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We're proud to honor Bree Fowler from University Health's Truman Medical Center as an OUtstanding Nurse! 

"She is team player - she is always looking for a way to help her peers and keeps herself busy. She always has a positive attitude - she recently had a antepartum patient pregnant with twins and then got a new antepartum patient pregnant with triplets --she did not complain about her assignment and provided great care to both patients.  She precepts new nurses and is an role model for them - we had a busy day with multiple C-sections, she was able to finish her recovery and jump right into the next one all while training her orientee and keeping a good attitude!"

-Dawn Cox, Director

Nurses are heroes and this is certainly true of Dr. Margi Schultz, the Administrator for MaricopaNursing in Phoenix, Arizona. MaricopaNursing is a consortium of eight colleges within the Maricopa County Community College District. Dr. Schultz is a respected nurse leader and educator in Arizona, and is known as a tireless, passionate, and innovative advocate for excellence in nursing education. She has served as faculty of several nursing programs, and is a member of several boards, including ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Nursing Advisory Board. It is an honor to present Dr. Schultz with the OUtstanding Nurse Award for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Arizona 2023!

Elizabeth (Liz) Beauliew was selected as the 2023 Outstanding Servant Nurse Leader by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. Liz is a strong, honest communicator with a positive attitude. She looks for ways to serve her patients and her passion for her work defines her. She is a team player, collaborating with others to make decisions and provides a sense of working toward common goals. 

Mark Goddard has been selected as an "OUtstanding Nurse" by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ in August 2023!

Mark holds the position of Registered Nurse at Osawatomie State Hospital, where he is responsible for providing high-quality nursing care, ensuring patient safety, and supervising direct care staff. Mark plans, implements, and evaluates individualized patient care to meet required standards, while exercising professional judgment and independent functioning. His role involves leadership, management, and supervision to organize unit activities and facilitate patient recovery.  He actively participates in crisis/emergency situations, ensuring patient and staff safety through his knowledge of emergency procedures. Additionally, he completes patient education groups, and resolves patient issues/complaints. Mark administers medications, performs direct nursing care, and monitors patients' physical and psychological status.  Documentation skills must be exemplary, accurately documenting patient information and providing concise reports between shifts. He promotes effective communication, attends meetings, and orients new employees.

On Friday, December 16, 2022  Karen Orr was awarded the OU Servant Nurse Leadership Award.

This will mark the first time OU has presented this award. If there was ever a time in U.S. healthcare history for this type of leader, it is now, in the post-pandemic healthcare era of chaos and uncertainty.  

Karen Orr has served more than 20 years in the healthcare field, holding various positions. Through her hard work and dedication, Karen has worked her way up to become the CEO of Providence Medical Center. As many healthcare professionals are choosing to leave the field, Karen has taken on a leadership role to help lead those in and around her profession and community.  

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Servant Nurse Leadership Award has been established to identify and honor those servant nurse leaders who set a modern-day example for servant nurse leaders-in-training at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and beyond to the community of nurses. She was awarded with an unrestricted cash grant, balloons, and a banner for her commitment in leadership in the healthcare field.

The 2022 OUAZ OUtstanding Nurse Award goes to Ms. Stephanie Hamill, the RN manager of Pre-Op and Pre-admission testing at Banner Estrella Medical Center for the past 6 years.

During COVID, when surgeries were shut down, Stephanie had 16 staff members who were faced with not having wages. She worked with hospital administrators and her team to upskill her staff to work through the hospital in the ICUs, telemetry and Emergency rooms to give the hospital additional resources which helped treat the increase in patient population. She also worked with surgeons and anesthesiologists to change and create a preadmission testing department which coordinates care to ensure patients are fully and safely prepared for their surgery. She is also on several committees that look at safe surgery processes and infection control.

Kim Smith, MSN, RN-Professor of Nursing ​ 

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is pleased to announce Kim Smith BSN ’20 MSN ’22 as the recipient of the OUtstanding Nurse Award. Smith is a lead faculty member of the Cloud County Community College associate degree nursing program. She also serves as a mentor for new full-time and adjunct faculty members. Smith was nominated by her supervisors and several of her colleagues.

Recipient of this award must be a nurse, nurse leader, or nurse educator. Demonstrate commitment as a team player and is a positive role model for others. They must support and demonstrate the standards of nursing excellence.

One of her supervisor’s had this to say about her, “Kim’s dedication to student success and excellence are the top reasons I am nominating her for the award. She is consistently the upmost professional and holds herself to the highest standards. She is a great role model for our students.” 

“Kim provides fantastic education to all the students she works with. She makes sure to provide education in different styles to provide for all students. She is well versed in clinical practice and is able to elevate the student’s education. She is a team player and will take on any responsibility that is asked of her while succeeding in the process. Kim provides outstanding leadership skills and support to her coworkers,” said one of her colleagues.

Kim was recognized with a surprise gift of an unrestricted cash grant, balloons, and a banner for her commitment to nursing excellence.

The OUtstanding Nurse Award 2021 was presented in Phoenix, Arizona, to Jennifer Woodcock (RN, MSN), a nurse educator at Glendale Community College. In addition to the role of instructor, Jennifer holds the positions of Clinical Placement Lead and Transition to Practice Coordinator. Jennifer is recognized by her fellow educators and students for excellence in faculty areas of high impact and value to students and the Associate Degree in Nursing program. Excerpts from Jennifer’s nomination point to the level of her contribution, “the biggest team player you will ever  meet…if there is a need, Jennifer is always there,” “always an advocate for her students as well as the nursing profession,” “strives to make the students rise up to the level of professionalism required to be a nurse, but does so in a caring yet tough manner,” and “she is always available to help faculty because she knows effective faculty make great nurses.” Dr. Ruth Burkhart, OU’s Director of Nursing, Dr. Diann DeWitt, Lead Faculty, and OU student advisor, Heather Faustich, surprised Jennifer with a plaque, a cash award, OU swag, and sweet treats. Congratulations, Jennifer, and fellow Glendale Community College faculty, for what you do every day to build and grow future nurses!

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ was thrilled to honor Shelby Carter, RN, BSN, CPN with the University’s first Outstanding Nurse award for excellence in nursing. Shelby is a nurse in the neonatal follow up clinic at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Dr. Ruth Burkhart, OU’s Director of Nursing, and the community development team surprised Shelby with a plaque, a cash award, OU swag, and sweet treats for Shelby and her co-workers. Congratulations to Shelby; and thank you to all of the amazing staff at Children’s Mercy who care for our community’s children every day!