Winners
Dan Feil first became an RN in 2011 and then became a Nurse Practitioner in 2017.
Dan's current job title is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. He is the Lead Advanced Practice Provider for Vituity, which is a physician led group of Emergency Department physicians, nurse practitioners, and PA's that provides ED coverage for Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, St. Joseph, and St. Teresa.
When asked about his love for nursing, Dan said, "Nursing in the emergency department is ever-changing. No two shifts are ever the same. People come to the ED because they are having their worst day and they look to us to find out what is wrong and fix it. The chaos, stress, and overwhelming environment in the ED is what makes nursing in the ED so exciting and fulfilling."
Dawn Bishop graduated with her BSN from Newman University in 2001 and then graduated with her MSN from Regis University in 2013. She is currently the Director of Nursing for The Vascular Center of Wichita Nephrology/ReVask. They do surgical procedures on dialysis patients making sure their dialysis accesses are working well, and they put in and remove dialysis catheters, so patients are able to get the dialysis they need.
When asked about her love for nursing, Dawn said, "I love being a nurse because I love helping others. I enjoy being the smile, the kind word, or the little conversation that some wouldn’t get normally. I am blessed to have worked with some great people in my career and am even more blessed for the great patients that I have been able to care for. I also love that nursing is a job that is constantly changing and allows for continual learning.
Brianna Vann has been a nurse for 2 ½ years now and is currently working as a night nurse at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital.
When asked about her love for nursing, Brianna said, "There are many things that I enjoy about being a nurse. If I had to choose, one would be patient interaction. In nursing, you're able to meet and hear so many stories and learn how truly unique we all are and how our stories shape our lives.
Another thing I enjoy about nursing is that we're able to make an impact on someone's life. I've comforted people on the brink of death, and I've done a happy dance when someone had a bowel movement. Maya Angelou said, 'People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.' My goal is to make sure that I make people feel how I would want to be treated if I was in their place."
Brooke Cooper is a registered nurse at Via Christi St. Francis. She works in the Neuro ICU which became the Covid-19 unit. She took care of the very first Covid-19 positive patient in Sedgwick County.
When asked about her love for nursing, Brooke said, "I enjoy the opportunity to support patients and families as they go through some of the most difficult times. Whether these patients are suffering from a neurological issue, or a COVID-19 diagnosis."