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2020 AONL Hawaii Awards
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES A REGISTERED NURSE WHO HAS
PROVIDED LEADERSHIP IN ADVANCING THE PROFESSION OF
NURSING OVER A SPAN OF YEARS.
The 2020 Awardee is Pablito R. Gahol, RN, MBA, MPA, MMAS, MSS
Colonel Pablito (Bob) Gahol’s significant contributions to advancing the profession of nursing are in the areas of clinical practice, hospital nursing administration and community service spanning over 30 years through the Army Medical Department, Military Health Systems both in the United States and abroad. Bob has served in numerous Chief roles, in which he maintained oversight and leadership of multiple programs and missions that ensured continuity of care, best practices, patient safety and compliance with standards.
While under his leadership, the US Army Health Clinic in Bamberg was recognized as one of the best health clinics in European Regional Medical Command. He was instrumental in providing services that improved access to care and establishing the Warrior Transition Unit and PTSD/mild Traumatic Brain Injury program in the community. In command of the First Medical Recruiting Battalion, he was responsible for the addition of over 1000 health care professionals to the ranks of an Army at war. At Tripler Army Medical Center, Bob led his team to move in a single direction with the purpose of improving patient safety in one of the largest, most complex care lines in the medical center. As a senior nurse executive, he had created healthy work environments throughout his career, as well as mentored many nurse executives who later became CNOs and nurse executives. He is a recipient of the prestigious Order of Military Medical Merit and has mentored and nominated other senior officers to become members of this elite organization.
He provided strong leadership to all deployed nurses and served as the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Quality Management Consultant and Medical Advisor to the Commanding General of North Kabul Afghanistan International Airport responsible for ensuring quality health care throughout the Afghanistan Theater of Operations. He was also instrumental in the development of the Ebola response plan for the country of Afghanistan.
Bob is currently serving as a volunteer consultant for the state of Hawai‘i’s Temporary Quarantine and Isolation Center facility for the homeless. He also serves as a board member and newsletter Editor-In-Chief for the Philippine Nurses Association of America, and the AONL Scholarship Committee.
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES A REGISTERED NURSE FOR
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS MENTORING WITHIN THE
NURSING PROFESSION.
The 2020 Awardee is Chad Shibuy, BSN, RN, CIC
Chad Shibuya is a consummate professional in his key role as the Certified Infection Prevention Registered Nurse for Hilo Medical Center and the East Hawai‘i Region. Detailed, knowledgeable and responsible. He writes monthly articles to circulate among all employees, provides educational infection prevention tips on the radio and newspaper in a witty and amusing way that is able to get the point across clearly to clinicians and non-clinicians alike.
Chad mentors students from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo BSN Nursing program, the Hawai‘i Community College ADN Nursing program, and Kapi‘olani Community College EMT program providing one-on-one training with real-time examples of current infection control issues.
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES A REGISTERED NURSE WITH 5 YEARS
OR LESS EXPERIENCE IN A FORMAL LEADERSHIP ROLE AND HAS
DEMONSTRATED EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP SKILLS WITHIN THE
NURSING PROFESSION.
The 2020 Awardee is Dr. Christina Wang DNP, MPH, APRN-Rx, AGPCNP-C
Dr. Christina Wang displays a combination of leadership along with her clinical practice in wound care and HIV/AIDS care, supporting other APRNs in managing some of the most vulnerable patients on O‘ahu, the homeless who often struggle with addition, mental health challenges and chronic conditions.
When Christina started at HHHRC, she was only one of two medical providers and has since grown the team to include 3 APRNs and 3 Medical Assistants who served 1700 patients last year. In the beginning of the COVID pandemic, she was asked to lead the state’s only temporary quarantine and isolation center with 30 staff under her guidance.
Christina is a Board Member on the Hawai‘i Association of Professional Nurses; serves as a lecturer in multiple courses and supervises clinical students from University of Hawai‘I at Manoa School of Nursing; and is a member of the Addiction Medicine Association of America, American Association of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau.
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES A REGISTERED NURSE WITH 5 YEARS
OR LESS EXPERIENCE IN THE NURSING PROFESSION THAT
DEMONSTRATES EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP APTITUDE IN A
FORMAL LEADERSHIP ROLE OR THROUGH INFORMAL OR
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES IN THE WORKPLACE.
The 2020 Awardee is Zachary Yamashita, BSN, RN
Zachary Yamashita began his career at Castle in 2016 in the Nurse Residency Program and worked as a circulator for the first year after program completion. He consistently problem solves, analyzes and uses critical thinking as one of the Operating Room’s Charge Nurses. He is eager to advance practice with evolving new technologies in the OR and serves as an example in progress, he developed a system to verify Advanced Directives and consents to ensure patient’s wishes are honored and the entire OR team is clear on the surgical plan.
Zac has been an active member of AORN and at Castle, serves as a member of the Unit Based Council Shared Governance for Perioperative Services.
THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES A NON-NURSE FOR OUTSTANDING
DEMONSTRATION OF ADVOCACY AND THE PROMOTION OF
NURSING IN THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH INTER-PROFESSIONAL
HEALTHCARE TEAMS, HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION OR
THROUGH POLICY CHANGE.
There is no awardee for 2020 for this category.