Nov
17
Written by:
Ranken Jordan
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Lauri Tanner, president and CEO of Ranken Jordan-A Pediatric Specialty Hospital, has received the 2010 Saint Louis University School of Nursing alumni merit award, which recognizes distinguished graduates who exemplify in daily life the University’s mission.
Teri Murray, Ph.D., dean of the School of Nursing, and Andrew Mills, Ph.D., named by Tanner as her most inspiring professor, made the presentation on Nov. 9 at Ranken Jordan. "Lauri is a remarkable and visionary leader," Murray said. "She exemplifies the qualities we love to see in our graduates and I am delighted she was selected as our 2010 alumni merit award recipient."
Surrounded by those she called "the people I love and care about most," Tanner received her award during the ceremony witnessed by her son Patrick, co-workers, Ranken Jordan board members, friends and pediatric patients.
"On the last day of undergrad in '82, an instructor urged all of us to lead from a position of nursing. Those words have never left my heart. I felt empowered then as I do today. I knew our place was not on the sidelines but on the front lines, leading the battle for quality care and patient safety," Tanner said. "I feel passionately about nursing and this is a big deal for me to be recognized by Saint Louis University."
Tanner received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Saint Louis University School of Nursing. In 1998, she joined Ranken Jordan, a specialty hospital serving children who have complicated medical conditions requiring comprehensive care. Tanner served as chief operating officer until 2001, when she was promoted to executive director. She has served as president and CEO of Ranken Jordan since July 2001. One of only a handful of pediatric specialty hospitals in the United States, Ranken Jordan serves children from the entire Midwest region and has helped patients from places as far away as Africa, England and Iraq.
Before joining Ranken Jordan, she worked in various nursing leadership positions at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center and was nursing program director of CompreHealth Inc. She also had been a nurse at Jewish Hospital of St. Louis.
Since 2003, Tanner has been selected by the Missouri Governor’s Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values to be its annual speaker, mentor and facilitator. She was selected for the 2006-2007 class of Leadership St. Louis and is a member of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Missouri Hospital Association, American Hospital Association and National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions.
Lauri Tanner's Acceptance Speech
About Ranken Jordan
Ranken Jordan – A Pediatric Specialty Hospital is one of a handful of hospitals in the country that provide rehabilitation and sub-acute medical treatment for children regardless of their family’s ability to pay. For children with complex medical issues, such as brain injuries or complications due to premature birth, Ranken Jordan helps bridge the gap between traditional hospital treatment and going home. Ranken Jordan offers care through a 34-bed inpatient program and several outpatient programs, including outpatient therapy, intensive day treatment and a comprehensive orthopedic/rehabilitation clinic. For more information, visit www.rankenjordan.org.