Congratulations to Jimmie Wells, Nurse Manager of Hematology/Oncology (5 South) who authored the chapter on Chemotherapy in the Oncology Nursing Advisor textbook. We are so very proud of her dedication to Oncology and this major accomplishment.
- Guyolyn Ousterhout
Clinical Director
Coordinated Care
Congratulations to Mary Jo Vernon, RN, who has been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing. This is a great honor! Mary Joe is working toward her Masters in Nursing Education at the University of Washington
- Sally Self, M.Ed., LSW
Educator- Health Professionals II
Coordinated Care Department
4C
4C staff and family members participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies on Saturday, May 10th. The team raised almost $1300 and walked more than three miles to support the March of Dimes.
- Michelle Palokas, RN, MSN
4C General Pediatrics Nurse Manager
4C Hosts "Prom" for Patient
Nurses who work on the 4th floor (4C) in the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children recently held a prom for a 17-year-old patient, Dee Clark. Clark, a high school junior at St. Andrews, missed his prom because of chronic illness. Nurses, nursing assistants and the unit secretary decorated the 4C Conference Room
For more information about the prom, visit: UMHC Nurses - Making a Difference Every Day.
Cardiac Stepdown Unit (CSU)
3South has recently undergone a face-lift in its name. We are now the Cardiac Stepdown Unit! In efforts to promote unity among teams, several initiatives have been instituted on the CSU: Chart reviews are an exciting time on our unit, especially since rewards and recognition has joined forces to commend those for a job well done.
CSU congratulates and welcomes our very own Brittany Fells, RN who has joined our team. Brittany is a graduate of Hinds CC and staffed as a SNA as she made strides in obtaining her associate's degree. Congratulations Brittany and thanks for choosing us!!
CSU congratulates the following April Documenters:
Dennetta Parker, RN II
Lucille Mathis, RN
As proposed by her team, Brandi Burgess, RN has been acknowledged as the Most Improved staff member for April 2008. Brandi is commended for "having done a great job over the past week with admissions and being the first one in the room to greet new customers as they arrive to their plush living quarters." Congratulations Brandi!! We love you and keep up the good work!!
Exciting news regarding Medication Reconciliation. CSU staff recently received 100% on reviews!! Thanks for making this a success.
CSU staff encourages its team to S.M.I.L.E. to their customers and give exemplary care:
- Show compassion to your patients and families,
- Make frequent rounds and honor small requests,
- Investigate concerns and assist in resolutions,
- Listen attentively to complaints and seek assistance when needed,
- Evaluate measures taken to resolve problems.
Be careful when wondering around the CSU because you just may be asked "Have you shown your SMILE today?"
- Letitia Newman RN,BSN, CCRN
3S Cardiology Nurse Manager III
4South
The 4 South Nursing Team would like to say thank you for all of the great activities offered during our Nurses Week Celebration! Everyone celebrated and had a good time. It is a great way to fellowship with each other and our sister units in our organization.
We also had Fun and Festive celebrations with our own Nursing Family. We had "FIESTA" celebrations which was entitled "NACHO AVERAGE NURSES." 4 South certainly does not have your average nurses. These nurses go above and beyond for their patients, their unit and each other on a daily basis. UMHC is truly blessed to have these Nurses in our organization.
We are also excited to welcome to our family all of our New Graduates:
- Candace Clayton, RNG - UMC
- Kelvin Gaddis, RNG - MCC
- Shaneeka Simmons, RNG - UMC
- Elizabeth Wicker, RNG - CoLin CC
I would like to say another THANK YOU to our staff of Nurses! I appreciate each and everyone of you and I am proud to have you in our family on 4 South!
- Debra Walters
Nurse Manager
Neurosurgery Unit, 4 South
MICU
A lot of things are happening in MICU. We welcome seven new graduate nurses: Jessica Black, Amanda Hinkey, Jessica Wallace, Jenna Culpepper, Tara Carter, Robin Ammons, and Andrew Sharp. Whew!! We also welcome four student nurse externs for this summer: Brittany Chapman, Devinna Bahadur, James Bankhead, Jr., and Leah Hughes. As you can see, a lot of new employees this summer in training.
We also welcome our newest member to the team--Terri Porter, RN which has moved from another hospital to train in critical care. KUDOS to Ashley Moore, RN which recruited Terri for MICU.
Congratulations to Todd Little for passing his CCRN exam. We are very sad because he has been accepted to CRNA in Naples, Florida. We will really miss him but maybe we will all go visit!
Wendy Howell, the educator for MICU, welcomed on April 7 the proud arrival of Sarah Jane Howell. Mother and baby are doing great!
Thanks to all of the MICU staff that works many extra hours for all employees to have time off with families and events. Thanks for all of the hard work!
Amy Barrett
Nurse Manager, MICU
L&D and Women's OB/GYN Urgent Care Center
We are pleased to announce the following:
Barbara Thomas has assumed the role of RN II; we have three new Nursing Assistants- Jennifer Nail, Jacquline Robinson,and Marijana Serferovic. Shannon Brock and Emily Oberschmidt, both Nurse Graduates, joined us on May 19 and Shena Odies is filling the role of 7p Unit Secretary. Welcome to your new roles on our L&D "team".
Mignon Banks, RN, was recently recognized with a Bronze Award for her customer service. Thanks Mignon!
Congratulations to Bailey and Travis Smith on the arrival of their new son - Baylor Lane Smith, born May 1!
We also want to congratulate the staff from L&D who participated on our Get Fit team. Laura Taylor, RN, was a finalist in the largest percentage los and during the recognition ceremony May 19 her name was drawn for a $100 gift certificate to Academy Sports.
We thank all our staff and appreciate what you do every day!
- Pat Ainsworth
- Donna Trotter
NSICU
NSICU nurses accepted to Nurse Anesthesia School are Robert Barr, Lex Hester, and Eldridge Taylor. We wish them well.
We have eight new RN hired to start in the upcoming months. We would like to welcome Celia Richardson, RN who just recently started in NSICU.
Congratulations to Michael McGowan who just recently passed his CCRN.
Congratulations to Daniel Stuart who will be moving from Staff RN to NSICU Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
Greater Mississippi Chapter of AANN that was established through NSICU has new officers in place. They are Tonya Spells, Staff RN NSICU-President; Rhonda Dean, ADON- President-elect; Brenda Watt, Staff Educator NSICU- Secretary; Beverly Tabb, Staff RN NSICU- Treasurer; Vernon Bartholomew, ADON- Committee co-chair, and Candi Clampit, NSICU Staff RN Committee Co-Chair.
- Brandi Winans
Nurse Manger NSICU
NSICU Organizes Farewell
The NSICU staff organized a going away party for Dr. Ahmed Badr, Medical Director of NSICU. The party was held at Walkers Drive Inn on May 15, 2008. Brandi Winans, nurse manager for the NSICU and Adrienne Murray, research RN for NSICU were the nurses that spearheaded this special night.
Others who supported this event include, but is not limited to the following: All NSICU Nursing staff and Medical Staff; Terri Gillespie and Kim Stonecypher, UMHC Clinical Directors; Tammie Hollingsworth, administrative assistant, and Terry Williams, former nurse manager of NSICU.
The NSICU would like to give a special thanks to Beverly Tabb, Staff Nurse NSICU and Brenda Watt, Staff Educator NSICU for the work put into preparing a slide show for the party and a beautiful album of memories as a gift for Dr. Badr. We would also like to thank everyone who assisted with providing pictures and other mementos to assist in making this a wonderful event.
Dr. Badr always recognized the importance of the nursing staff as a part of his team. He served as a voice for nurses in the NSICU, assisted with recruiting of nursing staff for NSICU and has truly been a Nurse Advocate.
We wish Dr. Badr well. He will be missed by all of NSICU.
- Brenda Watt
Staff Educator NSICU
PCCU
The Oxford class from the UMMC School of Nursing recently made quilts for the babies and children of the PCCU. They are all different shapes and designs and are absolutely precious. This was their SoNShine Day project.
These students knew about the PCCU because their instructor, Sherry Felder, is the mother of two of PCCU nurses: Sara Watts and Lindsay Clairain. The students presented the quilts to the PCCU via teleconference.
- Michelle Welander, RN, BSN, CCRN-P
Nurse Manager
Pediatric Critical Care
Leadership Kudos
Since our last issue, Janet Harris has awarded certificates to the following units for various achievements.
100% Compliance with Narcotic Discrepancy Resolution
- L & D
- 3 Circle
- 3 Wiser
- 5 South
- 2 North
- SICU
- 5 Wiser
- MICU
- 4 C
- BMT
- PICU
- PEDS
100% Blood Culture Technique Compliance
- 3 Wiser
- 5 Wiser
- 2 C
- 4 North
100% Compliance Nursing Signatures for Medication Reconciliation
- 5 West
- 7 East
- 3 Circle
- 2 C
- 5 South
- 5 North
- 3 South
Most Patient Compliments
Most Improved in Customer Compliments
