Mary Lawanson-Nichols, MSN, RN, CNS, NP CCRN, FCNS is a Clinical Nurse Specialist for Critical Care and Intermediate Care, a role she has held for the past fourteen years. With over two decades of experience in critical care nursing, Mary has consistently advanced clinical practice and patient outcomes through leadership, education, and quality improvement initiatives.

She has delivered numerous presentations on growth and transformational leadership to regional healthcare organizations. Among her notable achievements, Mary led a critical care unit to achieve zero central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and supported the intermediate care unit in reaching the same milestone. She spearheaded an opioid withdrawal campaign to address the opioid crisis and led the implementation of an alcohol withdrawal assessment tool across adult inpatient units. Mary has recently been awarded Mentor of the Year for 2024 from the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and an individual Circle of Excellence award from the American Association of Critical Nurses, 2025