Honoring great nurses in Iowa who go above and beyond

In an ordinary year, nurses and health care workers perform countless acts of service for our communities. Over the past year, nurses have indeed labored on the front lines of patient care in the pandemic.

Iowa is one of a handful of states with an annual award program meant to “recognize nurses who have made meaningful, lasting contributions to their patients, colleagues, and the nursing profession.”

The 100 Great Iowa Nurses program identifies 100 outstanding nurses every year “whose courage, competence, and commitment to patients and the nursing profession stand out above all others. These nurses go above and beyond to contribute significantly to the profession of nursing.”

Since 2005, the program has recognized nurses from across the state who serve in a variety of roles, from direct patient care to administration and academics.

The Great Nurses program also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award winner to a previous 100 Great Iowa Nurses honoree: Mary Hagen from UnityPoint Health Waterloo.

Learn more at greatnurses.org

Name / Employer / Hometown

Stacey Abel / Iowa City VA Health Care System / Iowa City

Jill Arp / Manning Regional Healthcare Center / Manning

Tyler Big Bow / MercyOne Siouxland / Sioux City

Jill Bobolz / Spencer Hospital / Spencer

Jennie Brantman / Iowa City VA Health Care System / Coralville

Nancy Brewer / Buchanan County Health Center / Independence

Stephaney Brondum / Guthrie County Hospital / Stuart

Elizabeth Budge-Neal / CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs / Council Bluffs

Katie Bulin / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / North Liberty

Amanda Burgus / Fort Madison Community Hospital / Burlington

Linda Burrage / Buchanan County Health Center / Independence

Maja Campbell / UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital / North Liberty

Kassie Cline / Guthrie County Hospital / Casey

Lastascia Coleman / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / North Liberty

Tammy Conover / Cherokee Regional Medical Center / Quimby

Jamie Crum / Cherokee Regional Medical Center / Cherokee

Amber Deardorff / Mary Greeley Medical Center / Ames

Kara Dickerson / MercyOne Centerville Medical Center / Numa

Tiffany Dill / UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital / Palo

Angela Dotson / UnityPoint Health – Des Moines / Granger

Stephanie Edmonds / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Solon

Sharon Ellrich / Mary Greeley Medical Center / Roland

Jennifer Erdahl / UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital / Iowa City

Brianna Feckers / MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center / New Hartford

Barbara Fitzgerald / MercyOne Siouxland / Jackson

Tara Friedman / Iowa City VA Health Care System / Iowa City

Miranda Gebhart / Primghar Family Medicine / Milford

Tara Geddes / Floyd Valley Healthcare / Hinton

Sharron Gephart / “Genesis Medical Center, DeWitt” / Eldridge

Amber Gray / St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center / Sioux City

Kari Hammer / St. Anthony Regional Hospital / Carroll

Cherish Hansen / UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional / Grinnell

Kassi Harder / Mary Greeley Medical Center / Huxley

Himena Harris / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Iowa City

Jeannette Hasley / Spencer Hospital / Spencer

Gloria Heacock / UnityPoint Health – Dubuque / LaMotte

Rose Hedges / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Mt Vernon

Lori Hoch / Myrtue Medical Center / Earling

Sara Hogan / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Solon

Stephanie Horn / UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital / Swisher

Rachel Hottel / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Cedar Rapids

Diane Huber / University of Iowa College of Nursing / Iowa City

Juanita Hughes / MercyOne Centerville Medical Center / Centerville

Pamela Jackson / Spencer Hospital / Spencer

Maria Johnson / ChildServe / Johnston

Roshani Kandel / Pioneer Valley Living and Rehab / Sergeant Bluff

Jordan Kayser / Buchanan County Health Center / Independence

Nick Klein / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Iowa City

Tami Kluth / Iowa City VA Health Care System / Cedar Rapids

Rachel Krueger / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Cedar Rapids

Karen Langner / Iowa City VA Health Care System / Swisher

Carrie Lawson / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Coralville

Erika Leonard / Grundy County Memorial Hospital / Cedar Falls

Heather Leshen / Monroe County Hospital / Albia

Molly Lovin / Spencer Hospital / Spencer

Diane Lyman / MercyOne Northeast Iowa / Cedar Falls

Patricia Malloy / Mahaska Health / Oskaloosa

Nicollet Markovetz / University of Iowa College of Nursing / Iowa City

Ann Mason / UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital / Iowa City

Laura McDougall / MercyOne Clinton Medical Center / Clinton

Nichole McKenzie / Waverly Health Center / Waverly

Jennifer Mewes / Iowa Specialty Hospital / Clarion

Megan Miller / Mary Greeley Medical Center / Huxley

Christie Milligan / MercyOne Newton Medical Center / Baxter

Elizabeth Moore / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Coralville

Rebecca Moore / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Center Point

Kayla Morrison / West Liberty Community Schools / Atalissa

Sarah Naberhaus / Buena Vista Regional Medical Center / Schaller

Lindsey Nelson / MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center / Dumont

Jayne Nirschl / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Cedar Rapids

Julie Olson / Buena Vista Regional Medical Center / Albert City

Brooke Owen / Greater Regional Health / Lenox

Racheal Patel / Iowa City VA Health Care System / Le Claire

Shawna Patterson / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Atkins

Sarah Pflederer / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Iowa City

Kara Prickett / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / North Liberty

Nikita Rohr / UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital / Coralville

Wanda Ross / Mary Greeley Medical Center / Ogden

Sara Roth / St. Anthony Regional Hospital / Lake View

Dawn Rude / Jackson County Regional Health Center / Eldridge

Jeff Sander-Welzien / MercyOne Clinton Medical Center / Clinton

Sheyanne Schultz / MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center / Clear Lake

Lyndsey Schwanz / UnityPoint Health – Des Moines / Bondurant

Nicole Schwering / St. Anthony Regional Hospital / Glidden

Diane Seelau / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Cedar Rapids

Min Seo / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Coralville

Juli Springer / Fort Dodge Community School District / Fort Dodge

Jessica Stelle Swab / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Kalona

Kasi Stephens / Monroe County Hospital / Albia

Judy Swafford / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Iowa City

Emily Taylor / Dallas County Hospital / Bouton

Sara Taylor / Spencer Hospital / Okoboji

Aimee Traugh / UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital / Cedar Rapids

Anne Trumblee / Buchanan County Health Center / Independence

Julie Tuel / MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center / Pella

Sarah Wellsandt / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Iowa City

Brianne Wessels / Mary Greeley Medical Center / Madrid

Melissa Wilson / Jackson County Regional Health Center / Maquoketa

Nicole Wiltfang / University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics / Amana

Jennifer Woods / Mercy Medical Center / Marion