Award-winning nurses
Nation's 1st pediatric hospital to earn prestigious Magnet status for nursing care
We were the first freestanding children's hospital in the country, and the first hospital in Illinois, to earn Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Widely considered the equivalent of an Olympic gold medal in sports, the Magnet award was first granted in 1994. Today, it is the most sought-after nation-wide award in hospital nursing,with less than 6 percent of U.S. hospitals have achieved and/or maintained this distinction.
Hospitals that earn this prestigious award are recognized for an outstanding environment for professional nursing. This includes excellent patient-to-nurse ratios, an innovative and active nursing research program, and a clinical governance structure that thrives on the input of staff nurses for decision making.
Acording to Aiken, L.H., Havens, D.S. & Sloane, D.M. (2000), The magnet nursing recognition program: A comparison of two groups of magnet hospitals: "In an environment rife with controversy about patient safety in hospitals, medical error rates, and nursing shortages, consumers need to know how good the care is at their local hospitals. Nursing's single most effective mechanism for providing that type of comparative information, a seal of approval for quality nursing care, is designation as a Magnet Hospital by the ANCC."
"In our own words..."
Learn how our nurses describe the pride they have in their nursing practice and careers.
"An hour or two is sometimes all that I have with a sick child and his family. These are intense moments filled with nervous questions, sweating palms, quivering lips and shaking hands. Intersecting with a family in crisis has been a part of what I have been doing for 22 years. For the last seven, it has been on the Transport Team. For a brief time I become a part of a family's story. And, whatever ending is given to their story, I find great reward and satisfaction in what we do during our part of that story." – Craig LaRusso, Transport Team
"In the fall of 1980, I left a staff position to work for a critical care nursing agency full time. I worked in adult critical care, but at one point the agency wanted to send me to Children's Memorial to work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I'll admit it; I felt rather threatened by the thought of smaller patients. But my preceptor was wonderful! She guided me through the day, offering encouragement and information and answering my many questions. I was amazed and touched by the way the family was included in the care of these newborns. As my shift came to an end, I had fallen in love with the patients and the NICU. By the end of the summer the director offered me a job and the rest is history. I came on staff in August 1982. I feel fortunate to have found a hospital that provides the same care to children and families that I would want for my own son." – Harriet S. Hawkins, RN, CCRN, FAEN, Clinical and Organizational Development
"It only takes a split second for parents devastated by the shattering reality of their child's new diagnosis of cancer to see in a nurse's face and expressed in her actions, the staff member's genuine care and concern and know that the nurse, too, is deeply invested in their child's care. And it only takes a moment for a child dying of cancer to feel a nurse's hand and know that she is doing everything in her power to soothe, comfort and care. It only takes a single moment for a stressed-out co-worker to hear a colleague asking if she is OK, and know that she will receive a helping hand if needed. I am able to be this nurse because I work here."
– Cynthia Paidipati, RN, BSN, 4 West
"When people ask me what I do, I tell them that I am a professional cheerleader at Children's Memorial. As a staff development specialist, my proudest moments are when nurses I have worked with call me to share their successes. Staff development is about helping each nurse in defining professional development for themselves and then creatively motivating the nurse into acting upon that recently discovered opportunity. It's about helping them to achieve what they thought they could not. How many other people get to share in the joy of so many accomplishments that benefit so many people? That's what I call an opportunity of a lifetime." – Janice Nuuhiwa, RN, MSN, CPON, Staff Development Specialist, Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant Division
"Each of our KIDS DOC nurses has a pediatric background. That means before joining KIDS DOC
and referral nursing, our nurses have experience lifting spirits, touching hearts and postively afffecting lives.
This helps create the heart of healthcare service coordinating." – From left, Marge Maieritsch, RN, BSN; Pat Grapenthien, RN, BSN; and Joann Heim, RN,
CPN, KIDS DOC
"While in nursing school, I rotated to various hospitals, nev er finding one that matched my personality. That is, until my final rotation in pediatrics at Children's Memorial Hospital. I knew from my first clinical day at the hospital that I wanted to work here. The interaction between the nurses and patients was phenomenal." – Roberta Nadel, RN, Ambulatory Services
"To me, it's clear how we differ from other institutions when I attend classes each week for my master's degree. When others talk about the difficulties they encounter within their respective institutions I think, “Wow! I am supported in most everything I do; from my professional growth within the institution.” Very few places give as much respect and support to the nursing staff – Kathryn Owen, RN, BSN, Nursing Informatics
"I started my nursing career here fresh out of college in the summer of 1988. The best thing about being a nurse at a Magnet institution is experiencing the support and respect that exists so that nurses can reach their full potential while providing the very best family centered care. Today, in my role as a director, I can touch the lives of patients and families in a different way. Because I have been supported by the hospital to develop in my career, I have the opportunity to coach, mentor and support and listen to those reporting through me. I feel proud to hear the many comments from families about how wonderful the nurses are. – Karen Richey, RN, MBA, Director, 3West/Epilepsy Center
"The clinical governance structure here provides the perfect opportunity for nurses to have a voice in shaping their own clinical practice. When I came to the hospital, my goals included expanding my transplant knowledge base and providing excellent care. I never dreamed I would one day initiate, complete and publicly speak about nursing research and evidence-based practice. This, to me, encapsulates what nursing at Children's Memorial is all about: meeting —and then — exceeding professional goals." – Terri Halverson, RN, BSN, Ambulatory Stem Cell Unit