Second annual APP in Excellence Award recipient named

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s APP in Excellence Award was established to recognize and celebrate the important contributions Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) make to the hospital. APPs include nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse anesthetists. At a recent celebration, the second annual APP in Excellence Award was given to Chief NP of Orthopedic/Spine Surgery Katie Killinger, MSN, BSN, NP-C.

In her nomination letter, Killinger is described as a strong and dynamic leader and it’s detailed how she led her team during the COVID-19 pandemic:

During our first round of COVID-19, her staff were reassigned to support the medical teams. She led her staff to assist in rounding in the ICU and supporting the ICU team. She was strong, maintained her composure, juggled the schedule and navigated the challenges. She led her charge with focus and heart. She always maintained her vision that we are in this together. She was present to support our patients and peers—stepping outside what was comfortable, both clinically and personally.

The nomination continues:

Katie’s “vision” is one of her biggest strengths. She always has an eye towards the future—about what the APP professional should aspire to. She questions the status quo and pushes her leaders to reconsider their points of view. She is honest in her feedback and does not shy away from uncomfortable conversations. She is deserving of recognition for her commitment and contributions to BWFH, her patients and her peers.

Upon receiving her award, Killinger says she was surprised and humbled. “I feel very honored to have received this award and even more honored that my colleagues feel that the work I do is deserving of the APP in Excellence Award,” she says.

Of the challenges she and her team have faced throughout the pandemic, she says, “I look at every challenge as an opportunity to feed my deepest passion: supporting, advocating and advancing the professional growth of all APPs. When APPs are appropriately optimized, we add substantial value to an organization through cost effectiveness and efficiency. Here at BWFH, we utilize PAs and NPs in the same fashion and are consistently working at seeing our similarities rather than differences. We aim to practice at the top of our licenses and organize ourselves to show our worth in the organization and be recognized as a group of professionals that can take on any challenge whether it be patient facing or institutionally.”