Alumna Jessica Tambe Receives National Award in Neuroscience Nursing Education

Alumna Jessica Tambe ’22N (MS), RN, SCRN, earned national recognition for her work as a neuroscience nurse educator at Strong Memorial Hospital.

Tambe, a graduate of the Master’s in Nursing Education (MNE) program, was named the recipient of the Excellence in Neuroscience Education Award at the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses’ annual conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. The award recognizes nurses whose contributions inspire, develop, and support nurses in the provision of care to neuroscience patients.

“Receiving an award like this shows that anytime I’ve wondered, ‘Am I really making a difference?’ I really am,” Tambe said.

“I couldn’t have done it without the School of Nursing,” she added. “It’s so much more than a degree. The MNE program helped me realize how many opportunities are out there in nursing education.”

Recognizing a need for a dedicated Neuromedicine Stroke Educator role, LaToya Baldwin, director of the neuromusculoskeletal nursing service line, worked with Tambe to create a full-time position at Strong. In this newly developed role, Tambe provides education to patients at the bedside and to nurses working with stroke patients throughout the hospital, including neurology, neuromedicine ICU, the Emergency Department and other neuromusucular-related areas.

Ann Leonhardt Caprio, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, SCRN, ASC-BC, FAHA, program coordinator for the UR Medicine Comprehensive Stroke Center and an assistant professor of clinical nursing, praised Tambe’s commitment to pioneering a new role in their specialty area.

“In a field where the quality of care directly impacts patients' lives, Jessica goes above and beyond to ensure that all neuroscience patients in our Comprehensive Stroke Center have access to nurses who possess specialized knowledge in stroke care,” Leonhardt-Caprio said. “Jessica’s advocacy, backed by her extensive knowledge and passion, was instrumental in creating this role, and she is trailblazing in its development."

Maria Marconi, EdD, RN, CNE, director of the MNE program, noted Tambe’s history of high achievements as an educator early in her career. Shortly after finishing the MNE program, she was among only 10 nurses in the U.S. to be selected for a prestigious presentation on innovations in nursing education at the 2022 International Nursing Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

“It is a joy to acknowledge her significant local and national contributions to nursing education and her strong commitment to the School of Nursing,” Marconi said.

Tambe, who has been working in stroke care since she first became a nurse 10 years ago, is passionate about raising community awareness surrounding stroke prevention and risk factors, especially risks that are lesser-known.

“Patients are used to being independent, and then their world is turned upside down," Tambe said. "Through my role, I’m able to help them in that time of need, and provide education on how it happened and how to prevent another stroke in the future.”