OSF nurses honored with 40 under 40 award
T(Se Two OSF HealthCare nurses have been honored with the Illinois 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders Award. The pair were honored along with other nurses from across the state at a reception on September 21, in Naperville, Illinois.
Shana Freehill, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, is a clinical education specialist at OSF HealthCare. During the COVID pandemic Freehill quickly switched gears and played a vital role in developing COVID education with OSF leaders. She leads the Ministry Education Council and coaches educators to develop metrics and goals, creating an environment of ongoing growth and improvement. Freehill recently earned her certification in Nursing Professional Development.
Megan Kupferschmid, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, NE-BC, is a nursing education and research scientist at OSF HealthCare. Kupferschmid has played a significant role as the principal investigator for two research projects. The first project explores the impact of extended pediatric critical care-specific education on self-confidence, anxiety reduction in clinical decision-making and its potential effect on nursing turnover. The second project delves into using an in-bed cycle ergometer to improve functional outcomes when compared to standard rehabilitation therapy alone.
“OSF HealthCare is very proud of the work that Shanna and Megan do as nurse leaders in education and research, and we are thrilled that that their endeavors have led to this recognition by the Illinois Nurses Foundation,” says Sheryl Emmerling, PhD, RN, director of clinical practice and research. “These nurses are truly inspirational and serve as role models for other nurses as they use their skills and knowledge to advance health care and the nursing profession.”
The Illinois Nurses Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports nurses through several programs, promoting excellence and advancing the nursing profession while recognizing remarkable achievements. The Emerging Nurse Leaders Award was established in 2015 to celebrate young nurse leaders impacting the profession.
OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. OSF HealthCare has 15 hospitals – 10 acute care, five critical access - with 2,084 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners throughout 150+ locations; has two colleges of nursing; operates OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; owns Pointcore, Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In 2020, OSF OnCall was established, a digital health operating unit, including a hospital-at-home, which delivers care and services when, where and how patients prefer to receive them. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country. More at osfhealthcare.org/.