May 14, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center awarded Jessica Stelmach of Gahanna (43213) the inaugural Elizabeth M. Ross Nursing Fellowship. Stelmach is an electrophysiology nurse at Ohio State’s Ross Heart Hospital.
“Jessica embodies the spirit of the Ross Nursing Fellowship through her commitment to her patients and her focus on adapting and innovating ways to improve our care,” said Traci Mignery, associate chief nursing officer at the Ross Heart Hospital. “I look forward to seeing her grow and develop through this fellowship opportunity.”
Stelmach has been a nurse at Ohio State since 2010. She was chosen from a pool of applicants by a group of nursing and administrative leaders across Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center. Stelmach will use her fellowship to complete a project focusing on the holistic care needs of heart and lung transplant patients. She will look at expanding services to transplant patients across the pre- and post-acute phases of their care.
“My passion for nursing began at age 12, standing at the bedside of my uncle who had undergone the first lung transplant at Ohio State. This experience illustrated that nursing is not just about completing the physician’s orders, but also caring for the holistic needs of the patient,” Stelmach said.
The Elizabeth M. Ross Nursing Fellowship is a one-year fellowship providing a full-time nurse in the Ross Heart Hospital with the opportunity to explore career enhancement through classes, educational opportunities and project-based work within the Wexner Medical Center and the College of Nursing. It was made possible through a $1 million donation from Elizabeth M. Ross, which established the Elizabeth M. Ross Cardiovascular Nursing Education and Leadership Fund. This fund creates new opportunities and career development paths that ensure the continued success of Ross Heart Hospital nurses.
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