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College of Nursing associate dean honored as a Health Care Hero of 2010

Written by Monica S. Nagy, The Shorthorn staff

Thursday, 11 March 2010 05:10 PM

Associate Professor, Dr. Mary Schira was honored by the Fort Worth Business Press as a Healthcare Hero. Dr. Schira was one of only 13 people to receive the award, her work is focused on patients with chronic illnesses. (The Shorthorn: Raziq Brown)

The College of Nursing has some well-earned bragging rights.

Earlier this semester the Fort Worth Business Press honored Dr. Mary Schira as a Health Care Hero of 2010.

Nominees were plucked from a group of physicians, administrators and volunteers making Schira, a College of Nursing associate dean and associate professor, one of only 13 nominees in Tarrant County to receive the award.

According to Robert Francis, Fort Worth Business Press editor, more than 100 nominees were considered for the award that was given out to individuals who have locally or nationally, shown the utmost dedication to their field.

Schira was selected based on the entirety of her work involving those with chronic illnesses, what Francis said can be seen as a noble calling.

The fact that Schira was nominated by the College of Nursing dean, Elizabeth Poster, was icing on the cake, said Francis.

The associate dean was nominated because she exemplifies what the award sought to highlight, in regards to professionalism, commitment and outright passion, Poster said.

Though the nominees encompassed all of Tarrant County, Schira said she remains humble.

“The real health care heroes are the patients,” she said.

Schira has been in the nursing field for the past 36 years and has received 18 awards, as well as $1.5 million in federal education grants through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In April, Schira will receive an Outstanding Academic Advisor award from the university.

With her focus on Nephrology — the study of the function and diseases related to the kidney, Schira has been involved with the American Nephrology Nurses Association for the past 25 years.

As the university’s Acute Care Nurse practitioner program director, most of her focus is spent on chronic kidney disease. She said fifty percent of her time is spent educating graduate nursing students.

“It’s nice to see how my young colleagues are growing and developing,” she said. “It is a big rush to watch a light bulb go off in their head.”

With the other 50 percent of her time spent doing administrative work, Schira feels that her job is a balancing act, and some days it’s real hard to hit that balance, she said.

“Awards are wonderful, but it’s really about the day-to-day joy of liking what you do,” she said.

Sheri Decker, assistant graduate adviser to the College of Nursing has worked with Schira for the past 19 years.

Schira is an exemplary person, to not only students, but faculty and staff as well, said Decker.

To Schira, the Health Care Hero award represents not only the honor of her colleague but also provides a chance for her to share her nursing experiences with others.

“The kinds of people who have been given these awards have done so much for health care,” she said. “It was humbling to be recognized along with people who have made such significant contributions.”

Even though Schira is an associate professor, her patients and students also teach her, she said.

“The day my students and patients don’t teach me, is the day I got to get out,” she said.

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