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 2022
Following a blind review by Eta Pi board of directors, two outstanding essays have been awarded the 3rd annual Dr. Mary E. Wurbach Nursing Essay Award for 2022. These essays were to build on personal knowledge, aesthetic and/or ethical knowledge.
Receiving first place, which includes a $1,000 monetary award, a physical award, and his name engraved on an award plaque is Zachary Jennings with his essay entitled The Power of One. Zach is currently an ICU nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital and pursuing his DNP degree as a nurse anesthetist through UW Oshkosh. He has been an Eta Pi member since 2021.
Earning second place, which includes a $500 monetary award and physical award is Kimberly Brundidge with her essay entitled Unstoppable. Kim is a full-time instructor with the UW Oshkosh College of Nursing and an ICU nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital. She has been an Eta Pi member since 2020.
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 2022 Research Award Winners Announced
Congratulations to the 2022 Eta Pi Research Award Winners!
The first place submission is awarded to DNP-NA student and Eta Pi Member, Michael Mason for his project titled Resident Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Computerized Module in Teaching Regional Anesthesia Concepts. This submission will earn $1,000 and be featured at our Fall 2022 Eta Pi Scholarship Day.
The second-place submission is awarded to DNP-FNP student and Eta Pi Member, Emily Wachtendonk for her project Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Access in Apheresis. This submission will earn $500 and also be featured at the Fall 2022 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.