When the 26-year old man arrived at our emergency department he was suffering from an excruciating headache. A brain scan found the bad news, a lesion the size of a golf ball. It was causing serious damage and needed to be removed ASAP. But the next day was July 4th – a time for parades, picnics, and fireworks.
“We have limited staffing on the holiday but we all got together and said we’re going to do it, we’re going to get it done,” says Ellen Benson, OR nurse manager. “It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is. Health problems don’t take a holiday.”
The surgery was a complex, requiring special high-tech equipment and extra hands to support changing the position of the patient during the procedure. Along with the primary surgical team, the OR also had a back-up team ready in case another emergency procedure came in that day.
The procedure lasted from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and went off without a hitch. The patient had a great outcome and is recovering well.
“We continue to demonstrate that the OR team can step up to the plate and deliver the best care possible, no matter what time of day or night it is,” says Benson.
Along with Benson, the team included Agnieszka Korycki, ST; Cathy Spisak, RN; Marissa Knight, RN; Dale Keckley, PA-C; Marc Paradis, MD; Marek Pilecki, APRN; Misha Frenkle; and Ketan Bulsara, MD.
Staff who worked the day before the procedure also played a vital role. “They made sure we had everything that we needed so when we came in all we had to do was execute,” explains Benson. “Lauren Walker, Renee White and Georgia Priestly set us up for success.”
“Joanne is unique in the way she gives herself to others, and comforts them through difficult circumstances.”
“Frank Faccin, LPN, has been the ‘go-to’ staff member at the Department of Correction facility housing the most seriously mentally ill inmates. Despite being ‘only an LPN,’ his nursing and physician peers rely on his over 20 years of knowledge and judgement.”
“Because of Lisa we have cured more than 97 percent of our [hepatitis C] patients.”
“At any given time, she oversees the care of 45 to 50 HIV-positive inmates and oversees inmates who are in active hepatitis C treatment. She is extremely well organized, caring, and understanding in her role of ID Nurse Case Manager.”
“Arlene Does consults for inpatients and outpatients in the clinic that include teaching, support and hands-on of how and what to expect… Arlene always looks out for the patient’s best interest when it comes to their health and healing.”
“Collaborating closely with others, Lynne has strived to ensure continuity of care and a more successful return to society for many. When the prognosis of releasing patients is poor, Lynne has creatively arranged hospice services at the patient’s home when family support has been stable, or successfully explored other options.”
“Anne is deserving of the Nightingale Award because of the impact that she has had on patient care, her willingness to always go beyond the call of duty, and the excellence that she demonstrates in her leadership role.”
“Dawn is simply an excellent nurse with the personality that exemplifies the strong qualities that the nursing profession was built on.”
“Generally speaking it takes years for a stroke coordinator to create a stroke program. Jennifer’s drive, passion, and tireless work helped reach this goal within a short five months.”
“To ensure a proper ‘Code White’ response he helped initiate a training program for correctional officers on his shift… This program was the result of months of interaction and cooperation with the Warden and his staff, and currently is the only one in existence in the state. Our Codes are now a mix of the efforts of both medical and custody and are a testament to his enthusiasm and forward thinking when confronted with a problem.”
