SUNA Spotlight: Susanne Quallich

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Every top-notch organization needs a quality leader and Great Lakes SUNA definitely has that in chapter president Susanne Quallich, APRN, BC, NP-C, CUNP.

Susanne currently works in several areas of urology at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. She came there from the Veterans’ Affairs Health Systems, also in Ann Arbor in September, 2002 and has also honed her skills at the John D. Dingell Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center in Detroit.

All this after attending St. Joseph Academy in her native Cleveland, John Carroll University on University Heights, Ohio (getting her BS in biology) and the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing on the campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland where she was awarded her BSN in 1994 and MSN two years later.

And, as Susanne openly admits, she went into urologic nursing without even knowing it.

“It was by complete accident,” laughs Susanne. “I filled in for another NP who was on maternity leave and loved it. I found out that I could really connect with urology patients and the material made sense to me.”

Another item that makes sense is having Susanne as our president. She said she was immediately hooked right from the get-go and wanted to make an impact with SUNA.

“I joined because it was the chance to network and get involved in promoting state-of-the-art urology info and interventions,” explains Susanne. “I had never been active in any nursing-related groups and was really impressed after the first conference I attended.”

Her husband, Len, is a Beaumont GI physician and together the two have daughters Danielle, almost eight, and Brianna, 2, their “tornado toddler,” to brighten their Rochester Hills, Mich., home where “the closest thing we have to pets are the deer and rabbits that eat our garden.”

And speaking of her hubby, Susanne says it’s because of him and his last name that gave her the nickname “Q.”

“Although my mom had always called me ‘Susi Q,’” added Susanne. “Who knew that would end up being accurate?”

Being a leader is also an accurate observation about Susanne and one she hopes she can continue to fulfill.

“SUNA has made me realize that I am not alone and that many of the crazy patient frustrations are somewhat universal,” she says. “It has also allowed me to grow as a leader and to grow as an expert in my particular specialty (andrology).”

And we’re happy to have her at the helm of the Great Lakes SUNA ship.