Nursing grad Marnie Britton named Future Nurse Leader by Wisconsin Nurses Association

On Dec. 20, Britton will receive the fall 2024 Future Nurse Leader Award from a representative of the Wisconsin Nurses Association. The award recognizes “outstanding students who embody the ethics and values of nursing and exemplary leadership qualities.”

Dr. Norah Airth-Kindree, an associate professor of nursing at UW-Eau Claire, nominated Britton for this honor, noting her commitment as a practicing nurse along with her skill and leadership in her coursework as a BSN completion student.

“Marnie has worked to bring needed attention to the lack of overnight transportation for Eau Claire-area patients. Our community does not currently have this type of resource available,” Airth-Kindree wrote. “Marnie is an involved nurse who brings passion and excellent communication to patient care and outcomes.”

In September, Britton addressed the Eau Claire City-County Board of Health about this lack of late-night transportation for patients who rely on wheelchairs, or those who do not have family available to help them. She is now working with board members to develop a plan to address this issue, seeking a solution not only to help patients but also to improve hospital care.

“By finding safe and reliable transportation for these patients, we can help them continue their healing and recovery in the comfort of their own home while freeing up much needed beds in the ER,” Britton says.

After her experience bringing the transportation needs to the attention of board of health members, Britton has not ruled out a future term serving on the board or staying involved in some way.

“I think it’s important that an entity like the county health board include a wide range of voices representing the breadth of healthcare, and someone with recent experience in an emergency room could be a useful addition to their decision making.” Britton says. “If the time commitment works for me at some point, I would consider it.”

Britton has a long-term goal of becoming a flight nurse, building on the skills she has developed in the emergency room.

“I hope to transition to a role with more responsibility and even more exposure to trauma care/critical patient care. Then my next step would be to prepare and study for the certified flight registered nurse (exam) and hopefully fly with Mayo Flight one day.”

Britton describes herself as a fast learner who is continuously seeking new opportunities, attributes she believes contributed to being hired for an ER position as her first job and to her completing her BSN in short order, taking three classes each semester while working full time.

"I am so grateful for this award and honestly surprised that I was chosen," Britton says. "Working full time and adding a heavy school load, you can get lost in seeking the outcome and it's difficult at times to stay motivated. This is an honor that reminds me that the hard work has been worth it and is paying off."