March 11, 2020
Bonnie Nickasch Awarded Nurse Practitioner Excellence Recognition
APPLETON, Wis. – ThedaCare Advanced Practice Clinician, Bonnie L. Nickasch, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, has been named recipient of the 2020 American Association of Nurse Practitioners® Wisconsin State Award for Nurse Practitioner Excellence.
This prestigious award is given annually to a dedicated nurse practitioner (NP) and NP advocate in each state. Recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony and reception held during the 2020 AANP National Conference, June 23-28, in New Orleans.
“I am honored to receive the award for Nurse Practitioner Excellence,” said Nickasch. “This is appreciated recognition of my commitment to patients and families. My passion has always been caring for others and this award reaffirms my commitment to community education and the promotion of health and wellness.”
In addition to being a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Nickasch is also an Associate Professor and Director of the Post Licensure Program and Assistant Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Over the past 25 years, she has advanced her education and leadership at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and ThedaCare. She earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion/Wellness and a psychology minor from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
She continues to work as a family nurse practitioner focusing on health promotion/wellness and evidence based practice. Dr. Nickasch has published research and clinical papers and uses scholarship to inform her clinical practice bringing this expertise into the classroom.
“I truly believe in the power of mentoring students and team members,” she said. “These are our future colleagues. It’s important to help them in an ever-changing academic environment so they feel empowered to care for our patients and families.”
“It’s been a pleasure to watch Dr. Nickasch develop in her career at ThedaCare and in the academic setting,” said Dr. Kelli Heindel, ThedaCare’s Medical Director of Primary Care, Clinically Integrated Network. “Dr. Nickasch exemplifies the talented and compassionate caregiver team we have throughout ThedaCare. We congratulate Dr. Nickasch for this recognition.”
The State Award for NP Excellence, founded in 1991, recognizes an NP in each state who demonstrates excellence in practice. In 1993, the State Award for NP Advocate Excellence was added to recognize the efforts of individuals who have made a significant contribution toward increasing awareness and recognition of the NP role.
