MU Sinclair School of Nursing

Recognizes Award Recipients

at Annual Banquet

Contact: Pam Roe
S218 School of Nursing
(573) 884-2690

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May 19 , 2005

COLUMBIA , Mo. – For more than 100 years, the MU Sinclair School of Nursing has graduated students with nursing expertise and knowledge that has benefited individuals and families across the United States . In honor of all alumni, the school hosted its 15 th Annual School of Nursing Banquet and Award Ceremony.

This gala was held to recognize those individuals who have elevated the reputation, research, teaching and service at the University's school of nursing. Students, faculty, staff and alumni of the school were honored on April 22 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia , Mo. in front of the crowd of 400.

The school's highest honor – Distinguished Friend of the School – went to Primaris Healthcare Business Solutions, previously known as MissouriPRO. The award was accepted by CEO Rick Royer.

Since January 2003, QIPMO nurses have been providing on-site consultation and training to 67 Missouri nursing homes as part of the Primaris' contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This type of forward-thinking cooperation has led to an 11 percent improvement in Activities of Daily Living Performance – such as bathing, feeing and walking – compared to 3 percent statewide. These same facilities have also reported a 55 percent improvement in chronic pain and a 29 percent improvement in post-acute pain.

This type of partnership is essential for the health-care industry to make larger strides in caring for our seniors. It creates a pathway for those with a strong connection to cutting-edge research and best practices to those who need to use this information on a daily basis.

Alumni awards bestowed by the Nursing Alumni Organization included: Michael Beebe , BSN '72 , of Seattle, WA., Citation of Merit recipient. Although he has held a variety of clinical and academic positions since leaving MU, his greatest contribution to the nursing profession has been in the area of clinical information management. ; Cindy Gatens, BSN ‘71 , Alumnus of the Year recipient, for her efforts to educate and support individuals and families in the area of rehabilitative nursing at The Ohio State University ; Cheryle Kelly, MS(N) ‘00 , Alumni Achievement Award recipient , for her tireless efforts to educate and support nurses by creating a positive environment in which to work at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City ; Ann Crowe Essig, BSN ‘71 , Humanitarian Nursing Award (posthumorously) recipient, for accomplishing a long list of goals that were for the benefit of those living with cancer and other debilitating diseases in Fredericksburg, VA; Connie Yarbro, Honorary Nursing Award recipient , for her accomplishment in cancer nursing and patient care. Although not a graduate of MU, she has strong connections to the nursing program and is supportive of its endeavors.

Other awards handed out included: the Staff Award for Excellence to Jason LeSeure; Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching to Jill Scott-Cawiezell; Faculty Award for Excellence in Research to Marilyn Rantz; Faculty Award for Excellence in Service to Anne Heine; Betty Crim Faculty Enhancement Award to Beth Traudes; and the Interdisciplinary Faculty Award for Excellence to George Demiris, Director of the Health Informatics Graduate Program and Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Management and Informatics.

Students honored for excellence included: Valerie Lauver, Curt Canine, Danielle Smith, Courtney Toler, Erin Cooke, Holly Rodgers, Jan Stapleton Page and Daren Courtney.

“This annual banquet gives us a chance to honor those who have gone the extra mile and in the process elevated the bar of excellence in the field of nursing,” said Dean Rose Porter.

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