Meet the Consultants

Sharon Cusanza brings over 32 years of nursing experience to her consultation practice, including nursing leadership, quality improvement, and Magnet® experience. She is currently the head of risk management education at LAMMICO. She was formerly the Magnet Program Director at Ochsner Medical Center for eight years, where she successfully wrote two sets of Magnet application documents and coordinated the accompanying site visits, most recently in 2013. Sharon possesses in-depth understanding and analysis of the Magnet Recognition Program® Application Manual and is a Fundamentals of Magnet® certificate holder. Fundamentals of Magnet® is a professional credential for consultants and Health care professionals who guide hospitals as they apply for Magnet recognition. She also has over 15 years of experience developing local and regional conferences for professional organizations.

In addition to consulting, she is a presenter at ANCC Magnet workshops and has spoken at the ANCC National Magnet Conference®and at AONE conferences. She recently redesigned the ANCC Magnet workshop, "The Essentials of Documentation."

Summary of Services

• Conducts gap analysis and readiness assessments, and provides strategies for success.
• Develops customized education and training to support organizational needs.
• Assists organizations with document development and review.
• Assists with electronic document submission.
• Conducts comprehensive on-site reviews in preparation for site visits.
• Works with all stakeholders to achieve organizational goals.

Education

• BSN, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA
• MSN in executive nursing, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL

Certifications

• American Nurses Credentialing Center–Certificate Holder in Fundamentals of Magnet®
• American Nurses Credentialing Center–Nurse Executive, Advanced

Professional Memberships

• Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions
• American Nursing Association
• American Organization of Nurse Executives
• American Society for Healthcare Risk Management
• Louisiana Association of Healthcare Quality

Dr. Mary Ann Donohue-Ryan has been a pioneer in the early Magnet® movement: She contributed to the foundational Magnet standards in the early 1990s and was one of the authors of the first written application at the second facility in the nation (the first after the University of Washington) to receive ANCC Magnet designation in the United States. A speaker at the very first national Magnet Conference and presenter for many national Magnet and local conferences,  senior leaders throughout New Jersey asked Dr. Donohue-Ryan to create formal and informal mentoring programs that could assist them in their individual journeys to Magnet designation. As an active member and future president of New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA), Dr. Donohue-Ryan worked with organizations to develop their unique self-assessment methods that became known as the first gap analysis tools. The reflection of success led to invitations to help other organizations across the country to form Magnet gap analysis initiatives within their own facilities. This occurred at the local and regional level in New Jersey and then extended to other states across the country, and she began to receive recognition in the literature; in research (Cheung & Aiken, 2006; Kramer, et. al., 2007) and quality journals (Lundmark & Hickey, 2007), and in a textbook (Barker & Sullivan, 2006). Subsequently, Dr. Donohue-Ryan consulted with hospitals in the United Kingdom and Singapore, leading to the first international Magnet designations in the U.K. and in Asia. Dr. Donohue-Ryan served for two terms on the ANCC Institute for Credentialing Innovation Governing Council and she was credited with having originated early Magnet research communities. In New Jersey, she instituted Journey to Excellence workshops while president of NJSNA to stimulate sharing of best practices.

Since 1995, Dr. Donohue-Ryan has served in progressively advanced clinical and nursing leadership positions, including Magnet® program director, director of professional practice and most recently, chief nursing officer at three organizations, leading two of them to their 4^th (Englewood Health) and 5^th (Jersey Shore University Medical Center) Magnet® designations, respectively.

Her passion is strengthening decision making at the unit level, building intra-professional teams, developing strategy and practical goal setting business plans, and leading innovation for patient as well as staff satisfaction initiatives. Dr. Donohue-Ryan is a capable team leader, and is known for being an advocate for the frontline clinical nurse, who unequivocally endorse her for her advocacy, leadership and inspiration to pursue the highest patient- and family-centered outcomes.   Astute in organizational leadership, Dr. Donohue-Ryan is well well familiar with bargaining unit negotiation and the coordination of mutual goal setting toward successful designation in a union environment. In addition, Dr. Donohue-Ryan has a track record of obtaining philanthropic grant funding to achieve nursing strategic goals such as increased national board certification rates, reducing unexplained absences by 25%, and staff nurse representation at national conferences. Dr. Donohue-Ryan helped to implement a new EMR in her last facility, earning highest marks for nursing involvement and metric compliance as well as video monitoring units and unit-based intraprofessional shared governance teams.

Summary of Services

• Assists organizations to determine readiness for the Journey to Magnet® designation or Pathway to Excellence application
• Engages all members of the nursing team and intraprofessional administrative, management and frontline clinicians to collaborate, resulting in an effective action plan around the organization’s gap analysis and strategic planning
• Works closely with the organization’s Magnet Coordinator in all phases of application submission and to site visit
• Coaches staff at the unit and manager level, with respect to contributing to the actual document preparation and appraisal visit and beyond

Education

• BSN, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ
• MA, New York University, New York, NY
• D. Adelphi University
• Post-Master’s Certificate, adult psychiatric nurse practitioner Columbia University
• Certified Professional in Health Care Quality (CPHQ)
• Nurse Executive, Advanced (NEA-BC)
• Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
• Certificate Holder, Fundamentals of Magnet® by the American Nurses Credentialing Center

Professional Memberships

• American Nurses’ Association, NJSNA (President 2010 – 2012)
• American College of Healthcare Executives
• Sigma Theta Tau
• American Organization of Nurse Executives
• National Association of Healthcare Quality

Special Acknowledgements

Recently named to the Editorial Board of Nursing Economic$, Dr. Donohue-Ryan has published numerous editorials and articles related to leadership including:

 Donohue, M. (2014, 2018). Self Management: Stress and Time. In P. Yoder-Wise (Ed.), Leading and Managing in Nursing. (6th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby

Donohue, M. (2011). Leading Change. In P. Yoder-Wise (Ed.), Leading and Managing in Nursing. (5th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.

Donohue, M.A. (2007, 2003). Conflict: The cutting edge of change. In P. Yoder-Wise (Ed.),

Leading and Managing in Nursing. (3rd & 4th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby

Energetic, visionary, and insightful, Dr. Rhonda Foster is a published and highly sought-after hospital consultant with a penchant for driving change, quality, and organizational improvement. While she served as the vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer for the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Dr. Foster’s collaborative and transformative leadership style led to innovative patient-care programs and the esteemed ANCC Magnet Recognition®. Dr. Foster now works full time as a consultant and educator. She is based in California and serves clients around the world.

An expert in a variety of Health care topics, Dr. Foster has been a featured presenter at American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) conferences and seminars, and over the course of her esteemed professional career, Dr. Foster has traveled the globe conducting lectures and seminars on quality Health care delivery, hospital administration, and leadership. During her tenure as chief nursing officer of the St. Joseph Health System of Sonoma County, Dr. Foster was considered an empathetic advocate and was lauded for her ability to inspire and motivate others toward a common vision.

Dr. Foster’s primary strength is her ability to put theory into practice. Understanding the benefits of technological advances in Health care administration, Dr. Foster, a catalyst and early adopter, led the implementation of an electronic medical record system that provided computerized physician order entry and ease in nursing documentation and medication administration. In addition, prior to its becoming a widely accepted practice, Dr. Foster implemented a nurse residency program for new graduate nurses that resulted in a 40% reduction in turnover.

Credible and scholarly, Dr. Foster’s work can be found in the Journal of Nursing Management, Oncology Nursing Society publications, and other reputable print and online resources. Dr. Foster has a master of science degree from Georgetown University, a master in public health degree from the Northwest Ohio Consortium, and a doctorate of education in leadership studies from Bowling Green State University.

Summary of Services

• Conducts readiness assessments and provides strategies for success.
• Develops customized education and training to support organizational needs.
• Assists organizations with document development and review.
• Submits electronic documents.
• Conducts comprehensive on-site assessments in preparation for site visits.
• Works with all stakeholders to achieve organizational goals and strategic alignment.

Education

• ADN – Michael J. Owens Technical College
• BSN – University of Toledo
• MSN – Nursing Administration in Health Services – Georgetown University
• Master's in Public Health Administration – Northwest Consortium for Public Health
• Doctorate of Education in Leadership Studies – Bowling Green State University

Certifications

• American Nurses Credentialing Center – Certificate Holder in Fundamentals of Magnet®
• American Nurses Credentialing Center – Nurse Executive, Advanced

Professional Memberships

• American College of Health Care Executives
• American Nurses Association
• American Organization of Nurse Executives
• National Association of Health Service Executives
• Sigma Theta Tau International

Dr. Maggie Johnson Glover brings with her 33 years of nursing experience that includes progressive leadership positions, as well as 15 years as a Nurse Scientist, academic appointments, and served as a  senior healthcare consultant. She is skilled in engagement with varied leadership levels across multiple disciplines, utilizes effective methods to impact varied outcomes such as: quality, core measures, nurse sensitive indicators, patient and staff satisfaction. She has extensive experience as a Director/ AVP, Professional Practice Research, Education & Magnet Program; and chairing institutional level quality and nursing leadership committees.

Summary Services

• Development Research and EBP Program: Establishes an infrastructure for ongoing scholarship by assisting staff with establishing unit based and hospital level processes for Evidence Based Practice (EBP) and research generation.
• Evidence Based Practice:
  • Educates varied levels of staff and leadership on the key principles of Evidence Based Methodology and implementation of innovations.
  • Develops and provides EBP workshops on assessing and appraising evidence utilizing an evidence hierarchy, grading schema, and summarization technique.
  • Utilizes a scientific Evidence Based Model and research as a framework for designing a systematic response to identified problems and associated question(s).
• Magnet: Implements organizational Magnet operations, staff coaching on crafting new knowledge chapters linked to institutional EBP and research, conceptual model development and linkage to practice based outcomes required for model evaluation, develops strategies to increase nursing certification and nursing satisfaction, establishes professional development processes that support leadership in advancing the knowledge and education of nursing staff;  and supports development of an evidence based nursing career ladder.
• Community and Healthcare Organization Engagement: Utilizes a systems approach to identifying key components and implementation strategies for solutions to community and healthcare organization needs. Design strategies for generating questions and solutions to organizational, population, and community relevant problems.
• Research & Research Protections:  Institutional level research and EBP protocol development, scientific and regulatory review of inter-disciplinary research protocols.
• Staff Education: Data driven unit-based education and EBP delivery, RN professional development, and conducts educational needs assessment (staff RN to CNO level).

Education

• PhD, Nursing, The University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
• MSN, Community Health, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
• BSN, Texas Woman’s University, Dallas, TX

Professional Memberships

• Sigma Theta Tau International
• American Nurses Association
• American Organization of Nurse Executives

Advisory Panels & Review Boards

• Primary IRB Member:  CNO representative for review of nursing and medical research(14 years’ experience)
• Member Scientific Review Panel: TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP) & HRSA
• Chair Scientific Review Panel B: TriService Nursing Research Program
• Military Nursing Representative: The National Institute For Nursing Research (NINR) National Advisory Council for Research (NACNR).

Special Acknowledgements

• Served as Associate Professor for 14 years and engaged faculty in academic settings at the BSN, MSN, and PhD levels at Howard University in Washington, DC. Served as Adjunct Faculty and Dissertation Committee member at The University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus
• Published articles, predominantly on knowledge development in mass casualty care, and Evidence Based Nursing Practice.
• Provided recommendations for community engagement for program development for opioid addiction
• Developed and conducted faith based workshops for women empowerment and goal attainment.

With 30+ years of experience in Health care and over 10 years of consulting experience, Marsha Hughes-Rease brings a wealth of knowledge about organizational effectiveness, culture change management, and group process to her consulting practice. She integrates this knowledge with her consulting expertise to help Health care organizations operationalize the Magnet^® Model to achieve a professional practice environment focused on achieving empirical outcomes in a changing Health care environment.

Marsha has consulted with Health care administrators, nurse leaders, and clinical nurses in 30+ Health care organizations that have earned ANCC Magnet Recognition, or who are on the Magnet or Pathway to Excellence® journey. Using an intentional and inclusive consulting approach, she focuses on engaging clinical nurses, nurse managers, and other key stakeholders to accelerate the achievement of Magnet Recognition or Pathway to Excellence. She collaborates with senior nurse leaders and the chief nurse executive to identify and take strategic actions to create organizational alignment and commitment to the organization's mission and vision.

Marsha’s consulting specialty areas include providing an organizational assessment and gap analysis for Magnet Recognition or Pathway to Excellence, identification of concrete actions to close the gaps, facilitating the development and implementation of a professional practice model, facilitating the development and implementation of a shared decision-making model compatible with the organization's governance structure, review of written documents for Magnet Recognition submission, readiness preparation for a Magnet Recognition site visit, and customized training. Marsha regularly facilitates the two day Journey to Magnet Excellence^® workshop. She has also co-designed and facilitates the one day workshop, Empirical Outcomes: Exceeding Magnet Expectations, which provides participants with an integration of practical tools to excel as change leaders.

Summary of Services

• Helps determine readiness to submit a Magnet or Pathway to Excellence application based on a gap analysis.
• Conducts a self-assessment that familiarizes participants with the Sources of Evidence in the Magnet Model while simultaneously gathering quantitative data to use as part of the gap analysis report.
• Conducts a self-assessment that familiarizes participants with the Pathway to Excellence Elements of Performance while engaging them in action planning to address perceived gaps.
• Conducts comprehensive on-site readiness assessments in preparation for Magnet site visits, a process which includes helping clinical nurses learn a communication technique that reflects self-confidence and competence, and articulates the value of nursing at the unit level.
• Provides transformational leadership development specifically facilitating peer coaching techniques to address complex issues
• Uses creative strategic planning techniques to increase staff nurse engagement, alignment with nursing strategic goals, and effective execution at the unit level.
• Customizes education and just-in-time training on transformational leadership, structural empowerment, and change management
• Works with senior leaders to design strategic interventions to address performance gaps.
• Works with nurse executives to address challenges at all levels that may potentially derail the Magnet Recognition or Pathway to Excellence designation process.

Education

• BSN, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
• MSN, Nursing Administration, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
• MS, Organizational Development, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Certifications

• American Nurses Credentialing Center – Certificate Holder in Fundamentals of Magnet^®
• Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA – Graduate Certificate, Leadership Coaching
• Graduate Certificate, Skilled Facilitator, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Professional Memberships

• American College of Healthcare Executives
• American Nurses Association
• American Organization of Nurse Executives
• American Society of Training and Development
• Institute of Coaching
• International Coaching Federation
• International Leaders Association
• Plexus Institute
• Sigma Theta Tau International

Special Acknowledgements

• Published numerous articles and book chapters including a chapter on Transformational Leadership in the award-winning text, Nursing Management Principles and Practice(2011, Oncology Nursing Society)
• Served as adjunct faculty member at George Mason University College of Nursing, is a faculty member at Duke Corporate Education, and is a certified Executive Coach.

Ashley Amorello Kellish has been a nurse for 12 years and has worked in a variety of education and leadership roles. Ashley has served as a Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP)™ appraiser since the inception of the accreditation process and has used her knowledge, skills and abilities within nursing competency, transition of practice, and education to provide expertise.

Ashley has a passion for nursing but also for the human behind the nurse and she is always searching for ways to elevate the profession. Ashley also has an extensive background in simulation modalities, leadership development and mentorship. 

Summary of Services

• Conducts gap analysis and readiness assessments, and provides strategies for success.
• Develops customized education and training to support organizational needs.
• Assists organizations with document development and review.
• Conducts comprehensive on-site reviews in preparation for site visits.
• Works with all stakeholders to achieve organizational goals.

Education

• BSN, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
• MSN, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
• DNP, Duke University, Durham, NC

Certifications

• Basic Life Support
• Critical Care Nursing 
• Oncology Nursing Society 
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructor

Professional Memberships

• American Association of Critical Care Nurses
• North Carolina Nursing Association

Dr. Karen Gabel Speroni helps hospitals and hospital systems through all phases of their Magnet^® journey. She is also an acknowledged research process expert who facilitates research and evidence-based practice infrastructures for Magnet designation and redesignation.

Dr. Speroni has nearly 30 years' experience in biomedical and evidence-based practice research, including consulting work with academic medical centers, Institutional Review Boards, and community hospitals. She currently chairs the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Nursing Research Council, serves as a clinical scientist on two Institutional Review Boards, and provides research consultation for other hospitals.

She is a prolific author and presents her research findings and processes nationally and internationally. An active mentor, she guides nurses in research and evidence-based practice.

Her childhood obesity research project, Kids Living Fit™, and her Nurses Living Fit™ project were profiled as innovations of excellence by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). In 2012, she received the Virginia Magnet Consortium Nursing Excellence Award for leadership.

Summary of Services

• Conducts organizational assessments.
• Reviews application documents for Magnet.
• Reviews ANCC requests for supplemental information and assists with responses.
• Prepares organizations for successful ANCC site visits working with hospital groups, shared governance councils, and clinical nurses.
• Assists with strategic planning for nursing excellence.
• Mentors and works with teams to successfully achieve strategic outcomes.
• Helps organizations develop effective shared leadership and decision-making structures, processes and outcomes, shared governance models and professional practice models.
• Research process expert.
• QuERY (Quality improvement, Evidence-based practice, Research, and You) process expert: facilitates incorporation of quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and research at the unit level.

Education

• PhD, Business Administration-Health Care Management, Eastern University
• MHSA, Policy, Planning and Marketing, The George Washington University
• BSN, Research College of Nursing-Rockhurst University

Certifications

• American Nurses Credentialing Center–Certificate Holder in Fundamentals of Magnet^®

Professional Memberships

• American Nurses Association
• Sigma Theta Tau International
• Virginia Nurses Association

Selected Publications

Groton, M., Fisher, M., Stranahan, K., Higley, M., Speroni, K.G., & Daniel, M. (2015). A prospective, randomized, single-blind study evaluating the effectiveness, tolerability and cost of colonoscopy bowel preparations. Gastroenterology Nursing. 38(1):31-41. doi: 10.1097/SGA.0000000000000087

Van Dyke, D., Singley, B., Speroni, K.G., & Daniel, M. (2014). Comparative study evaluation of fall risk assessment tools for psychiatric patient fall prevention: A comparative study. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 52(12):30-5. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20141022-01. Epub 2014 Oct 28.

Speroni, K.G. (2014). Designing exercise and nutrition programs to promote normal weight maintenance for nurses. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 19(3). doi:10.1177/1942602X14527322. http://nas.sagepub.com/content/29/3/140.full [Podcast: http://nas.sagepub.com/site//misc/Podcasts.xhtml]

Wilson, J., Speroni, KG, Jones, RA & Daniel, M.G. (2014). Exploring how nurses and managers perceive shared governance. Nursing 2014, 22: 19-22. www.Nursing2014.com DOI-10.1097/01.NURSE.0000450791.18473.52

Duffy, M.T., Friesen, M.A., Speroni, K.G., Swengros, D.A., Shanks, L., Waiter, P. & Sheridan, M.J. (2014). Bachelor of science in nursing degree completion barriers, challenges, incentives and strategies. Journal of Nursing Administration. 44(4), 232-236.

Speroni K.G., Fitch T., Dawson E., Dugan L., & Atherton M. (2013). Incidence and cost of workplace violence perpetrated by hospital patients or hospital visitors. J Emerg Nurs. 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.jen.2013.05.014.

Friesen, M.A., Herbst, A., Turner, J.W., Speroni, K.G. & Robinson, J. (2013). Developing a patient-centered ISHAPED handoff With patient/family and parent advisory councils. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, (28)3, 208-216.

Speroni, K.G., Fisher, J., Dennis, M., & Daniel, M. (2013). What causes near-misses and how are they mitigated? Nursing 2013, 43(4), 19-24.

McLaughlin, M., Speroni, K.G., Kelly, K.P, Guzzetta, C., & Desale, S. (2013). National Survey of Hospital Nursing Research, Part 1. Research requirements and outcomes. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 10-17. Reprinted 2013, 43(10), S28-S35.

Kelly, K.P., Turner, A., Speroni, K. G., McLaughlin, M., and Guzzetta, G. (2013). National Survey of Hospital Nursing Research, Part 2. Facilitators and hindrances. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 18-23. Reprinted 2013, 43(10), S36-S41.

Speroni, K.G., Earley, C., Seibert, D., Kassem, M., Shorter, G., Ware, C., Kosak, E. & Atherton, M. (2012). Effect of Nurses Living Fit™ exercise and nutrition intervention on body mass index in nurses. Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(4), 231-238.

Westerfield, H.V., Stafford A.B., Speroni, K.G., & Daniel, M.G. (2012) Survey research of patients' perceptions of patient care providers with tattoos and/or body piercings. Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(3), 160-164.

Stagg, S., Sheridan, D., Jones, R. A., & Speroni, K. G. (2011). Evaluation of a workplace bullying cognitive rehearsal program in a hospital setting. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 42(9), 395-403.

Speroni, K.G., Lucas, J., Dugan, L., O'Meara-Lett, M., Putman, M., Daniel, M. & Atherton, M. (2011). Comparative effectiveness of standard endotracheal tubes versus endotracheal tubes with continuous subglottic suctioning on ventilator-associated pneumonia rates. Journal of Nursing Economics, 29(1), 15-21.

Speroni K.G., Earley, C., & Atherton, M. (2007). Evaluating the effectiveness of the Kids Living Fit™ program: A comparative study. Journal of School Nursing, 23(6), 329-336.

For a listing of publications, click here