APHON announces recipients of 2014 APHON Membership Awards

The Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) announced the recipients of the 2014 APHON Membership Awards at its 38th Annual Conference and Exhibit, held September 4-6 in Portland, OR. APHON Membership Awards recognize members who have shown outstanding achievement in their field.

Susie Burke, MA RN CPNP CPHON®
APHON Counts Writing Award
The APHON Counts Writing Award is given to recognize a contributing author of the newsletter. Burke, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at the Medical College of Wisconsin/Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, won this award for her article, "Developing Culturally Competent Nursing Care: Learning from Personal Experience" in the Winter 2013/2014 issue.

Stacey Crane, MSN CCRP CPON®
APHON Counts Writing Award
The APHON Counts Writing Award is given to recognize a contributing author of the newsletter. Crane, Doctoral Student at Indiana University School of Nursing, won this award for her article, "Blinatumomab: Nursing Challenges for Children with ALL" in the Fall 2013 issue.

Debbie Lafond, CPNP CPON®
Dr. Patricia Green Leadership Award
The Dr. Patricia Green Leadership Award is presented to an APHON member who has demonstrated excellence in service to and leadership of APHON in a given year. Lafond, Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Coordinator at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, has been a member since 1990, is the Chair of the Evidence Based Practice and Research Committee and has authored numerous publications and presentations since 1990. "This humble leader epitomizes the example of Trish Greene and the value of developing the leadership potential of others. In this very competitive world, it is refreshing to work with someone who thinks of others and their value rather than promoting self" says Susanne Conley, RN MSN CPON® NEA-BC, in her letter of recommendation of Lafond for the award.

MaryEliza McEachen, BSN RN CPON®
Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Practice Award
The Jean Fergusson Excellence Award recognizes a pediatric hematology/oncology nurse for compassion and expertise in clinical nursing practice and for actively incorporating research and new ideas into clinical practice. McEachen, Clinical Nurse IV at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, has been an APHON member since 2010 and demonstrates strong leadership skills and compassion. "As a valuable member of the patient care team, Mary Eliza is considerate and supportive of her co-workers. She is a knowledgeable mentor for those in-training, and a role model for all those who work with her" says Alexander Chou, MD, in his letter of recommendation of McEachen for the award.

Colleen Nixon, MSN RN CPHON®
Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Instructor of the Year Award
The Instructor of the Year Award recognizes an APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Instructor who positively impacts the students they teach and the patients and families they serve by demonstrating leadership and excellence in the classroom. Nixon, Clinical Educator at Children's Hospital Boston, has been an active member since 1989 and coordinates the Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Course at Children's Hospital Boston. In her nomination of Nixon for the award, Janice Nuuhiwa, MS RN CPHON®, states, "Colleen is a true advocate for excellence in pediatric hematology/oncology nursing and actively participates in disseminating the education needed in order to practice excellence."

Deborah Robinson, DNP APRN BC PNP CPON®
Excellence in Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Award
The Excellence in EBP Award recognizes an APHON member who has demonstrated high quality contributions to evidence-based practice in the nursing care of children and their families in any area of hematology/oncology nursing practice. Robinson, Advanced Practice Nurse at Saint Louis Children's Hospital, won this award for her article, "Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations for Hydration in Children and Adolescents with Cancer Receiving Intravenous Cyclophosphamide" in the July/August 2014 issue of JOPON.

Rebecca Rusch, MSN RN APNP
APHON Writing Award (JOPON)
The Writing Award is given to an APHON member who is a first-time author of a manuscript accepted for publication in JOPON in the last year and who has had three or more manuscripts published previously. Rusch, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, won this award for her article, "Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations to Prevent/Manage Post-Lumber Puncture Headaches in Pediatric Patients Receiving Intrathecal Chemotherapy" in the July/August 2014 issue.

Sheila Judge Santacroce, PhD RN CPNP FAANP
Dianne Fochtman New Author (JOPON)
The Dianne Fochtman New Author Award is presented to an APHON member who is a first-time author of a manuscript accepted for publication in JOPON in the last year and for whom this is the first or second time a manuscript has been published. Santacroce, Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, won this award for her article, "Feasibility and Preliminary Findings from a Pilot Study of Allostatic Load in Adolescent-Young Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors and their Siblings" in the May/June 2014 issue.

Jennifer Stahlecker, MSN RN CPNP CPHON®
APHON Counts My Most Memorable Case Award
My Most Memorable Case articles feature personal stories from APHON members and the various life lessons their patients have taught them. Stahlecker, Hematology/Oncology/BMT Staff Nurse at Phoenix Children's Hospital, won this award for her My Most Memorable Case article, "The Other Side of the Curtain" in the Fall 2013 issue of APHON Counts.