Irene is an extremely professional and passionate Nurse Educator. I am extremely lucky to have the pleasure of working with such an intelligent and dedicated nurse. She is a fabulous team member and leader. Irene is always extremely helpful and attentive to any matter that I bring to her attention, which is only one small reason that I am nominating her for this award. My son was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent chemotherapy and surgery. After all this, I thought everything was behind us. A couple of years later, my world came crashing down around me. My son underwent a routine CT scan, and an abnormality was noted. There was a mass that was diagnosed as a yolk sac sarcomatoid. I was lost. I didn’t know what to think, do, or where to turn. Irene heard about my situation, and her nursing oncology knowledge was a Godsend. She calmly and clearly gave me detailed professional advice. To this day, I am so grateful she took the time to educate me and provide understanding and direction. I am a professional nurse; however, this was so outside my normal routine. I truly needed the detailed and valuable information regarding standard protocols and how I should pursue the matter at hand. When we had our appointment with my son’s oncologist, he repeated the same information Professor Bellew provided, which gave me confidence that we were on the best path forward. In a time when I felt lost and helpless, Irene guided and provided valuable information. Her compassion, empathy, and knowledge gave me the confidence to move forward and deal with the obstacle placed before my family and me. I will be forever grateful for her knowledge, expertise, and caring. She has obviously passed this dedication on to her family as well. One of the nurses who cared for my son during treatment was her daughter. They are truly a family of angels. Irene is currently pursuing her doctorate and obviously has a desire and love for learning. She is a fabulous educator. Her students and our school are so very lucky and blessed to have her.
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Irene represents a true role model as an educator. She can engage students in the learning process while holding them accountable and encouraging them to be self-directed. I have had the pleasure of observing Irene in the classroom, and she provides students with real-life scenarios that help them correlate theory to practice. Irene challenges students in the classroom and encourages critical thinking through the use of case-based scenarios where they can apply what they are learning. She has a passion for educating students, and it shows through her commitment to student success. Irene mentors students in the classroom and in clinical settings and offers constructive feedback and supports students when challenges occur. Irene helps to foster self-confidence and provides a safe space for learning. In addition, Irene advises students outside her classroom and helps them develop a plan for success, and makes herself available to students on an as-needed basis. Irene demonstrates effective leadership as the lead teacher of three courses and chair of the curriculum committee. Through her role as lead teacher, she collaborates effectively with all faculty to ensure students are meeting course outcomes. She has been instrumental in transitioning the school to a concept-based curriculum and has provided education and support to faculty throughout the process. Irene is also the faculty representative for the student government committee and assists students in meeting the goals of the committee and ensuring students have a voice. Irene enjoys a challenge and always remains calm when a crisis occurs. Irene often presents a solution to a challenge and remains flexible to alternative ideas. She is currently enrolled in a PhD program and is certified as a Nurse Educator. She is an asset to our school and, most importantly, to the students she serves.
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Irene exemplifies the qualities of a consummate teacher, role model, mentor, and team player. Her dedication to education and mentoring nursing students is truly remarkable. Irene has an innate ability to break down complex concepts into understandable and applicable knowledge, empowering students to grow into nurses who provide the highest level of patient care. Her commitment to professional growth is evident in her efforts to create an inclusive and collaborative learning environment, where every team member feels valued and motivated. Irene leads by example, demonstrating compassion, patience, and integrity in every interaction. Her mentorship has had a lasting impact on our nursing students, helping them build confidence and enhance their clinical skills. As a team player, she consistently supports her colleagues, willingly sharing her experience and offering guidance whenever needed. Irene is currently the lead teacher for NURM 221 as well as the Chairperson of the SON Curriculum Committee. Irene Bellew’s dedication to nursing education and her unwavering support for her colleagues truly embody the spirit of the DAISY Award. She is an inspiration to all who have the privilege of working alongside her, and her positive influence extends beyond the walls of our organization.
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Irene and I began our careers together at Muhlenberg School of Nursing. She is consistently available to assist in any way needed. She is extremely conscientious in all that she does, as well as empathetic to the students. I can cite several examples as to why Mrs. Bellew is deserving of this award. First, I have never heard her say “I am too busy” or “that is not my job”. If you need something done and ask Irene, it will get done. She covers days and evenings as lead teacher, which is a huge task in itself, but especially for someone new to the field. She also heads the curriculum committee, which is a challenge since the school is in the process of going to concept-based education. Irene is very approachable to assist students when needed. She will ensure she meets with all students with borderline grades to see what is needed to assist them in improving. On that note, she reviews exams prior to administration several times to ensure the test construction policy is followed. She then reviews again with her peers post exam to ensure the questions ran well, also looks to understand students' point of view for distractors, and perhaps gives credit if appropriate. If there are certain concepts that students are not understanding, they will be reviewed with them as needed. Irene is also continuing her education to earn a doctorate degree to improve her ability to enrich the students’ education. Irene Bellew is also a mentor to several new faculty and a sounding board for us all. Not only can I see Irene as a co-worker or peer, but also a true friend who helps me to be the best educator I can be.