GNA Members Dr. Mary Gullatte and Dr. Michelle Nelson won the March of Dimes’ Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award!

December 11, 2020- On Saturday, November 21st, GNA Members Dr. Mary Gullatte and Dr. Michelle Nelson won the March of Dimes’ Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award! March of Dimes Nurse of the Year celebrates excellence in nursing. This year 300 nurses from across Georgia were judged in 16 categories, including Emergency/ICU, Surgical Services, and more.

Congratulations to Dr. Gullatte and Dr. Nelson!

Mary Magee Gullatte, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, AOCN, LSSYB, FAAN is presently the Corporate Director of Nursing Evidence based Practice and Research at EMORY Healthcare. Her leadership in nursing spans over 40 years with extensive experience in oncology nursing and Administration. As a Nurse Practitioner, her focus is on Primary care of the adult population. She served 7 years as Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Emory University Hospital-Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia. Mary also served for over 25 years as the Director of Oncology Nursing Services at Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute. Mary is the past president of the National Oncology Nursing Society from 2012 – 2014 (nearly 40,000 members). She is also Adjunct Faculty at the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences, as invited speaker, representing 6 of the 7 continents: including, invited speaker in West Africa; Prague, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Australia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Brazil, Amsterdam, Turkey, Oman-UAE, Thailand, China and most recently New Zealand.

Dr. Gullatte has contributed extensively to the body of published professional literature through articles and textbooks. Her recent book, 21st Century Nursing Leadership was awarded book of the Year in 2018 by the American Journal of Nursing.  Gullatte is the lead editor of Chemotherapy Handbook currently in Press in 4th edition will be published in the Spring of 2020 by the Oncology Nursing Society.  Throughout her career, Dr. Gullatte has received awards from the Oncology Nursing Society, the Georgia Nurses Association, Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority, the Greater Atlanta Affiliate of Susan G. Komen and a continuous community service award from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Dr. Gullatte was inducted as a Fellow [FAAN] into the American Academy of Nursing in 2010 and was elected to the Academy Board of Directors in October 2018 & 2020.  She was honored as the Georgia March of Dimes Nurse of the Year for 2013 in the Administration category and the 2020 Distinguished Nurse of the Year. She serves on several professional and healthcare boards including The Joint Commission Nursing Advisory Board-2012-2019.  She considers among her greatest accomplishments, her family: being wife, mother and Nana (grandmother); big sister and aunt. She enjoys mentoring, empowering and inspiring future generations to aspire to and achieve greatness beyond what they currently imagine- To believe they can FLY! 

 

Michelle A. Nelson, Ph.D., RN, MS, FNP-BC received her doctorate from Emory University in 2009 and continues to be involved in advancing nursing science to improve patient outcomes and support professional nursing practice. As a Clinical Associate Professor at the Georgia State University Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing Dr. Nelson teaches a wide range of clinical and research courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs. She has recently been appointed as the Program Coordinator of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. 

Dr. Nelson is a fierce advocate for advancing health policy and promoting full scope of practice for Advance Practice Nurses in Georgia. As an FNP, Dr. Nelson would be able to assist with developing a more detailed plan for vaccine distribution particularly at the point of care. As an educator, she is skilled in educating individuals regarding vaccination administration, side effects, and symptomatology. A proven leader in professional nursing associations, serving as the current president of an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse organization, she encourages advanced education and certification, and leading the unification of APRN organizations in Georgia as well as student and colleagues to take an active role in government through promoting legislative action. She serves on multiple state level nursing association committees: Georgia Nurses Association (GNA), Georgia Association of Nurse Educators (GANE), Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition (GNLC), and national level committees for the National Organization for Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and AARP.