AADE/LifeScan Diabetes Educator of the Year
The American Association of Diabetes Educators is formally recognizing Mary Sullivan, RN, MSN, C-ANP, CDE, for her accomplishment and congratulates her for being
selected as the AADE/LifeScan Diabetes Educator of the Year for 2010.
A lot has changed since Mary Margaret Sullivan, RN, MSN, C-ANP, CDE, first began working with patients with diabetes as a nursing student in 1977.
She recalls early home visits during which she used a double boiler to boil syringes.
"Throughout my career, I've been afforded the opportunity to watch that change," she said. "The tools have evolved to improve diabetes management."
And while many advances in the fields of diabetes management and education can be attributed to technological innovations, many more can be attributed to Sullivan's efforts to improve the lives of the patients.
Sullivan, who has worked at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center for more than 20 years, has worked to improve patient care as well as staff training.
"I'm the person behind the scenes," Sullivan said. "I consider myself a catalyst."
Those who have worked with her agree. which is why Sullivan was named the 2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year.
"It is time for this unsung hero to be recognized for all her efforts to advance diabetes educators and improve the care of people with diabetes," said Lisa Kroon, PharmD, CDE, Executive Vice Chair and Professor at UCSF School of Pharmacy.
Among her many efforts at UCSF, Sullivan developed a grassroots program to educate health care professionals about providing comprehensive diabetes education and about how to become a diabetes educator.
"She serves as a magnificent role model on how to make a difference for people living with diabetes," Kroon said. "Her approach to educating patients and families is holistic - taking into account their social, psychological, cultural and physical uniqueness."
Sullivan said she was drawn to the field of diabetes education because it affords her the opportunity to prevent the disease through primary prevention and to prevent harm to patients through secondary and tertiary prevention.
"Being a diabetes educator is more than a job," she said. "It helps improve lives. The skilled diabetes educator incorporates varied strategies to help engage patients and their families in diabetes self-management."
Sullivan works as an inpatient diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist and Associate Clinical Professor, obtaining doctorate at USF.
Sullivan accepted the Diabetes Educator of the Year award "on behalf of all the fabulous diabetes educators out there and the patients we care for."
AADE - August 5-9, 2009 - Annual Meeting - Saturday - Daily News