Nursing Practice Training Team
Supporting our Staff
Systemwide Preceptor Program Development
Annual Nurses Week Awards
RUSH University Medical Center honored nursing excellence at the Professional Nursing Staff Awards Ceremony during Nurse's week. The PNS Recognition Committee each year chooses the recipients for the awards from nominations submitted by co-workers, managers or nursing leaders.
*Award winner in bold
Additional Nursing Areas
Adriana Rumoro, Professional Nursing Practice
Ambulatory and Emergency Department
Nicole Athans – Hepatology
Lucia Blasucci – Neuroscience/Movement Disorder
Karyn Dionne-Quiros – Access Center
Maura Hoyt – RUSH University Cancer Center
Meghan Muir, South Loop-Pediatrics
Breanne Rimkus, Emergency Department
Interventional and Perioperative Services
Carmen Acevedo – Operating Room
Mallarie Mullen – Prep/Recovery
Medicine, Oncology and Cardiology
Jomana Abuhashish – 9 Kellogg
Colleen Anderson – 14 West Tower
Melissa Gerona – 7 North Atrium
Dana Goodin – 9 North Atrium
Bryce Krebs – 9 South Atrium
Hayley Lesnik – 14 West Towe
Psychiatry
Eloy Diaz, Adult Psychiatry
Surgical, Neuro, Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation
Phoebe LeRoy – 12 West Tower
Elizabeth Meyerson – 12 East Tower
Margie Par – Rehab
Dominika Zmuda – 13 East Tower
Women’s and Children’s
Laura Avelar – Labor and Delivery
Rachel Corrado – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Meghan Roder – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Adult Critical Care, RUSH Vascular Access Team and Critical Care Outreach Team
Erin Holden – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Karin Pierre-Louis – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Grant Schluntz – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Allison Thorne – Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit
Additional Nursing Areas
Kelly Gallagher – Anesthesia
Sarah Innocenti – Professional Nursing Practice
Ambulatory and Emergency Department
Margaret Gladman – Hematology and Oncology
Katherine Maschoff – Primary Care
Kellie Tuley – Emergency Department
Interventional and Perioperative Services
Linda Lavine – Prep/Recovery
Amy Shelton – Operating Room
Medicine, Oncology and Cardiology
Meysem Dababneh – 9 Kellogg
Liliosa DeLeon – 7 North Atrium
Marisol Jara – 9 North Atrium
Tiffany Kucharo – 14 East Tower
Meliana Martinez – 14 West Tower
Athena Yang – 9 South Tower
Clinical Staffing Office and Hospital Operations Administrator
Cynthia Hansen
Lindsey Heffron
Psychiatry
Joycelyn Arevalo – 4 Kellogg
Lauren Drysdale – 13 Kellogg
Surgical, Neuro, Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation
Eva Castillon – Rehab
Agnieszka Hedberg – 7 South Atrium
Angeline Muday – 12 East Tower
Colleen Russell – 13 East Tower
Women’s and Children’s
Katherine Djuric – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Christin Scott – Labor and Delivery
Kelly Thompson – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Adult Critical Care, RUSH Vascular Access Team and Critical Care Outreach Team
Courtney Lubbers – Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit
Jennifer Neustadt – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Angelika Stachura – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Angela Wick – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Relationships and Caring
Julie Anderson – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Susan Barnett – Surgical Oncology Clinic
Janine Blezien – Ambulatory Care Management
Michelle Brady – Clinical Staffing Office ,Women’s and Children’s
Elizabeth Breunig – 11 East Tower
Diane Dangerfield – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
Ellis Dansereau – Otolaryngology
Tia Davis – 10 West Tower
Osvaldo DeLaLuz – 14 East Tower
Elise DeLeon – 7 North Atrium
Mildred Garcia – 5 Kellogg/9 Kellogg
Angela Geschrey – Professional Nursing Practice
Jennifer Gilsdorf – Transplant
Edgar Allan Gonzalez-Caracheo – 7 North Atrium
Brogan Hanzel – 12 West Tower
Denise Hauser – RUSH University Cancer Center
Carla Heffner – 13 East Tower
Marisol Jara – 9 North Tower
Elizabeth Julian – 10 East Tower
Katherine Jungles – Labor and Delivery
Joanna Kane – 7 North Atrium
Zina Karana – 7 North Atrium
Arbie Karasek – 7 North Atrium
Russell Korn – Electrophysiology
Rachel Kriz – Pediatrics, RUSH University Medical Group
Brenna Langan – 14 East Tower
Nancy Lema – Primary Care/South Loop
Connie Lemme – 14 East Tower
Phoebe LeRoy – 12 West Tower
Joseph Leskody – 9 South Atrium
Ann Lieb – 7 North Atrium
Lincoln Little – 12 West Tower
Annalis Matta – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Nikki Mikulski – 7 North Atrium
Rowena Monet – 7 North Atrium
Jessica Morton – 14 East Tower
Kathleen O’Neill – 14 East Tower
Mary Perbless-Samaniego – 5 Kellogg / 9 Kellogg
Olga Przychocki – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Hailey Reis – Endoscopy
Gina Riley – 14 West Tower
Tara Robey– 10 West Tower
Morgan Skala – 7 South Atrium
Jamil Smart – 14 East Tower
Pindai Stoecklin – 9 South Atrium
Emily Sullivan – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Taylor Szatkowski – Ambulatory Care
Kim Truppa – 14 East Tower
Nora Trybula – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
Kellie Tuley – Emergency Department
Catherine Turner – Labor and Delivery
Jori Tuthill – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Elise Vazquez – 9 South Atrium
Hannah Webber – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Evidence-Based Practice
Emily Brey – Professional Nursing Practice
Karol Cordon – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Mireya Flores – 13 West Tower
Dana Goodin – 9 North Atrium
Mary Heitschmidt – RUSH College of Nursing
Rachel Hyder – 14 East Tower
Anna King – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Sophie Legan – 13 East Tower
Jenna Maloney – 9 Kellogg
Melissa Martinez – 9 Kellogg
Julie McMahon – 9 South Atrium
Meghan Muir – Pediatrics, RUSH University Medical Group
Marissa Nicastro – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Lisa Oslovich – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Leslie Radz– 14 East Tower
Jamie Schanz– 14 East Tower
Jaclyn Zasaitis – 11 East Tower
Michelle Zolfo-Cyze – RUSH University Cancer Center
Critical Thinking
Kalah Bermudez – Labor and Delivery
Ashlee Bertram – 9 North Atrium
Joane Buga-Ay – 14 East Tower
Christina Conforti – 14 East Tower
Elise Deleon – 7 North Atrium
Liliosa DeLeon – 7 North Atrium
Nicolette DeMicco – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Doreen Doran – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Casey Douthett – Allergy and Immunology
Karen Fisher Doyle – 13 East Tower
Amanda Ducharme – 7 North Atrium
Wanda Elders – 9 South Atrium
Taylor Frahm – 9 North Atrium
Vanessa Galindo – 14 West Tower
Hailee Higgins – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Tiffany Kucharo – 14 East Tower
Melissa Maguire – 14 East Tower
Molly Narrod – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Pauline Ngo – Otolaryngology
Anysa Nunez – 14 East Tower
Kathryn O’Shea – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Elizabeth Parrino – 9 South Atrium
Melanie Pugh – 14 East Tower
Tom Recko – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Margo Stark – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Maura Waldron – 7 North Atrium
Brittany Welch – Clinical Staffing Office, Maternal Child Nursing
Leadership
Elyse Adkins – Otolaryngology
Temilola Akinfe – Internal Medicine, RUSH University Medical Group
Mica Alcantara – 9 South Atrium
Laila Atieh – Clinical Staffing Office, Maternal Child Nursing
Sophia Barrett – 12 West Tower
Julia Britto – RUSH University Cancer Center
Joseph Burroughs – 12 West Tower
Marie Carnevale – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
Karol Cordon – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Megan Grobelny – Ambulatory Vascular Clinic
Paula Guzman – Labor and Delivery
Maggie Heraty – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Brianna Johnson – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Amanda Kelly – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Catherine King – 7 North Atrium
Hayley Lesnik – 14 East Tower
Lincoln Little – 12 West Tower
Emily Lynch – Labor and Delivery
Annalis Matta– Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Jenna McNeel – Endoscopy
Maddie Ocampo – 7 North Atrium
Stephanie Pearson – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Nicole Presta – Pediatrics Subspecialty
Paul Reilly – 12 West Tower
Sophie Schaut – 12 West Tower
Elise Schroeder – 7 North Atrium
Dawn Scheuber – 10 East Tower
Emily Sermersheim – Professional Nursing Practice
Urte Siaulyte – 9 North Atrium
Bridget Slevin – 7 South Atrium
Angelika Stachura – 11 East Tower
Janis Strand – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Katelyn Supelak – 7 North Atrium
Kimberly Truppa – 14 East Tower
Hannah Webber – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Technical Expertise
Margaret Banach – 9 South Atrium
Kylie Begue – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
Kalah Bermudez– Labor and Delivery
Allan Bonzalez – 7 North Atrium
David Bracho – 7 North Atrium
Katherine Chandler – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Olga Corona – Community Health Equity and Engagement
Cliff Crosley – Professional Nursing Practice
Liliosa DeLeon – 7 North Atrium
Sarah Fleege – Endoscopy
Samantha Freshley – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Angela Hurley – 7 North Atrium
Heather Jackert – 7 North Atrium
Sarah Johnson – RUSH University Medical Group
Amy Keleher – 14 East Tower
Kelly King – Adult Intensive Care Unit
Tiffany Kong – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Deanna LaMartina – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Janice Lara – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Ann Lieb – 7 North Atrium
Anne Logisz – 7 South Atrium
Julie Magiera – 12 West Tower
Melissa Maguire – 14 East Tower
Lisa Mauer – 14 East Tower
Caitlin Norris – 7 North Atrium
Kathleen O’Neill – 14 East Tower
Megan Patton – Endoscopy
Felicia Pautsch – Endoscopy
Rebecca Schnitzius – 9 Kellogg
Robin Stephen – 9 Kellogg
Alicja Such – 13 East Tower
Michelle Uriarte – Endoscopy
Justine Alipio – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Denise Banton – Labor and Delivery
Ashley Boumgarden – Emergency Department
Erin Dowding – 14 Tower
Renee Evans – Transplant
Kendra Gates – 13 West Tower
Kirsten Gidd-Hoffman – Medical Intensive Care Unit
Megan Grobelny – Vascular Surgery
Agnieszka Hedberg – 7 South Atrium
Sarah Hehemann – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Will Jones – 14 West Tower
Dennis Knoch – Labor and Delivery
Daniel Lavey– Clinical Staffing Office
Erinn Lyons – 9 South Atrium
Kathryn Mark – Case Management
Geri Narsete Prevo – Labor and Delivery
Alex Panday – Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
Mary Smith – Professional Nursing Practice
Judy Sy-Alido – 9 South Atrium
Natalie Tito – 7 South Atrium
Tammara Trice – Oak Brook, RUSH University Medical Group
Ned Villanueva – 9 North Atrium
Denise Banton – Labor and Delivery
Melissa Browning – Professional Nursing Practice
Laurie Bui – 12 East Tower
Mary Ellen Close – 7 North Atrium
Jill Ehrendreich – 9 Kellogg
Justin Erwin – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Carline Guerrier – 9 North Atrium
Katie Kean – RUSH University Cancer Center
Renee Luvich – 7 South Atrium
Brittany Obuchowski – Pediatrics Subspecialty
Timothy Rog – 11 East Tower
Sara Ruesewald – Radiation Oncology
Michelle Smith – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
Judy Sy-Alido – 9 South Atrium
Sierra Weathers – Ambulatory Care Management
Holly Losurdo
Angelique Richard
Justine Alipio
Marianne Corierri-Alaniz
Courtney Carlisle – RUSH University Cancer Center
Lynna LaManna – 14 East Tower
Rhonda Harbin-Rucker – 14 West Tower
Gary Blakely – RUSH University Cancer Center
Sabrina Jones – RUSH Oak Brook, Allergy Clinic
Jenna Thiry – RUSH University Cancer Center
Caroline Anderson
Mary King
Anna Mielczarek
Nicole Adamowicz — Psychiatry
Lena Leffew — Emergency Department
9 Kellogg Fall Reduction Initiative
7 North Atrium COVID-19 Resource Binder
9 North Atrium Patient Satisfaction and Employee Engagement
10 West Tower Fall Reduction
10 West Tower Progressive Mobility
10 West Tower SWAT Team
11 East Tower Education Committee
12 East RN PTO Taskforce
Clinical Staffing Office Coverage of Unit at RUSH Oak Park Hospital
Epilepsy Center — Health and Wellness
Labor and Delivery Promoting Vaginal Births
RVAT CLABSI Reduction
Janice Phillip
Dr. Omar Lateef