Years ago, a young girl observed how tenderly the nurses cared for her mother as she died of cancer. It was there, at her mother's bedside, she resolved to become a nurse.
"I never could have imagined the privileges and opportunities in nursing that have come to me..." said Lynn Callister, reflecting on her life and service in health care since that moment as a little girl. "Amazing, amazing opportunities have come to me for which I am grateful."
Callister, now a professor in the BYU College of Nursing, recently received the highest honor bestowed from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses - the 2007 Distinguished Professional Service Award.
She received the award at the AWHONN annual convention held in Florida in June. The award is given to a member of the association whose accomplishments and contributions exemplify a commitment to excellence.
Thousands of her fellow nurses gave her a standing ovation when she received the award-all in tribute to the outstanding work she performed in the field over the years.
"I was so touched to be honored by my colleagues," she said.
Callister is one of about ten nurses in Utah who is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. She is co-chair of the Expert Panel on Global Health and Nursing. She also writes a column in a global health in women and children journal.
"[Dr. Callister] personifies all the qualities of AWHONN's most distinguished professional," said Jean Jackson, a spokesperson for the organization.
Callister's contributions through research and education have spanned the globe to places like Guatemala, Jordan, Africa, Eastern Europe, the People's Republic of China and Finland amongst others. She will be in Russia for part of this month to continue her work teaching nurses and consulting on research and humanitarian projects.
"I have had many memorable experiences," she said, "...from interviewing Muslim women in a Palestinian refugee camp to interviewing women in humble homes in the Guatemalan highlands."
Callister said one of her most memorable experiences was speaking at the United Nations International Commission on the Status of Women. There, she attended meetings to discuss how to reduce global maternal mortality rates.
"I am helping health care providers to recognize the importance of listening to the voices of women-respecting their perspectives, understanding their socio-cultural context and increasing their ability to provide culturally competent care," Callister said.
Callister said her success would not have been possible if it weren't for the support and funding provided by the Kennedy Center for International Studies, the BYU College of Nursing, the Women's Research Institute and the Fulbright Foundation.
"I am grateful for professional colleagues who have mentored me and cheered me on," she said. "I am grateful for my 11 children and my amazing husband who provide love and support, and for incredibly bright and motivated students who inspire me."
Callister says she plans to continue to teach students, mentor faculty colleagues, disseminate information in publications and presentations internationally and make a difference wherever she can.
Copyright Brigham Young University 13 Aug 2007
