MINERVA SALINAS GUTTMAN,
BSN, MA, M.Ed., Ed.D., RN, APN
2012 J.V. Sotejo Medallion of Honor Awardee
by Nelson Borrero
This year’s J.V. Sotejo Medallion of Honor recipient, Minerva Salinas Guttman, epitomizes the legacy of the esteemed and iconic Sotejo for her dedication in enhancing nursing practice through the integration of nursing education and other skills. While Minerva worked as a staff nurse, her passion is teaching that no sooner did she move from the ward to the classroom as instructor at the Philippine General Hospital School of Nursing. When she moved to the United States, she again tried a stint at being a staff nurse at the ICU of Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York, but again her deep-seated interest in education pulled her away to become instructor at the Beth Israel School of Nursing. Her choice of the academe was a momentous decision that pave a career path to Assistant Professor, Assistant Dean of the State University of New York Nursing School, and then the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. And eventually as Director, Professor and Chief Academic and Administrative Officer of the Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health, Farleigh Dickinson University. And presently the holder of the highest rank of tenured professor and Ferguson Endowed Chair. One of her important achievements is her effort in advancing nursing practice by developing the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program which was given full accreditation by the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) - a great contribution to the nursing profession, a significant feat of a U.P. nurse.
Minerva Salinas graduated from the UPCN in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Busy with a budding career and family, she found time to pursue higher education to prepare herself for enormous challenges and opportunities that come her way. The road to her success was made possible by her persistent desire to learn and to grow. In 1977 she obtained her Master of Arts (MA) in Nursing degree, and in 1991, she completed the requirements for Masters in Education (M.Ed.), both from Teachers College, Columbia University. In 1992, she obtained her Doctor of Education (Ed.D) also from Columbia.
Dr. Minerva Salinas Guttman’s dissertation continues to focus on the professional development of nurses through academic achievement, experience, leadership and other skills, all integrated to enhance effective and efficient nursing practice.
Dr. Guttman received many research grants to explore a variety of issues mostly centered on skills development, helping disadvantaged students, competency of nurses and the ethics and moral standards of nursing practice. A prolific writer, she authored many researched and evidence-based articles that were published in many peer-reviewed journals including the UPNAAI Nursing Journal. She further expound on her vision via poster presentations, as speaker and delegate to national and international conferences like the UN Conference on Aging, the CoNGO Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, the UN/DIP/NGO Conference in Melbourne, Australia and the Bioethics Education Conference sponsored by UNESCO in Zefat, Israel. As a true and loyal alumna, she joined the “Balik-Turo” at UPCN, her alma mater.
For her drive, persistence and hardwork, she received many honors and awards. In 1982 she was inducted to the Kappa Pi Delta International Honor Society for education, the UMDNJ Honor Society for Nursing in 1994, and Omicron Pi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing, 1998. In 2001, she was the recipient of the Most Outstanding Alumni for Nursing by UPAA, Nurse Educator of the Year, PNAA, 2002, Excellence Award in Health Care by the Union County Commission on Status of Women, among others.
What Dr. Minerva Guttman accomplished in the field of nursing education is a significant contribution to the nursing profession her U.P. nursing colleagues and alma mater is proud of, yet more importantly, she also served her community, country and humanity through volunteer work with the American Red Cross, Leukemia Foundation, the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association. She also volunteered to serve with the Union County Public Health Emergency Response Team.
For her dedication to the enhancement of nursing practice through education and her many volunteer work, including the “Balik-Turo” at the UPCN, and other humanitarian effort, the UPNAAI Board of Directors chaired by Peregrin Francisco, GN, BSN, MSA, RN, on recommendation by the Awards and Citation Committee chaired, by Lyvia M. Villegas, BSN, MA, RN, FNP, unanimously voted in favor of Dr. Minerva Salinas Guttman, BSN, MA, M.Ed., Ed.D., RN, APN as the 2012 Julita V. Sotejo Medallion of Honor awardee for her service to her community, country and humanity - Medallium Honoris Servitium Patriae et Humanitate. Congratulations!
Manus, Caput, Cor.
There is no satisfaction that I know of to compare with the feeling.
That you are useful to other people. Other people value you, and
you help change their lives for the better. People go into it for the
satisfying work. Nursing is something you do with
your head, your heart and your hands.
--Virginia Henderson
