Learn More About the 2008 Nursing Awards Recipients

All 2008 Nursing Award recipients were nominated by their nursing peers or their manager. Each one has demonstrated care and compassion to patients and families and exemplifies excellence in nursing practice.

Award for Nursing Excellence in an Outpatient Area
Award for Nursing Excellence in a Specialty Role
Award for Nursing Excellence in an Adult Inpatient Area
Award for Nursing Excellence in a Pediatric Inpatient Role
Award for Nursing Excellence in a Leadership Role
Patricia Morgan Award for Excellence in Oncology Nursing
James Queenan Award for Excellence in Nursing

Award for Nursing Excellence in an Outpatient Area

Sharon Gayle, RN, Infusion Therapy Suite

Sharon Gayle, the charge nurse-team leader in the IV Therapy suite, is a great role model for leadership. Working in a consistently busy and challenging environment, Sharon remains focused and centered on the needs of the unit, at all times maintaining a high level of integrity. She meets challenges head on, always sensitive to the wishes of patients, physicians and unit staff. Sharon exemplifies the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Pride Values of respect, honesty, excellence, participation and unity.

Award for Nursing Excellence in a Specialty Role

Michele Harris-Rosado, RN, Pediatric Emergency Department

The Comer Children’s Hospital Emergency Department treated more than 600 trauma patients last year. As trauma coordinator in the Comer Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center, Michelle Harris-Rosado directs the flow of trauma patient care from the time patients arrive in the ER to their destination in the hospital and through discharge, ensuring that each patient has proper follow-up care and resources. In the past year, she spent countless hours working to improve the flow of patients in trauma care and the communication between ER nurses and staff. A leader and an example to her co-workers, Michelle chairs and/or sits on several committees including the Trauma Performance Improvement Committee, the Regional Trauma Committee and the Injury Prevention Committee.

Award for Nursing Excellence in an Adult Inpatient Area

Marianne Banas, RN, Surgical Intensive Care Unit (D4ICU)

Whether working with patients, families or staff members, Marianne Banas is always kind, caring and compassionate. She exhibits the highest level of critical care skills in the D4ICU, applying information from a broad knowledge base to complex patient care situations. She has a special touch with families, always empathetic when listening to their questions and concerns. As a preceptor and a mentor to the nurses in the ICU, Marianne shows the same patience and professionalism with her colleagues as she does with her patients.

Award for Nursing Excellence in a Pediatric Inpatient Area

Mary Knott, RN, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Mary Knott provides excellent nursing care to the neonatal babies in the NICU. She acts as “Code Nurse,” coordinates ECMO and often cares for the sickest babies one on one. She assists new nurses with complex patients, teaching them the skills and providing them with the tools to give excellent care to premature babies. Mary was instrumental is increasing staff awareness of the importance of “kangaroo care,” a method to ensure mother-infant bonding after premature birth, that encourages skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding and support for the mother and baby.

Award for Nursing Excellence in a Leadership Role

Tiesa Hughes-Dillard, RN, Director, Pediatric Emergency Department

Tiesa-Hughes Dillard’s favorite expression is “be proactive, not reactive.” As nursing director of the Comer Pediatric Emergency Department, she meets challenges head on, consistently setting an example to both her management team and the ancillary staff. Additionally, she manages costs effectively, allowing surplus funds to be channeled into new equipment and supplies to better serve the patients. Tiesa-Hughes Dillard motivates and invigorates her staff with the high standards and expectations she has of herself and the unit she manages.

Patricia Morgan Award for Excellence in Oncology Nursing

The Patricia Morgan Award recognizes excellence in oncology nursing practice. Patricia Morgan was a nurse who eventually succumbed to cancer. Patricia believed that nurses deserved recognition for their hard work. After her death, her family established this award in her memory. The recipient of this award is an oncology nurse who exemplifies excellence in patient/family care and who is a mentor to less experienced nurses. The Morgan family started this award in 1992 and it is presented every year during Nurses’ Week.

Laura Stumpf, RN, BSN, OCN, Oncology/Telemetry (6NE)

From chemotherapy to telemetry to understanding the more complicated aspects of patient care and the disease process, Laura Stumpf is a font of knowledge and a patient-focused caregiver. Her knowledge and expertise allows her to achieve the highest level of clinical excellence. She communicates with her patients and her fellow nurses in a kind and respectful manner. Laura has a passion for oncology nursing; striving everyday to meet patients’ needs, both medical and psychosocial. She is a role model for her co-workers, always having an upbeat attitude and always going above and beyond.

James Queenan Award for Excellence in Nursing

James Queenan was a young man when he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a malignancy of bone and soft tissue. He received his chemotherapy treatments and supportive care at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital under the care of Dr. James Nachman. Unfortunately, James lost his battle with the disease in 1988 at the age of 22. In memory of James, his family established this award in recognition of the wonderful care and support he and his family received from the nursing staff during his illness. This year there are two recipients of the Queenan Award for Excellence in Nursing:

Terri Olivio, RN, Oncology/Telemetry (6NE)

Terri Olivio makes a difference in the lives of her patients. She takes time to get to know each patient and their families. For example, when one cancer patient decided he wanted to marry his longtime partner, Terri contacted the hospital chaplain and arranged for the couple to be married in a ceremony in the patient’s hospital room. In another instance, Terri helped the wife of an oncology patient get treatment for her own diagnosis of cancer. Her devotion to patients and families is an inspiration to new nurses on the floor.

Allyson Wright, RN, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

For Allyson Wright, nursing is a never-ending learning experience. A warm and intelligent nurse, she is dedicated to her patients, building close bonds with the families of premature infants in the NICU. She worked on safe plans of care for babies being transferred from one unit to another, gave presentations on infant and child nutrition and worked toward allowing sibling visitation in the NICU. Allyson’s dedication to infant welfare extends beyond the hospital to her community work with the March of Dimes. She is the chair of the NICU Local Practice Council and Co-Chair of the Nursing Practice Council.