Autumn Marcis recognized for nursing excellence

“I am just doing my job,” said Autumn Marcis, a clinical educator at Aspirus Medford Hospital. “I don’t feel like I am that special.”

Her coworkers and friends feel differently about her.

“Autumn Marcis is the embodiment of the Aspirus nursing mission, vision, and values. She lives this through excellence in her care delivery and compassion for the people she serves,” wrote Jennilee Mann, nursing professional development coordinator for Aspirus.

“[I]t brings me great comfort knowing that she is teaching nurses in our community who care for my family and I when we need them,” wrote Michael Borgen, nominating Marcis for a Nightingale Award for Excellence.

Marcis was one of three nurses from the Northwest Wisconsin Division of Aspirus Health who have been recognized for their outstanding service by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing and Board of Visitors.

The Nightingale Awards event took place in Oshkosh on Thursday, April 25 to honor the 2024 nominees who exemplify the highest standards of nursing practice as well as the nurse leaders who facilitate that care. “I’m really honored to be nominated,” Marcis said.

Marcis explained that she was surprised to get a message from UW-Oshkosh alerting her she had been nominated for the award.

“My sneaky coworkers and husband had kept it secret for months,” she said. “To be included in this group is such an honor.”

“This is a tremendous honor for these dedicated nurses who work tirelessly caring for the communities we are blessed to serve, said Jessica Faude, MSN, RN-BC, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Northwest WI Division of Aspirus Health. “We are grateful for and humbled by their compassion and commitment to serve others.”

Marcis has been a nurse for nine years. Her main background was in the emergency department in Medford. She started her career in Wausau and relocated here with her husband, Brandon, who works at the Medford Area Middle School.

She was in the emergency department full time for seven years and still fills in as a casual employee when needed, but her primary job is as a clinical educator for the Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics. She works in both Medford and the Stanley facilities helping staff maintain their skills and competencies. She also works with the onboarding of new staff.

“Her passion as a clinical educator for teaching and helping others can be seen in the creation and facilitation of the simulation program at Aspirus Medford and Stanley hospitals. This has been instrumental in moving the outcomes for patients and employee preparedness when dealing with medical emergencies. Her expertise as an emergency room nurse is so beneficial to her teaching abilities and knowledge sharing. Autumn supports and guides our employees from all disciplines to work at the top of their Iicensure and be prepared for various care situations; ensuring they will be ready for the unexpected and difficult patient care we at times face in critical access settings. She seamlessly creates a learning environment that is open to questions and process improvement,” Mann wrote in her nomination letter.

Marcis explains the best description for her job is as teacher in a hospital setting. She said she spends a lot of time teaching skills to different departments. She said one week she may be in the nursing home and another week be in a different department.

Ongoing education is important in any profession, but especially so in healthcare as new discoveries or innovations lead to changes in what is considered to be best practices in healthcare settings. An example of this was during the COVID-19 pandemic where healthcare providers pivoted to provide the best care possible as the pandemic evolved and more became known about the various strains and best treatment options.

Marcis said that at the end of the day, the goal is to improve patient outcomes and where patients can feel confident they are getting the highest level of care.

“Healthcare is ever-changing,” Marcis said, explaining they rely on evidencedbased practices in nursing.

“It is heartwarming to have our organization represented by these dedicated nurses who represent the best of the best for Aspirus Health,” added Faude.

In addition to Marcis, Natalie Hazuga from Aspirus Stanley Hospital were among 15 nominees in Wisconsin for Nightingale Nursing Excellence awards. Nicole Dekan from Aspirus Stanley Hospital was one of 12 nominated for a Nightingale Nurse Leader award.