Role model. Mentor. Coach. Advocate. Innovator. Expert clinician. Change agent. Transformative leader. Problem-solver. A nurse’s nurse.
The words used to describe the 18 exceptional nurses who will receive the Circle of Excellence award this year from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) demonstrate the high regard in which they’re held by colleagues and their commitment to achieving excellent outcomes in the care of acutely and critically ill patients and their families. They will be honored during AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI), Denver, May 20-22.
They are noted for their solution-oriented approaches to challenges, including reducing healthcare-associated infection rates, improving their work environments, and helping their organizations address staffing shortages, turnover and other operational issues.
Criteria to evaluate Circle of Excellence candidates include relentless promotion of patient-driven excellence; strong communication skills; true collaboration; effective decision-making; meaningful recognition of others; ability to transform thinking, structures and processes; and ability to address challenges and remove barriers to excellent patient care and achieve visible results through leadership.
“Circle of Excellence recipients use their voice, skills and knowledge to ensure that every patient gets the excellent care they deserve and that every nurse has the tools and skills they need to provide that care,” said AACN President Terry Davis. “They are shaping the future of nursing practice and transforming healthcare, helping us all to rise together.”
Recipients of the 2024 AACN Circle of Excellence award (in alphabetical order):
- Nicole Aaron, clinical nurse specialist, neurotrauma intensive care unit (ICU), Providence St. Peter Hospital, Olympia, Washington
- Tonya Clark, assistant nurse manager and charge nurse, AdventHealth Sebring, Sebring, Florida
- Sharlet Cochran, manager of trauma ICU, Lakeland Regional Health, Lakeland, Florida
- Loc Culp, patient services manager III, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Charlotte Davis, clinical practice quality coordinator, Critical Care Services, HCA Ocala Hospital, Ocala, Florida
- Opal Dy, clinical nurse specialist, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Colton, California
- Gordon Gartrell, nurse manager, pediatric ICU, Children’s of Mississippi, Jackson
- Jenita Gutierrez, associate director, Cedars-Sinai, California
- Feri Kiani, RN IV, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles
- Julene Kruithof, nurse educator, adult critical care, Corewell Health – West (CHW), Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Donnabelle Quiocho-Weigel, nurse manager, Los Angeles General Medical Center
- Catelin Sayen, director of nursing, medical ICU, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia
- Jane Sederstrom, critical care clinical nurse specialist, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix
- Roger Shiu, clinical nurse IV, El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, California
- Angela Teckemeyer, flight nurse, clinical base lead, Life Link III, Minneapolis
- Rhea Trinidad-Lustina, critical care educator, Kaiser Permanente LAMC, Los Angeles
- William Whitaker, patient services manager III, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Susan Wilson, nurse manager, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
AACN’s Circle of Excellence award aligns with the association’s vision to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.
Highly regarded for its responsiveness to current trends in the nursing profession and the environments where nurses work, the award is supported by grants from Dale Medical Products.
About the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition: Established in 1974, AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) represents the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Bedside nurses, nurse educators, nurse managers, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners attend NTI.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 50 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with about 130,000 members and nearly 200 chapters in the United States.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 27071 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656;
949-362-2000; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; x.com/aacnme
