I am so pleased to be able to nominate a group of nursing/care staff at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison. I had cardiac surgery just before Christmas last year and spent a week on Floor 5E being looked after by the most amazing group of nurses, CNAs, PAs and more. Every one was patient, caring and positive. They worked long hours, often short-staffed, and showed extraordinary compassion to people in their worst hours. They were inspiring.
2024 nominees
In celebration of National Nurses Week, we are honoring each and every nomination in the Nurses: The Heart of Health Care program. Be sure to scroll through to see a glimpse into how each of these tireless professionals impacted coworkers, patients and families.
This program is supported by presenting sponsor University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing.
5E Nursing Staff, SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison
Adam Green, UW Health University Hospital
Adam Green is an overnight nurse at the UW Health University Hospital I.C.U. unit. He likes the fast pace of the unit and the opportunity to help patients with their healing.
Annmarie Holdorf, UW Health Rehabilitation Hospital
Annmarie is a wound care nurse at UW Health Rehabilitation here in Madison. She works long hours and takes very few days off to ensure all of her patients' wound care needs are met. It's amazing how her knowledge has helped so many people. She looks at her job as a challenge. She always puts the patient first.
Beth Strauss, DNP, RN, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital and Clinics
Dr. Strauss’ nursing career spans 41 years, spending many of those years educating patients, students, faculty, nursing assistants, colleagues and practicing nurses from the bedside to the boardroom. She has been instrumental in creating and teaching many new and innovative programs to continuously move VA nurses forward. This includes not only Conflict, Communication and Resiliency courses and retreats, but also leadership courses so that VA nurses may grow in their careers. Dr. Strauss approaches her work with utmost professionalism, but always has a twinkle of fun in her eyes. She is highly respected amongst her peers and those she teaches. She kindly gives the constant reminder that our role as VA nursing staff is to always provide the highest quality and safest care we can to our veterans.
Chris Lindner, My Choice Wisconsin
Chris works above and beyond for her clients and shows respect and caring for peoples' differences. She never shows anything but enthusiasm even though I know she has to be overwhelmed at times by the demands from her many clients. She takes a personal interest in their health and well-being.
Connor Hagarty, SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo
Connor works at SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo. He has only been a registered nurse for two years after graduating from Viterbo University. He is one of the most kind and compassionate nurses I have ever met. He cares about everyone but has a special place in his heart for the elderly, which I find refreshing given his young age. He works hard and never complains.
Dana Welling, SSM Health Davis Duehr Dean Eye Care
I have had the pleasure to know Dana since I started at SSM Health two years ago. From the moment I met her, she was so kind and warmhearted. She always has a smile on her face for our patients even on the hardest of days. Her bubbly personality is contagious and creates happiness all around the clinic. Patients and nurses alike love her. Just simply talking to her each day makes work much more fun. I feel lucky to have her as not just a coworker, but also a friend.
Dawn Weyh, UW Health University Hospital
This past year, I experienced a serious injury to my neck that could have had both short- and long-term major consequences. The mental stress could have been overwhelming had it not been for Dawn's reassuring contact. She was always available for reassurance, support and calming conversation. She offered positive and helpful advice. Though I am still in long-term recovery, I know I could call Dawn at any time for help if it was needed. She is a true asset to UW Health University Hospital and to all patients she comes in contact with.
Diann Holzhuter, SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison
Diann is a nurse in the cardiac cath lab. Diann absolutely loves her job and her patients. Diann has a way of helping her patients feel calm during moments when they are most afraid. She is very knowledgeable and professional. Diann is very modest about her skills but not about her love for her job and what she does. Diann is the nurse everyone expects when they find themselves in difficult situations.
Donelle Rippe, SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison
Donelle's passion for postpartum, newborn and NICU patients is evident daily. She individualizes her care to meet the needs of her patients, wherever they may be on the continuum. Donelle treats every patient as if they were a family member, making a connection with each interaction. She is frequently recognized by fellow staff members and patients for her dedication and compassion and is most deserving of the recognition because if you asked her, she would say, "I'm just doing my job."
Elisabeth Foti, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital
Elisabeth Foti has been a nurse at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital since 2013 and joined the ICU in 2018. In a short time, she became proficient at providing a high-level of care to critical care patients. She excels in the charge nurse role by engaging her resources to resolve problems. No matter what is thrown at her, she always says, "It will be fine. We will figure it out." She enjoys teaching and continues to precept new nurses. Her desire to improve practice and revise policies has streamlined our approach to care. She recognized a need to improve the care for veterans at the end of life and collaborated with many disciplines to create treatment plans and order sets that have allowed nurses to provide compassionate care for these patients. Throughout the pandemic, she also observed a need for a standardized rapid sequence intubation protocol and worked with anesthesia and critical care providers to create a nursing intubation checklist that has improved nursing response and participation in emergent intubations. Elisabeth's consistent positivity and willingness to help out in any situation makes her an invaluable member of our ICU team. Her high level of competency, professionalism and compassion has greatly improved the lives of our veterans.
Elizabeth Balding, UW Health Care Direct
She was my husband's visiting nurse when he was going through chemotherapy. She was always totally competent, caring and conscientious.
Jaime Glessner, SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison
Jaime is a charge nurse at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison. She is a fantastic leader, coworker, team worker and confidant. Jaime goes above and beyond daily to make sure that her co-workers and patients are well taken care of. She sets up rooms, makes pre-op phone calls, answers questions, makes assignments and always does it with a smile. Jaime is very kind to each patient as well. She sits down and talks to them, makes sure that they feel comfortable with their hospital stay and answers all questions to help ease their minds.
Jessica Angha, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital
Jessica Angha has been a nurse at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital for 15 years. In that time, she has worked on an inpatient unit, been a house supervisor and is currently the assistant nurse manager for the ICU. As a manager, she is known for her approachability, understanding and follow through. She has participated on several initiatives throughout the facility to improve staff engagement, resiliency and recognition. Ms. Angha is a strong advocate for her colleagues and has a passion for improving staff safety within our unit and facility. Her continued work to increase awareness and reduce abuse towards health care workers is greatly appreciated. Her work as a co-chair of the code blue committee has improved the response and practice of those managing critical situations. Ms. Angha's numerous contributions to our unit and facility are a testament to her drive to expand the culture of safety, engage and empower staff and improve the patient experience.
Joanne Weber, BSN, Public Health Madison and Dane Co.
She hauls a variety of newborn needs in her car and drives all over Dane County to help mothers in need before and after birth. She educates them about safety, breastfeeding, health services available to them and much more. She meets them where they are and they appreciate that.
Kathy McKillips, SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Janesville
Lt. Col. Kathy McKillips is the epitome of an excellent nurse. She has been a nurse for over 22 years, working the past 12 years at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Janesville in our ICU. As a leader at our hospital, she takes great pride in teaching and mentoring new nurses to ensure a successful start to their careers. She is continually looking for opportunities to improve both her practice and our departments. She takes the time to get to know her patients on a personal level, frequently being recognized by patients and families for her exceptional care. Her clinical expertise and knowledge is evident every day she works, and she has the respect of the entire multidisciplinary team.
Outside of her civilian career, Kathy has served in the U.S. Army Reserve since 1998. Her leadership has continued throughout her military career. In 2023, she was named commander of the 452nd Field Hospital in Milwaukee. In 2003, she was deployed to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2018 she was sent to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, where she served as assistant chief nurse for the 452nd Field Hospital. And then in 2020, she was sent to New Jersey to support the Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force to assist medical personnel who were overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outside of her responsibilities, she volunteers her medical services for the VetsRoll organization, helping facilitate trips to Washington, D.C., for veterans. Without volunteers like Kathy, those trips would not be successful.
We are blessed to have Kathy as a part of our team!
Maggie, UW Health University Hospital
Maggie gave me superior care when I was in the hospital, but more than that, she bonded with me over dogs and books. She really made me feel as though she SAW me as a person, not just as a part of her job.
Melissa White, Mercyhealth Hospital and Trauma Center - Janesville
Melissa takes the time to help her patients when they are in the hospital, and also when they go home. She calls them that evening and the next day to see if they need anything. She is a very caring nurse.
Peggy Weber, SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison, retired
Peggy Weber's life commitment is: "Once a nurse, always a nurse." After 45 years working at SSM Health St. Mary's as a mental health advocate for patients and staff, a grief counselor, facilitator for "Can Cope" and parish nurse, Peggy retired, but her passion for nursing did not. Today, she continues to organize grief support groups throughout the community. As a certified grief counselor, she has implemented programs for survivors of suicide, death and loss, cancer and their support people. She shares her wisdom as an active member on a variety of community boards. She volunteers at St. Mary's and helps with the "No One Dies Alone" program. She has great energy, insight and love for all who need a listening ear and a kind voice of reassurance. It is a pleasure to nominate Peggy Weber as one of the most outstanding nurses serving our community.
Sandy Swenson, RN, UW Health Carbone Cancer Center
I would like to nominate Sandy Swenson, RN. Sandy has devoted her life and nursing career to the care of terminal cancer patients. She currently works at the UW Health Carbone Cancer Center. She is very caring and takes a personal interest in her patients and their families. She is admired by her coworkers and her patients and is always willing to lend a hand.
Sarah Osborne, SSM Health Dean Medical Group
Sarah is a fantastic charge nurse at SSM Health Dean Medical Group's department of family medicine. She goes above and beyond for not only her patients, but her coworkers and providers as well. Sarah is an outstanding team player. Her areas of expertise are great. She handles direct patient care, triage phone calls and acute staffing challenges. Sarah will always put her team in front of herself with the end goal of making the unit more efficient and better for everyone involved. She deeply cares for her patients by showing them all patience, kindness and grace. The world is a better place because of people like Sarah!
Tami Towne, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital and Clinics
Tami Towne is the Women Veteran Program manager at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospitals and Clinics. She is being nominated on behalf of the entire women's health team for her dedication to serving our veterans and her expertise as a nurse leader. She is passionate in her pursuit of excellence and truly represents altruism in nursing in her daily practice. Tami works tirelessly to ensure that her staff feels well supported and confident in their roles. She ensures there are opportunities for team building and project collaboration, which has positively impacted the entire women's health team and veteran population. Tami has been a pioneer here at the Madison VA for her innovative ideas to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. In bringing her many successful ideas to fruition, she has also used these improvements to help strengthen interdepartmental and interpersonal working relationships.
Tammi Ritcher, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital
Tammi has been a nurse at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital for almost 17 years. She is knowledgeable, compassionate and a fierce advocate for her patients. She has been a pillar of the night shift for many years, but she has continued to be an active participant in our organization's shared governance. She is an active representative on committees for Policy and Procedure and Infection Prevention and Hand Hygiene. She has an amazing eye for detail and knows that the little things matter. She strives to give the best possible care to our veterans, and we hope she will remain an institutional treasure for many years to come.
Tara Shale SSM Health Dean Medical Group
I am nominating Tara Shale, RN, from SSM Dean Medical Group. Having had the privilege of having her on the SSM Palliative Care team for two years, I cannot say enough about her exceptional skills, dedication and compassion in providing care to patients. Tara possesses a remarkable ability to establish rapport with patients and their families, creating a supportive and comforting environment during difficult times. She is all about patient-centered care with any patient she comes across, even if the patient is not hers. Her empathetic approach and active listening skills enable her to understand the unique needs and concerns of each patient, ensuring personalized care that respects both their physical and emotional well-being. Not only does she support the patient but also the patient's loved ones during a difficult time.
UW Health Colorectal Staff, UW Health Digestive Health Center
This staff is wonderful to work with. They always put the best interests of the patient's health first, even if the patient is being seen in a different clinic. They also are willing to help the support staff.
