ACUTE CARE, FAMILY PRACTICE, GENERAL MEDICINE & ANESTHESIOLOGY
Mary Zerlan
Washington University School of Medicine
A registered nurse anesthetist at the Washington University School of Medicine, Zerlan helps administer anesthesia to patients undergoing surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She also teaches anesthetics at Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College, as well as accelerated nursing classes at Saint Louis University.
Biggest Challenge: “I enjoy a challenge. I enjoy the acuteness of the situation. I find all of the challenging situations extremely satisfying.”
Advice to New Nurses: “It’s really important to enjoy what you do and to
continue educating yourself. In what we do, it’s an ongoing learning experience—you can never have enough knowledge.”
CARDIOVASCULAR
Emily Dodd
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Dodd’s path to nursing was anything but typical. After moving to New York City to become an actress, she returned home and followed in her mother’s footsteps as a nurse. But Dodd’s passion for acting has helped during difficult times as a critical-care nurse. “Sometimes you have to take yourself and your emotions out of your work,” she says. “You have to be someone else sometimes.”
Her Proudest Accomplishments: “I never had a lot of motivation before in my life. I dropped out of high school, and I was kind of a mess. When I went to nursing school, everything just clicked. Being here every day and doing this work makes me proud.”
Advice to New Nurses: “Be humble. Too much confidence is dangerous, but you have to trust yourself. Listen to your instincts, but be moldable and willing to change.”
COMMUNITY CARE/AMBULATORY CARE
Corri Payton
Washington University School of Medicine
When Washington University recently opened an orthopedic injury clinic in Chesterfield, Payton volunteered to work evening shifts and get it running. Having worked at Wash. U.’s Orthopedic Spine Center, where she sees patients with spinal and musculoskeletal disorders, Payton was equipped for the task. “I am not sure we could have kept it open initially without her efforts,” noted one colleague.
Dealing With Stress: “I handle stress by riding horses. I rode a lot in my twenties, but when I had kids, I stopped for a while. But for the last three years, since my daughter has been old enough to ride with me, I’ve been riding again. I really love it.”
Advice to New Nurse practitioners: “The first year of becoming a nurse practitioner is going to be challenging. Give yourself time, and allow yourself to transition from being a nurse to a nurse practitioner. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, and always know it’s an ongoing learning process.”
EDUCATION
Geralyn Meyer
Saint Louis University School of Nursing
As the coordinator of SLU’s “traditional option” nursing program, Meyer gives students the kind of TLC they’re learning to give patients. With nearly 25 years of teaching experience, Meyer has plenty of wisdom to pass along.
Advice to New Nurses: “Nursing is hard, emotionally and physically. We work 24/7, nights, weekends, holidays. If you don’t love it—if it’s not something that feeds your soul—it’s not going to be a good fit.”
Why She Teaches: “They say there are few things that you can do to touch the future: plant a tree, write a song, and teach. Well, I’ve never been a very good gardener, and I’ll never be able to write a song, so for me teaching is the way.”
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Tracey Mouser
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
As a charge nurse in one of the region’s busiest emergency departments, Mouser thrives on helping people. “We can see up to 300 patients in a day, about 225 on average” she says. “You see how peoples’ lives can change in an instant, and it makes you appreciate what you have.”
Her Greatest Challenges: “Staying on top of new technology and the way nursing has evolved. We do much more evidence-based practice now than 22 years ago, which is really nice.”
On Handling Stress: “You have to take a lot of deep breaths and pick your battles. You can’t bring your work stress home. I have five daughters, so sometimes working in the ER seems like nothing.”
HOSPICE/HOME HEALTH/PALLIATIVE CARE
Jan Hungerford
Mercy Hospice
Hungerford has worked in the hospice field for more than 15 years. One of the
registered nurse’s main responsibilities is to provide comfort and support to hospice patients and their families.
Her Biggest Challenge: “On several occasions, I have faced some big challenges with ethical decision-making. Withdrawing treatment can be a hard decision, and when families aren’t on the same page, it can be really challenging. I do love the challenge of it, though.”
The Job’s Rewards: “When I get to see these people who have pain and fear work through that to be at peace with their condition, that is the most rewarding part of my job.”
INTENSIVE CARE
Chad Berenzden
SSM DePaul Health Center
When Berendzen was a teenager, his grandfather was in and out of the ICU. “He had some really cool male nurses,” Berendzen recalls. “That was the first time I thought that nursing was even an option.” Today, as a team leader at SSM DePaul Health Center, he sees a wide range of cases in the ICU. “Anything can happen,” he says. “It’s pretty awesome to not know what you’re going into.”
On the Nature of the Job: “Every day is completely different. It could be an intense day and you’re sweating by 9 a.m., or it could be a nice, smooth day. You never know, so you have to be on your toes.”
On TV Medical Dramas: “I drive my wife nuts by rolling my eyes constantly while she’s watching those dramas, because a lot of them are pretty far-fetched. There are a lot of times in the ICU where you feel like it could be on television, but it’s more of a personal drama between a patient, you, and a family member.”
MANAGEMENT/NURSING EXECUTIVE
Shelley Perulfi
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Overseeing The Heart Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital has its challenges, but Perulfi is used to stepping in during stressful situations. Last fall, when the center was busy, Perulfi volunteered to relieve exhausted colleagues on several occasions.
On the Job’s Rewards: “The best part of my job is helping others be the best they can be. I absolutely love it when nurses I’ve hired go on to do great things.”
Advice to New Nurses: “Listen to the parents. Parents always know their children best. As new nurses we always want to think that we know better, but listen to the parents about what they’ve been observing with their children. That’s when we can provide the care we need to provide.”
MEDICAL–SURGICAL NURSING
Patricia Dettenmeier
Saint Louis University School of Medicine; SLUCare
In addition to serving as an assistant professor and nurse practitioner at Saint Louis University, where she often helps patients with sleep disorder–related breathing issues, Dettenmeier is working on her second doctoral degree. For her dissertation, she’s looking at claustrophobia in patients using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.
Why She’s a Nurse: “I graduated No. 1 in my high school class, so it wasn’t that I wasn’t smart enough to be a doctor. It had more to do with I wanted to be a nurse.”
On the Job’s Rewards: “Nurses make a difference at the most important parts of people’s lives: when they’re sick or dealing with chronic illness. We look at the medicine, the home, the family… We don’t see the patient as ‘hypertensive on CPAP’; we see the patient as Catherine, George, or Tommy.”
NEUROLOGY/PSYCHOLOGY/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
M. Jane Puszkar
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
After 17 years in pharmaceutical sales, Puszkar returned to school to get a nursing degree. Today, she helps hospitals across Missouri and Illinois ensure that they’re up to date on practice guidelines and stroke care protocols, resulting in improved care for a multitude of patients.
On Handling Stress: “Write down what really needs to be done, and prioritize. In nursing school, they teach you to assess first, act second. I use that approach often.”
Advice to New Nurses: “Keep yourself connected, and find a mentor, someone who can help you sort through all the information. Be compassionate. Never forget why you went into nursing.”
ONCOLOGY
Jennifer Wofford
Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis Children’s Hospital
At age 7, Wofford was diagnosed with cancer. Her tumor was surgically removed and no chemotherapy was required, but Wofford was so inspired by the nurses, she promised herself that she would become a wonderful nurse. Now a pediatric nurse practitioner, she works with patients who receive chemotherapy, and she’s actively involved with the cancer-control studies.
Her Biggest Challenge: “When there is a loss. It’s hard to not feel defeated.”
On the Job’s Greatest Reward: “We have a bell that a child gets to ring every time they complete chemotherapy. I cry every time it rings. It doesn’t matter if it’s my patient or not. Everyone on the floor can hear it, and it is so reassuring to hear. Hearing that bell ring is definitely the most rewarding part of my job.”
ORTHOPEDICS (TIE)
Sarah Kozak
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Donelle Sherman
Washington University School of Medicine
After working together for nearly five years, Kozak and Sherman refer to themselves as the “dynamic duo.” “I can read her mind,” says Kozak. As nurse practitioners in orthopedic surgery, Kozak and Sherman were both nominated for providing extraordinary service to their colleagues and patients, supporting fellow nurses in difficult situations, and, in one case, arranging a salon appointment for a patient desperate to get a haircut.
Sherman on Handling Stress: “I try not to deal with it in front of patients or their families. We’re placed in situations where we see patients at their worst, and I try to help them get through whatever they’re dealing with. I try to remain calm, take deep breaths, and exercise.”
Sherman on Why She Became a Nurse: “When my brother was 7, he almost died. The experience of being in the hospital every day with him and watching the nurses and the compassion they showed him made a profound impact on me.”
Kozak’s Advice to Patients: “Verbalize your feelings. I take out drains 10 times a day, and if that’s something you’re terrified of, tell me so I can explain it to you. Make sure that your care is always patient-centered.”
Kozak on Her Passion for the Job: “I love working with patients and considering multiple diagnoses to find the best care. Some of our patients have minimally invasive surgeries; others are dealing with large deformities that can be very complex. You grow attached to patients and make those connections.”
PEDIATRICS: NEONATAL
Molly Bowen
Missouri Baptist Medical Center
A registered nurse, Bowen has worked in the neonatal intensive care unit for 20 years and become an expert on providing patient care. “In the NICU, patients are not able to communicate verbally how they feel, thus needing an advocate.” In many cases, Bowen is that advocate.
Her Advice to Patients: “There will be high moments and low moments, but just focus on one day at a time.”
On the Job’s Rewards: “I love seeing babies grow and get better. To see a child grow and become an individual, that’s the most rewarding thing.”
PEDIATRICS: NON-NEONATAL
DeAnn Wilson
Mercy Hospital St. Louis
As the cleft and craniofacial team nurse practitioner at Mercy Children’s Hospital, Wilson provides emotional support and information to families of babies with cleft palates, enlarged tongues, and other cranial abnormalities. She talks to parents about surgical procedures and ensures that children get proper nutrition and care.
Biggest Challenge: “When families have a hard time and seem to get stuck in the notion that their child has a cleft lip. At first, it’s hard for families to get beyond that. It’s hard because I can’t make the scar go away, and I can’t make the fact that the child has a cleft go away. But I can show the family how much talent the child does have.”
Handling Stress: “I’m a spiritual person. If a family is stressed and upset about their child’s diagnosis, I’ll pray for them.”
SCHOOL
Linda Neumann
Webster Groves School District
Ice packs and Band-Aids are one aspect of the job, but Neumann’s responsibilities extend far beyond that. As the head school nurse for Webster Groves School District, Neumann fulfills a variety of roles: counselor, educator, community leader… She even helped Hixson Middle School create an outdoor classroom.
On Encountering Barriers: “Part of being a nurse is understanding that you are
going to encounter barriers, whether you are in the hospital or whatever setting. Find out what the barrier is, and find solutions to break down the barriers.”
The Biggest Challenge: “In a hospital, you have doctors and other nurses to bounce ideas off of. Here, you’re it.”
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Ashley Schmuke
Saint Louis University School of Nursing
While six weeks pregnant with her first child, in 2010, Schmuke learned that she had Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She found support from Hope for Two, a counseling service for pregnant women with cancer. Eventually, Schmuke finished her cancer treatments and gave birth to a son. Today, the maternity instructor at the SLU School of Nursing also volunteers as a counselor.
On the Job’s Impact: “People remember the day their son or daughter was born for the rest of their lives. And they remember who took care of them… Even though I may be a complete stranger, I’m offering a little bit of support.”
The Excellence in Nursing Awards reception was presented by Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College.
