The ASPEN Board of Directors is pleased to announce the bestowment of the ASPEN Lifetime Achievement Award upon Peggi Guenter, PhD, RN, FAAN, FASPEN, in recognition of her significant and sustained contributions to the fields of nursing and nutrition support, and her 40 years of service and leadership to the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
“This is only the second Lifetime Achievement Award presented by ASPEN. And it is particularly fitting that it goes to Dr. Guenter in recognition of her pioneering and pivotal role in translating research findings and applying her clinical experience into improved models of patient care which further the goals of ASPEN,” said ASPEN President Todd Rice, MD, MSc.
The Board has additionally recognized Dr. Guenter’s contributions by establishing the Peggi Guenter Excellence in Clinical Practice Award. Each year, ASPEN will select an individual who embodies Dr. Guenter’s passion and efforts toward improvement in clinical practice and honor the recipient of this award with a lectureship at its annual ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference.
“Under her firm and steady leadership as Senior Director, Clinical Practice, Quality, and Advocacy, ASPEN has established guidelines and clinical recommendations and set forth best practices and standards of care for nutrition support,” said Wanda Johnson, ASPEN Chief Executive Officer. “Dr. Guenter served as Editor-in-Chief of Nutrition in Clinical Practice, helped create a home PN registry known as Sustain, and most recently, helped spearhead The Value Project, which provides the healthcare industry and nutrition support providers with critical information on how nutrition intervention reduces costs while improving patient outcomes.”
The author of more than 160 research publications, review articles, chapters, books, and commentaries on nutrition support, Dr. Guenter is widely regarded as a thought leader in the areas of malnutrition and parenteral and enteral nutrition safety. For this work, she was honored with the Cheers Award by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and named a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Under Dr. Guenter’s guidance, ASPEN created Malnutrition Awareness WeekTM, an annual campaign to educate healthcare professionals and consumers on early detection and treatment of malnutrition. “Dr. Guenter collaborated with groups like our Defeat Malnutrition Today coalition. She worked to have it recognized on a national stage,” said Bob Blancato, the coalition’s national coordinator. “The high point of that effort was achieved late in 2020 when the U.S. Senate passed a resolution officially recognizing Malnutrition Awareness Week.”
“It is hard to put into words the depth and breadth of Peggi’s impact on our field. She is a champion—not only in nursing practice and in nutrition support and therapy, but in saving lives,” said Beth Lyman, MSN, RN, CNSC, FASPEN, FAAN, Nutrition Support Nurse Consultant. “How does one measure the importance of her work with ENFit® connectors, so that no patient can ever be the victim of a wrong route medication error? How does one thank a nurse like Peggi for her wisdom and guidance with the NOVEL Project to promote evidence-based methods for NG feeding tube placement? Because of Peggi, nursing practice and patient care are safer. She truly is a leading light.”
Dr. Guenter will be presented the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ASPEN 2021 Nutrition Science & Practice Conference (ASPEN21) being held virtually March 20-23. In her keynote address, "Tenets of Nutrition Support Clinical Practice," Dr. Guenter will share how her endless curiosity and focus on improving patient care formed her career and linked with the evolution and goals of ASPEN.
Although officially retiring from her full-time position in early 2021, Dr. Guenter will continue to guide and support ASPEN as a part-time consultant.
“Since we can’t gather together to voice our respect and gratitude, I invite everyone to individually congratulate Dr. Guenter here on this well-deserved honor and thank her for her service,” said Ms. Johnson.