KU School of Nursing gives Heart of Healthcare awards to 10 Kansas nurses

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The 13th annual Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare Awards banquet honored 10 registered nurses Nov. 7 at the Westin Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. The University of Kansas School of Nursing coordinated the event with the reception sponsored by the University of Kansas Hospital. The program's emcee was Larry Moore, KMBC Channel 9 news anchor.

The event recognizes outstanding registered nurses in Kansas and greater Kansas City and sold out with 540 people in attendance. This year's 10 award winners from more than 300 nominations were:

 • Rita Barker, vice president of Patient Care Services, Hays Medical Center, Hays
 • Beth Clark, nurse manager, University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kan.
 • Jan Ioerger, performance improvement director, Wamego City Hospital, Wamego
 • Karen Kopischke, neonatal nurse practitioner, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Overland Park
 • Tess Laoruangroch, nurse clinician, Research Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo.
 • Lisa Sackuvich, president/owner, ARJ Infusion Services Inc., Overland Park
 • Teresa Sikes, director of Palliative Care Program-Skilled Nursing Facility, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence
 • Britny Sutulovich, registered nurse case manager, NorthCare Hospice, North Kansas City, Mo.
 • Ginger Tubach, staff registered nurse, St. Francis Health Center, Topeka
 • Jenny West, infectious diseases nurse clinician, University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kan.

KU established Nursing: The Heart of Healthcare in 1989 to recognize registered nurses' contributions to their communities, patients and profession. Over the past 13 years, more than 130 nurses have won the awards and more than 5,000 have been nominated.

Nominations were accepted from patients, patients' families, colleagues, employers, supervisors, and the nurse's family and friends. A selection committee, composed of former award winners and health care and business leaders, selected the 10 winners. Every nurse who was nominated received a certificate of recognition.