Westlake Nurse Recognized for Dedication

Kay Stelmach of Westlake was recently honored as one of the region’s most dedicated nurses at the inaugural Faces of Care Gala.

Stelmach, a June 2011 graduate of , was nominated by her professors and the staff at the school for her dedication to helping others and her compassion to her patients.

“Kay is a team-oriented student committed to sharing her knowledge with others as she continues expanding her own skills,” said Lawrence Fergus, campus college chair for the College of Nursing at University of Phoenix Cleveland Campus. “She consistently fosters collaboration among her classmates by discussing and applying concepts in patient care, which exemplifies the synthesis of theory to application.”

Stelmach was also nominated for her contributions to clinical research. She has been working in respiratory therapy for the past 15 years and became a registered nurse in 1979. She went on to become a research coordinator and later, the first nurse manager of the Cleveland Clinic General Clinical Research Center.

“We are very excited about Kay’s recognition. . . ” said Gina Cuffari, vice president of University of Phoenix Ohio Campuses, in a written statement. “She is among our top students at the Cleveland campus whose real-world experience has contributed to her own academic growth as well as the development of her fellow students.”