UCHealth Nursing Year in Review 2026

Letter from Liz Concordia, CEO

Every day, UCHealth nurses, staff and providers embody our mission — improving lives in ways both big and small. I am grateful for the expertise, critical thinking and compassion they deliver across every hospital and clinic.

Those strengths made a difference when a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet was flown to UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central (MHC) in Colorado Springs with major head trauma from a diving accident. The patient, Kadyn MacPherson, was admitted to the intensive care unit after a six-hour brain surgery. Through critical moments of her recovery, nurses Zachary Johnson, Brianna Volk and Austin Pinkerton collaborated with her family to surround her with comfort and care.

“Truly, what meant the most to me: The time nurses took to answer every question I had, regardless of how long they’d been attending to Kadyn or what else they needed to get done. I never felt rushed, and I always felt like they cared deeply about Kadyn as an individual,” said Kara MacPherson, Kadyn’s mother. “I felt so cared for, and I felt so safe in the hospital.”

The three MHC nurses are featured on the cover of this 2026 nursing year in review, which recognizes UCHealth nursing highlights over the past year.

Last December, we welcomed approximately 300 new colleagues in Estes Park as the 50-year-old Estes Valley Medical Center (EVMC) became part of UCHealth. This type of change requires coordination across numerous areas. Lidia Burreson, nurse manager with the EVMC acute care unit, led colleagues through the transition with flexibility and confidence. She set a strong example to help staff adapt to the new systems and workflows, stepping in to support shifts and reinforce best practices through real-time learning opportunities.

Across Colorado, and the nation, workplace safety incidents continue to affect healthcare professionals. The sooner escalations in patient behavior can be identified, the better teams can respond while continuing to provide attentive care. Renee Schoenbeck, a former emergency department nurse and current UCHealth workplace violence prevention program director, guided the development of our two-tiered staff safety response process across UCHealth. This approach encourages staff to call for support earlier, protecting the space where care happens and reducing risk before situations escalate.

Due to all of these examples, and many others, UCHealth nurses lead the way in improving the lives of our patients, family members and coworkers.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth B. Concordia
President and Chief Executive Officer, UCHealth

Letter from
Tamera Dunseth Rosenbaum, CNE

As nurses, we chose this profession to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. “Caring at the Core,” the focus for this publication, reflects our commitment to creating a culture where every UCHealth patient and family feels seen, valued and supported. These pages honor both clinical excellence and the genuine, human connections our nurses created over the past year.

In patient care, there are two times when you have only one chance to get it right: birth and death. For Duane “Shorty” Lankford, both of those moments occurred at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital. Progressive care unit nurses Julia Anderson, Sean Belfrage and Nathanial Spawn developed meaningful connections with Shorty and his family, creating a deep and lasting impact. The nurses share their personal observations and emotions as they adapted their care to put the feisty-hearted, 93-year-old patient first in ways that were both clinical and unmistakably human. 

At UCHealth Parkview in Pueblo, we recognize person-centered care that offers pathways to safety, support and healing for patients who have experienced violence. Jenifer Bartell, who manages the Forensic Nurse Examiner program, explains: “We take the time to help patients feel comfortable enough to tell us what happened, and to reassure them that we are going to walk through everything step by step. They are not alone. That sense of safety is what allows everything else to happen.”

Jenifer’s work extends beyond the hospital through outreach and advocacy across the community, partnering with a dozen local agencies, supporting prevention efforts and helping connect patients with resources long after they leave the emergency department.

This publication looks a little different from past years. Similar to the innovations we guide at the bedside, we appreciate the ways digital technology can enhance our ability to connect. For the first time, we are publishing every full-length, 2026 UCHealth Nursing Year in Review article on its own web page, in a user-friendly format that is easy for readers anywhere to access and share.

Sincerely,

Tamera Dunseth Rosenbaum
Chief Nursing Executive, UCHealth