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Editor's note: Hometowns are Syracuse, Lawrence, Salina, Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City.
PRONUNCIATION:
Wenche is "VAYN-ka"
Kaaren is "CAR-en"
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The "Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare" awards ceremony will celebrate its 12th year of recognizing the contributions of outstanding registered nurses to their patients, communities and the profession. The awards will be presented at the annual banquet Friday at the Westin Crown Center Hotel, Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City newscaster Larry Moore of KMBC 9-TV will emcee the program, which is co-sponsored by Cerner. KU Med is sponsoring a reception that precedes the banquet.
The University of Kansas established "Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare" as a public service in 1989.
The award winners were selected from more than 350 nominees from across Kansas and the Kansas City area. Nominations were accepted from their patients, colleagues, supervisors, families and friends.
This year's award winners are:
• Verna Aeschliman, staff nurse, Hamilton County Health Dept., Syracuse
• Judith Curran, director of women & children's services, Salina Regional Health Center, Salina
• Patricia Dalrymple, regional palliative care team coordinator, Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan.
• George Ann Eaks, director, Cray Diabetes Clinic, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan.
• Brian Ghafari-Naraghi, formerly a neuromuscular research nurse, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan., and currently director of clinical services at Northcare Hospice and Palliative Care.
• Wenche Malcolm, outreach educator, Hospice Care of Kansas, Wichita
• Stephen Pontoski, hospice supervisor, Stormont-Vail HealthCare, Topeka
• Julie Routhieaux, pediatric clinical nurse specialist, Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics, Kansas City, Mo.
• Dianna Swatsenbarg, operating room nurse, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence
• Kaaren Witte, staff nurse, Kingswood, Kansas City, Mo.
A selection committee composed of civic, health care and business leaders and previous year's awardees selected the 10 winners. Every nurse who was nominated received a certificate of recognition.
Over the past 12 years, more than 4,500 nurses have been nominated. Among the more than 100 winners are school nurses, oncology nurses, Red Cross volunteers, public health nurses and nurses who founded programs that serve patients and their families. In addition to honoring the nominees, the program is designed to promote the image of nursing in the community and the vital role nurses play in health care today.
For further information, contact Kari Ziblut, (913) 588-1616, or visit the KU School of Nursing online.
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