NANN's Awards Program

Julie Fullerton, BSN RNC-NIC, is a staff nurse at South Miami Hospital in Miami, Florida, and current chair of her unit's patient education committee. Julie is a unit preceptor and Neonatal Resuscitation Program instructor and is valued for her clinical expertise and dedication. Highly involved in her unit's education, she developed a skills lab to give new nurses hands-on experience so that they can learn in a safe environment. She provides meticulous care to her patients, respecting the families' contribution and encouraging them to participate in their baby's care at an early stage. Julie is depended on to provide thoughtful feedback—she has demonstrated on many occasions her thorough attention to detail and willingness to lend a hand.

Tina Keane, BSN RNC-NIC, is a direct care nurse at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. An experienced practitioner, she has exemplary assessment skills and advocates for her patients in a professional manner at all times. She is regarded as a clinical expert, serves as a preceptor, chairs the Kangaroo Care Team, and is an active member of the Developmental Care Team at her institution. In the words of her nominator, Tina is "a shining example of nursing excellence." She is also involved in numerous community service activities.

Leadership Award: Suzanne McCoy, MS RN NNP-BC NE-BC

Suzanne McCoy, MS RN NNP-BC NE-BC, is a neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) and manager of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois. She has worked to promote a learning environment through teaching, training, and coaching, taking the time to use "teachable moments," and encouraging her physician group to do the same. Sue sends weekly staff e-mails featuring "things I learned" to share ideas and provide platforms for continued educational discussions among staff members in her unit. In her nominator's words, Sue McCoy "serves as a role model for all leaders. She reaches out to her colleagues in other divisions to offer support in any way she can." Sue is an integral part of her organization and is respected for willingly sharing her knowledge.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Excellence Award: Carol Polinski, APN NNP-BC

Carol Polinski, MS RN APN NNP-BC, is the current president of the Chicago Area Association of Neonatal Nurses and is an NNP at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital in Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center/Ronald McDonald Children's Hospital in Maywood, Illinois, and Aurora Healthcare in Kenosha and Oconomowoc, WI. She has published journal articles on a wide range of topics, including congenital diaphragmatic hernia, late-onset sepsis, early recognition of congenital heart disease, and major causes of bilious emesis. Carol is passionate about providing the best possible care to the patients and families she serves. Her nominator wrote, "She is not afraid to ask important questions related to patient management and is more than willing to help in finding solutions that improve aspects of care."

Research Abstract Award: Kara Dierikx, ARNP NNP-BC

Kara Dierikx, ARNP NNP-BC, received the Research Abstract Award for her paper presentation "Diabetes Insipidus in the Neonatal Period." Kara is an NNP in a Level III NICU at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. She attended the University of Iowa, where she obtained her bachelor's degree in nursing, and then moved on to Rush University in Chicago to pursue her graduate degree. Her capstone research project focused on the use of probiotics to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. Kara has said, "Caring for sick and preterm infants is my passion, and I'm so happy to be a part of such a great profession."

Distinguished Service Award: Suzanne Staebler, DNP APRN NNP-BC

Suzanne Staebler, DNP APRN NNP-BC, is the assistant director for advanced practice nursing at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. She has been a member of NANN for more than 20 years and has served NANN as a board and council member and on countless committees and task forces. She has also helped to shape two very important pillars of NANN: the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NANNP) and the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee. Suzanne has represented the neonatal nursing profession on many fronts, including the APRN Alliance and the Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education (LACE) work group, to ensure that the voice of neonatal nursing is heard at the tables where nursing policy is being shaped and standards are being developed. Suzanne has taught many NANN members lessons on leadership, advocacy, and policy setting and has been an exemplar of generous giving to her association and profession.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Gene Anderson, PhD RN FAAN

Gene Anderson, PhD RN FAAN, has conducted research during the past 30 years that has resulted in the widely adopted practice of kangaroo care—a practice change that has significantly improved the quality of national and international neonatal care. Gene's early concern focused on the common practice of allowing babies to cry, which was fostered by the belief that crying promoted alveolar expansion. Gene questioned this practice and went on to study the physiologic effects of crying during her doctoral studies. Despite the opposition of physicians at the time, she demonstrated that persistent crying had the potential to perpetuate continued fetal circulatory patterns, and within a decade, it was widely accepted that prolonged newborn crying was harmful and should be avoided. Gene's subsequent work on the positive effects of the use of pacifiers for neonates was disseminated in a number of scholarly publications and led to updated standards of care. Gene conducted additional research studies that led to changes in the provision of maternity care, with mother-baby units becoming the norm. She also created the Anderson Behavioral State Scoring System, which provided a mechanism for evaluating infant state using categories that are precise and mutually exclusive. Since her retirement, she has authored the first Cochrane Review of kangaroo care for full-term infants.

Chapter of the Year Award: Central California Association of Neonatal Nurses

The Central California Association of Neonatal Nurses (CCANN) serves nurses from several local and outlying community hospitals in the area of Central San Joaquin Valley. With hard work and effective networking, the CCANN membership committee has made impressive strides in retaining and recruiting new members by methods such as using awards as incentives and encouraging student participation by waiving the membership fee. CCANN stays as "green" as possible through decreasing their use of paper products at events and encouraging members to use online avenues—Facebook, YouTube, e-mail, the website, and even group text messages. CCANN also demonstrates a strong commitment to community service. The chapter participated in several local causes such as the community food bank, Fresno Rescue Mission, and Toys for Tots as well as programs that benefited the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund and the March of Dimes. Their fund-raising success was accomplished through vendor support, raffle prizes at meetings, car-wash vouchers, garage sales, donations, sales of chapter merchandise, food sales, and participation in a local craft fair. In June, CCANN presented its first annual educational conference and with the help of many sponsors put together an excellent program at a reasonable price for all attendees. CCANN held several other educational events, and because each topic was carefully selected to bring cutting-edge knowledge to the chapter, nearly 100% of attendees rated the sessions as "exceptional," "interesting," and "innovative."