Nursing Honors and Awards

Children’s Health has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country. Our nurses earned the prestigious Magnet designation, through the American Nurses Credentialing Center, for outstanding patient care practices and superior nursing processes.
Our nurses place the needs of children and their families above all else. Their commitment to quality care enables the entire hospital to continue to achieve excellence at every level.
Accomplishments
Awards:
- Susan Webber received the Impact Award from the Texas Christian University (TCU) Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Fellowship for her project: After Discharge Clinical Nurse Liaison Call Management. This award is given to graduates of the TCU EBP Fellowship for the impact their projects continue to make beyond graduation.
Publications:
- Tiffany Montgomery, Tammy Webb, Erika Grimes, Allan Akinradewo, and Lindsey Patton published “Diversity Practices for Hiring the New Graduate Nurse” in The Journal of Nursing Administration.
- Carol Howe, Brennan Lewis, Diana Singer, Tracine Adame, Teresa Wagner & Danielle Walker published an article titled "A Psychometric Analysis of the Health Literate Health Care Organization-10 Item Questionnaire - PMC (nih.gov) in Health Literacy Research and Practice"
- Mayra Garcia, Jennifer Watt, & Amy Six-Means submission for article titled “An adolescent’s motivation to pursue bariatric surgery: A meta-aggregation review” was accepted in the Journal of Pediatric Surgical Nursing
Presentations:
- Christina Smith's presentation ‘Predicating Early deterioration in the Pediatric Pulmonary Population’ was accepted for presentation at IHI Patient Safety Congress in May 2022.
- Diana Cardwell presented at the Children’s Hospital Association Conference ‘Standardizing Care to Improve Outcomes in Pediatric ESKD (SCOPE)’ Spring 2022 Workshop.
- Tiffany Montgomery presented on "Diversity Hiring Practices for New Graduate Nurses for the Vizient" at the AACN National Conference in May 2022.
- Tiffany Montgomery presented on "Decreasing Orientation Time and Cost with a Capstone Feeder Program into the Nurse Residency Program" for the Vizient’ AACN National Conference in May 2022.
- Mayra Garcia was a panelist for a session titled, “Chat with Evidence Based Practice & Research Committee” at the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Conference on July 14th, 2022, in Miami Florida.
- Christina Smith, Lindsey Patton, Peng Chen, Chelsea Reynolds, Martha Shaw, Megan Toler presented at Society of Pediatric Nurses Conference in April 2022- Improving Patient Safety by Predicting Early Deterioration in the Pediatric Population.
- Krista Westbrook presented a poster Titled: A Whole New World: Precepting in the Pandemic Age of Reduced Clinical Preparation for New Graduate Nurses at the Society of Pediatric Nurses 32nd Annual Conference.
- Martha Shaw, Jen Brown, Jenny Harshman, Kim Schuettner, Lori Akins, Virginia Koepsell, May Bressler presented a virtual poster Titled: Multidisciplinary Efforts in Redesigning the Ongoing Competency Process of a Pediatric Health System at National EBP Conference in April 2022.
- Misty Daugherty did a podium presentation Titled: Supporting a Culture of Clinical Inquiry through Shared Governance at the Society of Pediatric Nurses Conference.
- Janna Beg, Jill Hanks, and Tera Holland presented a poster Titled: The Safety Wizard: Implementing an Innovative Protection Program for High-Risk Suicidal Patients at the Society of Pediatric Nurses Conference.
- Christina Smith and Peng Chen presented a poster Titled: Predicting Early Deterioration in the Pediatric Pulmonary Population-Where do Nursing Perceptions and Early Warning Tools Align? at the Society of Pediatric Nurses conference on 4.29.2022. Awarded the best poster at this conference for the EBP track.
- Christina Smith's project titled "Predicating Early deterioration in the Pediatric Pulmonary Population" was presented at the IHI Patient Safety Congress in May 2022
- Diana Cardwell presented at the conference of Children’s Hospital Association Standardizing Care to Improve Outcomes in Pediatric ESKD (SCOPE) Spring 2022 Workshop
- Tiffany Montgomery did a podium presentation Titled: Diversity Hiring Practices for New Graduate Nurses for the Vizient, AACN National Conference in May
- Tiffany Montgomery presented a poster Titled: Decreasing Orientation Time and Cost with a Capstone Feeder Program into the Nurse Residency Program for the Vizient, AACN National Conference in May
- Susan Weber won AAACN Carol Rutenberg Telephone Triage Award May 2022, for her project related to post-discharge telephone triage contact for families with questions after discharge at the Plano facility. She was involved in this project as her Texas Christian University Evidence Based Practice Fellowship program last year.
May Smith Nursing Excellence Award
Each year, during National Nurses Week, nurses are selected as award winners in recognition of how they exemplify nursing characteristics within the Children's Health Professional Practice Model (PPM).
2022 May Smith Nursing Excellence Award Winners:
- Advocacy/Moral Agency: Claire Roberts, Gastroenterology, Dallas
- Clinical Judgment: Sylvia Davis, Endocrinology/General Pediatrics, Dallas
- Facilitation of Learning: Ayehubirhan Shenkute, Our Children's House
- Caring Practices: Isamar Serrano, Emergency Department, Plano
- Response to Diversity: Samantha Schryver, General Pediatrics, Dallas
- Systems Thinking: Kristin Rollins, Emergency Department, Plano
- Clinical Inquiry: Kylie N. Thomas, Pediatric ICU, Dallas
- Collaboration: Rose-Anne Dela Cruz, Clinical Resource Team, Plano
- Transformational Nurse Leader: Shelby Eckles, Clinical Manager, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Plano Inpatient
- Beyond the Bedside: Blanca Cruz Escalante, Team Leader, Disease Management, Enterprise Care Management
- True Collaboration: Heaven Harvey, Patient Care Technician, Variable Staffing, Dallas
2021 May Smith Nursing Excellence Award Winners:
- Advocacy/Moral Agency: Emily Hernandez, Cardiology ICU, Dallas
- Caring Practices: Julie Davis, General Pediatrics, OCH
- Clinical Inquiry: Kathryn Liddle, Cardiology ICU, Dallas
- Clinical Judgement: Dawn Penner, General Pediatrics, OCH
- Collaboration: Caitlin Layton, General Pediatrics, Dallas
- Facilitation of Learning: Tera Holland, Variable Staffing, Dallas
- Response to Diversity: Kimberly Michaelis, Variable Staffing, Dallas
- Systems Thinking: Leafar Abundo, Neurosurgery, Dallas
2020 May Smith Nursing Excellence Award Winners:
- Advocacy/Moral Agency: Rebecca Jenkins, Hematology/Oncology, Dallas
- Caring Practices: Julie Calverley, Cardiology ICU, Dallas
- Clinical Inquiry: Hector Munilo, Pediatric ICU, Plano
- Clinical Judgement: Janelle Heygster, Hematology/Oncology, Dallas
- Collaboration: Diane Jeffers, Pediatric ICU, Plano
- Facilitation of Learning: Elizabeth Verges, Inpatient Surgery, Dallas
- Response to Diversity: Delaney O'Brien, Cardiology ICU, Dallas
- Systems Thinking: Lindsey Daigle, Cardiology ICU, Dallas
2019 May Smith Nursing Excellence Award Winners:
- Clinical Inquiry: Julia Gerstmann, Team Leader, Nursing, Cardiology ICU
- Systems Thinking: Megan Toler, Pulmonary
- Facilitation of Learning: Sarah Newby, Cardiology ICU
- Collaboration: Tracey Porter, Team Leader, Nursing
- Clinical Judgement: Kelly Ford, Trauma/ICU
- Caring Practices: Tena Segovia, Cardiology ICU
- Advocacy/Moral Agency: Cailey Sherrill, Hematology/Oncology
- Response to Diversity: Kaitlyn Denton, Hematology/Oncology
- True Collaboration: Zully Rivera, Program Assistant, Hematology/Oncology
Magnet Designation
Demonstrating our commitment to high quality patient care, excellence in nursing and innovations in professional practice.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® is the most prestigious distinction earned by healthcare organizations for nursing excellence and high quality patient outcomes.
Children’s Health earned the Magnet designation
- 2009
- 2013
- 2018
- And we are working toward our 4th Magnet designation.
The DAISY Award
The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award for Extraordinary Nurses honors the superhuman work nurses do for patients and families every day. At Children’s Health, the award recognizes nurses who demonstrate professional nursing excellence through clinical expertise at the bedside or behind the scenes, extraordinary service and compassionate care.
Patients, families and colleagues nominate nurses for the DAISY Award. To nominate complete the DAISY Award form.
Daisy Award 2022
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Zachary Pollard RN, Variable Staffing, Plano
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Joseph Cantu RN, General Pediatrics, Plano
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Connie Choudhury RN, Neuro Clinic, Dallas
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Sandra McCullar RN, Cardiology, Dallas
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Lakisha Bennett RN, Hematology/Oncology, Dallas
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Adrienne Land RN, Gastroenterology, Dallas
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Suzanne Smith RN, Variable Staffing, Dallas
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Kaitlyn McLaurin RN, PICU/Trauma ICU, Dallas
Daisy Award 2021
- Rebekah Goodwin, Radiology, Plano
- Crystal Aldridge, Psych Eating Disorders, Plano
- Dulce Igle, General Pediatrics, Our Children’s House
- Jorica Calabazaron, General Pediatrics, Dallas
- Megan Stoker, Lung and Airway, Dallas
- Michelle Nguyen, Lung and Airway, Dallas
- Lauren Hendrix, Neurosciences, Dallas
- Lindsey Flores, GI, Dallas
- Chad Gautreaux, Psychiatry, Dallas
Daisy Award 2020
- Callie Boyd, ERC, Plano
- Kimbir Jones, PICU, Plano
- Amy Briggs, General Pediatrics, Plano
- Lashunda Lawson, General Pediatrics, Plano
- Candice Dorsey, Lung and Airway, Dallas
- Paige Herring, PICU/Trauma ICU, Dallas
- Valeria Munoz, Cardiology ICU, Dallas
- Tylen Brown, Cardiology, Dallas
- Dale Morano, NICU, Dallas
- Rose Neduvelil, OR, Dallas
- Shanitra McNealy, Enterprise Care Management, Remote
- Heather Evans, General Pediatrics, OCH
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report released the 2022‑23 Best Children's Hospitals survey rankings in June 2022, and Children's Medical Center Dallas ranked in 10 out of 10 specialties.
This is the fifth consecutive year Children's Health has been recognized with this distinction; and Children's Medical Center Dallas is the only hospital in North Texas ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties.
Our rankings would not be possible without the expertise and leadership of our UT Southwestern colleagues who are by our side caring for patients. Their compassionate care and guidance contribute to making Children's Health one of the leading pediatric health care systems.
Congratulations to all employees and physicians whose hard work and dedication have earned this honor.
View our report from the last three years for each recognized service.