Same-Day Surgery Nurse, Rosemarie Acuna, RN, BSN, CNN, is Named Nursing Spectrum's "Nurse of the Year"

CHICAGO -- Rosemarie Acuna, RN, BSN, CNN, of Livingston, N.J., is so good at her complex job that she could do it in the dark -- and she has. Off-duty, and blindfolded, she practiced dialysis on herself to develop a step-by-step procedure that enabled a blind dialysis patient to care for himself at home. That's just one example of the initiative and compassion that inspired Acuna's colleagues to nominate her for Nursing

Spectrum's 2004 Nurse of the Year.

Acuna was selected for the honor from a field of eight regional winners, including several nurses who served in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and other military deployments. Nominations were reviewed by members of Nursing Spectrum's national advisory board, composed of leaders from national nursing organizations and institutions.

Acuna, a former dialysis patient and kidney transplant recipient, has worked for 20 years at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, N.J., an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System. Her grand prize includes a 10-day trip to Vienna, Budapest and Prague (Nursing Spectrum's Continuing Education Pan-European Tour); a $1,000 donation to the charity of her choice: the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Foundation for patient education and research; coverage in all eight regional Nursing Spectrum magazines and online; and recognition at a gala event.

Nursing Spectrum received hundreds of submissions from the colleagues, families and friends of registered nurses across the country. The nominated RNs were evaluated as to the practice, courage, and compassion needed to excel in the nursing profession.

For Acuna, the personal and professional collided one year after she began working at the hospital's renal unit, when she was diagnosed with kidney problems, then renal failure. For eight years until her transplant, working full-time while dependent on hemodialysis, her motto was "I dialyze to live, not live to dialyze." She became an expert resource for patients and staff at her own and neighboring hospitals, developed a resource manual, a Braille manual, professional education courses, and even accompanies dialysis

patients on trips so they are able to take vacations. She now works in same-day surgery and is active in hospital and state programs to retain and advance nurses and nursing practice.

"Rosemarie exemplifies the initiative, ingenuity, and inspiration today's nurses bring to their workplaces and communities, at home and abroad," says Patricia Rager, RN, MSN, MBA, president and publisher of Nursing Spectrum. "Nursing is a multi-faceted profession that enables individuals to use their intellect and a wide range of skills in a diversity of settings. The Nurse of the Year award recognizes nurses throughout the

country who have been nominated by their peers and patients for extraordinary

service in an invaluable role."

Nursing Spectrum is an RN-led communications company and a division of

Gannett Company, Inc. The company promotes the education, recognition and

support of the nursing community.

Nursing Spectrum's 2004 Nurse of the Year Regional Winners

New England Winner:

Donna Kosiorowski, RN, MS, NCSN

Supervisor of School Nurses

West Haven Board of Education

West Haven, Connecticut

Southeastern Winner:

Maj. Jacqueline Hayes-Hethington, RN, NC

Readiness Flight Commander

43d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

Pope AFB, NC

Florida Winner:

Capt. Cherron R. Galluzzo, BSN, MA, BC

Nurse Manager

Multiservice Unit

MacDill Air Force Base, FL

Midwestern Winner:

Lynn Yadach-Blakey, RN, BSN

Henry Ford Home Health Care

Canton, MI (home) Detroit, MI (employer)

Illinois Winner:

Angela Baisler, RN

Nurse Clinician III

Pediatric Surgical Heart Unit

Advocate Hope Children's Hospital

Oak Lawn, IL

Greater Philadelphia/Tri-State Winner:

Lt. Col. Cassandra R. Salvatore, USAF, NC

Commander

305th Medical Operations Squadron

McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

Washington, DC/Baltimore Region Winner:

Constance Stamateris, CDR (sel), NC, USN

Clinical Nurse Specialist/Clinical Educator

Critical Care

National Naval Medical Center

Bethesda, MD

Source: Nursing Spectrum

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