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Celebrate National Nurses Week M AY 6 - M AY 1 2
It’s time to honor the nurses in our lives during a week that ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. The national weeklong celebration recognizes America’s 4 million registered nurses. In Erie, we salute local and regional nurses with stories about their careers. Most of the articles were written by nurses. #Thankanurse today.
Gannon students support anti-vaping By Brianna Rice Gannon University
includes a three-bedroom townhouse with fencedin backyard, utilities, internet and laundry. The program also includes supportive mentoring and classes in parenting and budgeting. “So many single mothers can’t continue to be successful,” said Butcher, who’s originally from Spartanburg. “Here they’re allowing us to grow. It’s giving me an opportunity to be a better mother. I’m more relaxed. Happier.” Jennifer White felt the desire to improve and provide the best for her son. But even with the help of family, she wasn’t able to work full time and care for her son. “I’m smart,” said White, 34, who had started school at the North East campus five years ago but had to withdraw. “It was frustrating to not be able to do more and be stuck.” Now she feels safe, supported and successful. “It’s important that a mother remember how important she is as a
A 20th-century American with a cigarette in hand was once seen as the example of sophistication and social maturity. It wasn’t until the mid-1960s that tobacco use faced a sharp decline as the general population began to understand the adverse effects it had on health. When Gannon University Villa Maria School of Nursing faculty discovered that e-cigarettes— products that contain nicotine and other harmful agents— had increased in usage by an astonishing 900 percent among high school students since 2015, they knew the irony was too heavy to ignore. Operating under the premise that all nurses are leaders and educators within society, assistant professors Carol Amann and Melissa Lund have taken the initiative to educate Erie’s youth about the adverse effects of vaping and lobby for legislation that restricts the marketing of the products. The effort has involved 24 nursing students. The anti-vaping education project is supported by the Andrea R. Lindell, Ph.D. ‘70VMC VMSON Social Change Impact Endowed Fund and is an effort to encourage students and faculty of the VMSON to engage in activities that impact social change or initiatives that will significantly impact health care in local or global societies. “Through this experience, we are educating our students on the process of how to reach a broad audience, develop a cause to fight for, improve the health of the community they live in and develop the underlying political expertise,” said Amann. Under the guidance of Lund, the educational component delivered by senior nursing students was initiated at Erie’s Wilson Middle school and East Middle School and included PowerPoint presentations and
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NEW PROGRAM HELPS
single mothers
By Jennifer Smith Mercyhurst University
W
hat is mercy? It is compassion, something performed out of a desire to relieve suffering. It is nursing. In this region, some of the first nurses were Sisters of Mercy, members of a Roman Catholic religious order that was founded in Ireland and expanded to Pittsburgh in 1843, Titusville in 1870 and Erie in 1917. Their acts of mercy live on through hundreds of organizations and a unique new program at Mercyhurst North East that provides housing and residential support to single mothers at or near the poverty level to empower their educational achievement and personal growth. This is the first year for the Women with Children program, and while participants may choose any academic program, each of the four single mothers is pursuing a career in nursing.
TOP: Nursing students, from left, Jasmine Butcher, Daijah Campbell, Quanshay Carroll and Jennifer White have found mercy and support in their journey to become nurses through the Women with Children program at Mercyhurst North East. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
ABOVE: Quanshay Carroll takes a break from her practical nursing studies to play with her daughter Delaysia, 4. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
Jasmine Butcher earned her practical nursing degree on a Friday and moved into Mercyhurst North East the next week to begin the LPN to RN bridge program. The opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time, said Butcher, 22, whose daughter Noella
is 2. Before there was stress— from working, going to school, caring for her daughter, and struggling to find the money to pay for gas and a car that had just died. Now everything she needs is on campus. Participants pay tuition, but housing is free. That
Scholarship helps UPMC Hamot nurse earn degree By UPMC Hamot staff
They say timing is everything. UPMC Hamot nurse Melissa Altadonna can attest to that when it comes to her journey to becoming a nurse. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse,” Altadonna, 47, said. “In my high school yearbook, that was my ‘dream.’ Each time I tried to pursue an
education something happened … life happened.” A family Altadonna member became ill. Her children needed her at home, and she wanted to spend time with them and enjoy them. In 2017, 30 years later, she enrolled in
Mercyhurst North East’s nursing program and will receive her associate degree this month. She’s already been hired by UPMC Hamot’s Medical-Respiratory Intensive Care Unit. Altadonna has worked at UPMC Hamot for 10 years as a patient care technician. She has been a certified nursing assistant for 30 years and worked
with patients at Western Reserve, Sarah Reed and St. Mary’s Home of Erie. Everything finally fell into place nearly two years ago when she decided to make her high-school dream come true. Family and friends pitched in to make her already full load a little lighter. One of her best friends and biggest supporters,
Ann Duda, who is also a nurse at UPMC Hamot, even threw her a surprise “congrats-you’re-goingback-to-school” party. “Missy goes to school full-time, works full-time, has two teenage children; I’d say that’s a full plate,” said Boo Hagerty, president, Hamot Health See DEGREE, N2
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Caring for women in our community By Emily Hirsch UPMC Hamot
The passion for nursing lies deep within the soul of a nurse. Innovating, healing, caring, leading and research are core values of nursing. The constant search for ways to improve care, provide care, and make a difference in the life of a patient are drivers a nurse knows all too well. Innovative nursing care is the foundation for enhancing the health and wellness in our community. One of UPMC Hamot’s recent innovative programs is changing the lives of women in our community. It is well known that addiction is at crisis levels in our country. From 2002 to 2013, women’s heroin use increased 100 percent compared with men. Women also had a 400 percent
increase in deaths from overdose compared with men at 237 percent. Pregnant Hirsch women with substance use disorder can face a variety of complications from their use and it affects the outcomes for their newborn infants. Nurses play an important role in helping women and their newborns on their journey to recovery. In early 2018, the Women’s Recovery Center at MageeWomens, UPMC Hamot opened for women with substance use disorder. It provides medication-assisted treatment to help with opioid use disorder. The goal is to partner with women to reclaim their lives. The multidisciplinary team, including Safe Harbor Behavioral
Health of UPMC Hamot and the Magee-Womens Specialty Center, strives to bring a holistic model of care in addition to medicationassisted therapy. Since the program began, there have been no admissions from it to the NICU and the breastfeeding rate among the new mothers in the programis 76 percent. Education, support and medical model have led to this success. It has been a privilege to work with women as they seek to recover and build a life with their children. Their remarkable lives and determination, entwined with a caring and compassionate team, have resulted in amazing outcomes. These women have shared personal stories of reconnecting with family, having the ability to work, be productive and enjoy their lives.
Students to speak at Human Caring Conference By Brianna Rice Gannon University
In January 2018, eight Gannon undergraduate nursing students were selected for a unique travel experience to Sacred Heart College of Nursing in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, in India. Now, six of these eight students are preparing to deliver a podium presentation at the 40th Annual International Association for Human Caring Conference at Clemson University in Greenville, South Carolina, a conference typically reserved for CEOs, university professors, renowned authors and other academic and business professionals. Sound a little ambitious? Yes, but perhaps it was the preparation these students received through Gannon University’s Villa Maria School of Nursing baccalaureate program. In 2016, Gannon nursing faculty submitted a proposal and thereafter received the Obama-Singh 21st Century Education Initiative Grant from the
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person … her goals and dreams and that she can still get where she wants to be,” said White, whose son William is nearly 3. Like White, Quanshay Carroll and Daijah Campbell
Gannon students and instructors have visited India as part of the educational experience. In front, holding the banner are Haley Galloway and Samantha Taylor. Back row, from left, are: Dr. Lorraine Gdanetz, Lauren Miller, Courteney Hubert, Sharon Harrington, Megan Shumway, Sarah Johnson, Jamie Helmer and Professor Melissa Lund. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
United States-India Educational Foundation. The underpinnings of this grant are to expose students to healthcare in India. This grant gave Indian students the opportunity to perfect nursing techniques using simulation equipment, while VMSON students learned to respond to and provide care in settings
both started college but had to drop out. They were forced to move back in with family, a situation that wasn’t ideal. “I didn’t want to be a burden,” said Carroll, 23, whose daughter Delaysia is 4. “This program really came at the right time. It really helped me. I never wanted to be a statistic.” Jackie Fink, director of the
with high-volume patient care and public health. “We’re honored to have been selected to present at the conference while representing Gannon,” said senior nursing student Courteney Hubert. “Dr. Gdanetz and other faculty have started us on something, and we intend to take it to something greater,” she said.
Women with Children program, said it is an example of the missions that Sisters of Mercy founder Catherine McAuley, the sisters and Mercyhurst University exemplify. Each embodies the vocation to educate the minds of individuals to improve their well-being and to bring mercy to others through service.
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Women working on the project include from left, front row, Jillian Chezosky; Breanna Balcerzak; Jessica Zelcs; Danielle May; Meghan Hines. From left, back row, Megan Alexander; Tim Vickey, chief of staff for Representative Bizzarro; Kaitlyn Mazzanti; and Keisha Winger. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
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discussions. Hands-on learning activities featured visual aspects of breathing in foreign substances through the use of diseased and non-diseased lungs, as well as pre/post tests for students to assess their knowledge. The students “really respond well to our presentation,” said senior nursing student Lauren Lombardi. “At the end … they told us they would never vape again and plan to share the information we gave them with their families.” Amann and her students also worked on lobbying the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate to promote stringent regulations. Students have presented a position statement and held discussions with Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, of Millcreek, and Rep. Robert Merski, of Erie, and Pennsylvania Sen. Dan Laughlin. Senior nursing student Kaitlyn Mazzanti is among the students who
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Foundation, the organization that awarded her a nursing scholarship. “It’s rewarding to be able to support people like Missy, and we’re very fortunate she will be part of our nursing team at UPMC Hamot.” Altadonna received the Victor/Brasco Nursing Scholarship for UPMC Hamot nurses attending Mercyhurst University. The Hamot Health Foundation awards more than $300,000 to employees seeking advanced degrees, training and certifications.“I’m very grateful for this financial support,” Altadonna said. “It really helped.” With school throughout the week, she works every Friday and Saturday evening. “It’s all worth it,” she said of her hectic schedule. “I’ve been waiting to go to nursing school
are working to advance legislation. “Our nursing faculty really focus on teaching us that nursing is not solely a profession within the hospital setting,” said Mazzanti. “We’re being taught that nurses can play a crucial role in passing legislation.” While many believe vapor to be comprised merely of water particles, vaping can expose users to several harmful ingredients, such as nickel, lead and compounds found within antifreezes and insecticides. Exacerbating this growing epidemic are the lack of e-cigarette and vaping regulations. Currently, unprincipled marketing techniques are utilized to target vulnerable youth. Gannon nursing faculty appeal to the American Nurses Association Nursing Code of Ethics, which in part calls for nurses to advocate for social change. “As nursing students, we see the effects of such issues on society. But as nursing students, people will take us seriously. This is an area where we can make a difference,” Lombardi said.
for 30 years, so I won’t complain!” Altadonna would like to return to the classroom for her bachelor’s degree in nursing but, for now, she said her brain needs a break. “It was challenging going back to school after all this time,” she said. “My daughter, who is in high school, helped me study and served as my editor many times.” Altadonna has worked in palliative care, where helping to provide comfort is extremely important. One of the highlights of her career, so far, was when a family recognized her extraordinary care in the deceased patient’s obituary. After graduation in May, she will start her new position as an RN at UPMC Hamot. “I love helping people, I really do,” she said. “I enjoy interacting with them and making them feel special. I treat my patients as I would like one of my own family members to be treated.”
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Oncology nurses share job’s rewards By UPMC Hamot staff
Providing care at the bedside can take an emotional toll on nurses. Those who care for cancer patients often make us wonder how they maintain a sense of purpose and a positive outlook despite the many challenges that are part of their particular jobs. Nurses from UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Hamot talk about their jobs and their patients: “Oncology nursing to me entails a lot, from having difficult conversations (for example, quantity versus quality), to explaining chemo drugs in a language everyone can relate to. I’ve watched people being told
about the worst diagnosis of their life, to crying, laughing, and comforting them. Or a patient tells me, ‘I just want to make it to my son’s soccer tournament or my granddaughter’s graduation.’ Then I realize what I have been taking for granted all my life and my patients are fighting just to make it to an event. I now know exactly what is important in life. It is a blessing I count instead of wishing I had more material things.” — Linde Lopez, RN, OCN “The most important lessons I’ve learned from oncology nursing have
not been learned in a classroom. My oncology patients have taught me what is important in nursing and in life: strength, courage and hope. I have gained more than I could ever give as their nurse.” — Jodi Vargo, RN, OCN
Oncology nurses are Linde Lopez, seated, and, standing from left, Jodi Vargo, Chelle Wescott, Jenn Dougan and Jen Howe. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
“Being a part of a patient’s journey, no matter how small, is an honor. It helps put life in perspective by teaching what is truly important and reminds us to make each moment count.” — Chelle Wescott, MSN, OCN. “Being an oncology nurse is incredibly rewarding. I come to work each day at UPMC Hillman Cancer
Center to make a difference in others’ lives. However, each day I go home realizing that my patients have instead made a difference in my life.” — Jenn Dougan, BSN, OCN “I love being an oncology nurse and helping and serving others in need, feeling like a difference was made in their lives. I love working with my colleagues who are so supportive and have taught me so much, not only about oncology nursing but also about life. I’m so blessed to be able to be a positive presence in so many ways to so many people.” — Jen Howe, BSN
Simulators create life-like situations, aid in emergency training By Robb Frederick Penn State Behrend
Angela Jenkins made a mistake while treating a stroke patient: When he lost consciousness, she began administering chest compressions, pressing hard with the heel of her hand. The patient – a high-tech mannequin, actually – still had a normal heart rhythm, however. Jenkins, a senior at Penn State Behrend, had overlooked that. Her instructor immediately stopped the simulation and guided her through the proper treatment protocol. “I was in a high-stress situation, and I failed to make a small but crucial assessment,” Jenkins, of Erie, said. “I can definitely say I will never make that mistake again.”
The simulation labs at Penn State Behrend immerse students in emergency scenarios that test both their clinical and emotional responses. Instructors can adapt the simulations in real time, changing the mannequins’ heart rates, breathing and blood flow. “You can’t always predict the type of patient you’re going to see,” said Kim Streiff, the campus coordinator of Penn State Behrend’s nursing program. “These labs allow us to create and simulate different scenarios, which give students an opportunity to practice in a realistic learning environment.” To make the simulations even more lifelike, the college this year invested $950,000 in new, highfidelity mannequins, which
can mimic almost any medical emergency, from cardiac arrest and epileptic seizures to a neonatal complication that endangers both the mother and her mannequin baby. The project also expanded the simulation bays and the college’s nursing skills lab, where classes can watch video feeds from each of the three bays. Advanced simulation labs prepare student nurses for nearly any type of medical emergency. At Behrend, one bay is designed for intensive care and medical-surgical simulations; a second is equipped for obstetrical/ neonatal simulations. The third can be adapted for use in medical-surgical, pediatric and psychiatric simulations. Debra Loop, an
instructor of nursing and a certified simulation health educator, stages each scenario in advance of the simulation, using items from a moulage cart. One drawer holds wigs, and an assortment of prosthetic eyes; another is filled with latex masks, which are scarred with burns, or lacerations. To simulate cirrhosis, Loop applies yellow theatrical makeup near a mannequin’s eyes, mouth and fingernails. For a pediatric simulation – a boy injured in a bicycle accident – she sprinkles bits of soil and crushed leaves on and in his clothes. She even adds a few crawly slugs, which she purchased at a bait shop. “We try to make it as real as possible,” she said. “Assessment is not just
asking questions, and waiting for the patient to answer you. Some won’t be able to do that. We teach our nurses to use all their senses: What you see, and what you smell, can help tell you what the problem is.” She chews a piece of Juicy Fruit and sticks the wad in a mannequin’s mouth. The scent could be a symptom of diabetic ketoacidosis. The next day, she makes her own chicken pox, using Vaseline, yellow food coloring and a small piece of tissue paper. “When you see all of that, you start to believe it,” Jenkins said. “Even though it’s simulated, it feels like you’re working with a real-life person, with a heartbeat, breath sounds and real pulses. It begins to feel very, very real.”
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Emergency room nurse has Army experience By Nancy O’Neill for Millcreek Community Hospital
“War changes you,” said Judy Butler, a registered nurse. It also seems that working as an emergency room nurse changes you. Both likely explain the recent comment from a Millcreek Community Hospital patient to Butler: “You’re so compassionate.” Butler has worked as an emergency department nurse at Millcreek Community Hospital for nearly eight years and before that served as a U.S. Army nurse for six years. To say she’s “seen a lot” is putting it mildly. Butler worked as a combat nurse in Iraq for 15 months beginning in 2006. Though the building she worked in
was one of Saddam Hussein’s former hospitals in Baghdad’s supposedly safe Green Zone, “we were bombed every day,” she recalled. She helped treat sniper wounds to women and children, and “horrendous injuries – arms and legs that were blown off,” she said. So when a person came into Millcreek Community Hospital with a knife stuck in their leg that they pulled out, severing their femoral artery, Butler went into her “combat mode,” she said. She immediately applied a tourniquet, put in an IV and helped to quickly stabilize the patient, who could’ve bled to death in minutes. Many more incidents over the years have made her feel good about being an ER nurse. She likes the variety
of patients and being appreciated. In turn, Butler also appreciates the people she works with at Millcreek Community Hospital who are “like family” she said. And she voices great appreciation for this country and gets upset with those who don’t. “Here you can be whatever you want if you work hard enough,” she declared. Her career reflects that comment. She worked as a respiratory therapist, trained to become a registered nurse, joined the Army at age 46 as a combat nurse and continues to provide compassionate ER care as a nurse at Millcreek Community Hospital. “I love being a nurse,” she said. “It’s been a great career for me.”
Instructor inspires male nurse By Matthew Mazurik Mercyhurst University
I chose to pursue a career in nursing on the recommendation of a close friend who is a traveling nurse. She would tell me stories of all the exciting people she would meet all over the United States, and how each new travel job was more rewarding than the next. When I told her I had decided to become a nurse, she insisted I would have no regrets. I’ve noticed how life-changing her experiences as a nurse have been. Someday, I might become a traveling nurse, too.
Truth be told, when I first started nursing school, I was a little hesitant with my career choice. I wasn’t sure how male nurses were received. That is until I encountered a male nursing instructor named Scott Caldwell. Scott is a certified registered nurse practitioner at Saint Vincent Allied Urology, and also works as an adjunct clinical instructor for Mercyhurst University. He was a great inspiration and helped me to “keep moving forward,” because he proved to me that male nurses were valued and well respected in the nursing
profession. I also noticed that a lot of nurses in our clinical rotations looked up to Scott because of his drive and willingness to give excellent patient care. Scott was a tough instructor, but when we left each clinical day, we always had learned something new. He showed us what it took to be a successful and hard-working nurse, and he wanted his students to be accountable for their own nursing care. To this very day, I still maintain a friendship with Scott and look up to him as a positive influence on the nursing profession.
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Nurse works with renal transplant patients By UPMC Hamot staff
Katelyn McCarthy works on UPMC Hamot’s 6 South, where she cares for renal transplant patients postoperatively. “Our kidney transplant patients require more supervision and specialized knowledge and skills,” McCarthy said. “There are strict guidelines we must follow to closely monitor the patient’s recovery and the new kidney’s overall success.” McCarthy, who received her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Gannon University, is currently pursuing her MSN She had been working at UPMC Hamot for a couple of years when she attended an event to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and to celebrate those who save lives through the gift of donation. “This was an eyeopening experience for me as a new nurse and it shifted my perspective. I was very excited and eager to have the opportunity to become trained and educated on renal transplant care,” she said. One important aspect of the post-op transplant care from a nursing perspective is the amount of education provided to the patient and family or caregiver. McCarthy said that each postoperative day consists of a great deal of education including medication management, learning about anti-rejection medications and side effects, healthy living habits, incision care, etc.
“It’s an honor for me to be part of the team that cares for the patients and families on this journey,” she said. McCarthy said that the teaching involved with caring for patients and families has helped her to realize she loves teaching. She plans to become a nurse educator later in her career. She also said that the most rewarding part of her job is the lifestyle change she witnesses. The patients who need a renal transplant have end-stage renal disease and most often require dialysis three times a week. They also tend to have diabetes and hypertension. “We see patients very deteriorated and unable to live their lives. It is so rewarding to discharge the patient and know they won’t have to go to dialysis tomorrow or worry about uncontrolled blood pressures at home,” she said. “This lifestyle change means the world to them, and to be a part of that is a blessing. It is truly amazing to be a part of something so much larger than myself.” McCarthy sees patients receiving the gift of life on a regular basis. In the past two years, UPMC Hamot has performed more than 30 kidney transplants. “Providing someone with the gift of life is incredible, which is why I am so passionate about what I do as a nurse,” she said. “It is a blessing to see firsthand how organ donation saves lives right here in Erie.”
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Out of loss, man finds career Born to be a nurse By Jon Molnar Great Lakes Institute
Jacob Thompson didn't always know he wanted to work in healthcare. But when his grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and was in hospice, Jacob actively participated in his end-of-life comfort and care. It was through that experience that he developed a passion for nursing. "I wanted to help him more, so I visited him nearly every day," he said. "It just kind of kick-started my desire to help people as a career. What could I really do to have a positive impact when someone needs help?" Prior to the experience with his grandfather, Jacob's mother also passed away from cancer. His mother was a parttime nurse at Millcreek Community Hospital and a full-time instructor at Mercyhurst North East. "My mother worked a lot and kept her profession separate from her personal life, so she wasn't the initial driving force behind my desire to become a nurse." Once she was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer, Jacob did not get the chance to care for her as he would his grandfather. "She kept a lot of the details of her illness from us. I don't think she wanted to burden her children with such traumatic news, so we weren't aware of the pain she was
Jacob Thompson [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
experiencing," he said. It was, however, his experience with his grandfather that gave him a newfound appreciation for what his mother did for a living. All of these realizations culminated and drove Jacob to seek a career in healthcare as a nurse. It would be a few years before he would enroll at Great Lakes Institute of Technology in
the Practical Nursing program. "Before I started nursing school I wanted to get into the medical field first so that I could get a foundation of work experience and apply it to school to make the transition more easily," Jacob said. He began working at the Regency at South Shore, an assisted living facility that is part of LECOM. After he worked
Intensive care unit nurses are continually caring By Patti Donnelly Saint Vincent Hospital
Intensive care unit nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital have dedicated their lives to caring for a unique and complex group of patients. They are born leaders and have made countless contributions to make the ICU what it is today. These nurses are instrumental in the facilitation of familycentered care and embrace challenges and change with innovative strategies. They adapt to sudden changes in a demanding environment. Whether running to
a rapid response, staying late to help others catch up, assisting during a wide variety of bedside procedures, and actively working with patients who have coded, these nurses are top notch. My colleagues exhibit how the science and art of nursing come together to create extraordinary care – which cannot be scripted or guided by a template or checklist. Extraordinary nursing is based on the nurse’s ability to identify needs and meet those needs in a manner that is meaningful to each patient and their family. Each
of our ICU nurses is an expert in extraordinary nursing, going the extra mile to see that these needs are met. Our ICU nurses always put patients first, taking the time to listen and recognize the smallest details in their assessments, which ultimately drives safe patient care. They are there no matter how challenging a case may be. They are there for our patients no matter what. At this ICU, behind every award, every exceptional satisfaction score and every great outcome is an amazing nurse.
there for two years, his wife, Hannah, gave him the motivation he needed to begin nursing school. "Before I started the program, my wife said, 'You aren't going to miss a day if I have to drag you to that seat myself,'" he said with a laugh. Jacob has been married for four years and met his wife at his mother's funeral eight years ago. "My mom and her mom were friends. We met there and always kept in touch." Jacob enrolled at Great Lakes 14 months ago and is set to graduate. "It's sinking in the last few weeks, what my life is going to be like. I've been in a set routine for the past 14 months. It's like, back to adulthood," he said. While he's anxious about what his future will hold, he's excited to have more time to spend with his wife and son, Lincoln. Jacob's plans are to continue his education after his son gets a little older, eventually becoming a registered nurse. He is most interested in trauma and long-term care. "I like seeing the same people every day, you almost become a part of a patient's family," he said. He also uses his story about his mother and grandfather as a way to connect with a patient's family should they pass away. "I often share my story about my mother. ... I can let them know that I know what they are going through," he said.
By Tonya Tuszynski-Walker Mercyhurst University
I remember when I was in my early 20s, I was in the military, a new mother, and home on leave to see my grandmother during her last days of terminal cancer. While I was with her, I saw hospice nurses from the Visiting Nurse Association care for her on multiple occasions. They bathed her, managed her medications and took time to sit with and talk to my grandfather, my father, and my aunt regarding her care. I remember how professional, yet empathetic the nurses were and how appreciative my family was of them. When the day came that my grandmother passed away, the first phone call my grandfather placed (other than family) was to the VNA nurses. As we were all there grieving, the nurse came. She set up arrangements with the funeral home, removed all medications and comforted my family. She cried real tears along with us. I will never forget that experience. I got out of the military a few years later and eventually became a VNA hospice/ home care nurse for a short time. My mother became ill with terminal cancer, and I had the benefits of hospice at my beck and call; all of the comforts of in-home care, and the empathy of all of my
coworkers to help me through the experience of her passTonya ing. It was like it was my calling to be a VNA nurse, for that moment in time — to have everything I needed for my mother. After she passed, I couldn't handle that kind of nursing care any longer, so I transitioned to acute care. I had a deep inner calling to take care of really sick people and watch them get better, and it is where I have stayed. Now that I am older and more experienced, I love training new nurses. I am involved with precepting our new staff and handson with my training. I want to show them the way — the right way — to “do good” for our patients. The simple task of washing someone’s face and hands before a meal, and to see their appreciation for the little things we do as nurses, will never cease to make me smile. I want every nurse I train to experience those things with me and to let them know and feel that we are so much more than just “pill passers” or “face wipers.” We are their caregivers in their weakest moments, and their voice when they don't know what questions to ask. Not everyone can be a nurse, but I know I that was born to be one.
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Nurses earn advanced degrees together By Mary Beth Kroemer Saint Vincent Hospital
Nurses Week is very special for six Saint Vincent nurses this year. This week, we will celebrate as we graduate with a master of science in nursing degree with special focus on leadership and administration. Our 18-month rigorous journey toward this goal brought together six nurses from varied backgrounds and specialties who did not know each other well. Together, we stressed, cried and shared advice as we bonded, collaborated and commiserated during the very intense and challenging fast-paced program. We were all motivated to pursue our MSN for various reasons, but the common denominator is professional growth and to be the best that we can be. We are proud to be a part of AHN Saint Vincent and passionate about what we do.
These nurses earned their master’s degrees in nursing together. From left: Brenda Squires, Stacy Long, Mary Beth Kroemer, Keri Stout and Kathy Reeder. Missing is Angella Horton. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
Angella Horton, a telemetry nurse, is the first person in her family to become a nurse. As a mother, wife and daughter, she has overcome many personal obstacles while getting her MSN and has made her family proud,
especially her dad. Stacy Long obtained her bachelor of science in nursing 14 years ago and is the director of endoscopy at Yorktown. She found herself wanting more and desired to enhance her role as a director. She returned
to school and balanced her full-time career with being a wife, mother of two young boys and still never missed a school or athletic event. Keri Stout has a story that is very similar. As a wife and mother of young children, she never missed a beat at home or work while obtaining her MSN. She is now the nurse manager of the medicalsurgical units. Kathy Reeder, the manager of behavioral health, and Brenda Squires, manager of urology and central processing and distribution, also overcame obstacles to earn their degrees. As the nurse manager of the new Cancer Institute at the Saint Vincent Hospital Medical Oncology Division and Infusion Center, obtaining my MSN has always been a personal and professional goal. This summer, I will be 62 and proud to have obtained my MSN and to have been
presented with the 2019 Presidential Scholar Award. All of this was accomplished while working full-time and managing the infusion center, dialysis unit and vascular access team. My two children were in college at this same time and we often found ourselves sharing dinners together with our laptops. Mary Beth finished her MSN in style by being the recipient of the 2019 Presidential Scholar Award. Very strong and meaningful friendships resulted from attending our MSN programs together. Collectively, we agree that nursing is a most rewarding profession that allows you to grow as you go. We all hope to inspire our peers, staff and children in the pursuit of their goals and become life-long learners. Follow your dreams, blast through your obstacles. We are proof that it is never too late.
Mercyhurst mission trip complements RN’s quest to serve By Deborah Wallace Morton Mercyhurst University
Working full time as a registered nurse at Saint Vincent Hospital while simultaneously taking courses toward her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Mercyhurst University, Elizabeth Heston still found time to spend a week this spring in Mexico volunteering for Chosen IMA (International Medical Assistance). “There is just something so fulfilling about doing for others and expecting
nothing in return,” Heston said. She was among 14 Mercyhurst Heston students, most of whom are planning careers in health-related fields, who spent spring break in Valladolid, Yucatan, assisting at the Centro Medico San Lucas Clinic. Traveling with them were Colin Hurley, director of community engagement; Beatriz Torres, a public health professor who also helped with translation; and Courey
Schaetzle, a Mercyhurst athletic training graduate who’s pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy. “While in Mexico, I spent the week in the operating clinic,” Heston said, discovering a new role, that of teacher rather than student. “I was able to teach the other students how to maintain sterility and wash and scrub into the procedures. I was also able to explain to the other students what was going on during theprocedures.” Besides working in the clinic, Heston visited nearby rural areas with the other
Mercyhurst students, where they helped paint a church and engaged with the local children. Despite the language barrier, Heston said no words needed to be shared. “We spent time painting and bringing the church to life with color as well as playing with the local kids and even the neighbors’ baby chicks that were running around,” she said. For as long as she can remember, the Mayville, New York, native wanted to be in the business of helping people, and healthcare fit that bill perfectly. She began her work in the field
as an EMT with a local fire department, then pursued her certified nursing assistant training and later her licensed practical nurse. She earned an associate degree in nursing from Mercyhurst North East and will graduate with her BSN from Mercyhurst this May. She is also considering earning her master’s degree in nursing. Heston said she’s been fortunate to move through her career one step at a time, a benefit of the nursing profession, where there are many pathways available to meet each individual’s lifestyle and needs.
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LECOM builds programs to train staff, encourage nurses By Sheena Baker LECOM
Much has been made of the nursing shortage currently affecting the U.S. and the growing need for more nurses in the coming decades. The World Health Organization estimates an additional 1 million nurses will be needed by 2020 to accommodate the increasing demand for health care services, due in large part to the growing number of baby boomers reaching retirement age and requiring more medical care. The LECOM Institute for Successful Aging has been working to combat the nursing shortage while bolstering its own staff at LECOM Health’s senior living facilities. The LECOM Institute for Successful Aging has a tradition of supporting employees wanting to further their medical training. Jaime Babiak, director of long-term care operations at the LECOM Senior Living Center, said the facility will accommodate an employee’s work schedule as she or he receives the necessary training to become a certified nursing assistant, licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. “We’ve supported our employees by making the process manageable for them, by working with
LECOM encourages employees to return to school. [SHUTTERSTOCK.COM]
their schedules and promoting a return to school,” Babiak said. Making staffing adjustments to accommodate class schedules can be tricky at times, admitted Rick Eberlin, director of human resources at the LECOM Senior Living Center, but he said the tradeoff is well worth it. “Our No. 1 goal is to care for our patients, and we want to support and grow our staff to be able to serve those patients,” Eberlin said. “We want productive employees, and we’d rather build from within than try to find someone new. If we have the opportunity to promote an employee, we’d rather do that instead of losing that employee to another position outside of
the LECOM Health system.” Often employees seek training to progress from one role to another, such as from a certified nursing assistant to a licensed practical nurse or from an LPN to a registered nurse and Babiak has seen an increase in employees returning to school because of the nursing shortage. “Over the years we’ve recruited students and employees from other departments to go through the CNA program,” said Babiak. Doing so has helped fill gaps in the nursing ranks. “The CNA program is a good fit for anyone who wants to get their foot in the door in the medical field,” said Shanel Ziegler, RN, one of the course’s instructors. “It’s also great for anyone who wants a
rewarding career helping the geriatric population or rehab residents as well as anyone who’s very compassionate about care.” Since its inception in February 2018, more than 70 individuals have completed the CNA course. Led by Ziegler and Jessica Regan, RN, the four-week, 120-hour program combines classroom instruction with clinical experience. After successfully completing the course and exam, graduates are offered fulltime employment at the LECOM Senior Living Center, LECOM Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center or at one of LECOM’s other seniorcentered facilities. Classes, limited to 10 students per session, begin every six weeks. In addition to augmenting staff numbers, the CNA course has other benefits, both for students and patients. “The program provides training and boosts the skillsets of our CNAs, and it benefits our employees who choose to further their education by taking the course,” Ziegler said. “It also benefits the residents at the Senior Living Center because they receive a little more companionship, especially when the students are there on their clinical visits. The residents enjoy it just as much as the students.”
Nursing offers many paths to career advancement degree. A license to practice as a practical nurse (LPN) can also be obtained through a one-year certificate program. All are viable options, depending on a student’s career interests, finances, and other responsibilities. While many universities offer a BSN program as their entry into nursing practice, the most common educational pathway to the registered nurse is still the associate degree, according to 2018 statistics from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The federal Bureau of Labor Standards projected employment of registered nurses to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; growing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes
By Judith Stanley Mercyhurst University
Few careers are in higher demand today than skilled nurses. Job prospects for graduating nurses remain strong— whether they enter the field with an Associate of Science in nursing (ASN) or a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN). Recent news reports have focused on a national trend to encourage baccalaureate (four-year) nursing degrees, but that should not be used as rationale to dissuade anyone from pursuing a nursing degree via another pathway. The nursing profession is unique in that it offers many different points of entry. Nurses can obtain an entry-level license to practice after earning a two-year associate degree, a three-year diploma or a four-year bachelor’s
and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as they live longer and more active lives. That’s good news for the more than 50 nurses expected to graduate from the ASN program at Mercyhurst University this spring. At a recent career fair for them, more than a dozen local employers— including hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare providers— were on hand to discuss job openings, a strong indicator of the demand for today’s ASN graduates. The ASN degree allows graduates to obtain rewarding, well-paying jobs after just two years of study, but many of those nurses won’t stop there. If they want to broaden their educational perspective or expand their professional role within the hospital environment, move into management or teaching, they’ll go on to earn a
BSN at a later date, often while continuing to work. Specially designed RNto-BSN programs, including one offered on Mercyhurst’s Erie campus, build on nurses’ earlier training to help them take the next step in their careers. These programs are flexible to accommodate students’ work schedules and personal responsibilities. Additionally, many employers provide educational benefits that can help defray the cost of the further training. Mercyhurst has educated more than 1,000 students to practice as RNs since the inception of its ASN program in 1999. The majority of its nursing students reside in the Erie area and stay here upon graduation. Mercyhurst will introduce an online Master of Science in nursing program this fall, helping to prepare nurses who aspire to leadership roles across the healthcare continuum.
Nurse has walked in patient’s shoes By Mary Beth Pfister Pleasant Ridge Manor
You know you were meant to be a nurse when you pursue that goal in spite of overwhelming obstacles. As a high school senior, Amanda Adams couldn’t have been more excited to be accepted at Gannon University to begin her nursing studies. That excitement was abruptly derailed by a car accident that left her body badly broken. But Amanda was determined. After a summer of surgeries and learning to walk again, she started her classes as planned (fitting in her own physical therapy between classes). However, medical complications along the way caused Amanda to switch her major to business, and she did graduate with a business degree. Once her health improved, Amanda returned to Gannon to pursue the nursing degree she always wanted. While she did well academically, she gave birth to her daughter and had two major surgeries but still earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in the spring of 2012. Amanda began her nursing career, gaining clinical experience along the way, from the vantage point of not only a new nurse eager to learn but as a seasoned patient herself who could truly empathize with the physical and emotional toll of traumatic and chronic illness. In March of 2016, she started working at Pleasant Ridge Manor and was promoted to a nurse manager. She welcomed her son in 2018, but she was later diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia that required long stays at the Cleveland Clinic. Amanda is in remission and back to work at Peasant Ridge Manor. “God has a purpose for me,” Amanda said. That purpose includes supporting and connecting to patients and families in a way that she uniquely can because she’s been in their shoes.
Stacey Thompson RN, BSN
Thank you for all you do all the time. Especially for my brother, Woody. Love you! Your Sister-in-law
U MAKE A YODIFFERENCE
3 359087
YOU
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
We are so proud of you. Love, Your Family
Edinboro University
Tessa Chaney
Meghan McChesney RN Cardiology
U MAKE A YODIFFERENCE
U MAKE A YODIFFERENCE
Dedicated compassionate loving caring person. We are very proud of you! With Lots of Love, From your Family
You’re a wonderful nurse, smart and compassionate, the whole package! We’re so proud of you! Love, Mom & Dad
Susan Kaminski RN
U MAKE A YODIFFERENCE We are proud of you for doing an amazing job at being a nurse.. Love, Your Sisters!
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We are so Proud of You Papa & Gram
St. Vincent’s Infusion Center You are all my angels. Thank you for being there. 359089
359571
U MAKE A YODIFFERENCE
Jeanie Elwell LPN at VA
359676
Shanel Ziegler, RN
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359602
U MAKE A YODIFFERENCE
ETHICAL PRACTICE. QUALITY CARE.
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Instructors combine active service, teaching By Christopher LaFuria Edinboro University
When Beth Farbotnik was a little girl, her pediatrician would always start regular checkups with the same questions. “Are you going to be a nurse?” he would ask Farbotnik, who is now a clinical nursing instructor at Edinboro University. “Are you getting all As and Bs?” After giving her affirmation to both questions, the youngster who became a nurse practitioner was on her way to a career serving families and now teaches nursing students at Edinboro University. Farbotnik is one of nearly a dozen faculty members in Edinboro University’s nursing
Nursing class participants include, front row, from left: Adeline Kramer and Amanda Metz. Back row, from left: Meredith Bundy, Anna Majewski, Sydney Roach, Kristen Austin, instructor Elizabeth Farbotnik, Courtney Weber, Meghan Loutzenheiser, Matt Kirby. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
department who also work in the field as practicing nurses. In addition to her teaching, Farbotnik works as a family nurse practitioner with Express
Care in Meadville. “My love of teaching came from mentoring the nursing students who came to my unit when I was a staff nurse,” said Farbotnik, who
solidified her choice to enter the nursing field after shadowing nurses herself in middle school. “I was also inspired by my own nursing educators, whom I have the privilege of working with now.” Meg Larson, assistant professor in Edinboro’s doctor of nursing practice program, decided that working with pre-service nurses in an educational setting and with private patients was her best shot at helping the greatest number of people. “I have always loved the patient education part of nursing and understood it often has the most impact on actual outcomes,” said Larson, who also serves U.S. veterans in a rural primary care clinic. “Teaching nursing
seemed like a perfect fit and one that would impact many people.” To both Farbotnik and Larson, being an active nurse directly impacts their classroom instruction, allowing them to stay current with best practices and adapt the curriculum to fit the evolution of health care. In both practice and education, the faculty members hope to address the regional and national nursing shortages. The market for registered nurses is expected to grow by nearly 450,000 jobs by 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “As with any discipline, you teach more effectively if you are current in the field,” Farbotnik said. “Health care changes every day – new procedures, new
medications, advances in treatments, and clinical practice is the best way to stay up-to-date on those changes.” As the daughter of a military veteran and 32-year nursing veteran, Larson considers herself lucky to serve both young students and adults. “There really could not be two professions – nursing and teaching – that were more beneficial to both students and the public and which provide such a sense of purpose for the professional who practices them,” she said. “Working with patients reminds you, with every interaction, of the importance a nurse can have in someone’s life and keeps the passion for the profession of nursing fresh.”
Mom shares story of nurse colleagues’ care during childbirth By Jennifer Young and Carolyn Tattersall UPMC Hamot
Simulation provides a meaningful learning experience, as it enhances nursing skills and promotes teamwork, precise communication and prioritization of care in a safe environment. Using nurse-led simulation empowers the team to respond to the unique emergencies that occur in maternal child health. We conduct annual education and training for post-partum hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, neonatal resuscitation, hypertensive emergency and maternal cardiac arrest. This education ensures our nursing staff is prepared to care for both mom and baby when
Magee-Womens, UPMC Hamot NICU nurses Jennifer Young, left, and Carolyn Tattersall work on “Baby Tory” and “Mom Victoria” in the simulation lab. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
unexpected life-threatening events arise. One nurse from Magee-Womens, UPMC Hamot, who experienced an emergency at birth while being cared for by her colleagues who trained in the sim
lab, shared her personal experience: Emily’s story: To me, being a nurse is the most rewarding profession. Even on the hardest days, I can leave my shift feeling grateful for the chance to help make a difference. I have worked as a registered nurse on the mother baby unit at Magee-Womens, UPMC Hamot for five years. Experiencing delivery and the transition to becoming a parent gave me the ability to share what I learned firsthand with my patients. After working a 10-hour shift, one of my co-workers asked if I was feeling well because she noticed my face was flushed. She checked my blood pressure and it was severely elevated, but the scary
part was that I felt comdelivery. The physician pletely fine. If it weren’t alarmed me when she for my co-worker asking stated, “Your bleeding is if I was okay that day, heavy, so we are going to my life and my baby’s stay on top of it by giving life could have been in you medication.” At first, jeopardy. I thought to myself this is Two days later, I went no big deal; I’ll probably into the hospital to start be fine and able to hold my induction. As I settled my baby again soon. As into the labor room I felt a nurse, I am trained to relief knowing the nurses remain calm in emerwere by my side to make gency situations and that sure I was as comfortable was just what I was going as possible throughout to do when experiencing my labor. After all, I my own. thought I had three more An hour and a half after weeks left to prepare for delivery, my bleeding becoming a mom. Reality was finally controlled was quickly setting in and after receiving four all I could hope for was medications and mula smooth delivery, so I tiple interventions. As could meet my baby girl. I was holding my baby, My daughter was deliv- it suddenly dawned on ered after about 10 hours me that this scenario is in labor. In the afterglow very similar to the one of birth, I did not realize we use in our simulation something was wrong lab. I am a firm believer until 10 minutes after that the sim lab prepared
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our nurses to feel calm and confident when in an emergency. During my postpartum hemorrhage, the nurses never left my side, providing both physical and emotional support. As a nurse, I am aware of the statistics associated with a post-partum hemorrhage, but I never thought it would happen to me. The nurses’ experience and training reduced my anxiety throughout my entire stay. Every time I see the nurses that cared for me, I am reminded of just how lucky I am. Their preparation for obstetrical emergencies, clinical expertise and timely interventions truly saved my life. I could not be prouder to be a nurse at Magee-Womens, UPMC Hamot.
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