Audra Stewart, RN, with neonatal neurology, is the recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Nursing Award for Neurology / Psychology / Behavioral Health. The annual Excellence in Nursing Awards is hosted by St. Louis Magazine and presented by BJC HealthCare and Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing. Honorees were celebrated at a reception at the Missouri Botanical Garden June 4, 2025.
Stewart began her nursing journey at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where she worked in neurology and eventually found her way to the NICU. Today, while working in neonatal neurology, she supports seven providers and helps move patients from the NICU to an outpatient setting, where she’s able to follow families through growth and changes.
St. Louis Magazine
On handling stress: “It’s been said that I’m a very passionate person, especially with stress. But I try to take a step back, look at the big picture, and restrategize if needed.”
On the job’s rewards: “There is nothing better than following patients in the clinic and seeing them grow and do amazing things. One day, they’re a cute 6-month-old, and the next they’re 3 and climbing in my lap during the visit. My patients and families truly are the heart and soul of my nursing career and the driving force behind my dedication to my job.”
Two other Neurology nurses were finalists for the 2024 Excellence in Nursing Awards: Ashley Rabe and Wendy Sanders.