Arizona nurses will be honored for their service in eleven categories, including:

Patient Care:  Susan Kay Bohnenkamp, University Medical Center; Susan Lynn Emrick, Casa Grande Regional Medical Center; Laurel J. Horken, Banner Baywood Medical Center; 

Leadership:  Michelle Anderson, Mayo Clinic Arizona; Margaret Chivington, Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital; Jo Elizabeth Ridenour, Arizona State Board of Nursing;

Education:  Kari Mau, Scottsdale Healthcare; Nancy S. Cisar, Mayo Clinic Arizona; Susan Patania, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital;

Research/Advancing the Profession:  Kathie Records, Arizona State University, College of Nursing; Jacqueline A. Keuth, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center; Mary J. Wright, Mayo Clinic Arizona;

Advocacy for Patients: Anne Steele Hummel, Hummel Healthline; Kimberlee Hilty, University Medical Center; Leora “Lee” Harsh, Flagstaff Medical Center;

Community Service: Ana P. Marin, University Medical Center; Susanne Welch Cook, Arizona State University College of Nursing; Patricia Luttrell, Grand Canyon University;

Mentoring:  Joanne Corbin, Mayo Clinic Arizona; Ann Earhart, Banner Desert Medical Center; Mary Ellen Walker, Banner Baywood Medical Center;
          
Rising Star:  Barbara Winter, Maricopa Integrated Health System; India Bryck, Mayo Clinic Arizona; Nicole I. Jones, Banner Estrella Medical Center;

Military:  Col. Marjorie A. Crowl, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, U. S. Army Retired; Amy S. Kinnon, U.S. Air Force Medical Services Flight Commander at Davis-Monthan; Belinda A. Doherty, U.S. Air Force Director, Education and Training, at Davis-Monthan;

Evenflo Prenatal/Pediatric Care: Emily Botsios, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center; Linda A. Meiner, Air Evac Services/PHI Air Medical Group; Tamara D. Whitmer, Banner Desert Medical Center;

Distinguished Nurse of the Year:  Marjorie Ann Ament, Banner Thunderbird Hospital; Jadeh M. Moore, Corrections Corporation of America; and Cathleen Zehring, Mayo Clinic Arizona.

The March of Dimes Arizona Nurses of the Year Awards was established five years ago in partnership with Health Net of Arizona, in response to Arizona’s critical shortage of nurses. Arizona has 628 RNs per 100,000 people according to the most recent report from the Governor’s Nursing Shortage Task Force.

The event highlights the wide range of rewarding careers in nursing, funds nursing scholarships and honors all Arizona nurses for their contributions, while also benefiting the March of Dimes mission of preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. 

Honorary Chair for March of Dimes Nurses of the Year Awards is Chuck Sowers, President, Health Net of Arizona; Gala Chair is Vicki Began, Vice President, University Medical Center, and Nurse Chair is Peggy MacMacken, Chief Nursing Officer, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital.
In 2007, Began won the “Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award” and MacMacken was honored as “Legend in Nursing,” for their remarkable careers and contributions to health care in Arizona.  This year’s theme is “The Story of Nursing.”

The evening also includes a presentation of scholarships from the March of Dimes for nursing students, funded in part by Health Net of Arizona and other sponsors.  In the past four years, $100,000 in scholarships has been presented to nursing colleges.   Last year, Health Net of Arizona funded $24,000 in scholarships, awarding $4,000 checks to nursing schools at Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, Maricopa County Community Colleges, Northern Arizona University, Pima Community College and the University of Arizona.  “We realize the magnitude of the problem facing Arizona,” said Sowers.  “The health and well being of Arizona residents depends on the high quality care that nurses can provide.”

For more details about the March of Dimes Nurses of the Year Awards call Robin Zenno at 602-287-9923 or log on to marchofdimes.com/arizona.

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