From advocating for patients to leading innovations in care, nurses are at the heart of health systems across the U.S. and around the world. The American Nurses Association (ANA) is dedicated to recognizing the unwavering dedication, expertise and compassion nurses bring to healthcare, and invites everyone to celebrate “The Power of Nurses” during National Nurses Week 2025 from May 6-12.
Launched over 30 years ago, this week honors “the vital contributions of nurses globally and acknowledges the real-life challenges they face daily.” It’s a subject honored year round through the innovative programs and clinical experiences at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
“Nurses are a constant in the healthcare industry. We show up,” said Carol Musil, dean of the nursing school. “From the time someone is born to the time they pass, nurses are there to address any and all healthcare needs for individuals and their communities.”
Musil emphasized that in a world facing complex health challenges and evolving federal policy, nurses are more essential than ever—not only because of their clinical presence at every stage of life, but also because of their deep commitment to advancing health, supporting whole-person care and leading change in their communities.
“The research our nursing faculty is doing aims to address real-life challenges,” she said, “and the future our students face is one they are prepared to face because of the experience they receive here at Case Western Reserve University alongside working nurses.”
Though there are more than 4.7 million registered nurses in the U.S., the need for nurses continues to grow. Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing is proud to help answer this call, educating and preparing students to lead in the workforce through diverse healthcare pathways.
Get to know a few members of the School of Nursing who impact research and education throughout each stage of our life cycles.
Nursing from birth…
The youngest patients nurses care for are often just hours old–and educators like Kristina Banks are preparing students to meet those unique needs from the very start.
Working with pediatrics students on competency-based patient care simulations, Banks, instructor and lead faculty of the Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program, hopes to bring her experience working with children to the classroom with a new simulation course. A collaborative approach with pediatric patients, Banks’ teaching mirrors situations nurses face when dealing with children and newborns.
…to our offices and homes…
Nurses also support us as we begin to enter the world, in education settings, homes, office and everywhere in between.
Shanina Knighton, an adjunct associate professor and Veale Faculty Fellow, is one such nurse who focuses in this area. An expert on sanitization and technology-based interventions, Knighton is constantly seeking innovative ways to prevent the next pandemic, such as developing a 3D-printed device for hospital beds that easily dispenses liquid sanitizer, effectively limiting the spread of bacteria.
A growing collaborative of nurse researchers, including the nursing school’s Stephanie Griggs, Grant Pignatiello and Valerie Boebel Toly, are exploring how sleep affects patients with chronic conditions and how a lack of sleep affects patient decision-making. Their efforts are increasingly catching the eye of students, who see firsthand how sleep affects patients during long clinical hours.
…and the operating room…
Nurses also provide compassionate care even in the most difficult situations, when we are in need of experts who know our medical needs.
Instructor Chris Bibro, who works with Summa Health System’s nurse anesthesia program, focuses on the fast-paced, high stakes environment his students face in this setting.
“To me, nursing means providing care and being an advocate,” Bibro said. “In the practice of anesthesia, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists have the opportunity to work in complex and challenging environments, and to apply our advanced training to provide care and advocate for patients in their most vulnerable state—under anesthesia.”
For patients who need immediate care, nurses like Instructor David Kaniecki, who specializes in critical care and flight nursing, are often the first line of defense in saving lives during an emergency.
Kaniecki takes pleasure in teaching students like Tanner Purnhagen, a dual Master of Science in Nursing/Doctor of Nursing Practice student in the acute care nurse practitioner program, who show compassion for patients while ensuring expert care on the way to the hospital.
…to the halls of Congress…
Influence and leadership isn’t just limited to clinical settings, either.
Ethan Slocum, who is graduating this month from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, spent the past year advocating for student and professional nurses in his role as president of the National Student Nurses Association. Slocum, who plans to work in the pediatric intensive care unit at University Hospitals after graduation, believes all nurses are leaders.
“Nurses don’t have to be a chief nursing officer to make a difference in people’s lives,” he said. “As a nurse, leadership starts with us. What makes a difference to our patients is the connections we make at the bedside and in our communities.”
…on our phones and computers, even…
Nursing even transcends the physical worlds we think of when picturing medical scrubs and hospitals. With the rise of artificial intelligence systems, telehealth and mobile care, nurses are looking for ways to utilize technology to provide better care for patients, wherever they are.
Kylie Meyer, an assistant professor, is working with an AI-based mobile phone application that provides healthcare-focused chat services to elderly patients and their caregivers. By providing a remote option, Meyer said patients—especially those in remote areas or with accessibility challenges—have more access to resources and services than they otherwise would.
Associate Professor Matthew Plow is exploring telehealth options for patients with multiple sclerosis, and nurse researchers like Assistant Professor Nicholas Schiltz are using AI to analyze large datasets to provide recommendations for patient care, potentially saving time and lives in the process.
…to end of life care.
And in our final year and last breath, nurses are there for us.
Susan Nader, an instructor who spends half her time working with Judson Senior Living, specializes in elderly patients and end-of-life care. Her psychiatric/mental health students focus on specialized memory care units, helping patients handle ageism and providing dignified care to older adults.
“I became a nurse because I have always felt a deep connection with people, and through this connection was really just a desire to be present and hopefully have a positive impact on them and their families during some really difficult times,” Nader said. “It is very rewarding to be able to support others in their time of need.”
Interested in learning more about the programs at Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing?