Texas VA nurse named 2022 Pathway Nurse of the Year

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has named Marika Widmann of South Texas VA as 2022 Pathway Nurse of the Year in the category of direct care.

Every year, the ANCC selects two nurses from Pathway to Excellence designated organizations around the world as a “Pathway Nurse of the Year,” one for leadership and one for direct care. These individuals must have positively impacted the practice environment by demonstrating remarkable skills in working collaboratively with team members and integrating clinical expertise with compassionate patient/resident interactions.

“Marika epitomizes the Pathway Standards of shared decision-making, professional development, and well-being,” said supervisor nurse manager Angel Louder. “Her efforts keep staff engaged and excited to provide the highest quality of care, physically, psychologically, and socially, to each patient.”

Pathway Nurse of the Year Marika Widmann

“Wellness Challenges” helped de-stress her team

In an effort to enhance patient care at South Texas VA, Widmann identified knowledge deficits in herself and others concerning the LGBTQ+ Veteran community. She then promoted informational sessions to staff and encouraged an environment of care supporting well-being and inclusivity.

As chair for her unit’s Health and Wellness Committee, Widmann identified alarming levels of stress in the nursing staff caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and changing role of expectations. To combat this, she set up monthly “Wellness Challenges” to promote the idea of “self” in fellow nurses. Her efforts helped de-stress her team and made them more cognizant of their own needs, both physically and psychologically, thus promoting a healthier workforce.

Pathway Nurse of the Year chosen from thousands of candidates

Widmann is the first recipient from Texas to receive this award and beat out thousands of other highly qualified candidates.

Widmann was nominated by Louder and endorsed by Associate Director for Patient Care Services/Nurse Executive Valerie Rodriguez-Yu.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by the nursing community and even better to have South Texas VA in the spotlight for continued excellence in its Pathway designation and continuous journey of distinction” Widmann said.