Classnotes

Class notes from the Winter 2005 issue of Nursing in Touch.

Two alumni of the College of Nursing earned President's Awards for excellence presented at this September's Faculty Convocation Ceremony.

Clinical Nurse Coordinator Patricia Knox (MS '96), was chosen for her Excellence in Professional Service and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Patricia Koniz (BS '98/MS-NP '99) won an award for Outstanding Voluntary Faculty.

How a hospital treats the dying is one of the best measures of its integrity and commitment. As University Hospital's palliative care consultation NP, Knox brings a full measure of skill, hope and caring to patients and their families during a most difficult time. She began her work coordinating the newly created Palliative Care service in 2001. She previously worked in neurology and physical rehabilitation, public health and nurse administration. Knox is also a clinical assistant professor for Upstate's Colleges of Nursing and Medicine, and lectures for the Center for Bioethics and Humanities.

Educating others about end-of-life issues is a crucial part of Knox's work. She achieved Advanced Practice Certification in Palliative Care Management and is a trainer in EPEC and ELNEC, national programs for training physicians and nurses in end-of-life care.

Knox is also a research award recipient from the college's Omicron Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society, and served as the chapter's president from 2000 to 2002.

Koniz is valued by the College of Nursing for both her nursing expertise and her ability to effectively pass on clinical knowledge to nursing students. Koniz works for the Syracuse Community Health Center as a pediatric NP and lactation consultant/instructor. Previously, she worked many years as a pediatric/maternal nurse at Syracuse hospitals, and in private physician practices. Since 1994, she has remained an international Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

Koniz serves as a preceptor at the SCHC for students in the pediatric NP track. She stimulates them to think critically and engages them in a full range of pediatric nursing cases. She always receives high scores from students on their preceptor evaluations. She successfully facilitated recent accreditation clinical site visits by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. She further served the Upstate community by membership on the Nursing Alumni Board of Directors. Additionally, Koniz is a member of Sigma Theta Tau.