[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 132 (Wednesday, October 9, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ANN McKENNIS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEVIN BRADY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 9, 2002

  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute Ann 
McKennis who later this month will be retiring from nursing after more 
than 41 years of service. Ann is not only a constituent, but someone I 
am proud to call my friend.
  During her distinguished career in the nursing profession, Ann 
McKennis has worked tirelessly to assist her patients and community 
with a selfless commitment to professionalism, excellence, and 
compassion. She has also made it here goal to advance nursing care for 
the both the caregiver and patient, alike. Most importantly, what makes 
Ann a great nurse and special person is that she believes that the role 
of a nurse is not only devoting hours on the job to the care of 
patients, but a lifetime role through which she can work to improve the 
lives of all of those she comes into contact.
  Since moving to Texas in 1985, Ann has served as a surgical staff 
nurse in the Otolaryngology Operating Room of The Methodist Hospital in 
Houston, Texas. During this time Ann McKennis has not only excelled 
within the medical environment--demonstrating an unwavering commitment 
to her patients and coworkers--but also has worked to advance the 
nursing profession and improve the level of nursing care throughout our 
state, nation and around the world. She was recently elected to the 
Nominating Committee of the National Society of Otorhinolaryngology and 
Head Neck Nurses (SOHN) and currently serves as the Chairman of its 
Government Relations Committee. Additionally, Ann is a member of the 
American Nurses Association, as well as of the Ear Nose and Throat 
(ENT) Interest Group at the Royal College of Nursing in Great Britain, 
the International Association of Laryngectomies and the Harper Hospital 
Alumni Association in Detroit, Michigan.
  In Texas, Ann is a member of the Texas Nurses Association and Texas 
Council of Operating Room Nurses (TCORN); has served three terms as 
President of the Greater Houston Chapter of SOHN, as well as spending 
four two-years terms as Chairman of its Legislative Committee; and has 
served as President of the North Harris County Chapter of the 
Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN), where she also served on 
three of its committees--Legislative, Research, and Policy.
  Ann has also been highly honored her for her contributions to the 
field of nursing. She was awarded the 2001 Brown Foundation Award for 
Outstanding Nursing Service for her many years of excellence in service 
to nursing, the 2001 AORN Outstanding Achievement Award for 
Perioperative Patient Education, the Texas Nurses Association's 
Outstanding Nurse in the Houston Area for 1993, the SOHN Honor Awards 
in 1993, 1997, and 1999, and has consistently been recognized as a 
Who's Who in American Nursing.
  However, Ann's talents go beyond nursing. She has received numerous 
awards for her writing, including first prize at both the 1993 and 1995 
SOHN Literary Awards. She has served on the Editorial Boards of several 
professional nursing journals including AORN Journal, ORL-Head & Neck 
Nursing, and Nursing Avenues and has published more than twenty-six 
pieces on nursing technical practice, ethics and care.
  Ann continually works in the community performing a variety of tasks 
to encourage people both young and old the importance of health care in 
lives--and most notably, working to discourage the use tobacco 
products. Among her many activities, she has worked annually at the 
Houston Rodeo to promote the ``Through With Chew'' program to diminish 
the use of smokeless tobacco products and serves as a support team with 
local laryngectomee patients who have lost their vocal chords due to 
throat cancer.
  Mr. Speaker, Ann McKennis has spend all of her career working to 
selflessly support and care for others. I therefore urge my colleagues 
to join me in wishing Ann McKennis much luck in all her future ventures 
and thanking her for her fine contribution to nursing for more than 
forty years. However, I am certain her support and compassion are sure 
to continue long after she retires.

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