Newswise — Chicago (Oct. 14, 2016) The Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) announced the recipients of the 2016 APHON Membership Awards at its 40th Annual Conference and Exhibit, held September 29 – October 1 in Indianapolis, IN. APHON Membership Awards recognize members who have shown outstanding achievement in their field.

Kamela J. Tessitori-Lancaster, BSN RN CPON®APHON Counts My Most Memorable Case AwardMy Most Memorable Case articles feature personal stories from APHON members and the various life lessons their patients have taught them. Lancaster, Pediatric Oncology Nurse at Medical City Children’s Hospital, won this award for her My Most Memorable Case article, “Intuition Doesn’t Lie” in the spring 2016 issue.

Barbara Lockart, DNP APN/CNP CPON®APHON Counts Writing AwardThe APHON Counts Writing Award is given to recognize a contributing author of the newsletter. Lockart who works in Solid Tumors and Fertility Preservation at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, won this award for her article; “Challenging Conversation with AYA Patients” published in the summer 2015 issue.

Robbie Norville, MSN RN CPON® BMTCN®APHON Counts Writing AwardThe APHON Counts Writing Award is given to recognize a contributing author of the newsletter. Norville, Clinical Specialist – BMT at Texas Children’s Hospital, won this award for her article, “Improvement in Early Recognition of Deteriorating Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Patients” published in the winter 2015/2016 Issue.

Anna C. Evans, MSN RN CPNP CPHON®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. Evans, the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner of Neuro-Oncology at Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, won this award for her manuscript, “Pregnancy in a Patient with a Malignant Brain Tumor Taking Temozolomide: Case Report and Review of the Literature” published in the September/October 2015 issue.

Verna L. Hendricks-Ferguson, PhD RN CHPPN FPCN FAANAPHON Writing Award (JOPON)The APHON 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. Hendricks-Ferguson, Associate Professor & Coordinator of the RN to BSN Program Option at Saint Louis University School of Nursing won this award for her manuscript, “Novice Nurses’ Experiences With Palliative and End-of-Life Communication” published in the July/August 2015 issue.

Pamela Dockx, BSN RN CPON®Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Instructor of the Year AwardThe 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. Dockx, Staff Nurse III at Boston Children’s Hospital, has been an active APHON Instructor since 2006 and consistently demonstrates expertise in all eight dimensions of clinical practice. In her nomination for Dockx, Colleen Nixon, MSN RN CPHON® shared, “her upbeat can do attitude and ability to participate on many different projects make her a team player; someone we all want on our team.”

Sheila Buchanan, MS RN CPNP CPHON®Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Education AwardThe Jean Fergusson Education Award recognizes an outstanding educator in the field of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing through demonstration of proficiency, professional contributions to the field, and positive teacher-learner relationships. Buchanan, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Inpatient Unit, has been an active member since 2011. Buchanan’s colleagues speak very highly of her, one whom stated, “Sheila is a committed, passionate, and brilliant clinical nurse specialist whose attention to detail and excellence is unparalleled. Her clinical knowledge and ability to transfer that knowledge to teaching other staff how best to care for patients is amazing.”

Meghan Belongia, MSN RN CPNP CPHON®Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Practice AwardThe Jean Fergusson Practice 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. Belongia, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, has been an APHON member since 2006 and has been an active member at both the local and national levels. Becky Rusch nominated Belongia and shared, “Meghan is an expert clinician. She is the sole nurse practitioner for the neuro-oncology program at CHW and provides comprehensive, compassionate care to children and adolescents with brain tumors.”

Wendy Landier, PhD CRNPDistinguished Researcher AwardThe Distinguished Researcher Award is given to a member who has excelled as a nurse scientist. Landier, Associate Professor, School of Medicine Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been an APHON member since 1991. Landier’s research focuses on understanding and improving health outcomes in cancer survivors, with an emphasis on long-term follow up of cancer survivors, guideline development for cancer survivorship care, secondary cancer prevention, ototoxicity in childhood cancer survivors, adherence to therapy, improving acquisition of health knowledge, and understanding the effective delivery of patient/family education.

APHON is the professional organization for pediatric hematology/oncology nurses and other pediatric hematology/oncology healthcare professionals. Its members are dedicated to promoting optimal nursing care for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer and blood disorders, and their families. APHON provides the leadership and expertise to pediatric hematology/oncology nurses by defining and promoting the highest standards of practice and care to the pediatric, adolescent and young adult communities.