Nursing Faculty Member Receives Cameos of Caring Award

School of Nursing Instructor Debra A. Lewis has been recognized by her peers with a Cameos of Caring award in honor of her achievements and service to the field of nursing.

Presented by the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing since 1999, the Cameos of Caring honors outstanding nurses throughout the region for their commitment, dedication and passion for patients, families, students and more. The 2015 awardees represent nursing schools and a variety of health systems and hospitals.

“I was totally caught off guard when I was named a recipient of the Cameos of Caring award,” said Lewis, who was recognized with other award recipients at the Nov. 7 Cameos of Caring Awards Gala. “My true reaction was one of pure joy to be recognized for something I love to do, working with students to teach them the art and science of nursing.”

Lewis first joined the nursing school faculty as a full-time instructor in 2004, after serving as an adjunct for two years. She also spent 18 years working in nursing and staff education in Pittsburgh. A certified pediatric nurse, Lewis has given multiple poster presentations at pediatric, nursing education and simulation conferences. Her interests include maternal child health nursing, simulations, chronic illness care and heart disease in women.

A founding member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Nurses for Kids organization, Lewis is a member of the Society of Pediatric Nurses. She is a past recipient of the Caroline I. Milne Award for Excellence in Bedside Nursing. Lewis earned her BSN from Slippery Rock University and her MSN from Duquesne.

“I follow a long line of faculty who have received this award, and I am grateful to be included in such an elite group of dedicated nurse educators,” said Lewis.