W Physician, Employee Of Year Chosen

W
A Publication for NMMC Employees
hat’s
Inside…
Volume 15, Number 10
May 18, 2007
Physician, Employee Of Year Chosen
ALERT
Team ................p. 2
Perfect,
Excellent
Attenders..........p. 3
EOM ................p. 4
Nursing
Excellence........p. 5
Large,
Small
Groups ............p. 8
North Mississippi Medical Center honored cardiologist Nelson Little, M.D., with the Golden Tongue
Blade Award and Beth Sherfey, RN, of the oncology unit as 2006-2007 Employee of the Year during
the annual Employee Recognition Banquet on May 1.
Page 2
I
Checkup
May 18, 2007
ALERT Team Targets Improved Assessment
n response to the Institute for
Healthcare Improvement’s 5
Million Lives campaign, NMMC
has created the ALERT emergency
response team.
Nationally, such teams have drastically improved patient outcomes and
mortality rates. IHI’s previous campaign of 100,000 Lives actually saved
more than 150,000.
The ALERT team’s ultimate goal is
to provide another experienced set of
eyes for a primary nurse who is concerned about a patient’s slow or rapid
decline, hopefully to prevent further
deterioration before cardiopulmonary
arrest. The ALERT team consists of a
respiratory therapist and a nursing
supervisor. The team’s role is to assist
the primary nurse with assessing and
stabilizing the patient, communicating
information to the patient’s physician,
and, if necessary, transferring the
patient to a higher level of care.
Anyone noticing a decline in the
patient’s condition should notify the
primary nurse. The primary nurse may
then decide to contact the ALERT
staff any time there is a concern about
the patient’s condition or if the patient
experiences a change in:
• Heart rate: 40< or >130 beats/min
• Systolic blood pressure: <90 mmHg
• Respiratory rate: 8< or >28 per min
• Difficulty breathing
• Oxygenation: <90%
• Level of consciousness
• New onset of chest pain
• New onset of dysrhythmias
The ALERT team is activated by
entering patient data through the
ALERT pathway via the Intranet. For
more information about the new
ALERT team, call Joyce Olmstead at
377-5297 or Mechelle Crosby at 3772628.
Mike Denham (left), administrator for surgical services, and Chuck Stokes (right), NMMC president,
present Bill R. Stone, a registered nurse on 3 West, with a $250 gift certificate to The Mall at Barnes
Crossing for submitting the winning name for NMMC’s Rapid Response Team. Stone came up with
ALERT, an acronym for Advanced Lifesaving Emergency Response Team.
T
May 18, 2007
Checkup
Page 3
NMHS Perfect, Excellent Attenders Rewarded
he average North Mississippi
Health Services employee
missed only 3.17 scheduled days
during 2006, slightly less than the previous year.
In 1989, the first year for Perfect
Attendance recognition, North
Mississippi Medical Center honored
289 employees. This April, NMHS
recognized 713 perfect attenders plus
376 excellent attenders. In addition,
many of those with outstanding attendance also took home prizes. Winners
included:
26” HD/LCD TV – Debbie
Wilemon, Business Services, Billing;
JoAnn Bishop, Hamilton Medical
Clinic;
DVD Player – Marcus Harris,
Women’s Hospital Respiratory; Cathy
Nunley, 1 West;
Home Theater – Joycelene Hughes,
Environmental Services;
Portable DVD Player – Margaret
Lofton, Pharmacy; Penny Posey,
Women’s Hospital SPD; Darrick
Whitfield, Sleep Lab;
MP3 Player – Dorris Ryan, Nurse
Link Call Center;
Armband Radio – Cynthia Lentz,
Emergency Services; Sondra Nichols,
Emergency Services; Patti Wilkerson,
Health Information Services;
2-Way Radio – Narin Abernathy,
Facility Operations;
60 Disc Storage Holder – Fred
Evans, Employment Services; Susan
Groves, Recovery;
28 DVD Holder – Carol Sanders,
Business Services, Billing; Tommie
Hopkins, Business Services,
Collections
Clock Radio – Dale Blaylock,
Management Information Services;
Tony Comi, Facility Operations;
Digital Camera – Jeffrey Cates, 6
South; Norene Todd, Ambassador
Services;
Steamer – Beth Buse, Hospice;
Spotlifter – Barbara Morgan,
Business Services, Patient Accounts;
Betty Brown, Pathology;
Hand Vac – Tina Samples,
Behavioral Health;
Auto Safety Kit – Jeanette
Anderson, Pathology; Darlene
Nicholson, Pathology;
Can Opener – Brad Carter,
Pathology;
Crockery – Patricia Finney, Center
for Digestive Health;
Popcorn Maker – Cecelia Davis,
Pathology;
Toaster Oven – Freida Jones,
Ambassador Services;
Pizza Oven – Scott Turner,
Biomedical Services;
Smoothie Freeze – Beverly Smith,
Biomedical/Communications;
Smoke-N-Grill – Nektaviou (Nick)
Papadimitriou, Ambulance;
Ice Tea Maker – Joyce Barber,
Women’s Hospital, Recovery;
Handy Chopper – Monica Crosby,
Surgery Center; Lisa Roper, CV
Surgery;
Electric Knife – Jessica Yielding,
Health Information Services;
Ice Cream Maker – Sandra Oliver,
Radiation Oncology;
Wooden Tray Tables – Judy
Richardson, Clinical Care;
Foot Massager – Janet Whiteside,
Pathology;
Bocce – Doris Carothers, Laundry;
Croquet Set – Rhonda Lindley,
Critical Care;
9-in-1 Game Set – Joe Gilmore,
Facility Operations;
Continued on page 7
Page 4
Z
Checkup
May 18, 2007
Coworkers Make Job Much More Satisfying
ak Coats of Facility Operations
has been named North
Mississippi Medical Center’s
Employee of the Month for March.
Coats is a Red Bay, Ala., native and
currently resides in Pontotoc. He is a
graduate of Red Bay High School and
received an associate’s degree from
Northwest-Shoals Community College
in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Coats joined NMMC in January
2005 and worked in Facility
Operations at the NMMC Behavioral
Health Center and Child Care Center.
He transferred in February 2006 to the
Main Unit, where he is a system technician.
“I was very surprised,” Coats said
of receiving the monthly honor after a
little more than two years on the job.
“I work with a bunch of great folks
and that makes it easy. I enjoy working with everybody.”
“Zak is full of energy and is always
willing to help patients and customers
with anything they ask of him,” one
coworker wrote in his nomination.
“Zak is very knowledgeable and is
able to handle most any project he
comes to. Zak is an important part of
NMMC and Facility Operations. He
will continue to be a blessing to us
all.”
“(Zak) always had a positive attitude and never
once acted like our
requests were more
than he could handle,” wrote the
director of one
facility where
Coats formerly
worked. “He has a
great sense of
humor and a kind
word for anyone
he comes in contact with.”
Coats and his
wife Katrina will
celebrate their first
anniversary on
June 3. The couple
attends the Church
of Christ at
Pontotoc on
Highway 15.
Coats enjoys hunting and fishing in
his spare time.
✔
NMMC vice president Bruce Ridgway (left) congratulates Zak Coats on being named North
Mississippi Medical Center’s March Employee of the Month.
N
May 18, 2007
Checkup
Page 5
Nursing Excellence Awards Honorees Selected
orth Mississippi Medical
Center honored several nursing staff members May 6 with
Nursing Excellence Awards.
Pam Hodges, RN, of Tupelo
received the
Excellence in
Education
Award. Hodges
serves as nurse
educator for 3
West and 3
North. She has
been employed
by NMMC for
27 years and has a daughter, Camri
Bruce. Hodges earned an associate’s
degree in nursing from Itawamba
Community College in 1980 and
bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1988.
She earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy in 2005. She
is currently pursuing a master’s degree
in nursing from the University of
Alabama at Birmingham. She attends
West Main Church of Christ.
Paula Brown, RN, of Tupelo
received the
Excellence in
Preceptor/Mentor
Award. Brown
has worked for
NMMC for 28
years and is a
nurse clinician
for the Women’s
Hospital
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and
Nursery. She earned a bachelor’s
degree in nursing from Mississippi
University for Women in 1991 and a
master’s degree in nursing from the
University of Tennessee at Memphis
in 1996. She is a member of the
Church of Christ.
Jeff Cates of Smithville received the
Unit Coordinator
Excellence Award.
An NMMC
employee for more
than six years,
Cates is unit coordinator for 6
South. He is the
son of Paulette
Cates and the late
Timmy Cates, and a 2000 graduate of
Smithville High School.
Anita Ambrose, RN, of Verona
received the Excellence in Community
Service Award. An NMMC employee
for more than 19
years, Ambrose
works with the
Home Health
Agency. She
earned her associate’s degree in
nursing from
Mississippi
University for
Women in 1986 and her bachelor’s
degree in nursing from the University
of North Alabama in 2000. She and her
husband, Melvin, have three children,
Rasheda, Octavia and Melvin Jr., and a
grandchild, Christian. They are also
licensed foster parents.
Pat Chosich, RN, of Tupelo
received the Outcomes Manager
Excellence Award. Chosich has been
employed by
NMMC for five
years and currently
serves as outcomes manager for
Women’s Hospital.
She earned her
nursing degree at
the University of
Continued on page 6
Page 6
Checkup
Nursing Excellence
May 18, 2007
Continued from page 5
Arkansas. She and her husband,
Richard, have three children – Rachel,
Jennifer and Cody – and a granddaughter, Madeline. They attend
Belden Baptist Church.
June Smith, CLPN, of Tupelo
received the
CLPN/LPN
Excellence
Award. An
NMMC employee for 29 years,
Smith works on
the pediatrics
unit. She
received her training at Itawamba
Community College. She has four
children, six grandchildren and is
expecting her first great-grandchild.
Karen George, RN, of Fulton
received the
Excellence in
Leadership Award.
An NMMC
employee for 21
years, she currently serves as nurse
manager for 3
West, 3 North and
2 South. George earned her associate’s degree in nursing from
Itawamba Community College in
1986 and her bachelor’s degree in
nursing from the University of North
Alabama in 2004. She is completing
her master’s degree from Delta State
University. She and her husband,
Neal, have three daughters – Kayla,
Candace and Bethany. They attend
Southside
Baptist Church.
Kathryn
Stewart of
Fulton received
the Nursing
Assistant
Excellence
Award. An NMMC employee for 12
years, Stewart works with the Home
Health Agency. She has three children – Craig Stewart, Allen Stewart
and Carrie McDonald. She attends
Plainview Church of Christ in Fulton.
Leigh Ann Scroggins, RN, of
Booneville
received the RN
Excellence
Award. An
NMMC
employee for
1-1/2 years, she
currently works
as a Hospice
nurse.
Scroggins earned her associate’s
degree in nursing from Northeast
Mississippi Community College in
1994. She is married to Jason
Scroggins and has two children,
Cade, 10, and Caleigh Grace, 7. They
attend East Booneville Baptist
Church.
Lauren Collins Waldrop, RN, of
Saltillo received the Rookie
Excellence Award. Collins earned her
bachelor’s degree in nursing from the
University of Mississippi Medical
Center in Jackson in 2006. She has
been an NMMC employee for one
year and works
in Labor and
Delivery at
Women’s
Hospital. She
recently married
Justin Waldrop.
For more
information
about nursing opportunities at
NMMC, call 1-800-793-7715.
✔
May 18, 2007
Checkup
Page 7
Perfect, Excellent Attenders Continued from page 3
Beach Towels – Tommy Patterson,
Radiology (CT); Elbert Outlaw,
Ambulance;
Harvey’s $35 Gift Certificates –
Janelle Morgan, Communications;
Shirley Hambrick, Pathology;
Mall at Barnes Crossing $50 Gift
Certificates – Rick Poore, Facility
Operations; Angela Abner, Hospitalist;
Susan McMillen, Pathology; Lindsey
Sparks, Ambulance;
Olive Garden Gift Certificates –
Ramona Harmon, Wellness Center;
Jerry Betts, Biomedical (Medical communications);
Malco Theatres $20 Gift Book – Ida
Gilleylen, Food and Nutrition; Ozella
Carouthers, Environmental Services;
Donna Bell, Ambassador Services
NMMC-West Point
DVD Player – Mary Johnson;
4-in-1 Game Set – Toney Eichelberger;
Smart Clock – Lila Williams;
One-Touch Chopper – Debra Reese;
Waffle Maker – Edith Minyard
Beach Towel – Earnest Sanders
NMMC-Iuka
DVD Player – Brandon Grissom;
Smart Clock – Sheila Marlar; Electric
Knife – Donna Carns; Single blender –
Pat Ross; Beach Towel – Linda Brown;
Portable CD Player – Jeff Underwood
NMMC-Eupora
DVD Player – Robin Mixon; Smart
Clock – Lydia Cain; Electric Knife –
Joseph Ballard; Single Blender – Tanna
Gary; Beach Towel – Frances Johnson;
Portable CD Player – Stephanie
Galloway
North Mississippi Medical Clinics
DVD Player – Julie Boatner, IMA
Nursing; Smart Clock – Brian Donner,
Barnes Crossing Medical Clinic;
Electric Knife – Nancy Raines,
Ackerman Medical Clinic; Blend &
Go – Amanda Honnoll, Lowndes
Medical Clinic; Beach Towel – Teresa
Rico, Eupora Pediatric Clinic; Portable
CD Player – Carol McCullough,
Eupora Medical Clinic
NMMC Home Health
DVD Player – Elizabeth Denson;
Smart Clock – Betty Green; Electric
Knife – Julie Stubblefield; Smoothie
Kit – Jessica Hunt; Beach Towel –
Linda Shields; Portable CD Player –
Judy Jackson
✔
NMMC-Pontotoc
DVD Player – Kaye Finley; Smart
Clock – Brent Sanders; Electric Knife –
Ruby Williams; Single Blender – Terry
Triplett; Beach Towel – Eunice Roy;
Portable CD Player – Linda Ramsey
NMMC-Hamilton
DVD Player – Cannon Jones; Smart
Clock – Kathy Scott; Electric Knife –
Marie Harrelson; Single Blender –
Wanda Rea; Beach Towel – Janet Frye;
Portable CD Player – Patsy Hutcheson Mike Dillard (r) of Employment Services presents a 26” HD/LCD TV to
Debbie Wilemon of Business Services during the attendance celebration.
Page 8
W
Checkup
May 18, 2007
Large, Small Groups Recognized For Attendance
NMMC-West Point support services employees
celebrated their Large
Group Attendance
Award with a reception
May 8. Participating
were some of the honored employees (seated,
from left), Phyllis Whitt,
Brenda Wilson, Lisa
McNairy, (standing,
from left) Sam Marshall,
Charles Smith, Jim
Clark, Susie Triplett,
Sherry Acker, Bertha
Mathews, Teresa Virges
and Paula White.
Bio-Medical/Clinical
Services recently celebrated their recognition
as the Small Group
Attendance Award winners with a reception.
Shown with the award
plaque are, front row,
from left, Tim Hallmark,
Bo Prather, Scott Turner,
Beverly Baughman and
Sharon Birmingham,
and second row, Mike
Scalf, Tommy Counce,
Chris Wray, Mike
Dozier, Mark Sheffield
and Mark Shelton.
ith all the special gifts and
prizes awarded annually,
North Mississippi Health
Services employees with perfect and
excellent attendance can vouch that
attendance at work can be a rewarding
experience. That’s especially true when
you work with a group of employees
who have excellent attendance records.
In addition to recognizing perfect attendance, NMHS presents two awards to
recognize the work groups with the
best attendance overall. The Small
Group Attendance Award is given to a
department with more than 10 and less
than 25 employees, and the Large
Group Attendance Award recognizes
departments with 25 or more employees.
This year’s winners were BioMedical/Clinical Services, Small
Group, and North Mississippi Medical
Center-West Point Non-Nursing, Large
Group.
Bio-Medical/Clinical Services has 15
full-time hourly employees. They had
total of 11 absences, with an average
of .73 missed days.
When this award made its debut in
the late 1980s, Bio-Medical was the
first recipient and the department to
beat for several years.
NMMC-West Point has 115 fulltime hourly employees working in
support services. They had 147
absences for an average of 1.28
missed workdays in 2006. The average days missed for support services
throughout the NMHS organization
was 3.17.
To celebrate their achievements,
both areas celebrated with a reception
at their work place. Mike Dillard,
director of Employment Services,
presented the group attendance award
plaques and congratulated them on
their accomplishments as well as
thanked them for their outstanding
attendance records.
“Attendance at work is the most
important factor in delivering quality
health care,” Dillard said. “Poor
attendance lowers quality of care,
customer service and employee
morale. Excellent attendance decreases the cost of care because less
money is spent on overtime and benefit time. You are to be commended
for your attendance.”
Absenteeism in 2006 for NMHS
system decreased by 0.04 days. In
calendar year 2006, the average
NMHS hourly employee missed 3.17
days compared to the 3.21 days
missed in 2005. The cost of a complete average day missed is approximately $515,953 in regular time pay
and $773,929 if paid at an overtime
rate; therefore, the annualized cost of
absences is between $1,635,569 and
$2,453,354 for the system.
✔