The DAISY Foundation Award
The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the clinical skill and compassionate care delivered by nurses every day. The following DAISY Award winners are recognized as role models in our nursing community.
July 2023: Eloy Diaz, 13 Kellogg
August 2023: Shanee Pryor, 13 East Tower
September 2023: Josh Jacobs, 12 East Tower
October 2023: Angela Wick, 10 West Tower
November 2023: Hannah Amposta, Post Anesthesia Care Unit
December 2023: Mia Dizdarevic, 5 Kellogg/9Kellogg
January 2024: Emily Asai, Radiation Oncology
February 2024: Samantha Gill, Rush Surgi Center
March 2024: Kim Coppin, 11 East Tower
April 2024: Danielle Saleem, 9 South Atrium
May 2024: Kathy Kosmala, General Pediatrics
June 2024: Irene Mendez, 11 West Tower
Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Celebration
There is a lot to be proud of as a Rush nurse. Rush celebrates National APP Week annually on the fourth week of September with the support of the Advanced Practice Executive Committee (APEC). APPs are recognized for their many contributions to providing access to high-quality patient care.
*Award winner in bold
Barbara Kitzes Hinch, DNP, RN, APN-ACNP
Jenifer Burke, RN, MSN, CPNP, Pediatric Pulmonary
Natalie Colson, PA-C, MPAS, Oncology
Timothy Clinton, DNP, AGACNP-BC, APRN, Hospitalist
Austin Fiedler, MSPA, PA-C, Adult ICU
Greg Gaffud, PMHNP-APRN, RN-BSN, Child Psychiatry
Sarah Maier, NP, DNP, CVT Surgery Vascular
Victor Oskvarek, MSN, CRNA, Anesthesia
Stephanie Snyder, NP, Pediatric Neurology
Katelyn Spinney, FNP-BC, DNP, OBGYN
Maria Uhler, PA-C, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
Stephanie, Schroeder, PA-C, Dermatology
Ellen Schuler, PA-C, CVT-Intensive Care Unit
Jonathon Schulz, PA-C, Substance Use Intervention
Elizabeth Scott, MMS, PA-C, Adult Intensive Care Unit
Lindsey Textor, NP, DNP, Interventional GI and Endoscopy
Jason Vawter, PA-C, Adult Intensive Care Unit
Sara Young, DNP, AGNP-C, OCN, RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gastrointestinal Care
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
Carrie Anderson, MSN, FNP-BC, Digestive Diseases
Emily Brey, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CDCES, Professional Nursing Practice
Adelaide Caprio, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-N, RNC-NIC, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Emily Casselbury, FNP-BC, Substance Use Intervention Team
Barbara Gulczynski, DNP, APRN-BC, ACNP-BC, CCNS, CCRN-CMC, CVICU, Medical Intensive Care Unit
Irene Haapoja, RN, MS, AOCN, Oncology
Natalia Marcinkowski, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDCES, Internal Med-Endocrinology
Colleen Masters, ACNP-BC, MSN, BSN, RN, Radiation Oncology
Jenna Pederson, MSN, DNP, FNP-BC, Emergency Medicine
Sharon Piotrowski, MSN, CRNA, Anesthesia
Jennifer Pykosz, MSN, NNP-BC, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Martha Siomos, DNP, MSN, ADM, CHC/ASH-BC, APN/FNP-BC, Department of Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing
Evan Skinner, NP, RN, CCRN, CEN, Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit
Lindsey Textor, DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, Advanced Endoscopy
Frances Uy, MSN, AGACNP, Hospital Medicine
Doshaine Williams, APRN, CVT Intensive Care Unit
Illinois Nurses Foundation 40 Under 40
The Illinois Nurses Foundation chose eight nurses and nursing faculty members as recipients for their annual 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders Award.
Aaron D. Franklin, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CMSRN
Margaret Gladman, DNP, RN, CMSRN, CBCN
Colleen Haynes, MSN, CMSRN
Katie Kean, RN, BSN, OCN
Hyejin Kim, PhD, RN
Annie Lally, BSN, RN
Michael L. Liwanag, DNP, MBA, RN-BC, NEA-BC
Shannon O’Shea, MSN, RN, CNE, CNL
Nursing Wellness Awards
Rush Wellness continued its third year of its Nursing Wellness Awards. Thanks to a philanthropic donation, $100,000 was awarded to projects encouraging physical, emotional, mental and environmental well-being in nursing staff. Applications for Nursing Wellness Awards are reviewed by the Nursing Wellness Award Oversight Committee, which includes frontline nurses, nurse leaders across Rush, and representatives of Rush Wellness.
| Award Recipient | Project Title |
|---|---|
| Liliana Castellanos | Bringing Outside Inside |
| Maureen Lugod | Wellness for New Graduate RNs |
| Amanda (Mandy) Shearer | Wellness Gym |
| Kirsten Warner & Mary Carol Racelis | Growing Community Nurse Resilience |
| Kateryna Dyakiv | ELEVATE |
| Eric Zack | Using Humor in Oncology |
| Natalie Meil | Yoga for Radiation Oncology RNs |
| Brittany Garcia | Inpatient Behavioral Health Retreat |
| Maura Waldron | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction |
| Andy Steedly | Art Breaks |
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
Alicia Taylor, Emergency Department
Angela Hurley, 7N Atrium
Brittany Wells, Critical Care Outreach Team
Linda Hutchison, Emergency Department
Susan Barnett, General Surgery
Daniel Lavey, CSO
12W Behavioral Committee
12E Fall Prevention
Nursing Learning Lab
Radiation Oncology Nursing Team
RUCC Urgent Care NP Team
R.E.A.C.T. Planning Team
Bedside Shift Handoff Task Force
Hematology Nurse Navigator Team
Breast Oncology Team