This year, four Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) from the DOM were honored with the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence Awards for Non-Physicians at the Miller Coulson Academy Annual Excellence in Patient Care Symposium on October 8.
Shannon Carroll, nurse practitioner manager in the Division of Hematology, joined the Sickle Cell Center in 2019. Her career progression—from oncology nurse and charge nurse to nurse practitioner and ultimately APP Manager—reflects both her commitment to patient care and her continued pursuit of clinical excellence. Following the departure of the Sickle Cell Center’s long-standing director, the team experienced significant uncertainty and loss of personnel. Shannon provided stability during this transition while remaining focused on the needs of patients and staff. Her clinical judgment allows her to balance complex treatment needs with the individual circumstances of each patient, while recognizing when additional expertise or resources are needed. Shannon coordinates education within the Sickle Cell Center for APPs, residents, fellows, and external trainees. Johns Hopkins is one of the few sites offering dedicated training opportunities in sickle cell disease for APPs and hematology fellows, and she plays a central role in these programs. She seamlessly integrates learners into the clinical environment and helps them understand not only the medical complexity of sickle cell disease, but also the importance of a comprehensive, patient-centered model of care.
Carrie Outten, clinical nurse specialist in the Nelson 5 Medical Progressive Care Unit (MICU), combines clinical expertise with a scholarly, quality-focused approach and a remarkable ability to translate evidence into meaningful improvements in practice. In 2017, she was named the School of Nursing Star Nurse of the Year for leading a project that dramatically reduced the central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate in the MICU. Since then, she has continued to lead and contribute to numerous quality improvement initiatives, including strategies for ventilator allocation during the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing orientation programs designed to improve retention and patient safety, and standardized rounding approaches to strengthen interdisciplinary communication. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she developed a cross-training curriculum with the MICU that prepared 40 intermediate care nurses to care for ICU-level COVID-19 patients in just three months. Today, she serves as a principal investigator for research and quality improvement projects reviewed and approved by the Johns Hopkins Institutional Review Board. Carrie has developed and implemented initiatives ranging from structured assessment of clinical skills and documentation among newly oriented nurses to co-developing a bladder management protocol designed to reduce the use of external urinary catheters.
Brian Sharkey, senior nurse practitioner in the Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology, has practiced primary care geriatrics at the Beacham Center for Geriatric Medicine since 2014. He provides outstanding care to older adults with significant medical complexity and polypharmacy, while also serving as a trusted teacher and colleague. Brian is a master of deprescribing, and manages geriatric syndromes with skill, relying on careful history and examination before pursuing additional testing. Nurse practitioner students specifically seek him out for their capstone clinic rotations, often resulting in a waitlist of trainees who want to work with him. Brian also continues to expand his own knowledge and share it with colleagues. In 2025, he presented on Scrambler Therapy and electrical neuromodulation for neuropathic pain at the 52nd Annual Edmund Beacham Conference in collaboration with neurology colleagues. Thirteen years into his practice, Brian continues to take on new patients, make room for urgent visits, teach learners, and organize lunch talks with experts to keep the team current. His sustained commitment to his patients and colleagues, combined with his clinical expertise and dedication to teaching, has made him an invaluable member of the Beacham Center and the DOM.
Michael Velaetis, senior physician assistant in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, has worked in the MICU since 2015. His ability to synthesize complex information, recognize subtle changes in critically ill patients, and anticipate clinical trajectory make him not only an outstanding APP, but an outstanding clinician. In 2024, he began developing a monthly critical care educational resource for his APP colleagues, highlighting landmark trials, new literature, guidelines, and practical clinical topics. His expertise in point-of-care ultrasound led to the development of the HOCUS POCUS curriculum, supported by the 2023 JHM APP Opportunity Award. This structured pathway for POCUS education and credentialing has expanded access to ultrasound training for APPs while also benefiting residents, fellows, faculty, and students. Whether identifying the right diagnostic or consulting resource, coordinating care across disciplines, or stepping in when a member of the team is overwhelmed, Michael consistently finds ways to move patient care forward. In 2026, he was nominated as MICU APP of the Year by colleagues and fellows. He was also selected to serve as the APP Critical Care Residency Director, recognizing his clinical expertise, leadership, and ability to develop future clinicians.
View photos from the Miller Coulson Academy Annual Excellence in Patient Care Symposium and see who from the DOM was inducted as part of the Class of 2026.
