2022 Faces of Care Event Program

WE’RE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THE NURSES OF NORTHEAST OHIO

Twelve years ago, Cleveland Magazine and The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association got together and identified the lack of a local event to honor area nurses who are making a difference in Northeast Ohio. Together, we developed the Faces of Care awards program. And now, in our 12th year, we continue to celebrate the area’s most influential nurses who are paving the way for those who follow.

WELCOME

W ELCOME TO THE TWELFTH ANNUAL FACES OF CARE presented by the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association (GCNA) and Cleveland Magazine to honor the 2022 outstanding nurses in Northeast Ohio. After two years of collaboration on the Faces of Care Nursing Supplement in the June issue of the 2009 and 2010 Cleveland Magazine, the Faces of Care Gala commenced in 2011. It has continued as a regional celebration honoring the GCNA Lifetime Achievement awardee, nurses working on the frontlines and the next generation of nurses who will join their ranks. We also spotlight some of the educators who are sharing their vast knowledge and experience to mentor the nurses of the future.

We are excited to honor all nurses, especially those facing daily challenges in the work environment. Nursing always adapts to the needs of the community, and the last few years have been especially significant! We are proud of the ways our region’s important and dynamic medical centers, agencies and schools of nursing have influenced the community and the world. We acknowledge and appreciate each of our sponsors, whose generous support allows us to celebrate our area’s nurses.

Penni Lynn Rolen, MSN, RN, APRN-CNS President, Greater Cleveland Nurses Association

Carol Sams, MSN, RN Executive Director, Greater Cleveland Nurses Association

Lute Harmon Jr. Publisher, Cleveland Magazine

FACES

Meet the Emcee

JEREMIAH WIDMER

Jeremiah Widmer is the host of The Jeremiah Show on iHeartMedia’s 96.5 KISS FM, which can be heard weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. Jeremiah earned his bachelor’s degree in mass media communications from The University of Akron, and was a member of WZIP, the No. 1 student-run college radio station in the country. After graduation he traveled to Los Angeles, where he worked

on a variety of television shows, including The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. While in Los Angeles he was featured on USA Networks Character Fantasy: I Wanna Be A Professional Dodgeball Player, and he and his wife were on — and won — The Newlywed Game. He also performed sketch and improvisational comedy at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theatre. Jeremiah returned to Northeast Ohio, and, in 2013, made the move to Afternoon Drive host at Cleveland’s Star 102 before becoming host of The Jeremiah Show on Q104 prior to his current show on KISS FM. He is president of The Dale & Joanne Widmer Foundation, a lacrosse coach and a board member for the Mid-Atlantic Connection for PKU & Allied Disorders, a metabolic disorder that affects his oldest son. Jeremiah lives in Wadsworth with his wife, Jessy, and their children, Elijah, Carly and Isaiah.

a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a master’s in nursing from Case Western Reserve University and is currently enrolled as a DNP (practice leadership) student at Case Western Reserve University.

Meet the Guest Speaker

JESSICA N. TAIBL

Jessica N. Taibl, MSN, PMHNP-BC, is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at Debalzo, Elgudin, Levine and Risen LLC in Beachwood, Ohio. She earned

She has published eight papers and 20 poster presentations in the fields of reproductive biology and ophthalmology, prior to switching to a nursing career. She was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in 2019. She is currently involved with an Ohio Nurses Foundation grant looking at moral injury, resilience and well-being among Ohio registered nurses practicing during COVID-19.

2022Nurse Honorees

AKRON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

LORI MILLER

Akron Children’s Hospital

Lori Miller, BSN, RN, began her career at Akron Children’s Hospital in 1991 as a physical therapy technician, becoming a registered nurse in 1992. She has spent her career educating families in areas such as hematology-oncology, the post-anesthesia care unit and the pediatric intensive care unit. Since 2018, Miller has also spent much of her time on the design and structure of the state-of-the-art Infusion Center. Her leadership skills are evident to her peers as she guides her team with a positive attitude and a true servant’s heart.

CLEVELAND CLINIC MELISSA BABCOCK

Cleveland Clinic Strongsville

Family Health and Surgery Center

Melissa Babcock, BSN, RN, is a clinical nurse and team lead in internal medicine at Cleveland Clinic’s Strongsville Family Health and Surgery Center. A 12-year nursing veteran, she served as co-chair of the Shared Governance Committee at the family health center from 2019 to 2021. She is currently enrolled in Cleveland Clinic’s MAGNUS Experience, a 3-month professional enrichment opportunity focused on uncovering participants’ leadership potential.

EMILY C. BAIN

Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital

Emily C. Bain, MSN, MSES, APRN, FNP-C, CMSRN, SCRN, CNRN, is an acute RN in the medical-surgical stroke neuroscience unit at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital. She has served on many committees, including the enterprise-wide Nursing Informatics Committee and South Pointe’s Shared Governance Committee. She co-chairs the Professional Development & Education Council, is a board member of the Greater Cleveland Nurses Association and is corresponding secretary of the Northeast Ohio chapter of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses.

KIM BROADWATER

Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital

Kim Broadwater, BSN, RN, CCRN, began working as a clinical nurse in the intensive care unit at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital after graduating from Malone University nine years ago. As co-chair of the ICU’s Unit Practice Council, she helped initiate an early mobility protocol and “Code Honor” to show respect for patients and families who are donating organs to others. She also fills in as a charge nurse and precepts new nurses.

FACES of CARE

BONNIE DERAN

Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Bonnie Deran, BSN, RN, has spent her entire 34-year nursing career caring for some of the most complex patients in Cleveland Clinic’s cardiovascular ICU. She is a member of the unit-based Shared Governance Committee and co-chair of the enterprise-wide Shared Governance Committee, assisting with projects impacting patient safety and caregiver morale. She also serves as a Skin Care Resource Nurse on her unit, helping to prevent pressure injuries.

REBECCA GRAHAM

Cleveland Clinic Avon Pointe Medical Outpatient Center

Rebecca Graham, BSN, RN, works as pediatric RN ambulatory team lead at Cleveland Clinic’s Avon Pointe Medical Outpatient Center. She serves as an ambulatory preceptor for nursing students and leads the Pediatric/Family Medicine Team Lead Shared Governance meetings. She has helped create many invaluable workplace tools, including a reference guide and performance checklist for capillary lead blood draw in pediatric patients and a training guide for pediatric caregivers. She also runs flu and COVID vaccine clinics.

NAOMI OLIVIA HOUSE

Cleveland Clinic Akron General

Naomi Olivia House, BSN, RN, PMH-BC, is a psychiatric triage nurse at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. During her 16-year career, she has worked as a mental health nurse in many settings, including inpatient adult forensics and emergency/crisis triage.

She currently serves as a board member of the Summit County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and is captain of the Mental Health Matters team for the county’s NAMI Walks event.

STEPHANIE MILLAM

Cleveland Clinic Euclid Hospital

Stephanie Millam, BSN, RN, has been a nurse for nine years and currently serves as assistant nurse manager in the emergency department (ED) at Cleveland Clinic Euclid Hospital. She was a key contributor within the ED when the hospital earned Magnet® certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. As a member of the hospital’s interdisciplinary Workplace Violence Committee, she helps create a safe work environment. She also leads the At Risk Patient Safety program for the ED.

MARLENE PATRICK

Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital

Marlene Patrick, BSN, RN, CMSRN, is assistant nurse manager of a medical-surgical unit at Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital. Dedicated to evidence-based practice, she completed a research study on quality of life and mental health in patients with heart failure that was published in a nursing journal. She also co-chairs the NICHE Committee, which focuses on providing exceptional care to older adults, and is a past recipient of the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses.

SUSANNE POWERS

Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital

A veteran nurse with more than 35 years of experience, Susanne Powers, MSN, RN, currently serves as nursing quality program manager for Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital. She collects, evaluates and analyzes data related to nursing, which helps guide quality improvement projects and ensure world-class patient care. While at Cleveland Clinic Euclid Hospital, Powers was the Magnet Program Coordinator and oversaw the hospital’s certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

MICHELE REALI-SORRELL

Cleveland Clinic Forensic Nursing

Michele Reali-Sorrell, DNP, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, is Cleveland Clinic’s forensic nurse manager. She oversees a team of 40 nurses who provide care to patients after physical or sexual assault, child abuse and elder abuse or neglect. Dr. Reali-Sorrell is a member of the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission Healthcare Subcommittee and Demand Reduction Subcommittee, as well as the Steering Committee for the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking in Northeast Ohio.

ANN SCHURCH

Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital

A nurse for 27 years, Ann Schurch, RN, CMSRN, currently works in a medicalsurgical unit at Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital. As a mobility champion for her unit, she developed a quality improvement

research project related to mobility and discharge disposition in 2018. She also serves as a geriatric resource nurse, educating staff on caring for dementia patients and developing a resource cart to help prevent delirium in all patients.

ALLISON SCHWEINSBERG

Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital

Allison Schweinsberg, BSN, RN, CNOR, has served as a circulating nurse in the operating room at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital since 2018. She began her career as a nursing assistant in 2014 before becoming a clinical nurse in the surgical intensive care unit two years later. She recently became accredited as a Certified Perioperative Nurse. She precepts new nurses and nursing students and has been a member of the hospital’s Infection Prevention Committee.

DEBORAH SIVERT

Cleveland Clinic Children’s Debbie Sivert, LPN, has been in the nursing profession for 37 years, beginning her career in a nursing home. Since then, she has worked as a medical-surgical nurse, ambulatory nurse in pediatrics and in outpatient internal medicine. For the past decade, she has served as a charge nurse for the pediatric GI/pulmonary outpatient clinic at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. After all these years, she still loves being a nurse.

MELANIE STALLINGS

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital

Melanie Stallings, BSN, RN, is a clinical nurse in outpatient cardiology at Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital. She has worked in numerous areas during her

FACES of CARE

27-year career, including intensive care and the emergency department. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stallings served as a float nurse in the ICU to help ensure quality patient care and support staff. She is a member of her department’s Shared Governance Committee.

TESSCINA TAYLOR Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital

Tesscina Taylor, RN, is a clinical nurse on a neurology/medical-surgical unit at Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital. During her 19-year nursing career, she has served as a shared governance representative, providing a voice for her team. She has led many quality and continuous improvement initiatives. As a Clinical Practice Council member, Taylor remains up to date on best practices and looks for fresh ideas to bring back to the unit.

LAUREL YEE Cleveland Clinic Care Management Resource Center

Laurel Yee, MSN, RN, FAACM, serves as manager of Cleveland Clinic’s Care Management Resource Center. She is a member of the Case Management Society of America and American Case Management Association. Yee completed a fellowship in Case Management with the American Academy of Case Management and is active with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. Her passion to advocate for underserved populations is the hallmark of her career.

UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS EMILY BIEHL University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital

Since 2020, Emily Biehl, BSN, RN, C-EFM, has held the role of permanent triage nurse on Mac 2. She shines as a bedside nurse, establishing a rapport with all her patients. She is often the first person to greet them on the unit and always works to ensure their experience is positive. She attends CSU and is working toward her DNP in the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration. She is able to quickly identify a patient’s needs and advocates passionately and professionally for her patients to receive the best care.

ED BORISHCHAK University Hospitals Parma Medical Center

Ed Borishchak, RN, has worked at University Hospitals Parma Medical Center for more than 25 years, most of the time as a nurse in the float pool. He is often mentioned by patients on Press Ganey surveys for providing excellent and memorable care. He recently won a Daisy Award, and the family who nominated him said he always made time for the little things. He also often helps to interpret for patients who speak Ukrainian and other Eastern European languages.

JOAN BRUSCINO University Hospitals

Joan Bruscino, BSN, RN, has dedicated her professional career to the care of women in obstetrics and gynecology. She exemplifies the qualities of a nurse leader through compassion, promotion of selfcare and empathy while leveraging quality patient

care as her north star. She is a graduate of Kent State University, receiving her bachelor’s in nursing. She is involved in several leadership organizations nationally and within University Hospitals.

PAULA COVELL University Hospitals Conneaut & Geneva Medical Centers

Paula Covell, RN, celebrated 22 years with University Hospitals on May 12. She works primarily in the community outreach department, but you can often find her working supervision or picking up shifts in any of the nursing departments. She is highly dedicated to the hospitals and the patients in the

community. She coordinates the local Walk for the Cure every year and has worked endlessly to ensure free mammograms are provided to uninsured and under-insured community members.

CHRISTINE DINALLO-MORRIS University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center

Christine Dinallo-Morris, RN, CCRN, is a wealth of knowledge, having more than 20 years of nursing experience. She is the voice of the patient, and her caring and compassionate nature allows her to connect with patients and their families. She embraces opportunities to teach, and she leads with compassion and love for others. She has an incredible work ethic, and her positive attitude shines bright, bringing light to dark times.

Congratulations to the nurses being recognized as the Faces of Care Award recipients. Thank you for the impact you’ve made in the nursing community. ClevelandClinic.org/Nursing

From your exemplary work to your continuous dedication. You reflect our world class care.

FACES of CARE

FELICIA KEEN University Hospitals Portage Medical Center

Felicia Keen, BSN, has been a registered nurse for 10 years and is known for her high standards of performance and her passion for nursing. Not only is she a full-time ICU RN/administrative supervisor, she is also working on completing her master’s in nursing. She will always go the extra mile for her patients and displays a calm demeanor and extensive expertise, especially when a patient’s status becomes critical. She is also an excellent mentor, emulating warmth, humility and compassion in all she does.

STEPHANIE LONZO University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center

Stephanie Lonzo, MSN, RN, NE-BC, is a compassionate and humble leader who has extensive experience in meeting the needs of patients and caregivers in the critical care, medical-surgical, emergency and outpatient departments in her 13 years as a registered nurse. Throughout the pandemic, she has served the nurses and patients at UH Ahuja Medical Center with unwavering energy and commitment, always making sure caregivers’ voices were heard and doing everything possible to support them.

MICHELE MCPHIE University Hospitals St. John Medical Center

Michele McPhie, MSN, RN, ACCNS-AG, participates in a multitude of system committees, including EPIC, glycemic control, stroke, critical care, sepsis, supply management, system policy and procedure, CLABSI and dialysis. Her passion for quality patient care

exudes as she works tirelessly to provide evidence-based information to drive process, leading to excellent patient care. She is a true asset not only to UHSJMC but to the entire UH enterprise.

PAUL MUTUA University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Paul Mutua, BSN, RN, takes his vast ICU-based knowledge and applies it to the patient population in the interventional radiology department. This allows him to excel at hemodynamics, pain control and conscious sedation in a confident and caring manner. He is often found calming both family members and staff. He will sit with patients and speak to them as a person rather than an assignment. His article, “COVID-19’s Impact on a New Radiology Nurse,” was published in the Journal of Radiology Nursing.

HEIDI SCHNEIDER University Hospitals TriPoint Medical Center

Heidi Schneider, BSN, RN, started her health care journey at age 16 as an aide at Holly Hill Nursing Home, eventually transitioning to registered nurse. An interest in acute care led her to Lake East Hospital in Painesville in 2008. She earned her BSN in 2013 and continues to provide excellent care at the bedside. She participates in leader rounding, manages the unit call backs and supports unit morale. A 2021 Lake Health Nurse of the Year nominee, she will complete the FNP program at Ohio University in December.

JULIA SWAIN University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center

Julia Swain, BSN, RN, serves as the nurse manager of the ICU and Acute Medical Surgical Unit. You can often find her in patient rooms helping in any way she can, or working as a bedside nurse when staffing is tight. During a recent COVID surge, she switched from working days to nights to ensure staffing was maintained. She made sure there were adequate supplies, and that staff got a snack or a break, while always maintaining a safe, high-quality care environment.

KATHERINE THORNE University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Seidman Cancer Center 3

Katie Thorne, BSN, RN, BMTCN, graduated from Cleveland State University with her BSN in 2017. She serves as a charge nurse and preceptor. She recently obtained her BMT certification and will promote to RN Level II. She is a member of Seidman 3 Shared Governance, a skin champion, CLABSI champion and is currently working on a research project involving stem cell transplant patients. She received the 2021 Inpatient Clinical Nurse Excellence Award for Seidman Cancer Center and was nominated for a Daisy Award in 2020.

RACHEL VANEK University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Rachel Vanek, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC, was one of five nurses in the first class of Acute Care NPs at CWRU when she joined the Medical Intensive Care unit at UHCMC in 1993. She has been

instrumental in building the APRN practice within the critical care space while paving the path for the 800-plus current APRNs. She is clinical faculty at Case Western Reserve, Kent State and Mount Union universities. She has received multiple awards, most recently the inaugural 2021 Advanced Practice Provider Clinical Excellence award.

PATRICE WALKER University Hospitals Home Care Services

Patrice Walker, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, was born to be an educator. With her years of experience, she strives to deliver quality care and instills trust within the students she mentors in home care. Whether in a group setting or by individual motivation, she inspires all who surround her. Her skillset is extraordinary, and her kindness and compassion are driving forces to educate the nurses of tomorrow. She sets the bar high and is a true team player.

SARAH WILLIAMS University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center

Sarah Williams, RN, BSN, works as a valued critical care nurse and supervisor. She is often recognized by patients and families for her compassionate care. During the pandemic, she strived to find ways to keep families involved with their loved ones’ care. Creatively using Zoom and FaceTime, she understood the importance of keeping patients and families connected. Described by her peers as a compassionate, conscientious patient advocate, she is an asset to nursing.

EDUCATOR Award

ABOUT THE AWARD: The Faces of Care Educator Award recognizes educators who have made significant contributions to nursing students through education, leadership and innovation. Recipients have demonstrated excellence in teaching and have been engaged in the life of their schools’ nursing programs. We applaud these talented educators for their hard work and continued dedication to teaching and mentoring the nurses of the future.

SHEAU-HUEY CHIU

The University of Akron

Sheau-Huey Chiu, PhD, RN, has been a faculty member at The University of Akron for 20 years. She has chaired or served as committee member on many doctoral projects and dissertations. She also holds certification as Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care.

Her research interests include Kangaroo Care, mother-infant separation, development of children, patient safety and telehealth. She is versatile in many areas of nursing and has been an advisor to numerous research projects.

Student evaluations have consistently been positive, with students describing her as very helpful in reviewing content, well-spoken, prepared and supportive. During COVID-19, she tutored many students who were having difficulty transitioning to online learning. She always pays attention to student needs, and her advising skills provide students with the resources they need while helping them master concepts.

Chiu has been active in both the graduate and undergraduate curriculum committees. While serving as chair of the Admissions and Progression Committee, she facilitated realistic admission criteria for direct admissions to the undergraduate program and those with a college degree seeking nursing as a second career.

She excels in the use of technology and assists faculty and students whenever a problem arises. She works tirelessly, and it is not uncommon for her to change her personal plans to correct a problem for faculty or a student.

In addition to her teaching role, she has received grants from the Institute for Teaching and Learning at The University of Akron to foster social and emotional skills in preschoolers, as well as children residing in a homeless shelter, through the use of technology.

BONNIE FELLOWS

Ursuline College

Bonnie Fellows, EdD(c), MSN, RN, CNE, exemplifies the qualities of excellence in nursing education. She has leveraged her role as the coordinator of the Second Degree Accelerated Program (SDAP) and as assistant professor to make substantial contributions to nursing education. As a teacher, mentor, scholar and innovator, she provides visionary leadership and is recognized for her expertise in nursing education.

She became a full-time faculty member in 2011 and quickly became a favorite among students. Her considerable initiatives include, but are not limited to, creating innovative and interactive classrooms that involved simulation, flipped classrooms and Socratic teaching methods to effectively engage students and facilitate their learning.

University Hospitals Nurses Make the Difference

At University Hospitals, our nurses improve lives and support others by providing high quality, compassionate care. Today and every day, we celebrate these dedicated professionals and thank them for their commitment to our patients..

The science of health. The art of compassion.

© 2022 University Hospitals MIS 2048346

FACES of CARE

Fellows demonstrates sustained and outstanding contributions to nursing education through her expertise in advancing a safe, prepared, diverse nursing workforce through the aforementioned strategies, as well as collaboration with peers and practice partners. She has disseminated her work through publications in Nursing Education Perspectives and presentations at the National League for Nursing (NLN), QSEN International Summit and other venues. Her outstanding contributions as a distinguished educator are recognized by her selection as the recipient of the 2017 OLN Outstanding Excellence in Teaching Award, the 2017 Marie LoPresti Faculty Award for Social Justice and Community Service and her achievement and sustained certification as a nurse educator through the NLN. She has made a difference in education and practice by transforming nursing education, influencing change, advancing excellence and empowering other educators.

JUSTIN T. LOEW

Cuyahoga Community College

Justin Loew, DNP, RN, has contributed to the Cuyahoga Community College Nursing Center of Excellence since 2011 and to nursing education since 2007. He has continuously displayed integrity, responsibility and dedication. His educational background from ADN to DNP solidifies his achievement of academic pursuits and gives him leverage to relate to students at all levels. Loew is often the first faculty member to step up to take on additional workload to fill in the gap that too often exists with lack of clinical instructors. His flexibility and willingness to assist is revered among the team, all while still working as a staff nurse at a local hospital.

Additionally, his dedication to the Center of Excellence is overwhelming, as he has served on numerous Staffing Advisory Committees to ensure quality nursing faculty are hired into the program.

Loew’s students graduate knowing how to serve all populations of patients effectively with the necessary knowledge and skills for sound nursing practice.

SONYA D. MOORE

Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Sonya D. Moore, DNP, RN, CRNA, is an excellent mentor to students and colleagues alike. Currently a clinician at Cleveland Clinic, she provides rural independent anesthesia care at critical access hospitals through her LLC SDMS

Anesthesia Limited. She is also the director for the Nurse

Anesthesia Program at the Bolton School of Nursing, a role that allows her to have significant impact on the future of advanced-practice nursing.

For more than a decade, she has been instrumental in shaping curricula in nurse anesthesia education. She has thoughtfully led the curricular transition of the school’s advanced practice education, including the nurse anesthesia curriculum, toward a post-baccalaureate program, enhanced the

utilization of simulation to promote skill competence and drastically improved the diversity of the nurse anesthesia cohorts. Moore’s service as an educator has been crucial in maintaining the high quality of the nurse anesthesia program and securing its position at No. 11 among MSN programs by U.S. News & World Report (2022).

Over the last decade, Moore has received more than $300,000 in funding from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to support nurse scientist trainees enrolled in the program.

In addition, she has published three book chapters, served as a section editor for the Mastery Guide for Clinical Nursing and is the senior editor of the forthcoming clinical reference, Fast Facts for Nurse Anesthesia

JOAN NIEDERRITER

Cleveland State University School of Nursing

Joan Niederriter, PhD, RN, has been a nursing faculty member at Cleveland State University School of Nursing for the past 20 years. During her tenure, she has demonstrated excellence in teaching and has made a significant impact on students and the nursing program as a whole.

Niederriter has taught the entire spectrum of medicalsurgical courses, from sophomore through senior levels. She competently teaches both clinical and didactic courses. She has high expectations for students, wanting them to be outstanding nurses. Not only does she teach them what they need to know, but through example, teaches them how to be professional nurses.

The students in her courses have a rich and rigorous learning experience. She is a master at employing technology in pedagogically sound and innovative ways. She is always available to students and spends hours each week answering their questions. She is an exemplary teacher and mentors new faculty, sharing projects, ideas and expertise. She is a leader in interdisciplinary education and research and is highly respected by her students, colleagues and administrators.

She is always professional, respectful and encouraging. She offers individualized reviews with students and has a great way of connecting and meeting students at their level.

THANK YOU Educators!

2022 FACES of CARE FEATURED NURSES

Congratulations to the following RNs who were nominated by their peers and demonstrate the vision of Florence Nightingale in the present day. They were featured in the June 2022 issue of Cleveland Magazine.

Compassionate. Courageous. Unstoppable.

We salute our remarkable nurses, who make sure nothing stands in the way of caring for kids and their families – every single day.

Thank you for the difficult and often heartbreaking work that you do each and every day. Your sacrifice and dedication deserve the highest of honors.

Faye Gary, EdD, RN, FAAN

Medical Mutual of Ohio Kent W. Clapp Chair and Professor of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Ariol Tafa, MSN, RN

Clinical Psychiatric Nurse, University Hospitals

Cleveland Medical Center

Clinical Nurse, Louis Stokes Cleveland

Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Ursuline College

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Nursing

Heather M. Rice, PhD, APRNCNP, PMHS Assistant Professor of Nursing, Cleveland State University School of

Lynn Lotas, PhD, RN, FAAN Associate Professor; Associate Dean for the Undergraduate Program; BSN Program Director, Case Western Reserve University

NE XT GENERATION of Care Award

ABOUT THE AWARD: The Next Generation of Care Award is bestowed upon distinguished students from institutions of higher learning in Northeast Ohio. Each participating institution is asked to nominate their “Best of the Best” student for consideration by the selection panel. All nominated students are exceedingly worthy of the award and are recognized as such at the event. We applaud the nominated students for their hard work and passion in the nursing field and wish them the best as they continue on through their careers.

ALEAH CLEMENTS

Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Aleah Clements is a fourth-year student in the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (FPB) BSN program. During her time at Case Western Reserve University, she served under several executive positions within the Undergraduate Student Nurses Association (USNA), where she co-authored three resolutions for the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA).

In her junior year, she was elected president of USNA and, later that year, she became the first undergraduate student representative to the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy, allowing her to further bridge the gap between students and faculty at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Since then, two of her resolutions were adopted during NSNA’s 2021 and 2022 Annual Conventions.

MEREDITH MCCONVILLE

Cleveland State University School of Nursing

Meredith McConville, BSN, graduated from Cleveland State University’s traditional BSN program in May as the School of Nursing class valedictorian. Her performance both in the classroom and in the clinical setting have received outstanding reviews. She consistently displayed excellent critical thinking skills and sought out new learning experiences to expand her knowledge.

She was also known in the program for her strong leadership skills, with other students looking to her as a team leader. When the clinical group needed to work as a collective, she would take the active lead to organize the group and lead them to success.

In addition to her academic excellence, she works as a patient care nurse assistant for the Cleveland Clinic and as a nursing assistant II for University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. She has received job offers at both esteemed institutions.

Serving the community is very important to McConville. She volunteers her time with the Student Nurse Association, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Kemper House, Ronald McDonald House and Laura’s Home. She also cares for the homeless by purchasing items such as toiletries, snacks and water to create kits to pass out to those in need.

STEPHANIE EVELYN “EVEY” MCKELLAR Ursuline College

As an ordained deacon and deeply compassionate student nurse, Evelyn McKellar, MA, BSN, exemplifies the best of the art and science of nursing. Her supervisors share multiple examples of McKellar listening to and advocating for difficult patients — especially those from vulnerable populations. By acknowledging the fear behind their anger, she has, on many occasions, softened their hearts, making them more receptive to health care. Her unwavering kindness extends to preceptors and peers. She will be a model nurse.

Excellence in Nursing Science and Innovation

As a top school for NIH-funded research, we support faculty and students who explore a broad range of subjects—from the biology of symptoms to the societal factors that contribute to health and illness.

Learn more at case.edu/nursing.

MACY RIES

The University of Akron School of Nursing

Macy Ries is a senior nursing student, majoring in nursing and minoring in psychology. In 2023, she will receive her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She provides compassionate care with a deep level of empathy. She also displays understanding of the complex facets of illness, including social, emotional and psychological needs. She consistently provides holistic and nonjudgmental care, communicating in the most caring manner. Ries embraces diversity and inclusion in nursing care.

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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Award

MARILYN “LYNN” LOTAS PHD, RN, FAAN

Marilyn “Lynn” J. Lotas, PhD, RN, FAAN, is well deserving of the 2022 GCNA Lifetime Achievement Award. Her work in local, national and global communities in the translation of science, theory and research is an excellent testimony to her commitment to improving health care for all people.

During the first three years as director of the BSN Program (2000-2014) at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), she worked to improve nursing students’ GRE, SAT and GPA scores so they exceeded all other first-year students at CWRU, a standard maintained to this day. Now retired, Lotas has been highly respected among students for her innovative approaches to knowledge acquisition. She has the reputation of being demanding and exacting while always being available to and supportive of students.

Lotas created study abroad experiences on five continents for nursing students and taught international nursing faculty in Wuhan, China, for eight years and in Chile, Australia, and Cameroon for seven years. Foreign faculty came to study with her, which led to a 12-month Fulbright Scholarship to teach nursing faculty how to develop and evaluate a concept-based nursing curriculum at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. Her development of overseas nursing courses and curriculum methods have been published and currently inform education at the MSN and DNP levels.

Throughout her career, Lotas has addressed issues related to health disparities in special populations, such as urban adolescents confronted with teen pregnancies, obesity, violence, lead toxicity and other maladies that negatively impact their lives. These stubborn health problems are meticulously unraveled when CWRU nursing students engage in initiatives, such as Open Airways Asthma Education and Lead Screening programs. These innovative models have been implemented in local communities in Cleveland, where interprofessional teams involving medical, nursing and physician assistant students work in the public schools and nearby communities to deliver health education and needed health care.

Lotas’s innovative body of work and leadership has helped to enhance the public’s image of nursing. The significance of her research became a national model for community-based health care of children. Eighty seven percent of all students in Cleveland in grades 1 through 12 have been screened for lead exposure. Her research brings an increased understanding of the dangers of lead and mitigation through early intervention to protect our most vulnerable citizens.

Lotas has received numerous awards and honors, including the American Nurses Association Research Fellow and Distinguished Women in Health Care. Her contributions to nursing and work to alleviate health disparities are invaluable.

GCNA salutes all of the Faces of Care Award winners along with the Next Generation of Care, Educator Award and Lifetime of Care Recipients

The Greater Cleveland Nurses Association (GCNA) is a dynamic organization whose mission is to work for the improvement of health care for all people in significant and visible ways, to foster high professional standards and to promote the professional development of nurses.

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