Newswise — Chicago (Sep. 18, 2019) The Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) announced the recipients of the 2019 APHON Membership Awards at its 43rd Annual Conference and Exhibit, held September 5-7 in San Jose, CA. APHON Membership Awards recognize members who have shown outstanding achievement in their field.

JoAnne Auger, RN CHPPN
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. Auger, from Rady Children’s Hospital, won this award for her My Most Memorable Case article, “When the Shadow Passes, the Light Remains” in the spring 2019 issue.

Sharon Bergeron, BSN RN CPON®
APHON Counts Writing Award

The APHON Counts Writing Award is given to recognize a contributing author of the newsletter. Bergeron, a Research Nurse Educator at Hyundai Cancer Institute, Children's Hospital of Orange County, won this award for her article; “Targeted Immunotherapy: Launching an Effective Education and Administration Strategy for the Bedside Pediatric Oncology Nurse” published in the summer 2018 issue.

Letty Valdiviez, MSN RN CPHON®
APHON Counts Writing Award

The APHON Counts Writing Award is given to recognize contributing author(s) of the newsletter. Valdiviez, from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, won this award for her article, “CAR T-Cell Therapy: A Breakthrough in Care” published in the summer 2018 issue.

Shinyi Tang, RN MSN PNP CPON®
Dianne Fochtman New Author Award (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. Tang, from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, won this award for her manuscript, “The Use of a Video for Discharge Education for Parents After Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation” published in the March/April 2019 issue.

Cheryl Rodgers, PhD RN CPNP CPON®
APHON 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. Dr. Rodgers won this award for her manuscript, “A Standardized Education Checklist for Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Cancer: A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group” published in the July/August 2018 issue.

Paola Viveros Lamas, BSN RN CPHON®
Lorena Segovia Weber, BSN 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. This year the award was given to two recipients, Paola Viveros Lamas and Lorena Segovia Weber both from Luis Calvo McKenna Hospital in Santiago, Chile.

Kristin Belderson, DNP RN-BC CPON®
Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Education Award

The 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. Dr. Belderson, a Professional Development Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, has almost 20 years of nursing experience. Speaking to her practice, Belderson says, “I love utilizing current research to help strategize means to optimize my approach to teaching and learning.” Her passion is in inspiring nurses “to exceed their potential.”

Kathy Perko, MS FPCN PPCN CHPPN CPON®
Jean Fergusson Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing Practice Award

The 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. Perko, Program Founder and Director/Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Bridges: Palliative Care Program Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at OHSU, has over 35 years of nursing experience. She is “guided by a desire to promote [a] family’s goals while reconciling the medical options available,” according to one colleague, and helps others “to remember the people behind the diagnosis.”

Janet A. Deatrick, PhD RN FAAN    
Distinguished Researcher Award

The Distinguished Researcher Award is given to a member who has excelled as a nurse scientist. Dr. Deatrick, a Professor Emerita of Nursing at University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Department of Family, has over the course of her 40-year career devoted herself “to understanding the intersection of family life and childhood chronic illness and factors that influence the wellbeing of children and family.” Most recently she has been researching the relationships among youth who are survivors of brain tumors and their families and caregivers, mapping that which contributes to quality of life and adaptation.

Kristin Stegenga, PhD RN CPON®
APHON Early Career Researcher Award

The Early Career Researcher Award is given to a member who is a novice nurse scientist. Dr. Stegenga is a Nurse Researcher at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She is the editor in chief of The Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing and has authored innumerous publications on topics such as the adolescent perspective of a cancer diagnosis, siblings of pediatric stem cell transplant recipients, and monitoring data collection integrity. Dr. Stegenga is also a member of the Consortium to Study Symptoms in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer, which has recently been looking at symptoms from a novel heuristic perspective.

Elizabeth A. Duffy, DNP RN CPNP
Dr. Cheryl C. Rodgers Excellence in Evidence Based Practice Award

The Dr. Cheryl C. Rodgers Excellence in Evidence Based Practice Award, previously known simply as the Excellence in Evidence Based Practice 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. Dr. Duffy is the Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. She is the Chair of the evidence-based practice subcommitee for Children’s Oncology Group and a member of the JOPON editorial board.

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.

 

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