Welcome to the Eta Pi Chapter Website
Eta Pi Chapter, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing, since 1984
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing inducted its first members into the Nursing Honor Society in 1981, and in 1982 applied to join Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. The Eta Pi Chapter charter was granted in 1984, and the Charter Members were inducted on April 27, 1984. The chapter celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2014.
The Eta Pi Chapter membership has grown from 40 Charter Members in 1984 to over 2,000 inducted members today. We have members who live across the United States, and in India, Oman, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Founded in 1922, Sigma has more than 130,000 active members in more than 85 countries. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers. The Eta Pi Chapter is proud to be a part of the Sigma legacy.
Dr. Suzanne Marnocha, PhD, MSN RN, CCRN ret. served as a faculty member and Assistant Dean and Pre-Licensure Program Director at UWO in the College of Nursing, retiring in 2017. Additionally, she worked as a bedside ICU RN from 1976-2012.
Dr. Mark Marnocha PhD, MS is a Clinical Psychologist having taught for many years with UW Madison Family Medicine and finally for the Medical College of WI. He taught family medicine MDs, psychology graduate students, and nursing students.
They have a specific fondness for conveying the importance of the Humanities in Healthcare and have offered many lectures and classes on this topic. They reside on their small hobby farm in Hortonville with an alpaca, llamas, horses, chickens, honeybees, dog, and 1 kitty.
Thank you, Drs. Marnocha for this generous donation once again!
Dr. Mary E. Wurzbach Nursing Essay Award WINNERS 2021
Following a blind review by Eta Pi board of directors, two outstanding essays have been awarded the 2nd annual Dr. Mary E. Wurbach Nursing Essay Award for 2021. These essays were to build on personal knowledge, aesthetic and/or ethical knowledge. The first-place essay, once again penned by Isabelle St. John (1st placed 2020 essayist) was described by one reviewer as "[bringing] tears to my eyes with the way it connected to what we as nurses have all felt and do feel caring for our patients. I loved the idea and found it both original but something would connect to all nurses at the same time." Isabelle St. John is a Spring 2018 UWO CON graduate. After graduating, she completed the Nurse Residency Program at UW Health University Hospital on their Solid Organ Transplant unit and is now pursuing her passion for pediatrics at Children’s Wisconsin in their Cardiac PICU. The title of her piece is Make it Through the Night.
Our second-place entry was also a two-time award winner. I have learned penned by Lindsay Buttles, MSN, RN, was also awarded due to the quality of writing. Multiple reviewers identified this essay as "well written, creative, and with unique perspective". One reviewer continued, "The biggest line that really stands out to me is 'Once you think you have learned everything, you become a danger to yourself and others.' This is something all nurses should relate to. Working at the bedside I was able to relate to all the main points in the essay." Lindsay is an instructional academic staff with the College of Nursing at UWO and a current doctoral student in the DNP-FNP program. She wanted to express how much she loved being able to be a part of this unique form of scholarship. "I truly felt vulnerable writing my essay because it was so personal and raw...It was a blessing to be able to write from the heart about my career as a nurse and how I have evolved as a person as well as a professional nurse."
Mary Ellen Wurzbach, BSN, MSN, FNP, Ph.D., ANEF is a retired Professor Emerita of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She has written numerous articles about end-of-life ethical issues and received three awards for excellence in nursing journalism from Sigma Theta Tau International, an award for the development of educational technology
for her online course Nursing Care at the End-of-Life from Sigma Theta Tau International, and the Advancement of the Science of Palliative Nursing Care Award from the Palliative Care Section of MNRS. She has been a University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh TRISS Endowed Professor and in 2008 won the Penson Award from the University for excellence in scholarship, teaching and service. In 2009 she was awarded the John Mcnaughton Rosebush University Professorship for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Achievement and Service and the Edward M. Penson Distinguished Teaching Award. She was designated a Legacy Professor by the Center for Health Policy and Ethics of Creighton University in 2006 for her pioneering work in nursing ethics and in 2009 as one of the 100 Distinguished Alumna from the University of Minnesota over the past century. She is also a Sigma Virginia Henderson Fellow and an NLN Fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education. Her extensive publications have been instrumental in nursing theory and practice. Dr. Wurzbach has made a life-long contribution that has advanced the science of nursing.
Eta Pi 2021 Research Award Winners Announced
Congratulations to the 2021 Eta Pi Research Award Winners!
The first place submission is awarded to undergraduate honors students Morgan Anibus and Cassidy Vande Berg with their project chairs Dr. Shelly Lancaster, and Dr. Heather Englund for their project titled Self-Compassion and Resilience Among Student Nurses During the Ongoing Pandemic. This submission will earn $1,000 and be featured at our Fall 2021 Eta Pi Scholarship Day.
The second-place submission is awarded to undergraduate honors student Becca Birrell for her project Culturally Sensitive Care in the Clinic: Understanding LGBTQIA+ Healthcare Best Practice Methods in Wisconsin's Fox Valley Area Clinics, which was advised by Dr. Liz Cannon and Dr. Jacki Karlin. This submission will earn $500 and also be featured at the Fall 2021 Eta Pi Scholarship Day.
Eligibility for this award includes: (a) active Eta Pi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International membership (b) research that contributes to the advancement of nursing science, and (c) research that is in progress. This year there were four entries for this award.