Outstanding Nurses Awards Finalists 2017

Congratulations to our finalists!

June 30, 2017

11:00 AM

Outstanding Nurses Awards 2017

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine is excited to announce the 2017 finalists for the Outstanding Nurses Awards.

This year marks the sixth year of Outstanding Nurses Awards. As in years past, we received an impressive number of nurse nominations from colleagues, supervisors, patients, and families of patients who shared stories of exceptional care giving, commitment, and professionalism. The result is the large, diverse, and truly outstanding pool of finalist below.

Many thanks to this year’s expert judges who dedicated significant time to carefully review all nominations received. They include Betty Bishop, BSN, RN, Nurse Coordinator, Pediatric Arthritis and Rheumatology Program, University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital; Louise M. Jacobs, MS, RN, NEA-BC, CNML, Critical Care and Cardiovascular Nursing Patient Care Director, Abbott Northwestern Hospital; Dr. Judith M. Pechacek, DNP, RN, CENP, Clinical Associate Professor, and Director, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program; and LuAnn Johnson, APRN, CNP, Hennepin County Medical Center. We greatly appreciate their commitment to the task and the serious consideration they gave each submission.

Nominations were assessed on a seven-point rubric that included: professionalism, bedside manner, patient interaction, credentials and experience, impact on an organization, leadership, and an "it" factor exemplifying kindness, compassion, and empathy. Additional weight was given to those who received multiple nominations from a variety of sources, and to those nominated by their patients or their patients’ families.

The stories of exceptionalism included in these nominations celebrate the wealth of excellence that exists in our health community and the impressive variety of highly skilled nurses working within and across systems, disciplines, patient populations, and healthcare sectors. We are delighted to share with you these finalists—the top nurses in the Twin Cities.

Save the Date! Outstanding Nurse Award winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 8, at 6:30 pm, at Edina Country Club. Invites to finalists and nominators will be sent soon.

For any questions or comments regarding this list, please contact OutstandingNurses@mspmag.com.

Outstanding Nurse Awards Finalists 2017

Administrative Leadership

Faith Broman | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Barb Daiker | University of Minnesota Physicians

Terri Louey | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Cathy McCallister | Regions Hospital

Carol Ponsolle | Minnesota Gastroenterology

Shannon Wagner | University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital

Advanced Practice

Patricia Bruns | Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology

Michelle M. James | University of Minnesota Health

Mylynda Livingston | Children's Minnesota

Cancer

Patricia Bruns | Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology

Monica Cook |Minnesota Oncology

Deb Daniel | Minnesota Oncology

Brenda Korth | Minnesota Oncology

Jonathan Matters | Children’s Minnesota

Stephanie Mehrkens | Minnesota Oncology

Children’s Health

Amy M. Andersen | HealthPartners

Michelle Curley | Pediatric Home Service

Marlys Gebhard | University of Minnesota Physicians

Becky Koenigs | Children's Minnesota

Lindsey Paitich | Pediatric Home Service

Clinic Setting

Deidre Campbell | Hennepin County Medical Center

Marlys Gebhard | University of Minnesota Physicians

Kerry Hansen | University of Minnesota Health

Mary Huepfel | University of Minnesota Health

Paul Marino | Hennepin County Medical Center

Stephanie Mehrkens | Minnesota Oncology

Anne Robinson | Hennepin County Medical Center

Beth Schmidt | Minnesota Oncology

Jean Thomas | Open Cities Health Center

Kristin Thompson | Minnesota Oncology

Linda Wick | University of Minnesota Health

Emergency Setting

Elizabeth Anderson | Lakeview Hospital

Kristen Burgard | University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Emergency Department

Jessie Rothstein | Mercy Hospital

Hospital Setting

Suzanne Brill | Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Kristen Burgard | University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital

Jean Ekholm | Phillips Eye Institute

Mary Goering | United Hospital

John Halstrom | Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Rebecca Ingli | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Erica Jost | United Hospital

Mary Kalb | Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Kimberly Lorence | Children's Minnesota

Jodi Lowary | Minnesota Neurovascular and Skull Base Surgery

Jessie Rothstein | Mercy Hospital

Karen Schulz | Mercy Hospital, ICU

Barbara Soderman-Welshons | HealthPartners Lakeview Hospital

Jackie Stock | Fairview Southdale Hospital

Leana Thompson | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Intensive Care

Rose Bergerson | Children’s Minnesota

Kristin Gamrath | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Linda Rinehart | Children's Minnesota

Karen Schuneman | Children's Minnesota

Mental Health

Michele Davidson | United Hospital

Emily Ehmke | Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Beth Johnston | North Memorial Health

Meghann Malecha | Allina Health Northfield Clinic

Nurse Educator

Joan Gardner | Park Nicollet Health Services

Anne Kogler | University of Minnesota Medical Center, Pediatrics

Anita Lahaye | Hennepin County Medical Center

Kathy Rodvold | Colon and Rectal Surgery Associates, Ltd.

Nurse Practitioner

Tamara Langeberg | Minneapolis Heart Institute

Sarah Meysenburg | Children's Minnesota

Elizabeth von der Marwitz | University of Minnesota Physicians

Emily Wolfe | HealthPartners

Nurse Researcher

Jonathan Gair | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Lynne Schroeder | Virginia Piper Research, Allina Health

Rising Star

Claire Atkinson | Children's Minnesota

Jamie Lang | Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Sara Wiplinger | Children's Minnesota

School Nurse

Joan R. Gunderson | Bloomington School District

Chee Moua | St. Paul Public Schools ISD 625

Heidi Streed | Minnehaha Academy

Women’s Health

Kelly Drake | Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Sandra Hoffman | Abbott Northwestern Hospital