Charles Hamlin Scholarship
For Native American Nurses or Care, Orthopedic Nursing, or Preventing Burnout
Dr. Charles Hamlin was a renowned orthopedic surgeon specializing in surgery of the hand. He received outstanding training at Roosevelt Hospital, Hospital for Special Surgery, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in New York. Among his copious accomplishments, he started a clinic in Colorado to improve the hand functionality of patients with spinal cord and brain injuries, and founded the Chinle Hand Clinic, which provided surgical services to people from the Navajo Nation at no cost.
Dr. Hamlin attributed his ability to form trusting relationships with his patients to his study of the humanities and having undergone a full Freudian analysis, thereby being able to sense the messages that patients try to send but are not verbalizing.
Dr. Hamlin was honored by The American Society for Surgery of the Hand with the Volunteer Service Award and by the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) with the Humanitarian Award for providing years of expert care to the Navajo Nation. For this work, he was also presented with the Navajo Indian Health Service Directors Award. More about Dr. Hamlin can be learned from his 2026 obituary.
Dr. Hamlin was inspired to create his NEF scholarship in 2021 because of Mary Vass, RN. As a high school student, she came into the Hamlin home to help care for their three young children. Dr. Hamlin’s father provided funds for a nursing degree for Mary, after which she enjoyed a long career in nursing.Given Dr. Hamlin’s dedication to Native American people and culture, his named scholarship gives preference to the following:
- a nurse with Native American heritage;
- a nurse focusing on the care of Native American people;
- a nurse devoted to the field of orthopedics; or
- a nurse who cares deeply about preventing burnout in the healthcare workplace.
Charles Hamlin Scholarship Recipients
Five graduate nursing students have received this scholarship since its inception
Ikechukwu Nwigwudu, MS, BSN, RN, CCRN-CMC
- Built a career in critical care nursing, caring for patients with complex illnesses across multiple hospitals throughout Texas
- Worked on a quality improvement project to enhance perioperative advance directive discussions and better advocate for patients undergoing surgical procedures.
- Involved in state and national advocacy efforts to advance patient-centered care and nursing
Lizzet Carmona, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC
- Worked as a patient care technician (PCT) at Hackensack University Medical Center throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a nurse in the medical center's Nurse Residency Program Geriatric/Medical-surgical unit
- Provides high-quality care, patient education, and emotional support to critically ill patients and their families in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit
- Co-presented at the 40th Annual New York Nurse Practitioner Association Conference, sharing an analysis on how AI can improve medication compliance and reduce readmission rates among heart failure patients
Jason Blomquist, DNP, RN
- Worked as a Registered Nurse at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho, where he was involved in both direct patient care and leadership roles, including Director of Nursing Telehealth and Program Manager for TeleICU
- Focused his doctoral project on addressing organizational factors contributing to the underreporting of workplace violence in nursing, reflecting his lived experience and dedication to overcoming the systemic, physical, and emotional burdens leading to nurse burnout
- Served as Assistant Professor at Boise State University School of Nursing, integrating innovative teaching methods and technologies into the curriculum
Catherine Stephens, PhD, RN
- Practiced pediatric nursing at the Children's Hospital of Alabama in the Special Care Unit, Midland Memorial Hospital, and Cook Children's Medical Center
- Focused her research on enhancing the work environment and promoting patient safety, examining a range of floating approaches and nurse-sensitive indicators to assess the benefits of optimal nurse staffing levels while also identifying potential patient safety risks and addressing concerns associated with floating practices.
- Presented posters at the 2022 Texas Educator's Academies Collaborative for Health Professions-Southeast (TEACH-S) educational symposium on "Interruptions in Simulation-Based Learning Experiences with Undergraduate Nursing Students: An Integrative Review" and at the July 2023 at Sigma Theta Tau International's 34th International Nursing Research Congress on "The Race-Specific Variations in the Association Between Physical Activity and Telomere Length in Minority Women"
Zachary Taylor, DNP, CMSRN, PHN
- Was a registered nurse with medical-surgical certification at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, leading several evidence-based quality improvement efforts, such as fall reduction campaigns and an ongoing nursing mentorship program to increase staff satisfaction and reduce turnover within the first year
- Worked as a student research assistant in a community-based participatory research project to reduce the risk of stroke in Twin Cities African-American communities
- Focused his DNP project on diabetes prevention education, aiming to increase the overall relevance and impact of diabetes prevention education through community partnership and engagement
These recipients of the Charles Hamlin Scholarship underscore its focus on the importance of the study and care of people of diverse cultures; the specialty of orthopedic nursing care; and the prevention of burnout for all healthcare professionals. Contributions to NEF ensure more nursing leaders like these will receive support for their graduate education. Donate to the Charles Hamlin Scholarship today.