90th Reunion - Nash Health Care Systems

Nash Health Care Systems’ Quarterly News Magazine
Winter 2005
Surgery
Pavilion
Teleconferencing
Story pg. 2
InThe Spotlight
Food and Nutrition Services... pg 8
Parkview Reunion
90th Reunion Celebration... pg 4
Vol. 16, Number 1
www.nhcs.org
Surgery Pavilion teleconferencing brings
state-of-the-art science close to home
The Rocky Mount Heartburn Treatment Center has been a leader in its
field for several years. The first of its kind in the nation, it has attracted
patients from across the country and the attention and recognition of surgeons nationwide.
Now, state-of-the-art heartburn treatment meets state-of-the art teleconferencing technology in a marriage of science that will benefit the entire
community.
The Surgery Pavilion at Nash Health Care
Systems has a conference center with a projection
screen that can showcase surgeries in real time –
and it is not limited to heartburn treatment surgeries. Each surgeon at Nash Health Care
Systems can utilize this technology to help educate medical students, patients or even consult
with colleagues from across the state …and across
the country.
The facility also has the ability to record the
surgeries, capture images on film and allow verbal
interaction between the surgeon and conference
attendees. Through both handheld and podium
microphones, observers can ask questions as the
surgeon explains the procedure. Microphones are
equipped with a mute function, so the surgeon
will not be distracted by background noise in the
conference room, or the sounds of people entering the room.
“This was a stellar, stellar performance, by
everyone’s standards,” said Shay Ehler, who was
present when the teleconferencing equipment was being tested.
For Ehler, the technology was a masterpiece equivalent to a Picasso or
Monet.
“The educational implications are enormous,” she said.
Wes Newman, of Hospital Communication Systems, is one of the software engineers who worked to make this technology possible at Nash
Health Care Systems. He was on hand to witness the crystal-clear pictures,
which he said was done with technology equal to—or even better than—
equipment available at larger university-affiliated teaching hospitals across
the state.
Meanwhile, in the surgical suite, Dr. Chris Dengler, was repairing the
esophageal / stomach area of a 20-year old female who had constantly suffered from chronic heartburn or acid reflux, also known as GERD.
“This shows a tremendous confidence in the treatment available at the
Rocky Mount Heartburn Treatment Center,” Dr. Dengler said from the
operating room to the observers in the conference center. “When she,” he
said, referring to the patient on the operating table, “when she comes back
from surgery happy and cured from acid reflux, it is a very gratifying thing.”
In April, this technology will be thrust into the center stage for a major
teleconference concerning the treatment of GERD involving several health
care professionals across the state. In the past, physicians from as far away
as California have visited the Rocky Mount Heartburn Treatment Center
with the vision to establish similar centers in their communities. Patients
have traveled to Rocky Mount to seek treatment from as far away as
Canada.
“Is your image clear?” Dr. Dengler asked of observers in the conference
center.
It was more than clear. It was state-of-the-art.
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NHCS Winter 2005
Top
Information from a surgery suite is relayed to the surgery pavilion in real time, where Shay Ehler (far left)
discusses the benefits of the system with Wes Newman.
Above and to the Left
Shay Ehler (left), gives Rick Toomey, CEO of Nash
Health Care Systems (right), information concerning
the latest teleconferencing session at the new Surgery
Pavilion.
The Eyes have it
Nash Day Hospital featured in
“Outpatient Surgery” magazine.
Cataract patients aren’t the only ones who can
see clearly after surgery. Nash Day Hospital’s
innovative techniques in fiscal responsibility have
achieved national headlines through the article
“12 Tips to Cut Cataract Case Costs.”
The article quotes Janice Manning, RN,
CNOR, the OR manager at Nash Day Hospital,
on how to streamline the pre-op processes.
Manning’s advice demonstrates ways that Nash
Day Hospital has maintained peak efficiency—
which reduces the cost of surgery and expedites
the process.
Manning said there is no need to undress
patients as long as a cover gown—a sterile cover
to decrease the chance of infection—is used. In
addition, utilizing pledgets can make a huge difference.
A pledget is a piece of absorbent material that
may be used to dilate eyes. The pledget is soaked
in a medical “cocktail” which is then administered to the eyes. This is faster and more convenient than administering eye drops every few minutes, the article stated.
Encore presentation
Nash Health Care Systems is main feature in
ADVANCE for Nurses Magazine...again
Nash Health Care Systems has once again drawn the attention of the national spotlight.The hospital’s nursing recruitment programs were featured in a front-page cover story in ADVANCE for
Nurses magazine.
This is the second time the hospital has graced the cover of the magazine. The first appearance was
for a feature story on the new Surgery Pavilion. That cover was selected as the best cover story of the
year by ADVANCE.
The most recent article, which graces the cover of the December 13, 2004 edition, features student
nurse Tara Counts; Rebecca Davidson, BSNH, RN and Diane Turner, BSN,
RN. Others who are featured in the magazine include Evangeline
Grant, BSN nursing resource coordinator; student nurse
Crystal Macklin; Susan Battle, RN; Shirley
Harkey, CNO; Linda Puckett, RN;
and Romeika Allen, CNA.
The article
explains the
many ways in
which nurse
administrators,
managers and staff
nurses have joined
forces to launch a
multifaceted initiative
to recruit nurses and
provide information on
health care careers to
local students.
ADVANCE for Nurses
is a biweekly publication
that provides regional news
Photocopies of the article
as well as information on clinmay be obtained by calling Public
ical, management and profesRelations at 443-8762 or by e-mailing
sional issues that effect nurses.
Dawn Wilson at [email protected]
The Southeastern States edition,
which features Nash Health Care Systems, is provided free to all licensed RNs and senior nursing students in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.
NHCS Winter 2005
3
Park
View School’s 90th Reunion Celebration
It was a time of history, a time of memories
If you were a nurse at Park
View Hospital and School of
Nursing, several things were
expected of you. You were
always expected to present an
immaculate public image, with
white hose and white shoes
and your hair fixed so that it
would not touch the collar.
Pants were out. So were late
nights, unless you were studying or scheduled to work a night shift.
You could get demerits for a number of things, such as missing curfew or
moving your bed without permission. You wore aprons that were so heavily
starched they could stand by themselves. But most importantly,
you received an extensive education in all aspects of nursing
from one of its finest schools.
The hallways of Park View are now silent—the
hospital closed in 1971 to make way for Nash
General Hospital—but from 1914 to 1971, the
hospital served as the cornerstone of the community, graduating its first class of nursing students
in 1917.
This October, Park View Hospital and
Nursing School celebrated its 90th Reunion
Celebration at Nash Community College, complete with dinner, a memorabilia display, and a
historical perspective by Patty Collins, MEd.
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NHCS Winter 2005
Collins has brought
this nostalgia to the
forefront of memories,
using the history of
Park View Hospital
and Nursing School as
the basis for her master’s thesis. She received
her degree from East
Carolina University.
She has compiled
the information into a
book, Nursing History
from a Simple
Beginning to a Rich
Heritage: A Historical
Case Study of Park
View Hospital and
the Park View
Hospital School of
Nursing. The
book is available
at the Book
Shoppe at
Englewood
Shopping Center.
There were several centerpieces adorning the tables at
the Park View Hospital and School of Nursing’s 90th
anniversary celebration, but some of the most beautiful
flowers were people like Wanda Wilson and the many
Park View alumni, employees and doctors that made
the event an occasion to remember.
Louise Carmichael
and her husband,
Woody Carmichael,
were some of the many
whose dedication and
effort made the
reunion possible.
This was my first memory of a nurse, and I believe
it was then that I decided I wanted to be a nurse.
It was during the interviews with the former Park
View nurses that I discovered that Park View was
a cornerstone of Rocky Mount for a number of
years. Except for a pamphlet written by a former
Park View nurse, Emily Battle, there was very little, At the event, Betty
Davenport Langston
if any, organized history of Park View Hospital and (right) presented a nursNursing School.”
ing scholarship of more
So Collins rolled up her sleeves and started the than $3,000 on behalf
daunting task of research—a task that
of the Park View
took her two semesters to complete.
Hospital alumni to Pat
Daniels (left) of the
She presented a slide show based
Nash Community
upon her research that included
College Foundation.
everything from a group picture
of Viewers—the school’s baseball
team-(yes, you read that right—a baseball team) to a dramatic photo of nurses carrying infants out of the building
when it caught fire. Together, they formed a patchwork of
community history that has seen the progression of health
care through the ages.
In addition, the Park View School of Nursing
Alumni presented a scholarship to Nash Community
College to benefit future nurses.
Collins received her RN from Nash
Community College in 1983 and
worked at Nash General Hospital’s emergency room in 1982 as an LPN and as a
RN from 1983 to 1985. She earned her
bachelor’s of science degree in nursing and
a master’s degree in adult education from
East Carolina University. She is a graduate
of Northern Nash
Senior High
School.
“There are several different reasons I decided to
write about the
history of Park
View Hospital and
Louise Charmichael, left, Park View Nursing
presents NHCS President School,” she said.
“Some of my first
and CEO Rick Toomey
memories are sitwith a framed picture
of Park View Hospital
ting at the intersecin appreciation for all
tion across from
the hospital did to help
Park View Hospital
with the 90th annual
and watching the
Park View Hospital and
Park View nurses
Nursing School Alumni
cross the street.
reunion.
Keys to the past
Among the items on display at the Park View
School’s Reunion were
vintage photos, a jacket
for the “Viewers”, (the
school baseball team),
and a traditional
Park View uniform
and cape.
NHCS Winter 2005
5
New Board Members
take the helm
Rosa Brodie and Keith Brewer recently joined the Nash Health
Care Systems Board of Commissioners, filling seats left vacant by
Randolph Holoman and Norman Chambliss.
Brodie, of Rocky Mount, earned her master’s degree in science
from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and served as an
instructor in nursing education at Nash Community College from
1968-1992. In addition, she worked extensively with Nash County
Schools, both as a science teacher and a supervisor of science in
Target Schools.
She did post graduate work at NC State University, North
Carolina Central University and East Carolina University. She is a
lifetime member of the National Education Association, a member
of the National Association of University Women, the NAACP
and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Her numerous accomplishments include the J.B. Harren Service
Award and Nash Community Colleges Outstanding Educator
Board members sworn in
of the Year. In 1976, she received a special Excellence in Teaching Rosa Brodie (above, right) and Keith
Award presented by the president of the Community College
Brewer (below, right) take the oath
System for
of office for the Nash Health Care
the State
Systems Board of Commissioners.On
left is board attorney McClain Wallace.
Government
Association.
She was also
selected as one of the 88 nominees for the First
Distinguished Women of North Carolina Awards
by the council of the Status of Women.
She is a Deacon at Metropolitan Missionary
Baptist Church and a delegate to the North
Carolina’s Women Baptist Home and Foreign
Missionary Convention and Lot Carey Foreign
Mission Convention.
“I deem it an honor and privilege to have been
asked to serve on the the Nash Health Care
Systems Board of Commissioners, for my spiritual
life and my sorority, AKA, command me to do
service to all mankind,” Brodie said. “Many of the
students who I taught at Nash Community
College have made me proud, for they are now
RN’s and administrators at Nash General
Hospital. With God’s help I shall try and serve
them and my community well.”
W. Keith Brewer is the President of Universal
Leaf North America, US division. He has over 25
years of experience in the sales promotion, marketing, planning, and customer service of the
tobacco industry.
Board members honored
Brewer started his career at Thorpe and Ricks
of Rocky Mount. He managed the Thorpe proNorman Chambliss (center, top photo)
cessing facility from 1983-1993, at which time he
and Randolph Holloman (center, bottom
moved to the Universal Leaf Tobacco
photo) are presented with a resolution
Headquarters in Richmond to assume the posihonoring their service to the Nash Health
tion of Vice President, International Processing
Care Systems Board of Commissioners.
Director. Later Keith relocated to Nash County as
The recognition award was presented by
President of the Universal US division.
Board chairman Laura Earp (left) and
Brewer currently serves on the Board for Nash
Nash Health Care Systems President and
Community College Foundation, Nash County
CEO, Rick Toomey, DHA (far right).
Business Development Authority, and the Community and Schools of Rocky Mount Region, Inc.
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NHCS Winter 2005
Toomey elected
chairman of
statewide hospital
organization
Rick Toomey, DHA, president and CEO of
Nash Health Care Systems, was recently elected
Chairman-Elect of the N.C. Hospital
Association’s Board of Trustees.
NCHA is statewide trade association representing 135 hospitals and health networks. The association promotes improved community health
status and delivery of quality healthcare through
leadership, information, education, and advocacy
in members’ interests and for public benefit.
Toomey received his master’s degree from Duke
University and his doctorate in health care administration (DHA) from the Medical University of
South Carolina. Toomey has worked with Nash
Health Care Systems since 1989 and is president
and CEO of the system.
Toomey’s responsibilities will include chairing
the Policy Development Committee and guiding
the NCHA as it makes decisions that will effect
and aid hospitals throughout the state. He will
take office on January 1, 2006.
Toomey has presided over Nash Health Care
Systems during an unprecedented period of
growth. Expansion projects during his tenure have
included the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation
Center, a new Central Energy Plant, the completion of the area’s first parking deck, and a new
Surgery Pavilion.
Nash
Health Care
Systems
serves the
family of an
American
hero.
John Beamer, the grandfather of Todd Beamer,
whose heroic deed on 9/11 was detailed in the
book “Let’s Roll!”, recently sought treatment at
Nash Health Care Systems. Todd Beamer was
one of the passengers who overtook the hijackers
on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania.
John Beamer, a resident of Roanoke Rapids,
had his gall bladder removed.
“You have a great facility, it was one of the reasons I decided to come here,” he said.
John Beamer’s son, David, and wife Wanda
(Todd’s parents), had made the trek to North
Carolina to be there for the surgery.
“We have found everyone (at Nash Health
Care Systems) to be cordial and competent and
cheerful,” he said.
Sports clinic serves local high school students
Dr. Greg Nelson has operated the clinic for more than a decade
Jeff Beal (left) and
Dr. Greg Nelson at a
Rocky Mount Senior
High football game.
Clinical Documentation Improvement
Team Moves Forward
Thousands of surgeries and procedures are performed at Nash Health
Care Systems every month. Every day, citizens from Nash and surrounding
counties seek care for a variety of conditions, whether it is through the
Emergency Care Center or the Rocky Mount Heartburn Treatment Center.
And each of these encounters has to be documented. And not just documented, but documented accurately and efficiently.
Dr. Greg Nelson does not stand on the sidelines –
unless its in his role as a physician at a local high school
football game.
For 14 years, this member of the Nash Health Care
Systems medical staff has dedicated his time to helping
high school athletes at Northern Nash High School and
Rocky Mount Senior High School through his Saturday
morning sports clinics geared to help students who may
have been injured in a game earlier that week.
In addition to being on hand during the game, Dr.
Nelson offers a free weekly Saturday morning clinic for
the student athletes. Jeff Beal of the Nash Day Hospital
Rehabilitation department is also ready to assist.
But there’s something more intangible about
Dr. Nelson’s contribution. Much more than sprains
and strains, there’s a reflection of a deep love for
sports, and respect and encouragement for the
student athletes who participate in them. Nelson
has continued his clinic for several years, quietly
serving the community by improving the health
of its young athletes.
Dr. Nelson started his sport clinic for players at
Northern Nash Senior High School and then
later for Rocky Mount Senior High School.
After the rigors of a Friday night game, Dr.
Nelson is available to treat minor sports injuries at
the weekly Saturday morning clinic – and the student does not have to wait until Monday morning or
later to get to a doctor. It’s a comforting thought
when the best linebacker is hurt.
“There’s been a tremendous positive input from
the high schools. Many students come into the clinic
with their Mom and Dad, and I’m able to answer any
questions they may have,” he said. “We have also been
working with our student trainers to teach them how
to treat acute, minor problems.”
In continuing its reputation as a national leader in electronic medical
documentation, Nash Health Care Systems has established a Clinical
Documentation Improvement team. The goal of the team is to improve the
input of clinical documentation while the patient is still receiving care. The
benefits are obvious: expediting documentation can have a more immediate
impact on the patient’s care plan.
The second week in November, team members worked with Navigant
Consulting, to incorporate a team-based approach to documentation, establishing Clinical Documentation Specialists. These specialists, both registered
nurses and coders, have been through extensive training, said Anna West,
RN, care management, who is one of the team leaders.
Those who have completed the training include: Rose Sutton, LPN,
CCS; Anna West, RN, BSN; Amy Hyman, RHIT; Georgia Mayo, RHIT,
CSS Coding Supervisor; Tammy Wilkins, RN, BSN; Pat Silver, RN, BSN,
Manager of Care Management and Lisa Ward, RN, BSN.
“The members of the clinical documentation team are trained to interact
with the physicians to clarify documentation. By working intensely with
clinical documentation earlier in the process, we can have a positive effect
on patient outcomes,” West said.
Dr. Rick Guarino, chief medical officer, leads the team.
NHCS Winter 2005
7
In theSpotlight
Food and
Nutrition
Services
1
Without them, some of the most popular hospital events would not be possible.
What would February be without the longstanding tradition of the February freeze: an ice cream smorgasbord with all
the trimmings? Imagine kicking off the summer season without the delectable grilled burgers and hotdogs of the annual company picnic…and the
first-class prime rib and side dishes of the Christmas
Dinner are simply unforgettable.
These are some of the special events made possible by
the hard work and dedication of the Food and Nutrition
Services Department.
While it’s easy to see the fruits of their labor by simply
looking at the menu, there are other aspects of the department that
are just as important, only not as visible to the casual observer.
Imagine providing an average of 520 patient meals a day, with an additional 205 meals Monday – Friday for the Meals on Wheels Programs. Add
to the mixture the task of serving an average of around 1,420 patrons a day,
and it brings a whole new meaning to the question ‘What’s for dinner?’
Dan Cantu, director of the food and nutrition services department, said
teamwork is the key to the way 70 employees work to serve patients,
employees and visitors.
“Our employees work as a team and look out for each other like a true
family,” Cantu said. “They are dependable and consistently get quality
meals prepared and delivered on time. They handle constant menu
changes and diversity in work conditions/situations extremely well. In
times of inclement weather, they are likely one of the best departments in
the system in finding a way to get to work so that we can provide meals to
patients and staff without a hitch.”
All food service staff has to complete an extensive training program that
includes obtaining a health card by annually attending a 4-hour food service training program at the local health department. In addition,
they complete department-specific training through monthly
meetings and inter-departmental in-services.
“Our employees are responsible for so many details. We
purchase, stock, cook and serve over a thousand different food
items or ingredients. Many are temperature/time sensitive and
must be handled within regulatory food guidelines. We have a 7day patient menu, and the dietary staff must have a working knowledge of
numerous types of diets for each single menu,” Cantu said.
“It is always challenging to offer fresh, new selections and variety. Many
NHCS employees eat with us every day. I would challenge anyone to go
to their favorite restaurant every day without getting tired of it. It’s no easy
task!” Cantu said. “It takes a huge amount of coordinated, precise teamwork to serve this many menus and meals on time each day. There is nothing automatic about it. Snow, power-outages, communication failure,
internal and external disasters are not our only obstacles. Teamwork is
required to make the adjustments necessary to get all meals prepared and
served on time, every day of the year.”
Teamwork is the key ingredient in a successful health care system. Teams from many different disciplines join hands to produce the quality service that builds a healthier community. These
hands may be used for taking blood pressure or chopping vegetables–at any rate, they are all a part of the patterns of the quilt that makes Nash Health Care Systems an organization
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NHCS Winter 2005
Inside the cafeteria
Positions within the Nash Health Care Systems Dietary Department
How much do you know about the Food and Nutrition Services Department? The department team is committed to providing high quality nutritional support to patients, and popular
selections in serving areas for staff and visitors.
“We work as a team to cater large and small events throughout the campus, and keep a
‘can-do’ mind set to all food service related requests,” said Dan Cantu, department manager.
Here are the positions within the department, along with a
short description:
2
3
1. Teamwork. Food and Nutrition Service employees like (from left) Josephine
Whitehead, dietary aide; Janet Macon, dietary aide; Mike Morris, store
room clerk; Maria Johnson, dietary aide and Paulette Harris, assistant
cafeteria supervisor, demonstrate that teamwork is an everyday event.
2. Gloria Alston, cashier, carefully prepares the holiday spread for the annual
Christmas dinner.
3. How sweet it is! The dessert cart wouldn’t be completed without the dedication
of employees (from left) Doris Whitaker, dietary aide, and Rhodie Joyner,
dietary aide.
Did you know…
The department produces
around 2,145 meals per day,
which includes:
On average, every weekday
the dietary department
serves:
520 patient meals including
Nash General Hospital,
Coastal Plain Hospital and
the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center and 205
meals each weekday for the
Meals on Wheels Program.
990 patrons in the Nash
General Hospital Cafeteria
Dietary Aide – Assembles patient meal trays, cleans trays, china, etc. by operation of
dishwasher; cleans and stocks work areas.
Utility Aide – Delivers patient meal cart to patient areas, washes pots & pans; operates
dishwasher, mops floors and maintains routine departmental cleaning schedules.
Cashier – Operates cash registers and prepares cash for deposits. Stocks serving areas
with supplies; makes coffee, maintains cleanliness of tables, condiments and serving areas.
Cook/Cashier – Prepares foods to order in serving areas, serves food to staff and visitors,
and also has cashier duties.
Cook – Prepares foods for patient meal service, cafeteria service, and catering.
Cook for Meals on Wheels – Cooks a variety of meals, assembles and packs for delivery,
and delivers by truck to several locations for pick-up. Monday through Friday program.
NGH Mobile Food/Snack Cart Operator – Preparation of hot & cold grab’n go menu
selections, maintains stock of cart, pushes cart on predetermined route within NGH,
handles cash and prepares for deposit of cash. Interacts with all levels of hospital staff,
construction workers, and visitors.
Chief Cook – Manages and trains cooks to adhere to recipes and quality standards.
Food Service Supervisor – Prepares schedules and manages staff in patient services,
cafeteria, catering services, Hospitality Shop food service, Coastal Plain Hospital food
service, and Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation food service. There are specific supervisor
titles for each of these areas.
Food Service Associate – Is a Dietary Aide, Utility Aide, or Cashier that is skilled and
works in two or more positions within the Food & Nutrition Services department.
Dietary Storeroom Clerk – Checks in vendor deliveries, puts away all supplies and
maintains good sanitation of all dry and refrigerated storage areas.
Diet Clerk – Receives and maintains order of all patient meals and related food service
issues. Tracks and updates room changes and late trays. Maintains smooth working
telephone relationship between Dietary and Nursing departments.
Registered Dietitian – Performs patient nutritional assessments and develops, implements
and evaluates nutritional plans of care in collaboration with attending physicians. Takes
referrals for nutritional assessments from nursing, and series of other self-developed triggers.
Department Secretary – Administrative support of department to include payroll
processing, billing, financial reporting, posting information for staff, maintaining required
staff training compliance records, inventory, and a variety of other clerical support tasks.
Food & Nutrition Director – manages responsibilities of entire department.
Retail Manager – Manages responsibilities for Cafeteria, Catering, Hospitality Shop food
service, BTAR Staff Menu Program, NGH Mobile Food Cart, and NHCS vending services.
Food Production Manager – Manages cooking production for all areas, purchases all
food and supplies, and is responsible for quality, security of supplies, waste control and
financial control of these areas.
Clinical Nutrition Manager – Responsible for managing productivity
of Registered Dietitians and all aspects of patient meal services.
There are 70 The department purchases,
employees in stocks, cooks and serves
the department. over a thousand different
food items or ingredients.
The cooks simultaneously
prepare a 28-day cafeteria
menu and yet another 20day Meals on Wheels
menu.
360 patrons in Montague’s
Deli in the hospitality shop.
Catering attributes to about 70
more meals a day.
of distinction. But how much do you know about your neighbors in other departments? This “In the Spotlight” feature in each edition focuses on one department, providing information and insight into not only what they do, but who they are. If you are interested in featuring your department, contact Dawn Wilson in the public relations office at ext. 8766.
NHCS Winter 2005
9
You’ve got to have heart.
Jennifer Stephenson, an
exercise specialist with the
HealthFirst Rehabilitation
and Fitness Center of
Nash Health Care Systems,
paints a red heart on the
cheek of Frank “Tex”
Amend as they gear up for
the 3 to 5 mile walk to
raise awareness and funding for the American
Heart Association.
NHCS builds a healthier community
through the annual Heart Walk
It has become a fall tradition almost in the same sense of pumpkin
carvings and turkey and dressing. It is a time when downtown Rocky
Mount becomes a sea of red hats as walkers volunteer time and contributions to the American Heart Association for the annual Heart Walk.
Those wearing red caps at the event were special dignitaries: the red
hats represented those who were heart attack/heart disease survivors,
and they walked with a certain vim and vigor that can only be enjoyed
by those who have a keen knowledge of what’s important in life.
Nash Health Care Systems has been a yearly sponsor of the event,
and this year the NHCS Heart Walk teams raised a little over
$16,755.62 for the American Heart Association. Funds will go to educational programs and to research.
Nash Health Care Systems’ employees Katherine Ortiz (left), exercise specialist, and Kathy Barnhill, RN (right) are
all smiles when they participate in the American Heart Walk. The NHCS Heart Walk team could be easily identified by their red shirts which declared “Building a healthier community.”
10 NHCS Winter 2005
Jessica Sohn, daughter of
employees Mike and
Wanda Sohn, is a portrait
of intense concentration at
the American Heart Walk.
Employees, patients and heart attack survivors, as
well as those from all walks of life, represented Nash
Health Care Systems in the perfect portrait of building a healthier community at the American Heart
Association’s Annual Heart Walk. All team members
wore red t-shirts, and all heart attack survivors were
outfitted in red baseball caps.
Walk a mile in these shoes
This fancy footwear was just some of the many
items available at a yard sale held to raise
money for the American Heart Walk.
Nash Employees Always
Go the Extra Mile
From left, Kathy Barnhill, Jennifer Stephenson and
Katherine Ortiz warm up the crowd before the
American Heart Walk.
Hundreds of community members participate in the
fund-raising event.
Checking it twice
She wasn’t Santa Claus, but for the American Heart
Association, Emily Ellis was making a list of yard sale
items and checking it twice. Ellis was honored for her
outstanding fund-raising work for the American
Heart Walk.
It’s nice to have a slogan that says “building a healthier community.” After all, the
slogan looks good when it is put on pens,
t-shirts and coffee mugs. But it is another
matter to live out the slogan every day. It is a job
that NHCS employees take very seriously.
This spirit of dedication is found within the
several employees who volunteered to raise
money for the American Heart Association’s
Annual Heart Walk. In fact, the NHCS Heart
Walk Teams raised a little over $16,755.62.
Stephanie Aycock, of the public relations office
at Coastal Plain Hospital, was named the top
walker fundraiser for the event—raising $2,700
which will go a long way toward health education and research programs that promote heart
health. Jan Lowe, who works in the medical
records department at Coastal Plain Hospital,
was the second highest fundraiser, bringing
$2,200 to the cause. The Coastal Plain Hospital
team was named the top fund-raising team, and
Nash Health Care Systems came in second place
overall as the top industry fund raiser.
Others were honored for their contributions
to the success of the event, as well. Emily Ellis,
of the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center
and Jennifer Stephenson of the HealthFirst
Rehabilitation and Fitness Center, were honored
for their outstanding spirit of volunteerism for
the American Heart Association.
NHCS Winter 2005
11
‘Tis the Season
The holiday was not complete without an
encore of the much-anticipated Christmas
dinner. Employees were treated to a first-class
menu of prime rib, vegetables and dessert.
Lights of
love send
holiday
message
of hope
Nash Health Care Systems Volunteers (from left)
Wilma Dancy, Barbara Barnes, Jackie Ward, Roy
Barnes and Henry Brooks pose with the trees that
sparkle in the Nash General Hospital lobby as a part
of the Lights of Love.
With each name, there is a memory.
Some memories are quiet. Some overflow
with enthusiasm. But every memory is a light
of love that touched someone’s heart.
That was the philosophy behind the first
annual Lights of Love ceremony, sponsored by
the Volunteer Auxiliary at Nash Health Care
Systems. The event sought to honor and
remember members of the community by
placing lights on two Christmas trees.
For a $5 contribution, a light could be placed
on the trees in honor or in memory of a loved
one. The names were then written in a book
displayed beside the trees in the hospital lobby.
All of the names were read as a part of a treelighting ceremony and reception.
Around 750 lights adorned the trees, and
each light represented someone who let their
light shine by using their life to touch others.
12 NHCS Winter 2005
“We would like to thank everyone who made
this event possible,” said Jackie Ward of the
NHCS Volunteer Auxiliary. “It was a very special and touching ceremony. Most importantly,
the contributions from the event will be used
for hospital projects that will help the community.”
The Lights of Love trees were on display in
the Nash General Hospital lobby throughout
the holiday season, along with a book listing the
names of those honored by the lights.
For more information on becoming a hospital
volunteer, please call Lita Watson at 443-8462.
Ayonnia Hicks takes a
break from her popcorn
and snacks to enjoy a puppet theatre presentation of
“The Rainbow Fish.” The
puppets were a part of the
festivities at the annual
NHCS Pediatric
Christmas Party.
Santa Makes Appearance at
Pediatric Christmas Party
Volunteer Henry Brooks puts the finishing touches on
one of the Lights of Love trees in the Nash General
Hospital lobby.
Imagine being a child in a hospital. The environment is unfamiliar. You
may be anxious. Now imagine being that same child and getting an invitation to return to the hospital…for a personal visit from Santa.
The Nash Health Care Systems Volunteer Auxiliary held its annual
Pediatric Christmas Party this December, complete with food, a puppetry
performance and a visit from Saint Nick.
Each year, the volunteers invite children who have been patients in the
hospital the previous year to attend the party, hoping to give them a positive, lasting memory of happier times and healthy recoveries.
Andrew John was all
smiles at the annual
Pediatric Christmas Party,
held in the Nash General
Hospital Cafeteria.
Juwan Coppage visits
with Santa and then
receives a bag of goodies
from the NHCS
Volunteer Auxiliary.
Karlene Deloach (center) as Rudolph and Beth Gore (right) pediatric unit nurse manager, lead the chorus of pediatric nurses in a rousing round of holiday carols for the
young visitors at the annual Pediatric Christmas Party.
Volunteer Barbara Barnes looks through the book of
remembrance to see the names of those honored with
lights on the Lights of Love trees.
Jackie Chicoine, longtime NHCS Volunteer,
prepares plates of popcorn and cupcakes for
the young visitors at
the annual Pediatric
Christmas Party.
NHCS Winter 2005
13
Nash Health Care Systems
Is KeyTo Meals OnWheels
It may not have been the key to the city, but in many ways, it was much
more important. It was the key to providing hot meals for hundreds across
Nash County. The county presented Nash Health Care Systems’ dietary
department with a van especially designed to deliver food for the Meals on
Wheels program.
Nash Health Care Systems Food and Nutrition Services Department
was selected by the Nash County Department of Aging to provide Meals
on Wheels services to county residents. Each day, NHCS delivers meals to
ten “drop-off” points, where volunteers pick up the meals to take them to
area residents. For many, the Meals on Wheels represent the only hot meal
of the day that they receive.
The department has been providing service to the Meals on Wheels in
Rocky Mount for around 6 years.
The number of meals NHCS provides for the Nash County
Department of Aging has more than doubled—from around 100 to
around 210. The number of drop-off stops has increased from three stops
to 10 stops, including points in Nashville, Spring Hope, Castalia, Samaria,
Bailey, two stops in Middlesex, and three in Rocky Mount.
Dan Cantu, director of dietary services at the hospital, thanked the
NHCS senior leadership team for their support of a project that directly
contributes to improving the health of the community. He was especially
complimentary of dietary workers Bobby McDonald and Lacy Bunch,
14 NHCS Winter 2005
Rick Toomey, DHA (left) president and CEO of Nash
Health Care Systems, poses with the key to a truck
specially designed to deliver Meals on Wheels that was
presented to them by the Nash County Council on
Aging. With him are County Commissioners Claude
Mayo (center) and Lou Richardson (right).
who fire up the stoves
each morning around
4:30 to prepare 210
lunches for the Meals
on Wheels program,
and are out the door by
around 9 a.m. to deliver the lunches to various drop-off points,
where volunteers take
the lunches to senior
citizens in their respective communities.
“We want to thank the hospital for providing this program,” said Stacy
Nelson, one of the many who work with the Nash County Senior Center.
“I thank them for their interest in the aging program. They say you can
judge character by two things: the way society treats their young people
and the way they treat their older adults. We thank the hospital for this
attention to detail.”
Pat Doughtie, Meals on Wheels coordinator, said, “We would like to
thank the hospital for this program and thank you for joining with us. I
thank them for their interest in the aging program.”
Hospital Happenings
Bookworm Bounty
Jessica Richardson, RRT, of the Special
Medicine Department, checks out some of
the CDs and musical selections at the annual
Volunteer Auxiliary Book Sale. Proceeds from
the sale go toward hospital projects.
Caring for the
community
During the
Christmas
season, Nash
Health Care
Systems employees volunteered
to ring the bell
for the Salvation
Army Kettle
Drive in December. Tammy Morton (left) and
Terri Breedlove (right) were just two of the
many employees who took time out from their
busy schedule to make the world a better and
brighter place for others.
NHCS Winter 2005
15
Holiday House
Business Expo
Judy Woelke, public relations manager at Coastal Plain Hospital, and Jeff
Hedgepeth, director of marketing and public relations at Nash Health Care
Systems welcome visitors at the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce’s
annual Business Expo. The Nash Health Care Systems booth showcased a variety
of services that enable the hospital to build a healthier community.
NHCS Volunteer Marion
Sawyer (right) makes sure
the tree is trimmed to
perfection and volunteer
Gertrude Kennedy
(above) is ready to cut the
cake for the annual
Holiday House event
held in the Gift Shop.
The Holiday House not
only provided the perfect
opportunity to get a jump
on Christmas shopping,
but it also supplied
punch, cake and other
snacks for gift shop
customers.
“It’s a different, different world”
Suzanna Bougeois (left) of the Raleigh Regional Resource Center for the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing, uses sign language as a part of a communication practice scenario
with Nicole Bellamy of the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center. The seminar
was a part of a continuing education program at Nash Health Care Systems.
Baby New Year
Out with the old, in
with the new
Employees prepare the
new Stryker beds to receive
patients while others haul
out the older beds. Bed inservices began December
15th in the holding area of
the old OR.
Paul Matthews, director of
materials management,
ensures things move
smoothly as new patient
beds are unloaded at Nash
Health Care Systems.
16 NHCS Winter 2005
Danielle Simpson (left) is greeted by a basket full of good wishes from the second
floor nurses in Labor and Delivery. The basket was a special treat for newborn
Joshua Ely Nunez, the first Nash County baby of the New Year. Nunez is the son
of Ely Nunez.
Jewelry Sale
NHCS Volunteer Auxiliary
members Dawn Holleman and
Marian Haney keep track of the
paperwork at the annual jewelry
sale. Proceeds from the event go
toward hospital projects.
Helping Hand
Representatives from Willie Bass Freeman charities present a check to Hospice of Nash
General and other community organizations. The funding was made possible by an annual
charity golf tournament.
Pictured are, (back row, left to right) Randy Frazier, Jerry Harris,
Tim Freeman, Tim Myers (front row, left to right) Ronald McNeil,
Unit Director Nashville Boys and Girls Club; Theresa Shaw, Executive
Director of the Nash-Edgecombe
Boys and Girls Club; Kermitte Puckett;
Lavern Freeman; Anne Freeman and
Karen Vick, manager of Hospice
of Nash General.
Operation Care
Package
Sandra Vick, Judy Ingalls
and Sandra Bass gather
good tidings from the
entire Education
Department to send to
soldiers who are stationed
overseas. The care packages will go to soldiers
who otherwise might not
receive mail.
Christmas Contributions
Tammy Dew (right) and
Elmo are unable to distract
Stephanie Aycock (left)
from her duty of cataloging
the many employee contributions to less fortunate
families this Christmas.
This donation drive was
spearheaded by the hospital’s Service Excellence
Committee. The employee
contributions were sorted
in the auditorium of the
Education Wing of the
hospital.
NHCS Winter 2005
17
Turbo Turtles Return
For Another Communitywide Trek
Last year, the Turbo Turtle Trek on the Tar not only captured the hearts
of the Rocky Mount community, but also raised around $34,000 for
Wellness for Kids, an educational initiative supported by the Nash Health
Care Foundation, that is designed to improve the health of local children
by calling attention to issues such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
This year, the turtles are planning an encore, scheduled for May 14 at
Sunset Park in Rocky Mount. Keep watching your local newspaper and
visit www.nhcs.org for details.
The Wellness for Kids initiative is funded by the Nash Health Care
Foundation, which seeks to extend the scope of wellness into all facets of
the community through educational programs and disease prevention. The
Foundation also supports Nash Health Care Systems’ efforts to provide
quality health care services and solicits, safeguards and disperses funds for
health care, health education, wellness and disease and injury prevention for
the residents of Nash County and its surrounding counties.
The premise behind the Turbo Turtle Trek is simple: participants “adopt”
a plastic Turbo Turtle, which is marked with a bar code and then “raced”
down the Tar River. Those who adopt the Turbo Turtles have a chance to
win several prizes, which are announced the day of the event.
At last year’s event, a grand total of 7,601 plastic turtles were adopted.
The plastic turtles were then herded into the Tar River and
released. The first turtle that crossed the finish line was the
winner. Floatation barriers kept the turtles from
“escaping” down the Tar River past the finish line.
About 35 percent of the turtles were
adopted by employees of Nash Health
Care Systems. The other 65 percent were
adopted by members of the community. Rick Toomey, DHA, president and
CEO of Nash Health Care Systems,
said it was community support such as
this that marked the Turbo Turtle Trek as
the start of a new tradition.
While the turtle race was the headline
event, there were dozens of activities available to entertain all ages. The city of
Rocky Mount provided free rides on
the Sunset Park carousel, and
the water world of Spray
Park was also open for business. In addition, Nash
Health Care Systems’ own
“Mr. Turtle” was on hand
to meet and greet participants throughout the park.
With all of the behindthe-scenes work that goes
into making the Turbo Trek
a success, volunteers will be
needed. Those interested in
volunteering may contact the
Foundation at 252-451-3725,
or keep checking our website for
more information.
18 NHCS Winter 2005
Nash Health Care Systems’ own “Mr. Turtle” provides fun for
those of all ages at last year’s Turbo Turtle Trek on the Tar.
And they’re off! Employees from the Rocky Mount Parks
and Recreation Department set the turtles free on their
trek down the Tar River.
Thousands of Turbo Turtles line up at the starting
gate at the first annual Turbo Turtle Trek on the
Tar. The event raised money for Wellness for
Kids, a community health education program.
by Guyla Evans
About the
Foundation
After the raceway
cleared, the true
winners of the Turbo
Turtle Trek were the
members of the community who are helped
through the efforts of
the Nash Health Care
Foundation.
As a member of the
community, Nash
Health Care Systems
recognizes that there
are health care needs
beyond the hospital
walls. The Nash Health
Care Foundation seeks
to extend the scope of
good health and wellness into additional
facets of the community through programs
and disease and injury
prevention information.
Contributions to
the Nash Health Care
Foundation will help
meet arising needs in
the health care community. Contributions
to the Foundation are
not used to supplement Nash Health
Care Systems’ regular
budget, and all contributions are tax deductible.
Through a gift to
the foundation, you
can honor a loved one,
create a legacy, celebrate the birth of a
child, commemorate
an anniversary or
demonstrate your
appreciation for our
dedicated health care
workers who are everyday heroes.
For more information about the
Foundation, please
call 252-451-3725 or
visit our website at
www.nhcs.org.
Infobytes
It’s time to “GEt-PACing!”
No, we’re not planning a trip.
“GEt-PACing” is the slogan for
one of NHCS’s newest initiatives – a Picture Archiving and
Communication System
(PACS) for Radiology.
So, what’s a PACS? Basically, PACS takes
radiology images traditionally stored on film
and stores them electronically instead. Benefits
include:
• Reduction of lost films
• Faster access to images for physicians
regardless of location
• Improved efficiency for Radiologists and
Cardiologists
• Reduction of film storage space and
associated costs
• Images available to more than one person
at a time
For our PACS implementation, Nash
Hospitals, Inc. has contracted with General
Electric (GE), widely recognized as the industry
leader for PACS systems. The project is moving forward, with training and testing of “soft
copy” (electronic) image reading expected to
begin in January. In subsequent phases of the
implementation, online access to images will be
rolled out to hospital departments and physician offices. Keep an eye out for the “GEtPACing” newsletter for updates on the project
schedule and activities.
Of course, projects don’t happen without
people. Some of the key individuals involved
with the PACS project include Steve Jones,
Director of Imaging Services; Robin MarriottEdwards, Assistant Director of Imaging
Services, and Johnny Etheridge, PACS
Administrator. Be sure to support them as we
“GEt-PACing!”
(InfoBytes acknowledges Steve Jones, writer of the GEt-PACing Newsletter
(Volume I, Number I) for the above content.)
NHCS Winter 2005
19
Best Foot Forward
By Christine Ransdell
You may have resolved at
the start of 2005 to change
something about your personal
life; as an organization we have
resolved to develop a servicedriven culture. This is a resolution that is here to stay. How
do we get there? It has been said that where
there is no vision the people will perish. A
vision? Yes, and we have one: “Nash Health
Care Systems delivers quality care through a
commitment to excellence which drives our staff
and values all those whom we serve.”
Besides a vision, we need commitment.
Think about a New Year’s resolution you may
have made this year or in years past. For example, exercise, eating right, and losing weight are
popular resolutions, all of which take time.
Schedules have to be adjusted in order to make
room for exercise and extra time spent in the
kitchen. Budgets may need to be modified to
make room for membership dues at a gym and
healthier, sometimes more expensive, food.
These are sacrifices of time and money that
require commitment in order to see the changes
through.
Although we may begin the New Year excited
about the changes we are going to make, as time
goes by, our enthusiasm may start to dampen as
short-term, everyday concerns tug at us for
attention. Commitment is needed to keep these
resolutions a priority amidst all the other things
competing for our time and attention. The same
goes for us. Commitment is what is needed to
preserve our dedication to develop a service driven culture in a sea of competing demands.
Now, if you have resolved to exercise, eat
right, and lose weight in 2005—how are you
going to do it? If you did not exercise before,
you have got to spend some time learning proper techniques for activities such as strength training and cardiovascular exercise. You certainly
want to avoid making any wrong moves that
might end up hurting you! If you are accustomed to eating out or relied on ready-made
food in the past, you have got to spend some
time learning about proper nutrition, as well as
how to cook. Now that you are going to spend
all this time at the gym and in the kitchen cooking…and cleaning, you might want to sign up
for a time management seminar at the local
community college. In order to change, you just
might have to learn some new skills.
Like the person who has resolved to exercise,
eat right, and lose weight, we too must invest
time in acquiring new skills—allowing us to
replace old habits with new ones. This process
of replacing the old with the new is commonly
known as change. Change does not come easily
and does take some time. We can put forth a
multitude of resources at one time but permanent change does not happen overnight. For the
person trying to eat right and get in shape, one
20 NHCS Winter 2005
important truth to accept is that the weight was
not gained overnight nor is it likely to fall off
overnight. It is the daily application of newly
acquired skills…behaviors…actions, which leads
to successful change.
At Nash, we have begun to acquire new skills
in customer service, beginning with “Value First
Impressions.” The first step in creating a positive
experience for any customer, whether a patient,
family member, visitor, co-worker, neighboring
department, outside vendor – you name it – is
succeeding in first impressions. To date, we have
A.C.T.I.O.N.S.
In addition to our service
vision and our commitment, at Nash, we also have
service standards to help
guide our path, steer our
actions, and measure our
progress. Remember, as a
member of Nash Health
Care Systems, you are a
Star! When you put into
practice the following service qualities, you are a Star
in Action: Accountability,
Caring & Confidentiality,
Teamwork, Integrity,
Outstanding Service,
Nurturing Environment,
and Service Excellence.
introduced, “Value First Impressions: Telephone
Etiquette.” On the horizon is “Value First
Impressions: Personal Greetings.”
Speaking of change, coin change that is, telephone etiquette and personal greetings are really
two sides of the same coin: First Impressions. It
takes both proper telephone etiquette and professional personal greetings to make winning
first impressions.
Think of telephone etiquette as our front
porch. We want our external customers such as
patients, family members, visitors, and vendors
to feel welcomed by our organization before
they even walk through our doors.
It is important for internal customers like coworkers and other departments whom we serve
to also feel well-treated on the phone. Many of
us work with people inside the organization
strictly by phone. We may never see these customers face-to-face. Think of how important it
is to have positive telephone etiquette if your
relations with co-workers and other departments
are limited to the phone. In those cases, tele-
phone etiquette is not only your front porch, it
is the entire house!
Going back to our fitness example, if we must
learn how to use the equipment in the gym and
how to get the most out of our cardiovascular
exercise, what new skills must we learn in order
to create winning first impressions?
As you saw in the Value First Impressions:
Telephone Etiquette video, featuring many local
celebrities from Nash, there are some simple
actions we can all take to immediately upgrade
our service on the telephone. For example:
• Answer the phone before the 4th ring.
• Identify your department and yourself when
answering.
• Use the word, “connect” when transferring a
caller to another extension.
On the flip side of the coin, when interacting
with customers face-to-face, personal greetings
are essential for making a positive first impression. Some aspects of personal greetings include:
• Showmanship - How neat and clean is your
work area?
• Professional Image - Are you dressed according to policy? Is your hair neat and clean?
• Identification - Is your badge in the right
place and facing the right direction?
• Five Foot Rule - Greet everyone that comes
within 5 feet of you. Smile, make eye contact, say something like, “Hi”, “Good
Morning”, or “May I help you?”
• Make Yourself Known - Let people know
who it is taking care of them. For example,
“My name is Christine and I will be glad to
show you the way.”
• Give Personalized Attention - Use a person’s
name when addressing them. If you interact
with a customer on a recurring basis, find out
what is their preferred name, i.e. “Don’t call
me Christi!”
• Ask for More – Always ask, “Is there anything
else I can help you with? I have the time.”
It is not enough to absorb knowledge about
how to do something new in order to change.
Imagine reading up on strength training but
never lifting a dumbbell, taking a class in exercise physiology but never raising your heart rate,
or studying nutrition and weight loss but continuing to eat fries and jelly donuts! You can
read about telephone etiquette and personal
greetings all day long, however, the
degree of service we provide
will not change unless
knowledge gained is
put into practice,
or in our case, action!
Your NHCS Benefits At A Glance
BENEFIT
DESCRIPTION
ELIGIBILITY
FT PT PRN
Group Life Insurance
1.5 x base salary
2 x base salary for managers
First pay period following 90 days of employment
Long-term disability
Benefit equals a monthly income equal
to 60% of monthly base pay.
First pay period following 90 days of employment
Health Insurance
Comprehensive health coverage
First pay period following 90 days of employment. For full-time and parttime benefit eligible employees. Insurance covers customary and reasonable charges after out-of-pocket expenses are met.*
Funeral allowance
Up to 24 hours
Immediately
Jury Duty
Regular base pay for time off while on Jury
Duty
Immediately
Paid time off ( PTO )
Combined vacation, sick days, holidays and
personal time
Immediate accrual on a per-pay-period basis
PTO buy back
Convert PTO to cash once a quarter
Max. 60 hours per year. Min. 8 hours
Employee must leave 40 hours in bank
Direct deposit
Paycheck automatically deposited to
financial institution of choice
Immediately
Basic retirement
Retirement income (no Social Security
deduction)
Immediately. Funded by employee and employer match
Supplemental retirement
Upon retirement, a monthly retirement
income
Automatic participation January 1st following three years of service
401 (K)
Tax deferred savings plan, from 1 to 25% of
gross salary. Employer makes a matching
contribution of 50 cents on each $1 up to 5%
First pay period following 90 days of employment for employee contributions. NHCS matching contributions are effective after 1yr and 1,000 hrs of
service. 401(K) benefits available for part-time benefit eligible employees.* Employee Assistance Program
Counseling service for employees and
families with personal problems
Immediately
Educational Assistance
Tuition reimbursement up to 50% on
approved courses up to $800
Six-month waiting period and 1,000 hrs of service
Fitness center discounts
Membership discounts for the YMCA and
the HealthFirst Rehibilitation and Fitness
Center
When accrual justifies
Immediately
* Please see Human Resources for details
FT= Full time
PRN=PRN PT= Part time
COLONIAL SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE
Colonial Supplemental Insurance Company assists Nash Health Care Systems with their flexible Benefits Program. A Flexible
Benefits Plan consists of two components. You pay for your benefits with pre-taxed dollars, increasing you discretionary income
and making your benefits more affordable.*
NHCS Winter 2005 21
Mailbag
Thanks to each one of you.
I am doing much better
now. Nurses really do have
the wings of angels!
Thanks again.
Dear Tracy Enroughty:
Thank you so much for Ms. Kelli Bryrd’s assistance …She was excellent support for me and the
family. Please keep her. Great support.
Compassionate. Thanks again.
Dear Ms. Harkey:
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude to
two of your outstanding nurses. Ryan Griffin and
Crystal Ellis have been taking care of my mother
since she arrived at your hospital after suffering a
stroke. If these two individuals are indicative of
your nursing staff, you can rest assured that the
patients in your facility are receiving the absolute
best care.
Ryan and Crystal are two of the most professional caregivers I have ever had the pleasure of
interacting with. They have the unique gift of
being able to deliver bad news with compassion
and dignity, while reassuring you that your loved
one will get the absolute best care. Please pass on
my thanks to these fine professionals. My family
and I feel truly fortunate to have them taking
care of our mother.
Dear Staff
Thanks for the great care I received during my
recent hospitalization. My admission was a real
“hurry up” situation because I had to receive three
units of blood.
It had been quite some time since I visited
NGH, so I had not met any of you before. I was
pleased to get to know you and I believe my care
was exemplary.
I was so proud to see how NGH has grown,
both facility wise as well as technology. It was
most impressive. But I believe nursing is the heart
of any hospital and I think NGH can compete
with the very best.
Thank you again for the excellent care.
(To the Third Floor Pediatric Department)
Thanks for all your help during my stay in the
Pediatric wing. You all were so kind and caring!
22 NHCS Winter 2005
My son was in a small outside encounter which
required stitches. …I am so pleased to say that
our experience with Nash General Hospital was
the best experience I have ever had with my children. We were in and out of there in 1 hour and
40 minutes. The doctor and nurse that treated
him that day were extremely nice and it made my
son’s first experience a very good one.
In closing, I would like to say THANK YOU
to everyone we encountered that day and if I ever
need any other emergency medical help while I
am in Rocky Mount, I will definitely go there.
Thank you again.
The [critical care] staff attending my mother
were so very compassionate and caring. I was
tremendously impressed. I believe they went
beyond the call of duty.
The nurses kept my mother as comfortable as
possible (we all knew she was terminal).
Dr. Harrison was especially attentive, along
with a young student anesthetist. I’m sorry
but I do not recall his name, only that he is
from Alabama. The doctors and nurses who
watched and monitored my mother are to be
commended. I will never forget the love and
concern they showed for my mother and me.
My pastor was out-of-town and unable to
come and minister to me but Chaplain Shirley
McFarland was there for us and she will never
know just what her presence and kind words did
for me.
Thank all of you from the bottom of my heart.
To the Nurses on the 4th floor station:
Special thanks for the care that you all provided our mother while she was a patient there.
Everyone was so nice and provided good care. I
know because I stayed in the hospital a whole
week while my mother was there and when we
had the ice storm. She has passed away, and her
children would like to thank every one of you.
God bless you all.
Nurses, Assistants, Technicians:
Our daddy was on your floor. We will never
forget your care and compassion during his last
days. You truly do God’s work on earth.
C
P
A
P
Clinics Scheduled
Do you use oxygen CPAP
aids to help you sleep? If so,
you won’t want to miss these
informative and supportive
CPAP clinics. All sessions will
be held from 7 to 8:30 in dining room 3 at the Nash
General Hospital Cafeteria.
The sessions for 2005 will
be held on: March 22, May
17, July 19, Sept. 20 and
November 22. For more
information, contact the
Special Medicine
Department at
443-8025.
Focus On People
Nelson Elected President of
NC Orthopedics Association
Dr. Greg Nelson was
elected the 60th president of the NC
Orthopedics Association.
He has been a member
of the association for
about 12 years.
The North Carolina
Orthopaedic Association
was established to bring
together orthopaedic surgeons of the state who
are committed to a high level of professional
excellence in orthopaedics and the overall
orthopaedic health and well-being of the citizens
of the state. The mission of the association is to
advance the science and practice of orthopaedic
surgery through education and advocacy on
behalf of patients and practitioners, with emphasis on overall quality orthopaedic health care for
the state of North Carolina.
Active membership is limited to physicians
residing and licensed in North Carolina and
practicing orthopaedic surgery exclusively, who
have completed the formal training requirements
of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery,
and who have completed a minimum of one
year of practice in North Carolina.
Heuts earns board
certification
Luke M. Heuts,
PharmD, recently
earned the designation
of Board Certified
Pharmacotherapy
Specialist (BCPS)
from the Board of
Pharmaceutical
Specialties. This is pharmacy’s highest
credential in the practice of pharmacotherapy.
Heuts had to complete advanced training
and pass a 200-item speciality certification
examination. Recertification is required every
seven years.
There are a total of 2,637 BCPS nationwide.
Heuts previously had an article published
in the summer edition of the “Annals of
Pharmacotherapy” and gave a presentation at
a meeting of the Infection Disease Society of
San Diego.
For more information visit online at
Public Relations
Department Nets
Awards
Jeff Hedgepeth, director of public relations and
marketing, and Dawn
Wilson, communications
coordinator, were recently
honored with several
awards at the annual
meeting of the Carolinas
Healthcare Public
Relations and Marketing
Society, an organization
made up of more than
200 members.
The department
received a Gold Award
for the “Newsline”
internal newsletter, and
Silver Awards for the “Health Talk” community
magazine, the 2003 annual report and
brochures. A special Silver Tusk award was presented to the Public Relations department for
their work in promoting the Turbo Turtle Trek
on the Tar fundraiser. In addition, Dawn Wilson
received three writing awards for the “Extra
Point” column.
Bradshaw receives
certification
Lynn Bradshaw, RN,
BSN, has passed her certification exam to be
designated as a certified
Hospice and palliative
care nurse. She is the
first nurse at Nash
Health Care Systems to
have this certification.
Bradshaw received her bachelor’s of science
degree in nursing from East Carolina
University, and was also elected to Who’s Who
in American Nursing for 1996. She was also
elected to the Beta Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta
Tau at East Carolina University.
Alford provides
expertise
Janice Alford, RNC,
LCCE, IBCLS, was a
member of a panel of
experts in the development
of the Basic Knowledge
Assessment Tool for the
Neonatal Intensive Care
nursing NICU-BKAT3.
The NICU-BKAT3 is a tool that can be used
to identify the basic knowledge of nursery nurses
who care for sick neonates or crucially ill infants
and identify continuing educational needs to the
nursing staff.
Gimber receives scholarship
Lisa Gimber, Cancer Registry Assistant, received
a scholarship from Edgecombe Community
College and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa.
She is studying health information technology.
Gimber received her certificate in medical assisting in 1991 and started at Nash Health Care
Systems in 1997 as a medical record clerk. She has
worked in the business office of Nash Day
Hospital and as a patient account representative in
registration.
Silver named manager
Patricia Silver was recently named to the manager’s position in the Care Management
Department.
Silver has been employed with Nash Health
Care Systems since August of 1997 and has been
Interim Manager for the Care Management
Department since March 2004.
Davis receives
patriot award
Brenda Davis,
RN CCRN, critical care manager
at Nash General
Hospital, was honored with a “My
Boss is a Patriot
Award” and was
honored with a February awards celebration in Charlotte.
Davis was nominated by employee
Amy Hinson, who is an RN in the Army
Reserves. The award recognizes Davis
for her flexibility in allowing Hinson to
report for duty a weekend each month
for training—orders that increased to 7 to
10 days each month to assist in preparing
enlisted troops for their assignment overseas.
Approximately 550 employers in
North Carolina were selected for the
honor, and Davis was selected as one of
the top 10 percent scheduled to receive a
special “Above and Beyond” award.
Davis joined Nash General Hospital in
1997 as a critical care staff nurse. She
received her nursing diploma from St.
James Mercy Hospital School of Nursing
in Hornell, New York, and her wide
range of experience includes concentration in areas such as emergency medicine, medical/surgical and quality assurances. In 1996, she was named Nurse of
the Year at Community Hospital of
Rocky Mount. Davis also served as the
chief nursing officer at the former
Community Hospital of Rocky Mount.
NHCS Winter 2005
23
Extra Point
by Dawn Wilson
Growing up in Asheville, I saw the area transform
into a location that was very popular for filming movies.
From the Biltmore House in “Richie Rich” to the
mountains in “Last of the Mohicans” or even the Smoky
Mountain Railway in “The Fugitive,” it was not unusual for there to be a camera crew filming somewhere.
It was also not unusual for someone you knew to be
used as an extra in one of the films.
One of my friends portrayed one of the soldiers when he was an extra
for “Last of the Mohicans” (though I’ve yet to be able to find him in the
movie.) He told me an interesting story: One day, they were transporting all the extras to a location to film. There were about five buses loaded
with soldiers in full costume. My friend felt somewhat out of
place, but he couldn’t exactly put his finger on why.
Ahead, he noticed that one of the crew
members was stopping each bus, getting on, and then getting back
off, as if looking for someone.
When my friend’s bus was
stopped, the crew member
came aboard and asked:
“Is there a guy on this
bus with a mustache?”
My friend, who was the
culprit, finally realized that
he was the only extra
who had facial hair. The
soldiers for this scene
were supposed to be
clean-shaven.
Although I was
never able to find my friend in the movie,
it’s interesting that a crew member would
go to so much trouble to find a mustache
out of a sea of extras—especially when there is a good chance that the
extra would not be seen close-up on camera.
Even more interesting is the number of mistakes made in multi-million dollar movies. Errors of fact, consistency and even scenes where
cameras and crew members are accidentally visible attest that just because
a project has a big budget does not mean that the finished product will
be flawless.
Janet Kornblum, staff writer at USA Today, recently wrote an article
about a popular website called Movie-Mistakes.com. The site is managed
by Jon Sandys who lives about 30 miles outside of London.
Contributors to this site enthusiastically indicate mistakes found in
Hollywood films, and have transformed the mistake-hunts into a hobby
of sorts (maybe for those who have a tad too much free time).
For example, in the multi-million dollar “Titanic,” the main character
talks about ice-fishing in Wisconsin around Lake Wissota near
Chippewa Falls. The only problem is this is a man-made lake and wasn’t
created until 1917, several years after the Titanic sank.
Even one of my favorites, “Seabiscuit,” has several errors. They used
five different horses for “Seabiscuit” while filming, and some of the horses have white markings that vary from the nose to the feet, depending
upon which horse was used in filming.
Other mistakes include hair that was neatly combed, messed
up in a dramatic scene and then miraculously
combed again (“It’s a Wonderful Life”), jewelry that appeared, disappeared, then
reappeared again (“Titanic”) and
even film locations where a car
can be found in the background, historically out of place
(“Lord of the Rings”).
The point is this: sometimes, the key to success is in
the details. It’s easy to give all
the attention to the major
points of a project, but the
details are often what can
spell trouble if they aren’t
handled carefully.
Customer service is a
perfect example. Many
times it is not the big things, but the little
things that make a difference: respectfully
calling the patient by name, going the extra
mile, apologizing and explaining any delays.
There was a book that came out several years ago called, “Don’t Sweat
the Small Stuff.” I confess, I’ve never read the book, so I don’t know in
what context the “small stuff” is referring to—but I think that sometimes we might need to sweat the small stuff. After all, the “large stuff” is
really just comprised of several different pieces of “small stuff.”
In the competitive world of health care, it’s often the small stuff that
makes the difference—not just with the bottom line—but with patient
satisfaction.
“Sweat the Small Stuff”
NASH HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS
...building a healthier community
2460 Curtis Ellis Drive, Rocky Mount, NC 27804
www.nhcs.org
Address Correction Requested
NHCS NEWSLINE is published quarterly by the
Public Relations Department of Nash Health Care Systems.
Writer: Dawn Wilson
Editor: Jeff Hedgepeth
Comments and contributions are welcome.
Member of:
VHA
The North Carolina Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association
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Organization
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