New Jersey Nurse - June 2022

Page 14 New Jersey Nurse & Institute for Nursing Newsletter June 2022
Kem Louie, PhD, RN, APN, FAAN –
Reflection on 50 years in Nursing
By Renee F. Pevour MS RN
If you know Dr. Kem
Louie, what comes to mind
is a kindhearted professional
educator who shepherded many
individual nursing students and
also grew multiple graduate
education programs. As William
Paterson University initially
started discussing adding fully
online graduate programs, Dr.
Louie was one of the first to say
Dr. Kem Louie
“Yes, William Paterson University nursing needs to do this.” As a result, within 2
years, the online masters nursing program now has over 500 students. And the
fully online RN-BSN program has over 700 students. She has also been actively
involved as the Director of the Graduate Program and initiated the Doctor of
Nursing Practice Program.
Dr. Louie’s nursing career has not just been about increasing the numbers of
nurses. Dr. Louie started with a desire to help people. Dr. Louie states “It’s difficult
looking back on nursing - the time surprisingly went fast and as I reflect on the
changes in the nursing profession. I remember early on how much I wanted to
help others and couldn’t wait to practice after passing the boards.” She goes
on to say, “one of my earliest memories is attending my first American Nurses
Association annual meetings. The national speakers were hopeful and motivating
and I knew then I was in the right profession.” She joined NJSNA in 1972. There
was so much going on in the political area and she recalls being on the Legislative
committee when the NJSNA first proposed the Advanced Practice Nurse – APN
bill… and it was passed. “It was exciting to feel this success and today, others
continue the fight.”
In reflecting on her many achievements during her career, Dr. Louie reported,
“I think my greatest achievement was being the national founding President of the
Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association and a founding member of the
National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations. This group ‘advocates
for equity and justice in nursing and health care for ethnic minority populations.’
One honor that Dr. Louie humbly, did not talk about, but is worthy of
mentioning: She was invited into the Fellowship of the American Academy of
Nursing (FAAN). The American Academy of Nursing's (Academy's) mission is to
improve health and achieve health equity by impacting policy through nursing
leadership, innovation, and science. This is a select group of nursing leaders
impacting the health of the nation.
Most of Dr. Louie’s nursing career has been in academia. She has taught
nursing students from the associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral
programs. Recently, she was honored with the Nurse Educator Award by the
NJSNA (New Jersey State Nurses Association) Dr. Louie states she “will always
be proud to teach each generation of nurses to provide care, evidence based
interventions, and comfort to those in need.”
It has been the privilege of many to work alongside of one of our professions
most kindhearted leaders who practiced with strong determination and vision. We
thank you Dr. Louie for your contribution, service, and mentorship – your vision
will continue.
Two New Jersey School Nurses
Receive National Recognition
Eileen Gavin, MSN, FNP-BC, NCSN (NJSSNA President-Elect) and
Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FAAN (NASN Director for NJSSNA)
New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSSNA) proudly announces two
innovative nurse leaders for national recognition through the National Association
of School Nurses (NASN). The school nurses were celebrated at NASN’s national
conference in Atlanta, Georgia on June 30, 2022. They were among the best of
the best school nurses recognized from across the nation.
Mary Ellen Engel, MSN, RN, NJ-CSN, is the 2022
NJ School Nurse Administrator of the Year.
Mary Ellen is a nursing Supervisor for North
Brunswick Township Schools who embraced the
challenges of the pandemic focusing on the needs of
the students, families, staff, and community. She was an
integral part of the district’s response and spokesperson
for the North Brunswick community. Mary Ellen identified
a need to build trust and confidence through education,
utilize technology to capture, analyze and disseminate
accurate data, and to provide accessible resources and
services to ensure healthy, safe, and caring schools.
Mary Ellen is a school nurse leader who met the challenges of COVID headon
from the beginning of the pandemic. She not only led the North Brunswick
Township school district’s COVID response, but was a founding member of the
state level think-tank that partnered with NASN to address the pandemic locally
and nationally. Mary Ellen is a visionary school nursing leader who is dedicated to
children’s health and amplifying the role of school nurses.
Roseanne Rowe – 2022 NJSSNA Excellence in
School Nursing Award
Roseanne is a champion for school nursing practice,
and NJSSNA enthusiastically announces that she is the
2022 Excellence in School Nursing, New Jersey School
Nurse of the Year. Roseanne is a powerhouse school
nurse who has devoted her career to the most challenging
and complex students. She works in an alternative junior/
senior high school with students who were recently
incarcerated and cannot yet enter the general school
population. Roseanne’s approach with her students is
one of unconditional positive regard, and the students
respond to her with respect and appreciation. She has earned a stellar reputation
throughout the state of New Jersey for her outstanding service to students.
Roseanne is an exemplary school nurse leader who challenges herself and her
students to be the best they can be every single day.
Roseanne has spent her career in service to others, especially her school
community. She has also been a mentor to countless New Jersey school nurse
certification students through her affiliation with Rutgers-Camden Nursing.
Those students who were privileged to have Roseanne as a preceptor left the
experience with a much broader sense of social responsibility, the impact of social
determinants of health, and an understanding of their own implicit biases.
NJSSNA proudly represents what is possible in school nursing leadership.
We encourage nurses across our state to consider the specialty practice
of school nursing. The autonomy and independence in practice may be
the change you need! Contact NJSSNA’s Executive Director, Marie Sasso,
njssnaexecutivedirector@gmail.com, for more information on how to become a
Certified School Nurse.
Now Hiring!
Pediatric LPN with current experience, an
unencumbered license, current BLS certification, and
fully vaccinated plus booster for COVID-19.
LPN and CMA for Covid Team – experience vaccinating
all age groups, unencumbered license, current BLS
certification, and fully vaccinated plus booster for
COVID-19. Spanish speaking preferred for all positions.
Contact Dr. Sirola today msirola@mfhcnj.org
270 Broadway, Long Branch, New Jersey | P: 732-923-7100 | F: 732-923-7104