2012 international new Fellows - American Academy of Nursing

50
2012
nEW FEllOWs
RaCHEl DiFaziO, ms, Rn, pnp-bC
Rachel DiFazio is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Orthopaedics at Boston
Children’s Hospital.
For over two decades, Ms. DiFazio has created a nexus of US-Russian nursing partnerships that has
advanced numerous professional initiatives within the Russian nursing community. She arranged
meetings between Russian and ANA leadership, helping expand their vision for nursing standards;
this contributed to the later establishment of the Russian Nurses Association (RNA).
Ms. DiFazio organized a scholar series in Russia featuring prominent US nursing leaders,
which ultimately lead to the biennial conference cruise. Nurses from over seven countries
have participated, furthering international exchange and resulting in numerous patient
education materials, publications, international presentations, and Fulbright Fellowships by
senior nurse researchers.
Ms. DiFazio co-edited the textbook, Английский Язык Для Медицинских Сестер, (English for
Russian Nurses) to improve nurses’ English-language literacy in healthcare terminology. This
text was adopted by the Russian Ministries of Health and Education for the national nursing
curriculum. She also was instrumental in procuring financial and technical support for an
experiential learning center and the RNA website, allowing nurses to directly access relevant
national and global healthcare information.
Ms. DiFazio was awarded the Nursing Spectrum Excellence Award and the Star Award for her
efforts. She also accepted an award for international collaboration from the Moscow Medical
Academy and has also shared her experience in Nursing Without Borders.
Ms. DiFazio earned her BS from Fitchburg State University and her MS from Boston College
where she is currently a doctoral candidate.
maRtHa gRiFFin, pHD, Rn, pmHCns-bC
Martha Griffin is a multifaceted award winning nurse, educator and researcher who has utilized
a combination of intelligence, nursing competence, warmth and a great sense of humor to
improve the lives of nurses, their workplace and vulnerable women.
Dr. Griffin’s intervention with nursing staff to change the impact of lateral violence is one of very
few that has worked at thwarting lateral violence and increasing retention among new staff.
Her work has been cited repetitively in all articles relative to lateral violence and has brought
much attention to the issue. She is requested nationally to teach this intervention to staff nurses
and administrators. Her dedicated and excellent work with RESOLVE dramatically and literally
changed the lives of women in Massachusetts.
Dr. Griffin works quietly and makes great and needed change without need for thanks or
recognition. Her ability to bring women, legislators and health care personnel together and
educate them about the need for change, has led to a better life for infertile women across
the country. Her committed leadership is evidenced by her record of accomplishments that
have quietly improved nursing, the lives of vulnerable women and health policy. Dr Griffin’s
leadership, scholarship and innate creativity make her a leader in the field.
sHEila gROssman, pHD, apRn, Fnp-bC
Sheila Grossman is Professor and Coordinator, Family Nurse Practitioner Track at Fairfield
University, and is nationally and internationally recognized as a scholar and expert in
leadership and mentoring. Her publications, instrument development, consultation, national
awards, presentations, and professional appointments highlight her significant accomplishments.
Dr. Grossman has consulted with numerous health care systems regarding the development of
nurses as leaders and provided instruments to help institutions measure the impact of mentoring
and leadership development. She serves as an expert resource for the American Nurses
Association’s national mentoring project and is a keynote presenter on leadership/mentoring
at multiple venues such as the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Conference
and International World Congress for Nurse Executives.