School of Nursing

Ten registered nurses receive Nursing: Heart of Healthcare Award


Nov 2, 2004

2004 Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare Award Winners.
The 14th Annual Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare Awards banquet honored 10 registered nurses Oct. 22, 2004, at the Westin Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. The University of Kansas School of Nursing coordinated the event with the reception sponsored by Siemens Medical Solutions, one of the largest suppliers of health care equipment in the world. The program's emcee was Larry Moore, KMBC-TV9 news anchor.

The event recognizes outstanding registered nurses in Kansas and the Greater Kansas City area and had nearly 500 people in attendance. This year's 10 award winners from more than 400 nominations were:

  • Sharon Blevins, RN, BSN, kidney center staff registered nurse, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, Mo.
  • Ardis Fry, RN, clinical director, Fry Eye Associates, Garden City, Kan.
  • Kathleen Henderson, RN, BSN, MN, medical/surgical clinical nurse specialist, Saint Joseph Health Center, Kansas City, Mo.
  • Mitzi Hesser, RN, director, Kiowa County Public Health Department, Greensburg, Kan.
  • Joy Loop, RN, BSN, vascular/x-ray procedures registered nurse, Via Christi Regional Medical Center, Wichita, Kan.
  • Joe McColligan, RN, telemetry registered nurse, Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Merriam, Kan.
  • Lori Pauls, RN, intensive care unit staff registered nurse, Hutchinson Hospital, Hutchinson, Kan.
  • Melissa Phillips, RN, BSN, case manager, Hospice Care of Kansas, Wichita, Kan.
  • Linda Seba, RN, emergency room department staff registered nurse, St. John Hospital, Leavenworth, Kan.
  • Kristin Stegenga, RN, BSN, MSN, oncology clinical nurse specialist, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, Mo.

The University of Kansas established Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare in 1989 to recognize registered nurses' contributions to their communities, patients and profession. Over the past 14 years, there have been more than 140 winners and more than 5,500 nominations for the award.

Nominations are accepted from patients, patient�s family, colleagues, employers, supervisors and the nurse's family and friends. A selection committee, composed of former award winners and health care and business
leaders, selected the 10 winners. Every nurse who was nominated received a certificate of recognition.

For more information, contact Kari Ziblut, 913-588-1616, or at kziblut@kumc.edu.

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