Mercy Hospital Connections Newsletter- Winter 2021-22

Mercy Hospital of Buffalo

Connections

News and announcements for associates, patients, and their families.

Winter 2021-22

It’s That Special Mercy Touch!

Joslyn Albaneh at work on 6 East Unit with former nurse manager Jon Delay.

For Joslyn Albaneh, the pandemic had a silver lining by rekindling her longtime goal to become a nurse. She is a well-respected and dedicated team member of Mercy Hospital’s McAuley 6 East Unit, where she once worked as a nurse assistant and as a unit clerk.

The unit’s former Nurse Manager Jon Delay recognized Joslyn’s skills and her compassionate manner and would always suggest that she think about becoming a nurse.

Inspired by his encouraging words, Joslyn decided to confide in Jon that she had indeed attended nursing school ten years ago but never completed her nursing boards.

Instead, she had chosen to place her aspirations on hold to focus on her young family.

Whenever given the opportunity, Jon continued to encourage Joslyn to take that final step to a nursing career. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted life as we knew it, and like most working mothers with children being home-schooled, Joslyn immersed herself in the added role of teacher.

“When I was home, I pushed my kids every day to try hard and do the best they can to reach their dreams,” said Joslyn. “It made me think of my own journey and the burden I still carried. I looked at who was watching CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Cardiothoracic Surgery Chair Dr. Stephen Downing provides remarks at the TAVR 500th Celebration with 99-year-old TAVR patient Joan LaDuca and family.

Heart Center Proudly Marks 500th TAVR Milestone Joan LaDuca, a grateful former patient who turned 100-years-old on December 26, joined doctors, nurses and staff at Mercy Hospital in September for a celebration to mark the 500th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure performed at the Catholic Health Heart Center. TAVR replaces damaged aortic valves through a tiny catheter which has given many people who may be at too high risk to undergo traditional open heart surgery—especially many older patients—a nonsurgical option to treat heart valve disease.

LaDuca underwent the minimally-invasive heart procedure last June to treat aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve which can be a life-threatening condition. Before TAVR, Joan said she was experiencing severe shortness of breath and dizziness but a day after the procedure when she returned home from the hospital, she already felt much better. She feels that “everybody needs to know about this” and that is why she wanted to be a part of the TAVR milestone occasion.

Medical Director of the Heart Center’s TAVR program and cardiac surgeon Dr. Stephen Downing, describes the “valve within a valve” procedure. “We thread a small catheter, tipped with a replacement valve, through a blood vessel in the leg or chest and guide it to the heart,” he explains. “Once in place across the existing heart valve, the new valve is expanded, pushing the unhealthy valve aside to take over regulating blood flow in the heart.”

“We are grateful for this breakthrough technology which allows us to help people, many in their 80s or 90s, who we couldn’t help before,” Dr. Downing said. The Catholic Health Heart Center TAVR team includes cardiothoracic surgeons Dr. Downing and Harsh Jain, MD, and interventional cardiologists Nadeem Haq, MD, and Ali Masud, MD.

Sweet Mercy!

People In The News Mercy Hospital Foundation’s “Thankful Hearts” Autumn Ball was held virtually in early December, raising more than $77,000 to support the hospital.

Honorees included Dr. Stephen Downing—Dr. Thomas A. Raab Physician Champion Award; Scott R. Bieler Foundation—Community Partner Award; Alexandria Foley, RN, MSN—2021 Nurse of Distinction; Jennifer Worthington, RN, BSN—2021 Outstanding Staff Nurse; Mary Ann Murphy, RN, MS, IBCLC—2020 Nurse of Distinction; and Alexandra Rabarsky, RN, BSN, CCRN, CSC—2020 Outstanding Staff Nurse. Sincere thanks to our Autumn Ball sponsors who also treated all associates to a pastry heart to help end 2021 on a ‘sweet’ note!

Congratulations to our Autumn Ball Honorees: Dr. Stephen Downing, MD, FACC, FACS, was presented the Dr. Thomas A. Raab Physician Champion Award. A renowned cardiothoracic surgeon and founding member of the cardiac surgery program at Mercy Hospital in 2002, he is Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Catholic Health and Medical Director of the TAVR program. With a medical degree from Georgetown University Medical School, he completed his internship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania followed by his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery from Barnes Hospital/ Washington University School of Medicine.

Alexandria Foley, RN, MSN, was recognized with the 2021 Nurse of Distinction Award. She serves as the Lead Stroke Coordinator for Catholic Health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Niagara University and a MSN from Grand Canyon University.

Mary Ann Murphy, RN, MS, IBCLC, was recognized with the 2020 Nurse of Distinction Award. Joining Mercy in 1979, she is Director of Maternal/Child Services, a position she has held since 1998, and has over 25 years of nursing leadership experience. She holds a BSN and MS in Nursing from the University at Buffalo.

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World’s Smallest Heart Pump Saving Lives Don Abrams, a retired engineer and geologist from Buffalo, began to experience shortness of breath and heartburn in February 2020. When his condition quickly worsened and he went into cardiogenic shock, he landed in the skilled and caring hands of the Heart Center team. They used Don and Chari Abrams, at center, returned to Mercy the Impella heart pump Hospital for a Heart Recovery Reunion with staff. known as “the world’s smallest heart pump” to Impella Heart Recovery Reunion. save his life. This leadingHe was able to thank his physiedge technology in cardiac care cians: Interventional Cardiologist allowed Don’s heart to rest and Dr. Eram Chaudhry; Critical Care eventually recover.

Intensivist Dr. Brian Davis; Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Harsh Jain Don and his wife Chari returned to Mercy Hospital last summer for an and many other nurses and staff.

Mercy is Nationally Recognized for Stroke Care For the ninth year in a row, the Mercy Comprehensive Stroke Center was recognized with the American Heart/Stroke Association’s (AHA/ ASA) Get With The Guidelines®Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Award. The awards recognize the hospital’s commitment to excellence by ensuring stroke patients receive the highest quality care according to nationally-recognized, researchbased guidelines.

In addition, Mercy received the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award. This award recognizes the hospital’s targeted approach to providing quality care for patients with type 2 diabetes, a special at-risk population to develop cardiovascular disease and a major cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Treating AFib with the Latest Technology The Heart Center at Mercy celebrated its 100th WATCHMAN FLX Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Implant on November 29.

The device is the only FDAapproved implant proven to reduce stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heartbeat, not caused by a heart valve problem. The WATCHMAN also provides AFib patients with an alternative to long-term blood thinning medications.

Dr. Zachary Lill performed the 100th milestone procedure, pictured above (right) with Dr. Mohamed Metawee, both holding the

WATCHMAN packages, surrounded by the hospital team and representatives from Boston Scientific that makes the device. Electrophysiologists Dr. Lill, Dr. Metawee and Dr. Grzegorz Rozmus perform the WATCHMAN procedure.

Mercy Neurology Center Opens at Marian Building Catholic Health is pleased to announce the opening of the Mercy Neurology Center.

Expanding services across our continuum, the center offers outpatient neurology services for conditions such as stroke, memory loss, seizures, Bell’s palsy, neuropathy, migraines, headaches, and more. Staffed by neurologist Dr. Simona Velicu, MD, MBA, MPH; Brenda Staffing the new center are from left, Dr. Simona Velicu, Brenda Bialecki and Amanda Melas.

Bialecki, medical assistant; and The Center is open weekdays from Amanda Melas, MHA, manager, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and is accepting the Center is located in the Marian new patients. For more information Professional Building next door to or to schedule an appointment, call Mercy Hospital, and is a Department of Sisters of Charity Hospital. 716-819-9627.

Hospital Commended for Use of Antibiotics Mercy Hospital is among an elite group of 131 hospitals nationwide that have been named Centers of Excellence in Antimicrobial Stewardship by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

grams have also achieved quality standards aligned with evidence-based guidelines.

The two-year designation recognizes hospitals that have created stewardship programs led by infectious disease physicians and pharmacists who promote the appropriate use of antibiotics to reduce antibiotic resistance, increase infection cure rates, and ease adverse effects. These pro-

Antimicrobial stewardship initiatives are led by Dr. Kevin Shiley, Medical Director of Infectious Disease, and Benjamin Daigler, PharmD, Co-chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, who also heads pharmacy-led stewardship activities for the system and Mercy Hospital.

Medical Staff Announces New Chairs of Medicine Catholic Health is pleased to announce that Toni Murphy, DO, FACOI, FACE, has been named Associate Chair of Medicine, and Jeffrey Lach, DO, FACP, has been appointed Assistant Chair of Medicine, at Mercy Hospital.

A board-certified endocrinoloDr. Toni Murphy Dr. Jeffrey Lach gist, Dr. Murphy is Vice President of the Catholic Health MedMedical Group at Mercy Hospital ical Staff and an at-large member since 2015 and is a member of the Mercy Hospital Medical of the hospital’s Peer Review, Advisory Board. She is also a member of the Catholic Health Pa- Clinical Excellence, Pharmaceutics tient Quality and Safety Committee and Therapeutics, and Medical Advisory Committees. Board and serves as an Internal Medicertified in Internal Medicine, he cine and Family Medicine Clinical Instructor at the UB Jacobs School serves as a Clinical Instructor at UB Jacobs School of Medicine, of Medicine.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Dr. Lach has served as an Medicine, and New York College of attending hospitalist with Buffalo Osteopathic Medicine.

Sweet Mercy!

People In The News AUTUMN BALL, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Autumn Ball nurse honorees were treated to a catered lunch to share with their colleagues thanks to our generous sponsors— The McGuire Group Corporate Center, Southtowns Radiology, and Aramark.

Pictured above is honoree Alex Rabarsky, third from left, with Mercy President Eddie Bratko, CVICU Nurse Manager Peggy Schlotterbeck, and VP of Patient Care Services & CNO Shari McDonald.

Congratulations to our Autumn Ball Honorees: The Scott R. Bieler Foundation was presented the 2021 Community Partner Award. Through the Foundation, Scott Bieler and Kathy Lasher have made a significant contribution to Mercy Hospital’s Emergency Center renovation project that expanded private triage and treatment areas for patients. Bieler, who is a President and CEO of West Herr Automotive Group, is a former patient of Mercy Hospital and was so impressed with his care that he has been a generous supporter ever since.

Jennifer Worthington, RN, BSN, was presented the 2021 Outstanding Staff Nurse Award. With over 24 years of nursing experience, she has been a model of nursing excellence in all areas where she worked including the CVICU, ICU, Med/Surg units and the OR. Alexandra Rabarsky, RN, BSN, CCRN, CSC, was presented the 2020 Outstanding Staff Nurse Award.

Joining Mercy in 2015, she provides exceptional care to all her patients and continually strives to exceed their expectations. Alex was recently accepted into the nurse practitioner program at D’Youville College.

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Sweet Mercy!

People In The News Michelle Wild, RN, MSN, NE-BC, was recently named Director of Nursing, Patient Care Services.

She previously served as Assistant Director of Nursing and Operations.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Baldwin-Wallace College, a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from University at Buffalo, and an MSN in Leadership and Change from Daemen College.

Douglas Diver, MS, BSN, RN, was named Nurse Manager of the 6 East Unit. He previously served as Nurse Supervisor in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). He holds a BSN from the University of Rochester (UR) and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the UR Simon Business School.

Suzie Coppola, RN, BSN, was promoted to Nurse Manager of the Intensive Care Unit. She previously served as the Nursing Supervisor of the Medical/ Neuro ICU. She holds an AAS in Nursing from Trocaire College and a BSN from Daemen College.

Allison Revelas, RN, BSN, CMSRN, was promoted to Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department (ED). She previously served as the Nursing Supervisor of the ED. She holds an AAS in Nursing from Trocaire College and a BSN from Niagara University.

Amber Wolf, MSN, was named Nurse Manager of the 4 North/5 North Units.

She holds an AAS in Nursing from Danville Community College in Virginia, a BS in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State University, and a MSN from Drexel University.

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Journey to Become a Nurse, continued from page 1 me and I realized that I shouldn’t give up and I should always lead by example.”

It was all the motivation she needed to start studying again, even if that meant staying up late nights after tucking her children in for bed. In December 2020, Joslyn came into work and surprised her colleagues with the exciting news

of successfully completing her nursing boards examination.

“The amount of support I received from my co-workers was overwhelming and I am very grateful to them,” said Joslyn.

Today, Joslyn remains a dedicated member of the 6 East Unit as a registered nurse. Congrats, Joslyn!

Congratulations to our DAISY Award Winners!

Mercy Hospital recently presented DAISY Awards to Pam McFarland, RN, BSN, of the PACU/OR Holding, and Beth Colarusso, NP, of the Mercy Hospital Palliative Care service.

The DAISY Award, which recognizes extraordinary DAISY Award Winner Pam McFarland, center, is compassionate nurses, congratulated by her co-workers was established by the pitals across the world participate DAISY Foundation in in the program. Nomination forms memory of J. Patrick Barnes who can be found in the lobby, nurse died at age 33 of an auto-immune stations and cafeteria. disease. Today, nearly 2,500 hos-

Mercy at Work

Dr. Jeffrey Steinig hands a meal tray to Patrick Hanlon with Mike Galbraith looking on during the Annual Associate Holiday Luncheon sponsored by the Mercy Hospital Medical Staff.

Nurses Kim Sontag and Pam Gottstine deliver a handmade card to their patient courtesy of the student card ministry at Notre Dame Academy.

Second grade students from Lorraine Elementary School, located next door to Mercy Hospital, sent a “sweet” welcome back and thank you package to our nurses.

Some of them even donated their own Halloween candy! Pictured here are a group of our nurses collecting the goodies. A big thank you to these thoughtful students!