Law Changer Among UConn Health’s Nightingale Nurses

Jane Presnick-Lyon is a relentless advocate for the people she serves.

In her line of work, that alone doesn’t make her stand out. It just makes her a nurse.

What does make her stand out is, she’s a nurse who led a charge to change Connecticut law to help mothers of critically ill newborns.

And that makes her one of the seven UConn Health nurses to be honored with a 2017 Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing.

Presnick-Lyon has been a nursing supervisor at UConn Health since 2007. Those who work with her will tell you of her unwavering dedication to patient care, and to her job—she’s never used a minute of sick time in those 10 years.

Jane Presnick-Lyon, UConn Health nursing supervisor and 2017 Nightingale Award for Nursing Excellence recipient (Photo by Janine Gelineau)

“Jane lives and leads by example and is always accountable for her actions,” says nurse manager Anna Humennyj. “She has an incredible work ethic and her flexibility is remarkable.”

On Christmas Eve 2015, Presnick-Lyon was the supervisor on duty when she found herself in the middle of an administrative nightmare. An infant in the neonatal intensive care unit had taken a turn for the worse, and his mother was 40 miles away, still at the hospital where she’d given birth. The mother was unable to obtain preauthorization from her insurance company for the transfer to UConn John Dempsey Hospital.

Although Presnick-Lyon was able to facilitate the transfer, by the time the woman arrived it was too late.

“She never held her baby alive,” Presnick-Lyon says. “I said, ‘I can’t let this happen to another mom, it’s not right.’”

On Christmas morning, she started writing to state legislators—18 letters in all. She heard back from five lawmakers, and subsequent discussions led to a proposed bill, “An Act Concerning Prior Authorization for the Interhospital Transfer of Certain Newborn Infants and Their Mothers.”

The following March, Presnick-Lyon was at the State Capitol testifying before the Committee on Insurance and Real Estate, along with the woman who lost her newborn that Christmas morning and several other nurses.

The bill advanced, and on May 4, in the closing moments of the session, won final legislative approval.

A month later, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed what became known as “William’s Law.” It took effect January 1.

“Now, anytime a mom gives birth in the state of Connecticut, and her baby or babies have to transfer to a NICU, it’s an automatic, the insurance company has to allow the mom to go too, no questions asked,” Presnick-Lyon says.

Her commitment to improve patient care may go beyond the walls of UConn John Dempsey Hospital, but colleagues, subordinates, and bosses alike recognize her for all does within those walls too.

“She is quick, nimble and able to flex the ever changing staffing needs of the hospital,” Humennyj says.

“When Jane is working you know things will get done, and there is no confusion, she knows who she has and where,” says nurse aide Marzena Grabowski. “There is this calmness that you know things will run without any issues.”

Staff nurse Jennifer Boucher says, “Jane goes above and beyond in her position to be supportive to nursing and aides to make our day run as smoothly as possible.”

Humennyj, Grabowski and Boucher each submitted nominations of Presnick-Lyon for a 2017 Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing.

“I’m really incredibly honored and humbled,” Presnick-Lyon says. “Next year will be 40 years since I’ve been a nurse and it’s really almost like a culmination of my career. It really means the world to me.”

“We need to let her know we see the good she does around here,” Grabowski says.

Presnick-Lyon is one of seven who make up UConn Health’s 2017 class of Nightingale nurses. They, along with other Connecticut Nightingale nurses, will be honored at an awards dinner at the Connecticut Convention Center Thursday, May 11.

Following are the rest of UConn Health’s honorees, with excerpts from their nominations:

Ann Marie Capo (Photo by Janine Gelineau)	Ann Marie Capo, M.A., BSN, R.N. VP for Quality and Patient Services, Chief Nursing Officer “Ann Marie has dedicated her nursing career to excellence. Her commitment to excellence is demonstrated each day in every encounter she has in this organization. An example of her dedication to safety is evidenced by the instrumental role she played in our recent Leapfrog Safety Score achievement of “A.” Ann Marie is a role model for nurses at UConn Health. She works tirelessly to see that excellence is more than just a goal, but a habit in this organization. Ann Marie has inspired a vision of excellence in nursing throughout her professional career. She is passionate about UConn Health and the patients we serve. She truly embodies all that Florence Nightingale represented.”
Fiona Furlong (Photo by Janine Gelineau)	Fiona Furlong, APRN Nurse Practitioner, MedSurg/Oncology “Fiona is the most thorough practitioner I know. Fiona consistently is able to organize care, review complicated medical history, contact appropriate specialists while juggling an often hectic service. She has, on several occasions, uncovered subtle information that has changed a patient’s outcome for the better. Fiona is a leader among the nurse practitioners in our specialty as well as in the institution. Fiona also is an educator for students (nurses and nurse practitioners and our student medical staff). She has been recognized by the hematology/oncology fellows as instrumental in their medical education here at UConn Health, teaching them procedures such as bone marrow biopsies, intrathecal chemotherapy administration and all aspects of care of an oncology patient.”
Elizabeth Grala (Photo by Janine Gelineau)	Elizabeth Grala, RN Nurse Manager, Inpatient Psychiatry “Liz approaches every patient with a kind heart. All physicians rely on Liz and her willingness to talk to patients any time all the time to make them feel heard and make the patient feel he/she is the most important patient on the unit. Liz fights every day with vigor and sincerity for respect and dignity of patient with psychiatric diagnosis.” “Anything that she asks of us, she does herself. She leads by complete example. She does everything – puts an IV in, draws blood, whatever it takes. She is able to diffuse most behavioral issues that have occurred on the unit. She is the best supervisor we have ever had.” “I could not ask for a better manager and role model for us as nurses and for patients in coping with their psychiatric conditions.”
Joan Matus (Photo by Janine Gelineau)	Joan Matus, BSN, R.N. Clinical Nurse II, Operating Room “Joan puts her patients first and always goes above and beyond to assure that her patients receive the best care. She is always genuine when she speaks with her patients. In addition, she treats her co-workers with respect and is always available to offer her knowledge. Currently, she is helping me become a better OR nurse by teaching me what she knows.” “I value every ounce of knowledge that she has to share with me and I feel that she will more than leave a legacy behind here in the open heart room at JDH. She has taught me, and everyone, so many things that I feel she will always be present here in the OR. Her teaching and training will live on in those of us with whole nursing careers ahead of us.”
Marie Sudsbury (Photo by Janine Gelineau)	Marie Sudsbury, MPH, R.N. Infection Prevention Nurse “Marie, in her commitment to patient safety, quality of care and communication to key stakeholders, developed an effective, well-illustrated unit report card which enables all units to be aware of their progress on a multitude of infection prevention measures. The time and dedication Marie devotes to this project is absolutely above and beyond even the best of reports. This tool has been recognized by other Infection Preventionists from different institutions as truly outstanding work and as nothing they have in their own institutions.” “Marie is a prime team player, patient advocate and a truly excellent mentor for all nurses but most especially for newly employed nurses and newly graduated nurses.”
Michele Tardif (Photo by Janine Gelineau)	Michele Tardif, BSN, R.N. Assistant Nurse Manager, UMG East Hartford “Michele exemplifies the nursing ethics of patient centered care for all patients. She is a leader by example, as well as a role model to all staff. She has applied her nursing convictions to every role in the department, from COA to PSR to MA to provider. She will and often fills in for any medical assistant or nurse regardless of the shortage, and often does double duty as both. All this while maintaining her professionalism, caring practice and nursing judgment.” “Michele has shown great compassion, leadership and caring on both the best of days, and the worst. She makes herself available by personal and work phone at all times and all hours for all staff and providers. No concern is too small.”