Advocate hospital system loses chief nurse
In the world of nursing, winning Magnet designation by the American Nurses' Credentialing Center, is like winning an Academy Award.
Nurses at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital were among the first in the area to earn the title in 2005, and in February they learned they were among only 2 percent of hospitals nationwide to be re-designated as a Magnet hospital.
Julie Schaffner took the phone call, and her screams of delight at hearing the news are recorded on video.
“This is part of the fabric of our culture,” Mrs. Schaffner said at the time. “Magnet status truly is an organizational endeavor and commitment that everybody at Lutheran General celebrates.”
Earning the designation now is part of Mrs. Schaffner's legacy. She passed away on Dec. 31 of complications from ovarian cancer. The Wilmette resident was 56.
Colleagues at Lutheran General described Mrs. Schaffner as a lifelong champion of the nursing profession, and that winning the prestigious nursing award reflected her own high standard of excellence and professionalism.
Mrs. Schaffner started at Lutheran General in 1986 and she rose to the ranks of Chief Nurse Executive and Chief Operation Officer. In those capacities, she was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the hospital's clinical and nursing functions.
Early last year, Mrs. Schaffner was named Chief Nurse Executive for the thousands of nurses at Advocate locations throughout the network, including Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, as well as at Lutheran General.
The new title acknowledged Mrs. Schaffner's efforts in building one of the highest rates of satisfaction among her nurses at hospitals in Illinois, and a low turnover rate, said Bill Santulli, executive vice president and chief operation officer of Advocate Health Care.
“She really built a very strong, dedicated nursing team,” Santulli said. “She had lots of accomplishments, but that was her hallmark.”
As evidence of her passion for nursing and Advocate Health Care's medical care, Mrs. Schaffner returned to work just six weeks after being diagnosed with stage 3 metastatic ovarian cancer.
At the time, she told colleagues that nursing for her was more than a vocation; it was an avocation.
“I love my job, it's a calling,” Schaffner had said. “I can impact people's lives in a positive way.”
Mrs. Schaffner is survived by her husband, Thomas, and children Lindsay, Kendall and Brian.
Visitation will be held from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday at Donnellan Family Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie. A memorial celebration will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 1140 Wilmette Ave. in Wilmette.