Cleveland nurse Meredith Lahl MSN, RN, PCNS-BC, CPON® received one of the highest honors of her profession at the 36th Annual Conference and Exhibit of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON), held October 4-6, 2012, in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Practice Award is presented annually to an APHON member in recognition of compassion and expertise in clinical nursing practice and for actively incorporating research and new ideas into clinical practice. Lahl demonstrated her astute knowledge of clinical practice, protocol development and understanding of what it means to the patients and nurses at the bedside through her work as a Senior Director of Advanced Practice Nursing. She has worked in the role of inpatient staff nurse, clinical faculty, clinical nurse specialist, and most recently as director for advanced practice nursing. Lahl has been cited as a captivating speaker, always striving to improve the quality care in innovative ways, and being instrumental in orchestrating family centered rounds that resulted in a commendation from JCAHO. Lahl is considered an expert in tackling complex clinical issues and reconcile differences amongst parents, physicians and consulting services. According to a colleague, "Nurses seek her counsel in caring for the dying child. Parents ask her advice about navigating system bureaucracy. Resident physicians solicit her opinion about consoling devastated parents."
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