Nursing is all in the family with parents, children, siblings

By Janet Rice, UPMC Hamot Contributed Photos

UPMC Hamot’s founding father, Charles Hamot Strong, represented courage and compassion. His legacy of family and strength solidi ed a foundation that has sustained the Hamot family for more than 140 years. Today, the tradition of family continues as evidenced by numerous relatives who have chosen to serve the community as a part of the UPMC Hamot team.

A wonderful example of this includes two nurses, Laura Marsden and Jessica Marsden. This mother and daughter team are nurses who serve in the same medical surgical oncology unit. Jessica was inspired by her mother Laura’s deep passion for nursing. Laura Marsden is well known for her quality nursing care and compassionate approach. Together they provide care for one of UPMC Hamot’s most vulnerable patient populations.

Narcisa Alicusic and Arisa Tatarevic are sisters and nurses who also serve on the same inpatient unit at UPMC Hamot. Alicusic came to Hamot in 2012. She recruited her sister, Tatarevic, in 2017 and Tatarevic began her career at Hamot as an L.P.N.

MRIU celebrated Tatarevic achieving her U.S. citizenship in 2019. She graduated with her R.N. in 2020. Alicusic completed her B.S.N. in 2021 and M.S.N. in 2022.

Ashley Hawkinson, a nurse, recruited her mother, Theresa Schley, to be a nurse. They worked together for two years, until Ashley transferred to NICU at Magee Womens – UPMC Hamot.

Another dynamic duo is Cheryl Spacht, a longtime operating room nurse and her daughter, Holly Spacht. Holly Spacht graduated from Gannon University’s nursing program in 2017 and has been working at UPMC Hamot on a medical surgical unit for ve years. Holly Spacht is currently seeking her family nurse practitioner degree. She was inspired to become a nurse because of her mom’s example and a love to help and care for others. Holly Spacht shared that her grandparents who passed away from cancer, inspired her to seek an advanced degree in hopes of working as an oncology nurse practitioner.

Michael and Amber Olszewski are recent newlyweds and longtime nurses at UPMC Hamot. Michael Olszewski is an ICU nurse leader, and Amber Olszewski is a post-anesthesia nurse who is also nearing the completion of an advanced degree to become a nurse practitioner.

The Pietkiewicz family members also serve as direct care nurses at Hamot. Cassie Pietkiewicz followed in the footsteps of her parents, Lynnette Pietkiewicz and Chris Pietkiewicz, both seasoned nurses at UPMC Hamot. Following her parents’ example, Cassie Pietkiewicz began her Hamot career in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)as a new nurse four years ago, however she quickly excelled and o en serves as a preceptor. Lynette Pietkiewicz has been at UPMC Hamot for many years in the MICU. She and Cassie Pietkiewicz o en work together in the MICU. Chris Pietkiewicz works on a medical surgical unit. Frequently the family works on the same shi s, allowing them to carpool to the hospital together.

UPMC Hamot is also blessed with several sets of siblings including two sisters, Rose Konsel and Ruth Faulhaber. Rose is a transformational leader with over three decades of service and a pillar of specialized patient care, as an enterostomal, wound and ostomy nurse. Ruth Faulhaber works on a cardiac medical surgical unit, where she is recognized for 14 years of exceptional care.

Blanca Miranda and Jitsel Miranda, both UPMC Hamot nurses on medical surgical units, have in uenced their younger sister, who is a nursing student at Gannon University.

Blanca Miranda recently received a prestigious award for patient safety where they were joined by their very proud mother.

UPMC Hamot is an American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designated hospital, that empowers nurses, nursing support and all employees to deliver care at the highest level. As we recognize nurses week, we celebrate the UPMC Hamot culture, which de nes “family” by synergistic relationships between sta working to deliver world class care founded on compassionate care. At UPMC Hamot, we are family, taking care of families and each other.