'Sky's the limit' for trio of Steinberg nursing-scholarship winners

Science Article
October 3, 2002

The 2002 Steinberg nursing scholarship winners (from left): Mary Galligan, Eileen Dorsey and Veneta Sykes. Photo by Todd McNaught

By BRAD BROBERG

At a time when the nursing profession is attracting fewer people, this year's winners of the eighth annual Steinberg nursing scholarships can't imagine a more rewarding profession.

"Oncology nursing has very high highs and very low lows, and I find it a privilege to work with these patients," said Mary Galligan.

Galligan is one of three Seattle Cancer Care Alliance oncology nurses to win scholarships this year. Also receiving scholarships to attend a national nursing conference were Eileen Dorsey and Veneta Sykes. The winners were announced at a surprise luncheon Sept. 10.

The scholarships come from the Harold and John Steinberg Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund. John Steinberg had two marrow transplants at Fred Hutchinson before he died in 1994. His father, Harold, diagnosed with multiple myeloma, died of a brain aneurysm in 1981. Each year, the Steinberg family, of Atlanta, contributes more than $10,000 for nursing education.

Galligan has been a nurse for 15 years, all but one of them as an oncology nurse. Currently an outpatient nurse in the Alliance's radiation oncology department, she joined the Alliance a year ago after stints at the University of Washington Medical Center and Veterans Administration Hospital.

"She is able to be with patients and families at the most challenging time in their lives, help them keep their perspective and support them in maintaining their roles as much as possible," wrote a peer of Galligan's who nominated her.

Technical, personal skills

Galligan said nursing allows her to combine a background in science with her love of working with people. Initially apprehensive about oncology nursing, she quickly learned to appreciate the way it tests both her technical skills and her ability to interact with patients and their families.

"The challenge of oncology nursing has been really important," she said.

Given the nursing shortage, Galligan is especially interested in ways to improve the profession. She recently helped lead a research project to determine how nurses can communicate with patients more effectively to collect as much information as possible about their needs.

"I'm really interested in the things we can learn from other professions and apply to our profession to make our workload more manageable and improve communication between staff and patients and families," she said.

Like Galligan, Sykes has been a nurse for 15 years, all of it as an inpatient oncology nurse. She came to the Alliance when it opened its adult unit at the University of Washington Medical Center in 2000. Before that, she worked at Highline Community Hospital.

In nominating Sykes for a scholarship, a colleague cited the "exceptional psychosocial support" she provides patients and families. One example involved a patient with a grave prognosis.

"It was an amazing experience to see how she orchestrated wonderful care using the many resources available to her," the colleague wrote. "She greatly improved the quality of life for the patient and the family."

Sykes did not enjoy her first year as an oncology nurse. She said she still was adjusting to the death of her own father, and it was difficult to work with patients who also could die.

"Then. all of a sudden, it just clicked," she said. "What I love the most is the relationship we have with patients, how they let us into their lives and we let them into ours."

Sykes said she tries to help patients and families understand that cancer is "a chronic illness, not a terminal illness. It's not all gloom and doom." For Sykes, the bottom line is, "I'm helping patients to live."

She's particularly excited about working at the Alliance.

"There's so much opportunity for growth here with all the research," she said. 'The sky's the limit, as far as I'm concerned."

Dorsey has been an outpatient nurse in the hematology program since day one of the Alliance. Before that, she worked at Providence Medical Center and the University of Washington Medical Center.

'Caring, energetic'

"This nurse is the most competent, caring, energetic nurse with whom I have worked in 20 years of practice," wrote a colleague. "She is the glue that holds our work group together."

Dorsey chose nursing as a career because she thought it would be rewarding and it was a job where she could make a difference. "The people you work with, staff and patients, are special people," she said.

"The people that you work around keep you in the profession."

An oncology nurse throughout her 11-year career, Dorsey said people shouldn't let the challenges of nursing discourage them from considering the profession.

"You hear a lot of people say they could never do it," said Dorsey. "But you can be surprised by what's inside of you."

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