Friends of Nursing
Friends of Nursing (FON) is a philanthropic organization founded in
1981 dedicated to promoting professional excellence in nursing
practices at Stanford Health Care (SHC). In this capacity, Friends of
Nursing awards up to ten grants annually of up to $1,800 each to fund
activities that will impact and benefit patient care practices at SHC.
Grant areas of study include Nursing Research, Evidence Based
Practice, Quality Improvement and Patient Education. Friends of
Nursing also oversees the distribution of the Betty Cretekos
Scholarship, which was founded in 2004.
Nurses who are interested in pursuing a grant can complete a FON Grant Application form. The deadline for
submission is mid-April and mid-November of each year. Prior to
completing an application, please review the grant criteria. Awards recipients are determined
by a panel of 5 reviewers which consist of representation from Nursing
Research, Education and Advanced Practice. Grant funds are distributed
in May and December to awardees.
Support for Friends of Nursing is provided by funds raised through
volunteer efforts and donations from grateful patients and families.
Friends of Nursing grants have enabled SHC nurses to complete
meaningful projects that have positively impacted nursing practice and
the patient experience.
Examples of projects that Friends of Nursing grants have been used
for include:
Lynda Copeland-Fields developed the project "Cultivating
Information Literacy Among E2 Staff Members." The descendant of
that program is a free "Information Literacy Class" that is
open to all staff nurses. The class is offered several times a year
and is now sponsored by the Research Council.
Chia-Yu Yang-Lu and Linda Ottoboni conducted a research study
"To determine the Factors Contributing to Phlebitis in Patients
Receiving Peripherally Infused Amiodarone." The results of this
study have been published and presented at a national meeting by these
and other authors on the team.
Heidi Salisbury produced wallet sized laminated cards for patients
of their current abnormal baseline ECGs, which they would have
immediately available for health care workers in the event of an emergency.
Betty Cretekos scholarship
This scholarship is named for Betty Cretekos. Betty was a founding
member of the original Board of Directors of Friends of Nursing as
well as a staff nurse who strongly advocated for nurses at the
bedside. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage staff nurses
to participate in their professional organizations by supporting their
ability to attend national meetings.
This scholarship provides up to $1,500 to cover air and hotel
expenses for meetings. Up to four scholarships are awarded annually;
two during Nurse Week and two at the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Staff eligible for this award includes Assistant Patient Care
Managers, Clinic and Hospital Staff Nurses. Only meetings in the
United States or Canada are considered.
Nurses interested in applying for the Betty Cretekos scholarship may
fill out an application. Interested parties should review scholarship criteria. The deadline for
submission is: mid-April and mid-May each year.