Awards and Recognition

Acknowledging nursing excellence serves nursing and other interprofessional disciplines throughout the UT Southwestern Health System. The administration of nursing excellence supports the ongoing professional development of nurses at all levels by advancing the practice of nurses and providing a platform to recognize and reward their achievements. The focus of those efforts is established through the collective work of sections within nursing excellence, including:

Clinical Education and Professional Development
Magnet Program, which encompasses Shared Governance
Nursing Research
Rewards and Recognition

In 2022, our amazing nurses were recognized in many ways by sundry sources bestowing accolades such as the Diana and Richard C. Strauss Award, the Meritorious Service Award, PACT Awards, and others. Each 2022 awards winner is proudly featured in this section.

PACT Awards

The PACT program recognizes employees who exhibit exceptional behaviors that achieve the goal of “excellence in patient care and customer service that we would be proud for our families, friends, and selves to receive.” The program provides a way for patients, co-workers, and physicians to recognize PACT behaviors “on the spot” and is designed to create a culture of praise and recognition.

The PACT program is a year-round campuswide initiative that encourages employees, patients, and visitors to recognize staff and physicians for their demonstration of PACT standards, which are:

Problem Solving:
To achieve excellence in patient care and service, we take ownership for solving problems through innovation and discovery, developing solutions to the satisfaction of patients, customers, or managers.

Ability, Attitude, and Accountability:
We adhere to best practices in our daily work, honor the dignity and diversity of each person, and are accountable for our actions. We will appear and conduct ourselves in a professional and positive manner.

Communications and Compassion:
All of our communications are open, clear, timely, and delivered with respect and confidentiality. We are sensitive to the physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs of every individual.

Teamwork:
We collaborate as one team to deliver patient-centered care with integrity, trust, and confidentiality. We value the exchange of diverse ideas.

Nurse PACT Awards

Nurses across the organization are recognized daily with PACT cards, submitted either electronically or on paper. In 2022, inpatient, ambulatory, and advanced practice nurses were honored in large numbers for receiving Blue, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Pin Awards:

398 nurses received the Blue PACT Pin Award.

249 nurses received the Silver PACT Pin Award.

244 nurses received the Gold PACT Pin Award.

9 nurses received the Platinum PACT Pin Award.

To nominate a nurse for the PACT award, email pact@utsouthwestern.edu.

Meritorious Service Awards 2022

UT Southwestern nurses are invaluable. An important part of our culture of excellence is to reward and recognize those who have gone above and beyond in providing excellent service and care to our patients. The Meritorious Service Award is bestowed annually to UT Southwestern staff who have provided extraordinary service and care to our patients and demonstrated an excellent work ethic and performance. These recipients exemplify PACT standards and serve as role models to the campus. Employees are recognized and nominated by patients, families, clinical or departmental staff, or leadership.

The 2022 nurse recipients were:

Deepa Abraham, M.S., OTR
Zale Rehab Therapy Services

Mohamed Ahmed, B.S.N., RN
Float Pool

Elizabeth Alex, B.S.N., RN, SCRN
Acute Stroke Unit

Blessy Alexander
Multidisciplinary Surgery Clinic

Meliza Alvarez, B.S.N., RN
Internal Medicine Subspecialties (IMSS)

Taylore Aure, B.S.N., RN
Ambulatory Float Pool

Tonia Bell, B.S.N., RN
Psychiatry

Nathan Bloom, B.S.N., RN, CNOR
Zale OR

Alyssa Boyce, B.S.N., RN
Float Pool

Shannon Braugh, B.S.N., RN, RN-BC
Acute Surgical Specialty Unit

Maria Butler, RN
CUH Surgery, 2nd Floor

Marlyn Calloway, RN
General Internal Medicine

Beverly Carlis, LVN
Internal Medicine Subspecialties (IMSS)

Irene Casteneda, B.S.N., RN
Dialysis

Jaimee Coder, LVN
Neurology

Alyssa Cole, B.S.N., RN
Labor and Delivery

Thanh “Alice” Cubria, B.S.N., RN, CMSRN
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Natasha Curtis, B.S.N., RN
Medical Surgical

Victoria DeHoyos, M.B.A., B.S.N., RN, CMSRN
Medical Progressive Care Unit

Claudia De Santiago, RN, CMSRN
Medical Surgical

Sachi Devadoss, B.S.N., RN CMSRN
Cardiovascular ICU

Brittany Doyle, B.S.N., RN, CCRN, SCRN
Neuroscience ICU

Trisha Dubey, B.S.N., RN, AMB-BC
Ambulatory Education and Professional Development

Rekike Ehrenberg, B.S.N., RN, PCCN
Central Monitoring Unit

Victoria Elizondo, B.S.N., RN
GI Surgical Specialty Unit

Mary Garcia, M.S.N., RN, WCC
Medical Surgical

Larry Gentsch, M.B.A., B.S.N., RN-BC
Zale Lipshy Pavillion Rehab

Biji Thekkekarayil George, B.S.N., RN
Medical Oncology

Ligimol Thayyadayil George, B.S.N., RN
Medical Surgical

Karen Anais Gonzales, NRCMA
Ambulatory Float Pool

Amber Hearron, M.S.N., RN, AMB-BC
Ambulatory Clinical Education

Lino Jacob, B.S.N., RN
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Seena James, B.S.N., RN, PCCN
Medical Surgical

Sheena John, B.S.N., RN
Acute Stroke Unit

Kimberly Kelley
Neurology

Connie Kim, M.S.N., RN, CMSRN
Acute Medical

Jung (Jaimy) Kim, A.D.N., RN
Ambulatory Float Pool

Laura Kirbie, B.S.N., RN, CEN
Nursing Informatics

Katheryn Klenda
Radiation Oncology

Amber Lachowicz, RDMS,RVT
Radiology

Emily Lattanzio, B.S.N., RN-BC
Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Kaitlin Lawrence, B.S.N., RN
Cardiovascular ICU

Lan Le, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Surgical ICU

Esterlina Marquino, B.S.N.,RN
Aston Infusion Clinic

Emily Marshall, B.S.N., RN
Heart and Lung Clinic

Tanika Mayes, RN, CNOR
CUH Surgery

Molly Mazie, B.S.N., RN
Plastic Surgery

Javier Navarro, A.D.N., RN
Aston Infusion

Andiwa Nguetta
UH Kidney and Liver Transplant Clinic

Nina Pacheco, B.S.N., RN, CMSRN
Acute Surgical Specialty Unit

Jessica Padgett
Otolaryngology

Morgan Parker, B.S.N., RN, OCN
Bone Marrow Transplant

Laura Patin, M.S.N.-Ed., RN, AMB-BC
Ambulatory Clinical Education

Anjali Perera, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Neuroscience ICU

Jocelyn Ponce, B.S.N., RN, CMSRN
Solid Organ Transplant

Kim Register, RN
Zale PACU

Alethe Sannes
Decision Support

Sharlynne Serapio, M.A.E.M., B.S.N., RD, RN
Ambulatory Clinical Education and Professional Development

Bindu Shaji, M.S.N., APRN, FNP-C, GERO-BC
ACE Unit

Samina Shaukat, B.S.N., RN-BC
Acute Surgical Specialty

Lekha Sivsankaran, M.S.N., RN
Emergency Department

Chelsea Slocum, B.S.N., RN
Neurology

Sarah Staples, B.S.N., RN, AMB-BC
UTSW Medical Center at Park Cities

Robert Straka, RN, CEN
UTSW Medical Center at Las Colinas

Stephanie Tate, LVN
General Internal Medicine

Kathy Terryah, RN
Acute Medical

Virginia Ginger Walbrun, B.S.N., RN
Zale Medical Surgical Acute Medical

Michelle Washington, B.S.N., RN
Float Pool

Alan Weaver, B.S.N., RN, CMSRN
Medical Surgical

D Magazine 2022 Excellence in Nursing Awards

Each year, D Magazine honors excellence in nursing through an award recognizing nurses who have made a difference in the lives of their patients and colleagues. These nurses are nominated by their peers, co-workers, and patients.

Through a selection committee, winners are recognized in three categories: Direct Patient Care, Education/Research, and Leadership.

UT Southwestern is proud to salute our 14 recipients of the 2022 Excellence in Nursing Awards. They are:

Direct Patient Care

Kelsey Davidson, B.S.N., RN
Interim Nurse Manager, MSICU

Kaitlyn Dupriest, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Critical Care, NSICU

Allene Goetz, M.B.A., M.S.N., ACNS-BC
Advanced Practice RN, Neurology

Anlan Jiang, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Critical Care, SICU

Brooke McCartney, B.S.N., RN, MSCS
Ambulatory Nurse Supervisor, Neurology Clinic

Lisa M. Smith, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Assistant Nurse Manager
Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit

Education/Research

Mari Ann Lewis, B.S.N., RN-BC
Manager, Clinical Education and Professional Development

Shinto Thomas, M.S.N., RN, PCCN-K
Clinical Education and Professional Practice

Ashton Tolbert, B.S.N., RN
Clinical Nurse Educator Ambulatory Clinical Education Team

Michelle Walsh, B.S.N., RN
Clinical Nurse Educator Ambulatory Services

Leadership

M. Edie Brucker, M.S.N., M.P.H., APRN, AGPCNP-BC
Manager, Advanced Practice Providers
Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Alexa Collins, B.S.N., RN, SCRN
Nurse Manager, ASU/EMU

Cheryl Kaplan, M.B.A., M.H.A., B.S.N., RN
Clinical Director, Solid Organ Transplant

David Wyatt, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, CNOR
Chief Nursing Officer, University Hospital

2022 Dallas-Fort Worth Great 100 Nurses

Shelley Brown-Cleere, M.S.N., RN - Director of Neurosciences Services (left) and Byron Carlisle, B.S.N., RN, CCRN-K, SCRN - Nurse Manager of the Neuroscience ICU

The Dallas-Fort Worth Great 100 Nurses list annually recognizes 100 professional registered nurses in the Metroplex who have been nominated by their peers, practice sites, families, and patients entrusted to their care. Each year, the Great 100 list honors excellence in the art and science of nursing across all practice areas, including acute care, sub-acute care, school nursing, nurse leaders, academics, and many more.

UT Southwestern is honored to have two nurses receive this award in 2022.

2022 DAISY Award Honorees

To recognize our amazing nurses in direct patient care, UTSW has partnered with the DAISY Foundation, which established the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 of ITP, an autoimmune disease. After witnessing the skilled, caring, and compassionate nursing Patrick received, the Barnes family created this national award to say “thank you” to nurses everywhere. Any nurse working at UTSW can be nominated for the DAISY Award.

The award committee selects one nurse each month from a hospital or hospital-based clinic who exemplifies our mission. The recipient receives a DAISY Award pin, a Healer’s Touch hand-carved statue, and an award certificate. In addition, recognizing that excellence takes a team, the selected nurse’s unit receives a banner to post for the month and freshly baked cinnamon rolls for everyone on the day the award is presented.

2022 DAISY Winner

Corrie Carley, B.S.N., RN, CMSRN, CCRN
CVICU Staff Nurse

DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award

Shelley Brown-Cleere, M.S.N., RN
Director of Neurosciences Services

Patient Safety Awards

Patient Safety “Good Catch” awards are earned by staff who submit event reports for processes in which they’ve identified a safety concern and intervened on behalf of our patients or facilities. Submissions are vetted through the offices of Clinical Safety and Medication Safety, and awards are bestowed monthly at the unit level for recognition.

Monthly winners among inpatient services in 2022 were:

January

Lori Syfrett, B.S.N., RN
Acute Surgical Specialty Unit

February

Meagan Johns, Pharm.D., M.B.A., BCCCP, BCPS, BCNSP
Pharmacy

March

Mylyn Agpawa, B.S.N., RN, CMSRN, CCRN
SICU

April

Angelica Smith, B.S.N., RN
Surgical Services

May

Ruth Green, B.S.N., RN
Cardiology

June

Robert Witherspoon, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCCP
Pharmacy

July

Christopher Draper, B.S.N., RN, CCRN, CSC
CVICU

August

John Hao, B.S.N., RN, PCCN
CVICU

September

Quyen Nguyen, B.S.N., RN
Acute Surgical Specialty Unit

October

Katherine Boothe, B.S.N., RN
MICU

November

Kathleen Collett, B.S.N., RN, CNOR
Operating Room

December

Derrick Miller, B.S.N., RN
CVICU

Ambulatory services selected spring and fall “Good Catch” award winners.

They were:

Ambulatory Services Spring Good Catch Award Winner

Abigail Jones, B.S.N., RN
UTSW Medical Center at Richardson/Plano

Ambulatory Services Fall Good Catch Award Winner

Alishia Yerganian, B.S.N., RN
Ambulatory Float Pool

2022 Diana and Richard C. Strauss Service Excellence Award Nurse Recipients

The Diana and Richard C. Strauss Service Excellence Award recognizes employees from all clinical settings who exemplify excellent care and service in a professional and positive manner, dedication to teamwork, and compassion for patients, guests, and co-workers. The awards are presented quarterly throughout the calendar year.

Nurse honorees in 2022 were:

E. Jamaal Hawkins, M.S.N., CRNA
Anesthesiology and Pain Management

Amalia Baker, B.S.N., RN, CPAN
Zale Lipshy Surgical Services

Ihab Hanna, B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Rapid Response Team

Cara Hough, B.S.N., RN-BC
Ambulatory Nursing Operations

Emma Minnis, M.B.A., B.S.N., RN, CCRN-K
Health System Quality and Operations Excellence

Minda Hill, B.S.N., RN
SCCC Support Services

Katie McInnes, B.S.N., RN
Cardiovascular ICU

Gretel Reyes-Salaum, B.S.N., RN
Care Coordination

Sharlynne Serapio, M.A.E.M., B.S.N., RD, RN
Ambulatory Nurse Operations

Charmie Faith Frykman, B.S.N., RN
Acute Surgical Specialty

UTSW 2022 Nurse Excellence Awards

During Nurses Week in May 2022, UTSW bestowed its seventh annual Nurse Excellence Awards. In all, more than 100 potential recipients were nominated by their peers for exemplifying what it is to be a role model, a leader, a compassionate caregiver, and a significant contributor who works to improve patient care and outcomes. Nominees notably make UT Southwestern and the community better through effective listening, inspiring others, actively participating, and showing devotion and compassion in caring for patients and their families. The recipients were chosen by a panel of professionals from both ambulatory and inpatient areas.

The six categories are: Leader of Nursing Excellence, Ambulatory Nursing Excellence, Advanced Practice Nursing Excellence, Friend of Nursing Excellence, Clinical Educator of Nursing Excellence, and Frontline Care Provider of Nursing Excellence.

The six recipients of the 2022 Nurse Excellence Awards are:

Leader of Nursing Excellence Winner

Amie Swindle, M.S.N., B.S.N., RN
Director Health System Patient Safety

Advanced Practice Nursing Excellence Winner

Sandy Diep, M.S.N., APRN, FNP-BC
Kidney and Liver Disease Management Clinic

Friend of Nursing Excellence Winner

Haley Cook, M.B.A., CPXP
Health System Quality Improvement Analyst

Clinical Educator of Nursing Excellence Winner

Cara Hough, B.S.N., RN, AMB-BC
Clinical Nurse Educator

Frontline Care Provider Nursing Excellence Winner

Kathrina Siaron, B.S.N., RN, CCRN, SCRN
NICU

Ambulatory Nursing Excellence Winner

Kathy Cheek, B.S.N., RN
Rheumatology Clinic, Fort Worth

Clinical Awards and Achievements

Improving APP Engagement by Honoring the Best of the Best

The Office of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) incorporates the specialty services of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (PAs). One of the goals of the APP Engagement Committee, made up of 23 APPs representing diverse professional groups and clinical practices, is to increase the visibility of the more than 900 APPs at UTSW.

“We aim to provide support to APPs through championing and participating in APP recognition and wellness – inextricably linked, both within and apart from direct work responsibilities, in alignment with UT Southwestern’s mission, vision, and values,” says Tyonn Barbera, M.B.A., APRN, ANP-C, Committee Chair. Since the committee was formed in 2020, it has accomplished several initiatives, including organizing a unified APP Celebration Week with award nominations submitted across the five professional groups that compose APPs: PAs, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Midwives, Nurse Anesthetists, and Nurse Practitioners.

Recipients of the 2022 APP Achievement Awards are: