Flagstaff Medical Center nurse Leora “Lee” Harsh, R.N., was awarded the Arizona March of Dimes “Arizona Nurse of the Year” award in the category of Advocacy for Patients. Harsh joined FMC in September 1965 and currently is a nurse in Surgical Services. Harsh also is a certified nurse forensic investigator, a mediator and a “To Lose a Child” facilitator. 

Harsh was nominated by her peers for the award because of her advocacy and support for families who have just experienced the loss of a child. Harsh saw the need for a program that offered support and resources to not only parents who had lost a child, but also their family members. She was a leading force behind the implementation of the “To Lose a Child” program at FMC in the Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Units. In addition to the support Harsh provides families, she also has trained staff in the Emergency Department, Surgical Services and other patient units to provide the same support to families. 

“Through her compassion and advocacy, she has made a significant impact on how families are cared for during a very difficult time,” said Cindy Beckett, Ph.D., director of FMC’s Pediatrics/Perinatal Services. “Families speak about how much it meant for her to be there for them immediately after the loss of their child, and during the critical weeks and months after the death. She has made a real difference for the families in our community.

Nurses from across Arizona were honored at the fifth annual March of Dimes Arizona Nurse of the Year Awards Saturday, Aug. 23 at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale.