Penn Medicine’s Distinguished Nurse Clinician Academy has welcomed nine new nurses to the highly selective program. The academy’s members include frontline nurses from units across the health system who demonstrate first-rate clinical knowledge and a commitment to education and professional development, patient and family advocacy, and shaping the future of nursing. In recognition of her empathy, engagement, and excellence, PAH’s Annelies Wood, MSN, RNC, WHNP-BC, was among the newest members inducted in February.
Wood, a clinical nurse in the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) who is certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing, is known among her peers as a clinical expert and is routinely sought out to share her experience and offer advice — which she does with enthusiasm and warm humor. As a tireless advocate for both professional excellence and patient satisfaction, she plays a key role on the ICN Unit Council. For example, when she recognized a gap in best practices that kept new moms from participating in skin-to-skin bonding with their very premature infants, her drive to find solutions led to the elimination of unplanned extubations and the creation of a protocol that allowed nursing staff to unite new mothers and their newborns even while requiring ventilation.
“In addition to her 13 years of clinical expertise, Annelies’ positive attitude, team-centered approach and engagement in projects across the hospital and health system allow her to function as a catalyst for positive change,” said Elizabeth Craig, DNP, RN, FACHE, chief nursing officer, during the induction ceremony. “Although she has both the education and experience to assume a variety of nursing roles, Annelies has a passion for making connections at the bedside and ensuring every patient receives the highest level of care.”
In addition to being an effective mentor and inspiring role model for her colleagues, Wood serves as co-chair of PAH’s Shared Governance Leadership Council and is a member of the health system-wide Shared Governance Council. In these roles, she strives to ensure that the voice of the bedside nurse is always reflected in decisions about best practices. Wood also helped to develop PAH’s Patient and Family Advisory Council and is an impassioned supporter of using patient and family feedback as a springboard to improve workflows, interdisciplinary communication, and patient safety initiatives.
In her letter recommending Wood for the academy, ICN nurse manager Elizabeth Quigley, MSN, RNC-OB, NEA-BC, described her colleague as “a highly positive, professional, compassionate, and engaged nurse who makes a difference every day in her work.” “She is successful in her roles as clinician, mentor, advocate, educator, and leader because she has a high level of emotional intelligence and is genuinely committed to ensuring that patients receive world-class care,” Quigley continued. “Annalies embodies all of the qualities of a Distinguished Nurse Clinician and is worthy of the title and responsibilities that the academy holds.”
Congratulations to all of Pennsy’s DNCA nominees! Thank you for serving as shining examples of compassion, professionalism, and unwavering determination for your nursing colleagues and beyond.