Top Nurses 2023

We ran some tests and the results are in: The health of the Baltimore region’s nursing field is good. Despite many trials—staff shortages, COVID-19—the area is still home to thousands of gifted caregivers committed to supporting public health. From retirement communities to the surgical suite, this year’s group of 140 winners show the depth and breadth of the nursing field.

Over the course of several months, we solicitated nominations for Baltimore’s best nurses from supervisors, colleagues—even patients—amassing hundreds of submissions. The nominations were compiled, divided by specialty, and given to our panel of eight eminently qualified nurse advisors, who spent weeks poring over entrants and résumés to make the final selections.

Also inside: Remember the days of your youth when you’d be sent to the school nurse, perhaps for an ice pack or a Band-Aid or to get your temperature taken? As we reveal in our feature story, “Beyond Band-Aids,” the world of school nursing has radically changed. While the field was already far more sophisticated prior to the pandemic than many realize, COVID-19 turned school nurses into essential frontline workers. Read on to learn more about the fundamental role school nurses play in the physical and mental health of school-age children.

This package affords us a small look at some of the best practitioners in a massive profession. While we can never thank every nurse in the region by name, this annual list honors the contributions of the few while putting the limelight on the contributions of all.

Our Advisers

We are grateful to our eight registered-nurse advisers, who give their time and expertise to the selection process. The role of the advisers is to review the hundreds of nominations we receive in order to identify the winners.

AMY ALSANTE DNP, RN, NE-BC, LSSGB, CHEP, is the chief nursing officer of Sunburst Workforce Advisors. She has a doctorate of Nursing Practice from The George Washington University, a master’s degree from the University of Maryland and was a recipient of Baltimore’s Excellence in Nursing Award in 2016.

LINDA K. COOK, PHD is an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, where she teaches across all levels of nursing education. She has been a registered nurse for 45 years and is passionate about nursing. Her primary clinical background is critical-care nursing.

DONNA DISNEY is the clinical director for nursing at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. She has more than 30 years of nursing experience, primarily in critical-care and emergency nursing. She is currently responsible for addressing the nursing strategic priorities and operations in several departments.

YAFFA ELEFANT, MSN, CPN, is the nurse manager of a pediatric inpatient unit at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital. She is a graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, a certified pediatric nurse, and was the 2021 and 2022 recipient of Baltimore’s Excellence in Nursing award.

CARLENE MELLO served as the director of nursing resources at Saint Agnes Healthcare, where she provided oversight to staff, including those in the float pool, IV therapy, and patient escort. Mello earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees through the University of Phoenix and was a 2016 recipient of Baltimore’s Excellence in Nursing award.

DR. DORHONJA NICHOLS, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, is the nursing director of critical care services and behavioral health at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. Nichols is passionate about mentorship, leadership development, team member engagement, clinical excellence, and equity, diversity, and inclusion.

KAYLENE ROSS works part-time in peri-op education at MedStar Harbor Hospital and has more than 45 years of experience including open-heart surgery, pediatrics, labor and delivery, education, general and orthopedic surgery, ICU, and nursing leadership.

STEPHANIE WILMER MSN, RN, is the nursing coordinator for Magnet at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, providing oversight for Magnet document preparation and site visit activities at JHH. She is a graduate of Towson University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She has been a registered nurse for more than 26 years.