Nursing

Professional accomplishments

Community awards and recognition

Elaine Graf, RN, PhD, NE-BC, Clinical and Organizational Development, is the recipient of the Illinois Nursing Association’s 2011 Distinguished Nurse Researcher Award. This honor recognizes her vast contributions to the field, including the development of the pediatric risk fall assessment tool, published research articles and many years of mentoring nurses in the development of their research skills.

Karen Carroll, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, has been appointed to the Illinois Organization for Nurse Leader (IONL) Policy and Procedure Task Force and is the chair for the HIMSS Clinical Informatics Newsletter, which is a monthly newsletter that goes to nursing, physicians, and pharmacists.

Joanne Cullina, MSN, RN, CNS-BC, received the Cystic Fibrosis Care Partner Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, January 2010.

Maureen Haugen, MSN, RN CPNP, received the 2009 Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Education Award. This award is given each year to an APHON member in recognition of his or her outstanding skills as an educator in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing, August 2009. She was also appointed to the Nursing Steering Committee and co-chair of the Nursing Education Subcommittee of the Children’s Oncology Group.

Sue Horner, MS, RNC, serves on the portfolio review team for the NANN Advanced Competency in Developmental Care 2009. 

Barbara Johnson, BA, RN, CPON, is serving as the treasurer of the Chicago chapter of APHON.

Julia Rose Judge, BSN, RN, writes a newspaper column for Health Care Today (Cox Publishing), which is a bi-monthly column titled "Julia's Journal." It is about experiences in nursing school over the past four years and then currently new graduate orientation.

Lindsie Jung, BSN, RN, was appointed president of the Chicago chapter of APHON in 2009.

Sarah Martin, MS, RN CPNP-PC/AC, CCRN, received the NAPNAP ACPNP SIG Scholar Award, January 2009.

Janice Nuuhiwa, RN, MSN, APN/CNS, CPON, has been appointed the editorial chair for ONCC Certification News in 2009. Janice serves as the vice-chair for the local chapter committee of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) and is a member of CPHON Review task force, a subcommittee of the APHON Steering Council.

Casey O’Brien, BSN, RN, CPN, received the PNCB Certification Advocate Award at the 19^th annual Society of Pediatric Nurses convention in Atlanta in April 2009. 

Kathleen O’Connell, BSN, RN, CPON, was named the 2009 nurse of the year for the Leukemia Research Foundation.

 Laura Schlenker, BSN, RN, CPON, is an item writer for the new Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) test, Certified Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurse (CPHON), which is scheduled to debut in 2010.

Lauren Sorce, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC/AC, CCRN, received a Presidential Citation from the Society of Critical Care Medicine, January 2009. She was appointed president of the Chicago chapter NAPNAP, January 2010, and was selected to be a member of the planning committee for the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies (WFPICCS) international pediatric critical care meeting in scheduled for March 2011 in Australia.

Jacqui Toia, DNP, MBA, RN, CPNP, served on the program committee for the APHON/COG Nursing Workshop in Dallas, TX in March 2009. She was also appointed to the national research utilization grants review committee of COG/APHON. She was awarded "2009 Nurse of the Year" through the Leukemia Research Foundation.

Linda Van Roeyen, MSN, RN, CFNP, served as representative for Region 2 of the Illinois Association of Advanced Practice Nurses at the ISAPN Annual Conference in Schaumburg, IL, October 2008. She serves as president of the Chicago-area chapter of the Society of Pediatric Nurses and the legislative representative for the Chicago chapter of the National Association for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). She was appointed by NAPNAP to represent them to the AAP Summit on Oral Healthcare.

Linda received the Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing (ISAPN) for serving as region #2 chairperson 2006-2009. The award was presented at the 2010 Annual ISAPN Conference. Linda was appointed to the following national leadership positions: for the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing she has been the Region 2 representative from 2006-2009 and served on the program planning committee from 2009-2010. She is the chairperson for the Chicago-area chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Legislative Committee for 2009-2010 and was the president for the Chicago-area chapter of the Society of Pediatric Nurses for 2009.

Tresa E. Zielinski RN, MS, PCCNP, APN-NP, was elected as communication chair for NAPNAP 2009. She was also  was appointed to the board of directors of Latin American Medical Providers (LAMP) and serves as a member of the medical team directors for post operative services. This organization supports medical missions to Latin American countries.

Publications

Michelle Arrizola, BSN, RN, IBCLC
Dino Iovinelli, BSN, RN
Clarisa Medina-Poelinez, MSN, RN
Bernaix, L.; Schmidt, C.; Arrizola, M.; Iovinelli, D. & Medina-Poelinez, C. (2008). “Success of a Lactation Education Program on NICU Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes,”  Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 37(4): 436-445.

Judith Marshall, MS, RN, FNP-BC
Marshall, J (2009). “Caring for the Child with a Cardiovascular Condition,” in Ward, S. & Hisley, S. (Editors) Maternal-Child Nursing Care: Optimizing Outcomes For Mothers, Children, and Families, Philadelphia: F.A. Davis, Inc. pp.

Susan Porfyris, MSN, RN, PCCNP
Suresh S, Wang S, Porfyris S, Kamasinski-Sol R, Steinhorn D (2008) “Massage Therapy In Outpatient Pediatric Chronic Pain Patients:  Do They Facilitate Significant Reductions In Levels Of Distress, Pain, Tension, Discomfort and Mood Alterations,”. Paediatr Anaesth 18 (9):884-7.

Suresh S, Patel A, Porfyris S, Ryee M(2008) “Ultrasound-guided serial ilioinguinal nerve blocks for management of chronic groin pain secondary to ilioinguinal neuralgia in adolescents,” Pediatric Anesthesia 18 (8): 775–778.

Porfyris, S. (2009) “Pediatric Chronic Pain: Current Science and Integrative Practice,”  in (eds.)Role of the Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Chronic Pain, Springer Publishing, pp.

Theresa Meyer, MS, RN, CPN
Maizels M, Yerkes EB, Macejko A, Hagerty J, Chaviano AH, Cheng EY, Liu D, Sarwark JP, Corcoran JF, Meyer T, Kaplan WE.(Oct, 2008) “A new computer enhanced visual learning method to train urology residents in pediatric orchiopexy: a prototype for accreditation council for graduate medical education documentation,” Journal of Urology,  180: 1814-1818.

Mickelson JJ, Yerkes EB, Meyer T, Kropp BP, Cheng EY.(2009, October),  “L stent for stomal stenosis in catheterizable channels,”  Journal of Urology, 182(4 Suppl): 1786-91. Epub 2009 Aug 18.

Sarah Martin, MS, RN CPNP-PC/AC, CCRN
Martin,S. (2009). “After acceptance: A manuscript becomes a publication,” Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 23(2), 73-74.

Marilyn Szekendi, PhD, RN
Szenkendi, M., Barnard, C., Creamer, J. & Noskin, G. (2010, January). “Using patient safety morbidity and mortality conferences to promote transparency and a culture of safety,” Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 36(1), 3-9.

Linda Sue Van Roeyen MS, RN, CSN, CCRP, FNP-BC
Clinical Applications of Tracheostomies 9/1/09 Linda Morris, et al.

Lauren Sorce RN, MSN, CCRN, CPNP-AC/PC, FCCM
Sorce LR, Simone S, Madden MA. (in press). “Educational preparation and post graduate training curriculum for pediatric critical care nurse practitioners," Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

Maureen Haugen, MS, RN, CPNP, CPON
Katzenstein, H, Qaued, M, Morgan, E & Haugen, M (2009) “Irintotecan as maintenance therapy in high-risk hepatoblastoma,” Pediatric Blood & Cancer

Lisa Keys, BSN, RN, CCTN
Lautz, T., Keys, L., Superina, R. (2009). “Growth impairment in children with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is improved by mesenterico-left portal vein bypass”. The Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 44, 2067-2070.

Sentongo, T.A., Kumar, P., Karza, K., Keys. L., Iyer, K., & Buchman, A. (2010). “Whole-blood-free choline and choline metabolites in infants who require chronic parenteral nutrition therapy”. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 50(2), 1-6.

Presentations

Rosa Sivaja, BSN, RN, and Eileen Romano, BSN, MBA, RN, presented a poster, “Improving Patient Access in Ambulatory,” at the NACHRI Creating Connections Conference, Nashville, TN, March 22-25, 2009

Mary Ellen Brennan, MSN, RN, CPN, presented a poster, “Development of a Vaccination Program for Children with Cochlear Implants,” at the 32^nd Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses (SOHN) Conference, Chicago, IL, October 2008. The poster received 1^st place recognition.

Maria Broadstreet, MSN, RN, CPNP, presented a PESI Health Care Seminar, “Life-Threatening Pediatric Emergencies,” in Illinois, February 9-11, 2009.

Courtney Schwartz, BSN, RN, CPON, and Leticia Valdiviez, MSN, RN, APN/CNS, CPON, presented a paper, “Romancing the Bloodstone: A Hematology Trilogy – Hemolytic Anemia, Thrombosis, and Blood Product Transfusions, “ at the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses 32^nd Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM, September 2008.

Janice Nuuhiwa, MSN, RN, APN/CNS, CPON, presented a paper, “Don’t Fall into the Gap: Navigating the Many Facets of a Multigenerational Workforce, “ at the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses 32^nd Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM, September 2008.

She also presented a paper, “How to Grow Your Own Staff” and “Social Intelligence” at the ADVANCE job fair, Skokie, IL, October 2008.

Barbara Lockart, MSN, RN, CPNP, presented a paper, “Preserving the Future, “at the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses 32^nd Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM, September 2008.

Barbara Keating, MSN, RN, and Casey O’Brien, BSN, RN, CPN, presented a poster, “Simulation:  An Effective Strategy to Highlight Patient Safety and Critical Thinking for the New Graduate Nurse” at the 19^th annual Society of Pediatric Nurses convention in Atlanta, GA in April 2009. 

Stacy VandenBranden, MSN, RN, CPNP, presented a poster, “Sustaining Improvement in Nutrition in Children with Cystic Fibrosis,” at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, Orlando, FL, October 2008.

Linda Van Roeyen, MSN, RN, CFNP,  presented  two papers, ”Diversity: Children with Special Healthcare Needs” and “Public Policy” at the Society of Pediatric Nursing Conference, Atlanta GA, April 1-5 2009.

She also presented a poster, "Parents’ Management of Children’s Pain at Home after Surgery", at the Annual NAPNAP Conference, San Diego, CA, March 2009.

Diana Halfer, MSN, RN, NE-BC presented a paper, "Achieving Nursing Workforce Needs through Strategy and Innovation,” at the 2008 ANCC National Magnet Conference, St.Lake City, UT, October 2008.

She also presented “The Organizational Impact of a New Graduate Nurse Mentoring Program,” at the National State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research, Washington, D.C., October 2008, and at the Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November 2008.

Elisabeth K. Weber, MA, RN, CEN, and Mary Otting, RN, presented a poster, “JumpSTART: How a small amount of seed funding can lead to a big bushel of training,” at the 2008 Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles Pediatric Disaster & Emergency Services National Summit, Los Angeles, CA, September 2008.

She and Dr. Sally Reynolds presented a poster, “Pediatric Emergency Preparedness Consultation for Community Hospitals,” at the 2008 Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles Pediatric Disaster & Emergency Services National Summit, Los Angeles, CA, September 2008 

Kelly Finkbeiner, MSN, RN, CPNP, presented a poster, “Year of the Pancreas,” at the 18^th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association Conference, Fajardo, Puerto Rico, May 2009.

Kelly and Cindy Kerr, MSN, RN, CPNP, presented a paper, “The Spin on Bicycle Safety” at the NAPNAP 2009, San Diego, CA March, 2009.

Kelly and Cindy also presented a paper, “Year of the Pancreas,” at the 7^th Annual Pediatric Surgical & Trauma Nursing Conference, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, November 2009.

Sarah Martin, MS, RN CPNP-PC/AC, CCRN, Kelly Finkbeiner, MSN, RN, CPNP, and Cindy Kerr, MSN, RN, CPNP, presented a paper, “Bugle Below the Belt,” at the NAPNAP 2009, San Diego, CA March, 2009.

Cindy Kerr, MSN, RN, CPNP & Andrea Kline, MS, RN, CPNP-AS/PC, FCCM presented a paper, “Medical Mission: Making it a Reality,” at the NAPNAP 2009, San Diego, CA March, 2009.

Lauren Sorce, MSN, RN, CPNP, CCRN, FCCM, presented two papers, “ Is Moral Distress in ICU Workers Real?” and “Who Should be Sedating ICU Patients Outside of the ICU?” at the 38^th Critical Care Congress, Nashville, TN, February 2009.

She also presented “Acute Care Case Studies: The Acutely, Chronically Ill Child” at the NAPNAP 2009 Conference, Nashville, Tennessee; March 2009.

She also presented two papers, “Balance the ICU Schedule with the Soccer Schedule: Can It Be Done?” and,” Leaving Work in the Workplace,” at the Society of Critical Care Medicine 39^th Critical Care Congress, Miami Beach, FL, January 2010.

Andrea Kline, MS, RN, CPNP-AC/PC, FCCM presented two papers, “Obesity in the PICU. The BIG Deal,” and “Surfactant in Pediatric. Is there Anything New?” at the 38^th Critical Care Congress, Nashville, TN, February 2009.

Maureen Haugen, MS, RN, CPNP, CPON, completed a webcast educational module for a collaborative project between pediatric oncology and adult cooperative groups entitled “Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the Adolescent and Young Adult: An Education Module for Clinical Trial CALGB 10403” and presented the project during the APHON/COG Nursing Workshop in Dallas, TX in March 2009.

She also presented a poster, “Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the Adolescent and Young Adult: An Education Module for Clinical Trial, CALGB 10403,” at the National APHON Conference, Orlando, FL, September 2009.

Terri Halverson, RN, BSN, CPON, and Hanne B. Larsen, MS, presented a paper, “Good Clinical Practices and Medical Record Documentation” at the Data Manager’s Conference, 2008 BMT Tandem Meetings, Tampa, FL, February, 2009.

She also presented a poster, “Single Institution Validation of Risk Adjusted Outcomes for 1 Year Mortality in Pediatric Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation,” at the 2008 BMT Tandem Meetings, Tampa, FL, February, 2009.

Rosa Sivaja, BSN, RN, and Eileen Romano, MBA, BSN, RN, presented a poster, “Implementing the Charge Nurse Role in Ambulatory Clinics,”  at AAACN's 2010 conference, Las Vegas, NV, May 2009.

Janice Beatty, BSN, RN, and Diane Calamaras, MSN, CPNP, presented a poster, “Fostering Adult Skills in Adolescent Thalassemia Patients,” a the Ninth Cooley’s Anemia Symposium, New York, NY, October 2009.

Julia Brennan, MSN, RN, ANP-C, AAHIVM Specialist, presented a paper, “Syndemic Theory and HIV-related Risk Among Yung Transwomen: The Role of Multiple, Co-occurring Health Problems,” at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, November 2009.

Megan Domenico, BSN, MBA, RN, presented a paper, “Linking Master to Novice: Mentoring Clinical Research Professionals,” at Barnett International’s Clinical Training Forum in Boston, MA, October 2009.

Susan Horner, MSN, RNC, presented a poster, “Impact of Implementation of NIDCAP on the Developmental Sensitivity of NICU Nurses,” at the 6^th Annual Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November, 2009 and at the 23^rd Annual Gravens Conference on the Physical and Developmental Environment of the High Risk Infant, Clearwater, FL, February 2010.

Diana Halfer, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, presented a paper, “The Evidence for Using Virtual Technology in Health Care Education,” at the Sixth Annual Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November 2009.

She participated as a panel member on “Innovations and Research in Precepting” National Preceptor Summit, Loyola University Health Systems Campus, Maywood, Illinois, August 2009.

She presented a paper with Julia Hooper,  “Second Life: Why Bold Leaders Use it for Health care Learning,” at the Child Health Corporation of America Education Director’s Meeting, Baltimore, MD, October 2009.

She presented a paper with Judy Smith, “Second Life: Why Bold Leaders Use it for Health care Learning,” at the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, October 2009.

Debbie Graves, BSN, RN, presented a paper, “Line Safety Continuous Medication Infusion Safety in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,” at the Sixth Annual Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November 2009

Michelle Stephenson, DNP, RN, presented a paper, “Implementing the Acuity Adaptable Care Model in a Pediatric Setting: Concept to Creation,” at the Sixth Annual Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November 2009.

Sarah Martin, MS, RN, CPNP-PC/AC, presented a paper, “Publish Your Practice,” at the Sixth Annual Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November 2009.

Elaine Graf, PhD, RN, NE-BC, participated in two panel presentations, “Creating a Research Mentoring Program: Strategies and Outcomes” and “ 2008 Magnet Model: Raising the Bar on EBP, Research & Performance Improvement,” at the Sixth Annual Nursing Research Symposium, Naperville, IL, November 2009.

Alaina Moran, BS, BSN, RN, presented a poster that received top poster award recognition, “Bridging Gaps and Building Relationships Through Resident Orientation,” at the NACHRI National Conference in Orlando FL, October 2009.

Mary Palacz, BSN, RN, presented a paper, “Dravet Syndrome: Information for Nurses" at the Association of Child Neurology Nurses 2009 Annual Meeting held in conjunction with the Child Neurology Society Annual Meeting, in Louisville, KY, October 2009.

Karina Danner-Koptik, MSN, RN, CNS, CPON, presented a poster, “Neurocognitive outcomes of infants with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) undergoing a total body irradiation (TBI) containing myeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) before 18 months of age,”  and is co-sponsor of a protocol, “Second malignancies in children who underwent autologous HSCT for solid tumors,” accepted for presentation during the Late Effects Committee meeting at the Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research Meeting, Orlando, FL, February 2010.

Linda Sue Van Roeyen MS, RN, CSN, CCRP, FNP-BC, presented two papers, “Diversity, Children with special Healthcare Needs” and “Interactive Session: Health Policy” at the Society of Pediatric Nursing Conference, Atlanta, Georgia (2009).

Content last reviewed: September 2011