For a second consecutive year, six Allen Health System nurses have been named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses. Allen has had a total of 34 nurses named Great Iowa Nurses since the 100 Great Iowa Nurses program started in 2005.

This year, two of the nurses are from Allen College, three are from Allen Hospital and one is from Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center, Iowa. The Allen College nurses are Allen College Chancellor Dr. Jerry Durham and Mavis TeSlaa, assistant professor. The Allen Hospital nurses are Lois Bonefas, retired director of patient advocacy; Barb Burkle, Allen Digestive Health Center advanced registered nurse practitioner; and Alisha Engel, 2 Heart nurse manager. The Grundy County Memorial Hospital nurse is Jennifer Havens, chief clinical officer.

The University of Iowa College of Nursing, the Iowa Nurses Association’s Iowa Nurses Foundation and the Iowa Hospital Association organize the annual celebration of Iowa’s Great Nurses held Sunday, May 6, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Nurses selected for this honor represent many sectors of healthcare including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and school and office nurses. Nurses named to the list must hold a current Iowa registered nurse license and have practiced nursing for a minimum of three years. Nominations are reviewed by a panel of judges. Selections are based on the significance of each nominee’s contribution to the profession of nursing. A list of all Great Iowa Nurses from 2005 – 2012 is available at www.greatnurses.org.

 

 

Allen Health System nurses (l-r): Mavis TeSlaa, Barb Burkle, Dr. Jerry Durham, Alisha Engel, Jennifer Havens and Lois Bonefas were named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses and recognized at the 8th annual celebration of Iowa’s Great Nurses for 2012.