College of Nursing honorees recognized for excellence in research, academic leadership
Two leaders from The Ohio State University College of Nursing were honored Tuesday with 2020 Nurse of the Year Awards from the March of Dimes at the organization’s virtual ceremony.
Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN and Randee Masciola, DNP, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC received awards in Research and Academic Education (6-19 years of service), respectively. They were among 230 nominees and 125 finalists from 40 facilities across Ohio.
Morrison-Beedy, who serves as Centennial Professor of Nursing and chief talent and global strategy officer at the College of Nursing, earned Research Nurse of the Year through her leadership in improving sexual health and pregnancy outcomes in adolescent girls. The March of Dimes drew attention to Morrison-Beedy’s organization HIP4Change and intervention program HIPTeens, which offers health improvement programs for behavioral change focused on moving translational science efforts into community to address health disparities. The program has helped reduce teen pregnancy rates by as much as 50% in the communities that have utilized it, and HIPTeens has been extended to assist vulnerable girls in foster care, refugee and diasporic communities to improve health outcomes.
Masciola’s Academic Education (6-19 years) Nurse of the Year award recognizes her profound leadership in nurse practitioner education. Masciola, an assistant professor of clinical nursing who serves as director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Clinical Expert track and previously directed the college’s Master of Science (MS) in Nursing program, has contributed significantly to the successes of both programs, including high certification pass rates and top ten rankings from U.S. News & World Report for both MS and DNP. March of Dimes also mentioned that “as lead faculty in the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner specialty track, Randee contributed to the development of evidence-based curriculum.”
“Dianne and Randee epitomize the passion, leadership and impact that our College of Nursing demonstrates in so many ways,” said Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, vice president for health promotion, university chief wellness officer and dean of the College of Nursing. “These awards honor careers spent in service to others, and we are so very proud of the terrific work they do to transform health and improve lives.”
Other award recipients affiliated with Ohio State include:
- Sarah Purpus, Wexner Medical Center: Clinical Preceptorship (0-5 years)
- Michele Weber, Wexner Medical Center: Clinical Education & Development (6-19 years)
- Susan Yeager, Wexner Medical Center: Leadership (6-19 years)
- William Galilei, Mt. Carmel – St. Ann’s and an Instructor of Clinical Practice at the College of Nursing: Patient Care (6-19 years)
The College of Nursing and Ohio State Wexner Medical Center served as presenting Servant Sponsors of the March of Dimes’ eighth annual awards event. A recording of the event can be found here.
