Health & Wellness
Top Nurses 2022: Celebrating Our Caregivers
Congratulations to our 2022 Excellence in Nursing winners! In this, our eighth annual awards program, we recognize the individuals who are fundamental to our health care.
By Rebecca Kirkman
Edited by Christianna McCausland
Photography by Christopher Myers
FROM THE LABOR AND DELIVERY NURSES who bring us into the world, to the palliative care nurses who see us out of it, the most pivotal moments in our lives are often shared with a member of the nursing profession. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the profession is the largest in the health care setting, with more than 3.8 million registered nurses nationwide. They are the primary providers of hospital patient care and deliver most of the nation’s long-term care.
Yet too often nurses drift in and out of our sick rooms, quietly and steadfastly doing the essential work of community care, without us even knowing their names. Particularly as we—hopefully!—emerge from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken an exhausting toll on everyone in our hospitals, there’s no better time to put the limelight on these unsung heroes of health care.
Over the course of several months, we solicitated nominations for Baltimore’s best nurses from supervisors, colleagues, and 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 . . . in the midst of the worst of the COVID-19 omicron surge, no less.
In addition, we have an accompanying story that looks at travel nursing. The travel nurse field is older than you might imagine, though it came of age in America for a reason that might surprise you. Read on to learn how it has evolved from a career where nurses could see the world into a sometimes imperfect solution to chronic nurse shortages and the pressing need for extra, healthy nurses during the pandemic.
There are as many as 20,000 nurses in the Baltimore region, all of whom are doing critical caregiving. We are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to having the best of the best in health care workers on our doorstep. Here were recognize our gifted nurses—100 in total—while extending a resounding thankyou to the entire profession.
“TOO OFTEN NURSES DRIFT IN AND OUT OF OUR SICK ROOMS . . . WITHOUT US EVEN KNOWING THEIR NAMES.”
Health & Wellness
Nursing Where Needed
As travel nurses fill critical shortages, high pay creates unsustainable challenges for health care systems.
Our Advisers
Our thanks to the survey's seven registered-nurse advisors, who lent their time and considerable expertise to the process. The role of the advisors–several of whom have served on the panel in the past–was to reveiw the hundreds of nominations we received in order to identify the winners.
DR. AMY ALSANTE, DNP, RN, NE-BC, LSSGB is the senior director of nursing excellence and resource management at MedStar Harbor Hospital. She is a graduate of The George Washington University, University of Maryland, and Towson University. Her passion is creating a practice environment where nurses are empowered and engaged in continuously improving the delivery of care and patient outcomes.
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 more than 40 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 of the Emergency Department, Interventional Radiology, Interventional Pain, and the Inpatient Detox unit.
SARAH PORTER is a director of nursing programs at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she is responsible for assisting the vice president of nursing with coordination of executive priorities and implementation of operational and strategic objectives.
CARLENE MELLO is the director of nursing resources at Saint Agnes Healthcare, where she provides 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. RACHEL REID earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Hampton University, a master’s in nursing and health system management from Loyola University, Chicago, and a doctorate in nursing practice, systems leadership from Rush University, Chicago. Reid has 16 years of experience including pediatric nursing, nursing and hospital administration, and professorship in a university setting.
KAYLENE ROSS is a director of peri-op education at MedStar Harbor Hospital. In this role, Ross manages a team of nurses and physicians to provide high-quality, safe patient care to surgical patients. Her more than 40 years of nursing experience include open-heart surgery, pediatrics, labor and delivery, education, general and orthopedic surgery, ICU, and nursing leadership.
EXCELLENCE IN NURSING 2022 LIST
Acute Care / Family Practice / General Medicine
DANA BALASSA
Wound Ostomy Nurse University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
ANNE CONRAD
RN Care Manager GBMC Healthcare
LAURA DALY
Senior Clinical Nurse The Johns Hopkins University
PRISCILLA EBONE
Performance Improvement Coordinator University of Maryland Midtown Campus
CATHERINE
FIELD-FLOWERS
Occupational Health Nurse The Johns Hopkins Hospital
COLLEEN GAFFNEY
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner University of Maryland Medical Center
PAMELA JONES
Senior Clinical Nurse University of Maryland Midtown Campus
SARAH STANLEY
Nursing Outcome Team Leader Sinai Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
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TERI YOUNG
Vice President Clinical Systems, Chief of Clinical Informatics
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL SYSTEM, INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY
“Nurses enrich the various health care settings with their passion to do the best for our patients and community, with their curiosity to learn new things, and with their strength to get it done even when they think they have nothing left to give.”
Cardiovascular
RITCHEL FLORDELIZA
Clinical Nurse II MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
KATE HANOLD
Registered Nurse University of Maryland Medical Center
JENNIFER RODRIGUEZ
Registered Nurse/ Charge Nurse MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
Case Management
DOOAH ALMARZOOG
International RN Case Manager The Johns Hopkins Hospital
KATHY WARD
Nurse Case Manager Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Community Care/Ambulatory Care
CARRIE BAUMANN
Clinical Outpatient GI Nurse Johns Hopkins University
EVELYN BOWMASTER
Director, Quality and Patient Safety Ambulatory Services GBMC Healthcare
JACQUELINE DEVITA
Nurse Practitioner Simmons-O’Brien & Orlinsky, LLC
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ADENIKE “IRENE” ADEJUNIO
Registered Nurse
NORTHWEST HOSPITAL (LIFEBRIDGE HEALTH)
“Nursing is a humanitarian endeavor and medical/ surgical nursing provides opportunities for me to utilize my critical thinking and practical skills to help alleviate my patients' fears and concerns.”
Educator
LACHELE HAZELL
Pediatrics Interim Manager and Clinical Educator for NICU & Pediatrics Mercy Medical Center
BARBARA SMITH
RN, CDE Endocrinology Sinai Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
Emergency Department
ROSALYN BERKOWITZ
Forensic Nurse Examiner GBMC Healthcare
CALEA CARDWELL
Clinical Nurse II University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
LAUREN GREER
ER Clinical Resource Nurse MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
RACHAEL HAWKINS
Clinical Nurse II University of Maryland Midtown Campus
KELLY LAMBERT
Registered Nurse University of Maryland Harford Memorial Hospital
ANTHONY MARZOCCHI
Registered Nurse Mercy Medical Center
EVETTE MATTHEWS
Forensic Nurse Examiner GBMC Healthcare
SARAH NORMILE
Registered Nurse Sinai Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
MATTHEW PIPER
Registered Nurse UMMS R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center
SARAH ROMECKI
Clinical Nurse III MedStar Harbor Hospital
Hospice/ Home Health/ Palliative Care
ROBERT HUBER
Operations Manager Johns Hopkins Home & Community Based Services
JULIE SCHOTT
Palliative Care Nurse Navigator University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
Intensive Care
JUDY BILLINGS
Registered Nurse University of Maryland Harford Memorial Hospital
ANNA NOGUCHI
Program Coordinator for Organ & Tissue Donation Johns Hopkins Hospital & Living Legacy Foundation
ROWENA OROSCO
Registered Nurse & Assistant Patient Care Manager for Burn ICU Burn and Wound Unit Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
HEATHER
WAYLAND-FOELSTER
Nurse Manager for ICU and ICU Step Down Northwest Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
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ANTHONY MARZOCCHI
Registered Nurse
MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
“Hospitals simply could not function without nurses. Our resiliency and ability to adapt to ever-changing environments make us invaluable.”
Management / Nurse Executives
ELIZABETH ABBASI
Senior Kidney Transplant Coordinator/Interim Nurse Manager University of Maryland Medical Center
ISATU “FATIMA” BAH
Senior Director of Nursing Med/Surg Oncology and Critical Care Mercy Medical Center
STACEY BRULL
Acting VP and CNO of Patient Care Services & Senior Director of Center of Clinical Excellence Mercy Medical Center
LESLIE CLARK
Vice President of Population Health University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
SUSAN FINLAYSON
DNP Sr. Vice President, Operations (Nursing Administration) Mercy Medical Center
DIEDRE KORKPOR
Manager Patient Care Services MedStar Harbor Hospital
ELIZABETH KRUG
Nursing Outcomes Leader Sinai Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
ROSE LAYMAN
Vice President of Clinical Operations and Patient Care Services Baltimore Medical System
JOANN PARR
Director of Care Management Continuing Services GBMC Healthcare
GINA SHELLEY
Director, Nursing Practice and Innovation and Magnet MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
TERI YOUNG
Vice President Clinical Systems, Chief of Clinical Informatics University of Maryland Medical System, Information Systems Technology
Medical-Surgical Nursing
ADENIKE
"IRENE" ADEJUMO
Registered Nurse Northwest Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
JACQUELINE CASSIDY
RN, Level 3 The Johns Hopkins Hospital
ELIZABETH FOREMAN
Lead Clinical Nurse The Johns Hopkins Hospital
KATIA HANEY
RN II MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
KATHRYN LEWIS
Patient Care Manager MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
SHANTELLE MOBLEY
Nurse Manager Mercy Medical Center
NYA-NYO NFI
MSN, RN-BC University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
NICKKOLA NORWOOD
Registered Nurse University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
MARIA PETELA
Clinical Nurse III, Core Charge RN Mercy Medical Center
TAMARA
SONNENSCHEIN
Assistant Nurse Manager Northwest Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
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RITCHEL FLORDELIZA
Clinical Nurse II
MEDSTAR UNION MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
“I want my patients to be treated like my own family; caring for my patients is my passion.”
Neurology/ Psychology/ Behavioral Health
MARY JANE ABALON
MC Clinical Nurse II University of Maryland Medical Center
LORA L. CLAWSON
Director of ALS Clinical and Research Services The Johns Hopkins Hospital University School of Medicine
MEGHAN CRONK
Pediatric Epilepsy Nurse The Johns Hopkins Hospital
LYNDSI HILER
Nurse Practitioner University of Maryland, Faculty Physicians Inc.
SARAH SNOOPS
Clinical Research Nurse Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Oncology
DANIELLE CRUMP
Lead Clinical Nurse Radiation Oncology Johns Hopkins Hospital
SAMANTHA DENICOLA
Clinical Nurse II University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
MARY
“SUSAN” LEFANDE
DNP Medical Oncology Sibley Memorial Hospital
CYNTHIA MORRIS
Core Charge Nurse Mercy Medical Center
JACKQUELYN
REYNOLDS
Registered Nurse III Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital
ANDREW WISOWATY
Registered Nurse University of Maryland Children’s Hospital
Orthopedics
CHRISTINE BENDER
Clinical Nurse IV MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
JACQUELINE PAULE
Registered Nurse Northwest Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
NATALIE SCHAFER
Senior Clinical Nurse I University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute
AUTUMN WILKINS
Nurse Manager- Orthopedic/Bariatric/ Med-Surg Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital
Operating Room
JOSHUA CRUZ
Operating Room Nurse Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Children's Center
DONNA DONOVAN
Peri-operative Services Manager Grace Medical Center (LifeBridge Health)
LAURA HOPKINS
Clinical Nurse II MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
COLLEEN LINDO
Assistant Nurse Manager MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
ANTONIO MEGINO
Clinical Nurse II Mercy Medical Center
SARAH CHETELAT
SCOWDEN
Charge Nurse Belcara Health
PAULA TACKA
Perioperative Clinical Resource Nurse University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
KIMBERLY WADE
Robotic Team Leader Mercy Medical Center
XENIA YAP
Registered Nurse Sinai Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
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AMBER McCONNELL
FBP, RN
CARROLL HOSPITAL (LIFEBRIDGE HEALTH)
“The best for me is when I have walked with a family through their time of loss and then get to take care of them when they have their ‘rainbow babies.’ It’s a full circle moment of absolute gratitude.”
Pediatrics: Neonatal
MEGHAN BORKOWICZ
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit University of Maryland Children's Hospital
TINA SCHATZ
Clinical Unit Coordinator, NICU Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital
LINDSAY SNELLER
RN, NICU University of Maryland Children's Hospital
Pediatrics: Non-Neonatal
YAFFA ELEFANT
Registered Nurse Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital
RENE SHUMATE
Pediatric Transplant Nurse Johns Hopkins University
ARETI MATTA WALKER
Senior Clinical Nurse University of Maryland Medical Center
MARGARET
“MAGGIE” WEST
Registered Nurse Johns Hopkins Hospital
Psychiatric Nurse
JACQUELYN
"JACKY" ARTHUR
Nurse Care Manager/ Director of Health Home Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
ELLA JACKSON
Registered Nurse II MedStar Harbor Hospital
JACQUELINE MCCOY
RN, Team Lead Carroll Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
DANIELLE MICHALAK
Registered Nurse- Senior Clinical Nurse II University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health
NATALIE RUSSELL
RN Unit Manager Sheppard Pratt Health System
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COLLEEN LINDO
Assistant Nurse Manager
MEDSTAR FRANKLIN SQUARE MEDICAL CENTER
“I intentionally chose surgery, but I think gender affirmation and reconstructive surgery chose me. It is one discipline where you are affecting change in a person’s life physically that heals them emotionally and mentally.”
Rehabilitation
SHENNA BADGETT
LPN The Johns Hopkins Hospital
CAROLYN EDDINGTON
Case Manager MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital
Research
DINA A. KRENZISCHEK
Director of Professional Practice Mercy Medical Center
Senior Services
CECILIA
ALIGNO CAYANAN
Registered Nurse Northwest Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
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JOSHUA CRUZ
Operating Room Nurse
JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG CHILDREN'S CENTER
“I find the camaraderie between the different disciplines very gratifying in this job. Having a good team really makes a difference.”
Women's Health
MOLLY BASS
Registered Nurse Northwest Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
KAREN CORSON
RN Professional Development Specialist MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
PAM GILLIN
Forensic Nurse Examiner GBMC Healthcare
MELANIE HANSEN
Senior Clinical Nurse I University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center
AMBER MCCONNELL
FBP, RN Carroll Hospital (LifeBridge Health)
