PENS Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice

PENS Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice Meg Keil, PhD, CRNP, FAAN

It is my great pleasure to present the PENS Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice to Fran Waite.

As we celebrate the year of the nurse and midwife, it is a perfect time to reflect on our nursing careers and recognize those who are our role models and mentors and be mindful of how we can pay it forward.

As I reflect on my nursing career and the nurses who had a significant impact on my professional growth, I count Fran Waite as one of my mentors. When I came to my first PENS meeting in 1997, I met Fran and she made me feel welcomed to this wonderful community. I quickly realized we shared many of the same interests and priorities.

A passion for nursing research A commitment to excellence in patient care, education, and advocacy. And a dedication to mentoring and supporting our nursing colleagues.

Over the course of her nursing career, Fran has been a tireless advocate for children and their families. She has served in several leadership roles in PENS, including President, and has served as a mentor to many nurses new & not so new to endocrinology. Fran’s talent for education is evident in her educational presentations —that are invaluable to nurses at all levels of experience. Fran has dedicated her career to improving the health care of children, especially children affected by an endocrine diagnosis. She is always willing to reach out to help a colleague and share her expertise.

I mentioned Fran’s passion for research. Soon after I joined PENS I signed up with the research committee where I got References: Dis Child. 2004. PMID: 15033843. to see Fran in action and her passion for research. Fran served as Research Committee Chair also as Grant Director. If you’re not familiar with the history of PENS’ first multi-center study, please see the references listed below. Fran was part of the research team of PENS’ members that identified barriers to accurate linear height measurement and secured research grants to design and test an intervention to improve linear height measurement techniques in clinical practice. The results of this novel research are used worldwide to improve the health care of children.

In her current role as Appeals Coordinator for the Magic Foundation, Fran utilizes her knowledge and experience of pediatric endocrinology nursing to serve as an advocate to appeal insurance denials to improve access for growth hormone patients.

Her colleagues describe her as a leader, a pioneer, a teacher, a mentor, someone of genuine kindness, who is diligent, and generous with her time and expertise, AND last but not least a lot of FUN to hang out with.

On behalf of PENS, I am proud to present Fran Waite with the Award for Clinical Excellence. Congratulations Fran and thank you for your commitment and service to PENS and pediatric endocrinology nursing.

Lipman TH, Hench KD, Benyi T, Delaune J, Gilluly KA, Johnson L, Johnson MG, McKnight-Meni H, Shorkey D, Shults J, Waite FL, Weber C. A multicenter randomized controlled trial of an intervention to improve the accuracy of linear growth measurement. Arch Meg Keil, PhD, CRNP, FAAN Hench KD, Shults J, Benyi T, Waite F, Weber C, Lipman TH. Effect of educational preparation on the accuracy of linear growth measurement in pediatric primary care practices: Results of a multicenter nursing study. 2005. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. PMID: 15815566.