About Us

Over the last 25 years the Great Lakes chapter has grown into a membership as high as 140 healthcare professionals. The chapter began in the early eighties under the leadership of Barbara Kasom, Dorothy Jackson and others and has been a growing, vital chapter since that time.

The Great Lakes chapter is made up of hospital, home infusiuon, home care, extended, long term care and alternate site infusion nurses. We are proud to have put "Needlefest" on the map, authored the first INS position paper on PICC lines and supported three of our own who have been elected to the INS National Board of Directors. Included is Beth Fabian (Past President), Dorothy Jackson (Past Secretary), Mary Zugcic and current INS Board of Director-at-Large, Laurie Groesbeck.

Past Chapter Presidents include:

Barbara Kasom

Lorelei O'Donnell

Beth Fabian

Jackie McCardell

Julianna Greening

Karen Lawrence

Aneka Liska

Suzanne Guzlaydin

Lori Meyers

Cheryl Thomas

Laura Lenihan

Suzanne Omvedt

Nancy Trick

Laurie Groesbeck

Josie Garnoc

Several of our members have served on various INS committees at the local and national levels. Our members have authored articles in the Journal of Infusion Nursing, presented abstracts, posters and clinical presentations and participated in multiple item workshops for the national certification exam. We have hosted several CRNI preparation classes and at one time had a robust lending library. Additionally, over the years our chapter has collaborated with other professional interest groups such as the Michigan Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, the National Home Infusion Association and the Association for Vascular Access to present educational seminars and conferences.