Erie Times-News Nurses Week 2022

Nurses Week Mercyhurst nursing classes move to Mercy Motherhouse Saint Vincent oncology nurse becomes oncology patient Behrend student shares intensive care experience At UPMC Hamot, nursing is all in the family Gannon student chose nursing career as a teen

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Inside This Issue

Celebrate Nurses Week May 6 to May 12

4 Nursing is emotional career 5 Building relationships is key 6 Choosing advanced degrees 8 Reflecting on time as a patient

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We honor nurses, now more than eve

tem, our nurses in As the front line of our healthcare sys forted us, healed us northwestern Pennsylvania have com and truly saved our lives. , nurses and nursing In this section, regional administrators hearts, and we know students share stories that touch our they will touch yours, too. for more than a We are honored to share nurses stories nks to the hundreds of decade in the Erie Times-News. Tha ries with us and innurses who have shared heartfelt sto spired us to continue this section. nurses, please take During a week dedicated to honoring time to thank a nurse. ~ Joanne Conrad-Turner

9 Experiencing 30 years of nursing 10 Dealing with challenges 11 Classes move to Motherhouse 14 Grandmother and peers inspire 15 Community nurses impact families 16 Assessing needs saves lives 17 Learning is lifelong for nurses 18 Improving work/life balance 20 Legacy of mentorship 22 Entire families choose healthcare careers

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2 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

Contributing Editor Pam Parker Creative Team David Papesch Linda Skrypzak Rich Angelotti

Advertising Doreen DeFabio Duska Gretchen Armes Laura Rush-Malencia

THANK YOU, NURSES

We’re learning what it truly takes to be a nurse. And the more we learn, the more our respect for you grows.

We look forward to joining you in the profession soon.

—PENN STATE BEHREND NURSING STUDENTS

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 3

Student shares emotional impact of intensive care

By Robb Frederick, Penn State Behrend On his first shift in the intensive care unit at UPMC Hamot – Day One of a 10-week internship – Grant Oishi, a nursing student at Penn State Behrend, saw the worst of the work ahead: He helped care for a patient who no longer had brain activity, and whose organs would soon be removed by transplant teams.

That’s a lot to take in, at age 22.

“It hits you,” Oishi said. “You’re like, ‘Whoa. What if this were one of my friends? Or a family member?’”

He stayed, though. He looked for ways to help.

“There was a lot of activity in the room, and everyone was moving really fast,” he said. “I just tried to do my part.”

He’d started on that path in high school, back in State College. Friday nights were for football, and he’d be on the sideline at Memorial Field. He wasn’t on the team – he played lacrosse – but he shadowed the school’s athletic trainer. He’d watch the trainer tape toes, fingers, ankles and knees. Then, at home, he’d practice on his own.

He enrolled in nursing school. Penn State Behrend felt like the right fit: He liked the size of the classes, the technology in the simulation labs and the fact that 95% of Behrend graduates pass the NCLEX – the National Council Licensure Examination – on their first attempt.

He earned a spot in the Schreyer Honors College, Penn State’s honors program, which brought an opportunity for research. Oishi is working with two Behrend faculty members – Samuel Nutile, assistant professor of biology, and Adam Simpson, assistant teaching professor of biology – to study oxidative stress in midges. The study will explore why some insects that damage grape crops in Erie County become resistant to certain pesticides. The research experience also will support the next step in Oishi’s education: a nurse anesthetist program.

In addition to the research, Oishi has completed clinical rotations, working in a nursing home and in the medicalsurgical unit at Saint Vincent Hospital. But it was the 10week rotation in the intensive care unit that had the most meaning for him, despite the rough start.

“It’s a challenge, and I like that,” he said. “The patients’ needs are really complex. A lot of them are on ventilators, and they all have different medications going into them. You have to think critically, and you’re constantly assessing, and reassessing.”

He prefers the night shift. The unit is quieter when families aren’t sitting by the beds. The nurses can better focus on the patients.

“It’s harder when the families are there,” Oishi said, “because some of your care has to be directed to them,

4 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

Grant Oishi is a nursing student at Penn State Behrend.

Contributed Photo instead of the patient. It’s not that they don’t need comfort, or education about what’s going on. They absolutely do. But at night, without all that traffic in and out of the room, you can take a little more time with the patient. You can really give them the attention they deserve.”

He has learned to look for incremental wins: a stronger pulse, or a reflex that wasn’t evident the night before.

“You do feel a connection, even when a patient is on a ventilator,” Oishi said. “You’re caring for them in an oddly intimate way, and they often don’t even know you’re there.

“It’s hard to describe, but there is something special about being able to take care of someone when they need care the most,” he said. “Any time you see an improvement in them, no matter how small, it’s gratifying. You know that all the work you have done, and that all the nurses on previous shifts have done, has made a difference.”

Nurses build relationships with their patients

By Patricia Donnelly, AHN Saint Vincent Hospital At AHN Saint Vincent Hospital, National Nurses Week, May 6-12, is designed to celebrate and elevate the nursing profession.

Nursing is one of the most trusted professions in the world. Yet, when asked, the majority of people cannot adequately describe the roles and responsibilities of nursing.

Much of the work of this profession goes unexplored and unpublicized, and yet, nurses continue to be at the forefront of patient care delivery at every step of the way across all of life’s continuum.

In many cases, nurses are a major factor in the health outcomes of patients and consumers.

At the heart of all nursing interventions is the relationship between the nurse and the patient – a relationship between nurse and patient that can be therapeutic, in itself.

If the foundation of nursing work is the nurse’s ability to build enabling relationships with each of their patients as individuals, then all that follows is designed to respond to what the patient reveals about what they need, including the context of family, background, education, economic status, present health issues and future health goals.

Building a relationship with the patient enables the nurse to explore each dimension of the patient’s health and to discover which is the most important for the patient – in order to inform the nursing care that will be given.

The unique expertise of nurses is the ability to identify the issues to be addressed during each encounter and to explore

them with the patient through their therapeutic relationship.

This is the added value the nurse brings to a procedure and what distinguishes nursing practice from medical practice.

This is true patient-centered care and, if practiced well, then nursing becomes, in itself, a therapy that includes management of illnesses, education for wellness, and support for physical, mental, and emotional resilience.

The art of nursing is to establish a relationship with the patient that allows full exploration of their situation or context to identify priorities and determine a rational course of action.

The importance of good care environments and how they are associated with better patient and nurse outcomes; along with the need to transform nursing education to improve practice and promote lifelong learning, is imperative to continue to move this profession forward.

Nurses’ Week is an annual celebration of nurses worldwide for the work they do for others. Nursing, in general, is stressful and COVID-19 only amplifies that. Therefore, it’s even more critical to use Nurses’ Week to reach out and celebrate the nurses around you.

This week allows people the chance to acknowledge the nurses in their lives. It also provides an opportunity to thank nurses within the industry as a whole for the work they’ve done.

Every nurse. Everywhere.

THANK YOU

— Jeff B. — “Caring for patients, their families, and for each other.

This is what nurses do.”

Thank a nurse who made a difference in your life at supportahn.org/nursesweek

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 5

By Chloe Forbes, Gannon University

Marisa Fisher decided she wanted to be a nurse after her brother introduced her to the brightly lit hallways and white nurses’ caps of the ’80s when she was just 14 years old.

“My brother had a seizure and had to go to the pediatric ward at the local hospital. We went to visit him, and from the time I walked into that hospital, it was like ‘this is it,’” Fisher said. “The sounds, the nurses, the smells ... it was amazing.”

Fisher is now graduating from Gannon University with her master’s degree in family nurse practitioner, making the jump from paramedic to ICU nurse to nurse practitioner.

The biggest difference between a nurse and a nurse practitioner is the level of authority. Nurse practitioners are allowed to make decisions regarding their patients’ health that are otherwise made by physicians. This could include obtaining tests, prescribing treatments, diagnosing patients and more.

It was her lack of jurisdiction as a nurse that led Fisher to pursue her nurse practitioner’s degree.

Marisa Fisher, right, worked with Shayla Freeborough and Brittany Daniels in the intensive care unit at UPMC Chautauqua in Jamestown, NY. The trio attended Gannon together to earn their Family Nurse Practitioner credentials. Contributed Photos

Fisher was working as a nurse in the ICU with a patient she knew needed to be transferred to another hospital, but the physician didn’t agree with her.

In the following hours, the patient deteriorated and had to be flown to another hospital.

“Six hours earlier, there could’ve been a smoother transition,” Fisher said.

“I went home, and I cried. I was upset. I was frustrated.

I told my husband, ‘I’m signing up for the family nurse practitioner program at Gannon, and I don’t know what I have to do, but I’m gonna do it,’” she said.

Being a nurse practitioner would allow Fisher to have more power over the care of her patients.

“I felt powerless in that situation,” Fisher said. “I knew what needed to happen, but I couldn’t get any farther. And now, as a family nurse practitioner, I’m going to be the provider, and my patients’ lives will be in my hands to a larger degree.”

Fisher said her mother set an example for her young family when she returned to school in her 40s and earned her physician’s assistant degree at Gannon University.

“When I chose to go to family nurse practitioner, I chose Gannon. I mean actually there was no hesitation. I knew that Gannon was where I wanted to go,” Fisher said. “I’m definitely (my mother’s) legacy.”

Fisher’s program started on the ground before moving online during the pandemic. Between grueling shifts, she was grateful to spend time with her family even if it involved working on her laptop in the kitchen while making dinner for her kids – a memory she recalled with a smile.

Despite the pandemic, her biggest challenge came in July when her mother passed away.

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Marisa Fisher is pictured with her husband Eric, and children Oliver, Elias and Adeline.

Fisher was determined to finish her schooling, leaning on the support of her peers and professors. The words of her mother also encouraged her: Just keep showing up. Don’t be overwhelmed. Just keep showing up.

This became her mantra for the two remaining terms, carrying her to graduation and into her career at UPMC Chautauqua’s pulmonology department in Jamestown, New York.

Her focus is now on her relationship with her patients.

Finishing her thesis, Fisher found a positive correlation between the nurse-patient trust relationship and their perception of care – something that did not surprise her.

“We don’t do this for any other reason besides the people,” she said.

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May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 7

Oncology nurse becomes patient after diagnosis

By Jennifer Dougan, AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent I have been given the honor and privilege of being an oncology nurse for 17 years in the Erie area.

This means I have been able to care for many in our area with a cancer diagnosis.

I love what I do!

Is it hard? Definitely, but it’s more than worth it. Each day, when I go to work, I hope to make just a small difference for a patient and their family - to encourage them and teach them about their diagnosis or how to manage a side effect.

But you know what? My patients make a difference in my life instead.

My patients are strong and courageous in the face of a devastating diagnosis. They smile and laugh when I’m administering their chemotherapy or doing an assessment.

And yes, they even ask me how I am doing. My patients have taught me more about life than I could ever learn in a nursing book or class.

In November of 2021, after a CT scan to follow up on an ER visit for pain I was experiencing, there was a role reversal as I quickly found myself as the patient.

I began reading my CT scan with the words “large mass arising from the pelvis into the abdomen, certainly a uterine neoplasm would have to be suspected.”

I shook my head in disbelief as I read those words and for a moment I felt what all my patients must feel - a crushing weight and the question, “how could this be true?”

My coworkers immediately went into action, becoming my nurses and my own personal heroes.

A fellow co-worker notified our Nurse Manager, who got me an appointment that very afternoon with the BEST gynecological oncology surgeon in the world, Dr. Thomas Krivak. We are so fortunate to have Dr. Krivak here at the Oncology Institute at Saint Vincent.

Jennifer Dougan. Contributed Photo of the nurses donated their paid time off to me. The nurses brought delicious snacks and treats for my daughter and me.

I had a constant stream of texts from people checking on me, thoughtful cards were sent, and generous donations given to help to cover my expenses. There will never be enough words to thank each of them for the ways that they so selflessly cared for me and my family. They certainly went above and beyond.

The best part is that I know I’m not the only person who is treated this way. Each and every patient who walks through the doors at AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent is treated Dr. Krivak held one hand and my loving and incredibly with the same caring. The staff truly puts their patient first supportive Mom held the other as Dr. Krivak pulled the pictures of the CT scan up on the computer in the exam room and treats each one as they would treat a member of their own family. downstairs at the AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent, and tears streamed down my face.

The mass in my uterus turned out to be benign and I have Later that week, I found myself having surgery at West Penn. I can’t say enough good things about the staff and nurses who cared for me there. West Penn was full of the kindest staff -from the precious ladies who cleaned my room, to the kind folks who brought my meals. Each and every nurse went above and beyond. Those nurses worked so hard- I found myself whispering prayers for them as the call lights seemed to be going off continually and the alerts for emergencies seemed frequent.

My team of heroes back at home were with me each step of the way during my recovery. They formed a prayer chain the day of my surgery, which gave me so much peace. Several

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completely recovered. It’s been difficult for me to understand why I didn’t have to go thru cancer, but my patients do. But this experience has helped me to relate to patients in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to before.

In a career like this, one easily learns that each day we wake up and are given breath is a blessing!

I’m so very thankful for the compassionate care that my heroes gave me and to be a part of the AHN Oncology Institute at Saint Vincent team. Being an Oncology Nurse is an incredibly rewarding career!

The service of nursing: ‘It’s about caring for people’

By Melissa J. Dixon, LECOM Health Corry Memorial Hospital, Millcreek Community Hospital and Medical Associates of Erie “The administration and nurses are like family.” Maxine Overton says that’s why she has worked part time as a staff nurse for Millcreek Community Hospital (MCH) for more than 30 years.

“The doctors and Mary Eckert (CEO of MCH) and Dr. John (Ferretti, president of LECOM) have always made me feel part of this family,” Overton said. “Once Mary meets you, she will always remember your name.”

Overton started working at MCH in the 1980s. A car accident demobilized her for some time, and then she returned in 2005. She currently works in detox, but she’s served in intensive care and as a medical surgical nurse during her tenure.

Working part time at MCH is only part of Overton’s story.

She was a nurse in the U.S. Army Reserves for nine years.

Starting as a first lieutenant, she was then promoted to captain. During her time of service with the Reserves, she also worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and in cardiac care for a few years at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital.

Overton’s journey then led her to help establish the medical center at the State Correctional Institution at Albion when it opened. She started there as a staff nurse, and then advanced to supervisor and eventually healthcare administrator during her 20 years at the prison.

Maxine Overton has more than 30 years of experience in nursing. Contributed Photos her late husband of nearly 40 years. For her, family means everything at home and at work.

Overton graduated with a B.S.N. in nursing from the University of Lowell (now UMass) in Massachusetts.

“It’s about caring for people and treating every person with respect,” she said. “Hopefully, with our proper care, everyone – inmates and patients – comes back into the community.”

It’s easy to assume that caring for inmates would have been the most difficult experience of her career. But those assumptions are wrong.

“The height of COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge of my nursing career,” she said. “Trying to avoid contracting it while providing care at Millcreek to those who had it was very stressful. We suited up in PPE (personal protective equipment) for 12-hour shifts … we looked like spacemen. We never knew what to expect from one day to the next.”

Care Compassion Community Thank You, Nurses Your dynamic approach to health and commitment to individualized caregiving helps to bring a lifetime of wellness to every patient we treat.

During her career, she also raised four children with

Maxine Overton serving in the U.S. Army Reserves

LECOMHealth.com

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 9

Compassion, understanding are critical to career

By Nicole Ohmer, Great Lakes Institute of Technology

I started my nursing career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I worked at Edinboro University helping students with disabilities and working privately for disabled adults for many years. I became a registered nurse in 2012 and worked at a skilled nursing facility for five years. After that, I transitioned to the Medical ICU at UPMC Hamot, where I have been for the past five years.

I have cared for many COVID-19 patients in the Medical ICU. During this time, I have endured several challenges.

For instance, I’ve held countless tablets and mobile devices up for dying patients, so that their family members could say goodbye.

My sadness came as I watched my father-in-law pass away from COVID-19 in my unit. Being both a nurse and a family member of someone lost to COVID gave me a greater understanding and compassion for those enduring the same situation.

Nicole Ohmer, right, teaches at Great Lakes Institute of Technology.

Danielle Roach is on the left. Contributed Photo

Despite the many viewpoints and opinions people have regarding the virus and the vaccines, I have always cared for my patients in the same way that I would care for my own family.

Family Nurse Practitioner. I will be graduating in March of 2023.

I joined Great Lakes Institute of Technology in January to teach and tutor students in the Practical Nursing program. It is incredible how much you can There have been a few cases of COVID where someone continue to understand the material you are teaching has been successfully discharged without any residual and to better explain things. I try to teach through the stories that I have lived. Students can easily remember effects. But unfortunately, there have been more sad specific topics if I link them with a specific story. I times than happy. find the workload challenging yet rewarding, and I am I became burnt out quickly while working during happy to work at both the bedside and to teach future the pandemic, so in 2021, I decided to continue my nurses. education and change my focus entirely to become a

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Mercyhurst nursing moves to Mercy Motherhouse

By Debbie Morton, Mercyhurst University

The newly renovated space at the Mercy Motherhouse accommodates all Mercyhurst University nursing programs.

Contributed Photo Since their humble beginnings in 19th Century Dublin, the All told, with classrooms, computer and nursing labs, Sisters of Mercy have pioneered schools, hospitals, and other simulation labs equipped with high-fidelity mannequins, ministries around the world. debriefing suites, and offices, the new nursing setting includes 15,450 square feet, much more than any previous The Sisters’ commitment to education and to health care continues today in Erie as the Mercy Motherhouse opens its Mercyhurst facility. doors to house Mercyhurst University’s growing complement “It was truly divine intervention that the Motherhouse of health care programs. Construction was completed last became the solution to the needs of our growing nursing winter, just in time to welcome the first student cohort program,” said Mercyhurst Vice President for Technology spring term.

Jeanette Britt, who oversaw the logistics of the move. “We think it will be a great experience for both the nursing The Motherhouse at 444 E. Grandview Blvd. is home to students and the Sisters to be together in the same building.” practical nursing, registered nursing, and the R.N. to B.S.N. program, a consolidation of programs on the former North East campus and the Erie campus. The master’s degree in Integrative Nursing Leadership continues as a fully online graduate program.

The new home for nursing was made possible through the sale of the Motherhouse to the university in 2021, an arrangement that satisfied the Sisters’ need for less space and the university’s need for more. The agreement specifies that the Sisters will continue to live in the Motherhouse and “With nursing now under one roof, there is a whole new sense of community,” said nursing instructor Carolyn Zaffino. that all of their space needs, including worship, community, office, dining, and infirmary, will be accommodated.

“When I was a nursing student taking classes at North East, we were in separate buildings, so you didn’t have that sense “Committed to good stewardship of buildings and property of community quite as much.” and recognizing that unoccupied space is available in the Motherhouse, the Sisters in Erie are grateful that Mercyhurst For nursing student Jakayla Williams, the new high-tech University will share portions of this facility,” said Sister sim labs are ideal platforms for teaching the technical Patricia Whalen, RSM, Leadership Team, Sisters of Mercy aspects of nursing, but also for developing skills in bedside of the Americas, New York Pennsylvania West Community. manner, critical thinking, and decision-making. “The “The university is a beloved educational ministry. Sharing Motherhouse is just another part of Mercyhurst’s nursing university programs in this building is not only a natural fit, program that is designed to help students succeed and be but also will benefit both groups.” the best nurses they can be,” she said.

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 11

THANK YOU,

NURSES! IT TAKES SOMEONE SPECIAL TO BE A NURSE.

This profession requires people who possess an analytical mind, a tenacious spirit, and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others. The events of the past few years have shown the world just how important and essential well-trained and knowledgeable nurses are.

Here at Mercyhurst, we are driven by a spirit of constant growth and innovation, all while keeping our values of mercy and compassion at the forefront of all we do. With a variety of nursing programs—both online and on-campus—designed to fit your academic needs and future career goals, we ensure our students will graduate prepared to begin a successful nursing career in just a few years.

Apply today at mercyhurst.edu/apply.

Questions? Contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions at grad@mercyhurst.edu or 814-824-3351.

12 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

ONE LOCATION, ONE GOAL

All of Mercyhurst’s Nursing programs are now located in one convenient location with one shared goal: to graduate experienced nursing professionals. This newly renovated space on Mercyhurst’s campus in Erie, Pennsylvania, houses one of the best nursing facilities in the region, where students can practice and study.

Two clinical skills labs provide a safe transition from the classroom to the clinical setting. Students practice critical nursing skills using computer-controlled mannequins, medical equipment, task trainers, and low-fidelity mannequins in the clinical skills lab. As they progress, students experience hands-on learning in our simulation suite, which contains high-fidelity mannequins, debriefing rooms, video-recording equipment, and medical equipment that closely mimics the clinical environment.

ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN A CAREER THAT CHANGES LIVES? Practical Nursing (PN) | One-Year Certificate Mercyhurst’s one-year certificate program prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Upon completion of this program, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Our LPN alumni often return to complete an associate degree in our two-year LPN-to-RN Bridge program.

Registered Nursing (RN) | Two-Year Associate of Science Mercyhurst’s Associate of Science in nursing program prepares students for an exciting career as a registered nurse (RN). Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

LPN-to-RN Bridge Program | Two-Year Associate of Science For those already a licensed practical nurse (LPN), Mercyhurst’s RN Bridge program allows students to earn an Associate of Science degree in nursing and prepare for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) through Mercyhurst’s ASN articulation program.

RN-to-BSN | Two-Year Bachelor of Science For those already a registered nurse (RN) with an associate degree or diploma in nursing, Mercyhurst’s RN-to-BSN program allows students to advance their careers with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Our flexible RN-to-BSN program combines online courses with in-person learning. *NEW* BSN | Four-Year Bachelor of Science Mercyhurst’s newest nursing program provides a four-year undergraduate degree in nursing. This program is designed for students who want to team the traditional college experience with a supportive, hands-on environment to earn their Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Integrative Nursing Leadership | Two-Year Master of Science in Nursing Mercyhurst’s Master of Science in Integrative Nursing program is perfect for baccalaureate-prepared nurses who want to enhance their leadership skills in the nursing world. Our MSN program offers a 32-credit curriculum designed with working professionals in mind. The flexibility of Mercyhurst’s 100% online program provides a competitive edge in the marketplace while maintaining the flexibility you need. This program can be completed in one year.

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 13

A grandmother’s legacy inspires nursing student

By Jakayla Williams, student in the Associate of Science in Nursing Program at Mercyhurst University Two experiences in my life inspired me to become a nurse. The first is the legacy of my later grandmother, Dorris, who was a local R.N. for 28 years, working on the cardiology floors at both Hamot and Saint Vincent hospitals. She also was employed at Stairways Behavioral Health as a psychiatric supervisor.

“Deciding to follow in her footsteps to become a registered nurse is a journey I am proud to take.”

Despite passing from cancer when I was only 2, my grandmother’s legacy transcended the years through my dad, who shared stories of her as an outstanding nurse, mother, and woman.

He encouraged me and my sisters to emulate her ways and, for me, those memories live on as a driving force.

Deciding to follow in her footsteps to become a registered nurse is a journey that I’m proud to take. I frequently ask myself how life would be if she was around. I would love to be able to chat with her about her career as a nurse and why she decided to become one.

Secondly, when I gave birth to my daughter via Cesarean section, there was a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (C.R.N.A.) present who changed my entire delivery experience. I was extremely anxious and very scared of the procedure, but the C.R.N.A. helped keep me calm. She distracted me from the pain of childbirth and comforted me through a panic attack.

My grandmother may have inspired me to become a registered nurse, but that C.R.N.A. motivated me to seek a career as a C.R.N.A. After I graduate from Mercyhurst with my A.S.N., I plan to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and then apply for the Nurse Anesthesia Program.

In looking toward the future, I believe there are essential qualities, beyond academics, that are required to be a good nurse.

Being organized is fundamental to ensuring effective patient-centered care. Nurses document vital medical

14 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

Jakayla Williams. Contributed Photo information about patients and are responsible for disbursing medicine. In meeting individual patient’s needs, nurses need to ensure that their patients are treated equally and afforded the same respect, regardless of condition, ethnicity or background.

Another desirable attribute for a nurse is compassion.

Overall, this can make a huge difference in people’s lives due to the vulnerable state they can be in while in your care.

I also believe in advocating for my patients to make sure they are getting the care they need. Leadership skills in nursing are vital because nurse leaders concentrate on the quality of patient care in addition to managing other nurses.

Biggest hearts belong to healthcare heroes

by DaWayne Cleckley for Community Health Net

Community Health Net Community Health Net, Erie’s largest federally qualified health center is home to three people who define the word “heart.” They embody community, stand for dignity and respect, genuinely love people, and have given their lives to and immersed themselves in caring for individuals and families of all walks of life and socio-economic status.

Alison Davis, L.P.N., Stephanie Schaff-Turri, R.N., and Toni Gromacki, L.P.N., are nurses with 59 combined years of service to Erie County. They are proven, battlehardened healthcare heroes.

“My mother was my role model. She was a pediatric nurse,” said Davis, a 16-year veteran L.P.N. “She would always talk about her patients and how much she loved them.” When she told her mother about her plans to become a nurse, she replied: “If you can love people, be concerned about them, and put them ahead of yourself, then you can.”

Davis has lived by those words. She is a transplant to Erie, leaving her roots in Havana, Florida, over 15 years ago, working for Community Health Net for most of her career, assisting the organization’s Healthcare for the Homeless program.

“CHN does not turn anyone away from good, adequate care,” she said as she expressed why she works for the organization. Davis sees many clients that remind her of her brother, who could not care for himself after suffering a stroke and dementia. “Many of the patients in the program do not have family members who will support them. They need someone who isn’t going to judge them when they come in the door. They still deserve to be seen and cared for with respect. We need to have compassion for people.”

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“What I have is a sense of accomplishment. People who you care for appreciate you years later. They will never forget you. There is a real sense of community as I help patients.”

Toni Gromacki, a 29-year veteran L.P.N., has the same sense of duty, volunteerism, and love for people. Her family roots run deep in the Erie community. “My Stephanie Schaff-Turri feels the same, having spent 19 whole family is in nursing, social work, and community years with Community Health Net and 12 years as an shelter services. Helping people is in my blood. So, R.N. She is an Erie native with a background in Health being a nurse is a comfortable fit for me,” she said.

Science and Community Health. “We care for one Gromacki started her career at Community Health patient at a time. Individualized, patient-centered care Net in Pediatrics. She feels as if her patients are her significantly impacts families and, by extension, the second family. She loves her job and works to break community,” said Schaff-Turri. down barriers to health care and ensure that everyone Initially, she worked to build and ensure adherence to can access care. “Patients do not come in a box. You qualified healthcare processes and procedures at CHN have to listen and read between the lines to understand before becoming a nurse. “I became an R.N. because I their needs,” she said. “Community Health Net offers felt that I would be a greater benefit to the organization services that they [patients] would not be able to get by helping people.” Schaff-Turri often stays after work anywhere else. Health equity and access. That is why I to help her patients. She also volunteers at outreach get up every morning to come to work.” events. “I’m not in healthcare for the money. I could be a traveling nurse and make big bucks,” she noted.

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 15

Three real-life examples of how AHN Saint Vincent infusion nurses saved lives

By Christine Simmons, AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent

At the AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent, the infusion nurse’s primary objective is to administer the prescribed treatment to our cancer patients safely.

Safe practices go beyond how we handle the hazardous drugs. A complete physical assessment is a key component to safe practices. Patients can have life threatening conditions in addition to toxicities from treatments or disease progression. If the nurse is not assessing for these conditions, the outcomes can be detrimental.

Three AHN Saint Vincent infusion nurses have displayed how important the head-to-toe assessment is for our oncology patients by recognizing potentially life-threatening issues during physical assessments prior to treatments.

Matt Anderson, R.N., recognized an abnormal heart rate and bilateral 2+ edema of lower extremities. When evaluated in the emergency department, the patient had a pulmonary embolism requiring emergency embolectomy.

WE OUR NURSES Nurses are at the heart of our mission.

We celebrate our extraordinary nurses and nurse aides for their outstanding dedication and compassion.

Today and every day.

Theresa Craig, R.N., C.M.S.R.N, Theresa Fachetti Kyser, B.S.N, R.N, Mary Beth Kroemer, M.S.N., R.N., C.R.N.I.-Nurse Manager Infusion and Medical Oncology, Matthew Anderson, B.S.N., R.N., and Christine Simmons, R.N., C.R.N.I.- Assistant Nurse Manager. Contributed Photo

Theresa Craig, R.N., identified diminished lung sounds associated with a decreased oxygen saturation in a patient who, when evaluated in the emergency department, had a large pleural effusion, needing drained and chest tube insertion.

Theresa Fachetti Kyser, R.N., recognized a patient experiencing what the patient thought were cold symptoms and shortness of breath. The patient also had coarse breath sounds throughout the lung fields.

When sent for testing and imaging, the patient was found to have COVID pneumonia and was hospitalized for several days.

These examples highlight the importance of assessing our patients and exercising good clinical judgement in reporting abnormal findings. A physical assessment is a part of routine nursing care and is expected at every patient encounter.

It's National Nurses Week!

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Reflecting on 10 years of nursing

By Andi Fair, Adagio Health Erie As a nurse for almost 10 years, and a nurse practitioner for the last five of those years, I have had the privilege of caring for people in all different stages of their lives.

reproductive healthcare that has always been offered at no or low cost.

Just in the last 2 years, I’ve helped to ease someone’s last moments with hospice new services include oncare, and I’ve watched a family grow as I’ve provided site behavioral health, a prenatal care for a first, second and third pregnancy. food pantry, and vaccines I’ve performed CPR on a young man until we got him back including the COVID and he made it to the hospital, only to find out later that he vaccine. I’m proud to work coded again, and I’ve hugged a woman newly diagnosed with at a place that is constantly cancer and getting ready to start treatment. identifying healthcare needs and striving to meet I’ve delivered a new HIV diagnosis, and I’ve helped a teenager choose the birth control method that’s right for her. them.

There is always something I’ve learned from amazing mentors, and I’ve precepted new to learn, and I have students from many different programs. a few topics that are I’ve heard the words “I’ve never told anyone this before …”

Andi Fair has been in nursing for especially important to nearly 10 years. Contributed Photo As a nurse, I’m trained in relationship-based care, and me. I’m currently in school I’ve been so fortunate in my career to form meaningful for my Doctor of Nursing relationships with patients, fellow nurses and other Practice (DNP) degree and I am planning a project to improve members of the health care team. I even met my partner of the delivery of sexual and reproductive healthcare to four years (also a nurse!) in one of my previous positions.

LGBTQ+ women and people assigned female at birth.

Nurses are also trained in holistic care and interprofessional The past 10 years have been filled with so many experiences collaboration. At my current workplace, Adagio Health, more and people I’ll never forget. services are being added all the time to address a variety I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years will bring! of needs that impact health in addition to the sexual and

Thank You, Nurses!

With appreciation to our team of nurses dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children and adults with intellectual disabilities or behavioral health challenges.

Your heroic work in response to the challenges of the pandemic is ensuring the highest quality of care to those we serve. Every day, you are making dreams come true.

Debbie Burbules, RN Katherine Gustafson, RN Chief Operating Officer Amy Hagmaier, LPN Bridget Barber, RN Vice President, External Lenora Harris, RN Affairs & Strategic Julie Irons, RN Initiatives Lynsey Jones, LPN Krystle Szymanowski, Darci Kowalczyk, RN RN Nurse Manager Daria Kozlowski, RN Helen Boyer, RN Etta Loreti, RN Darlene Celline, LPN Keri Moore, RN Kelly Corbin, RN

Ernest Muscella, LPN Tammy Dumeck-Wurst, Juanita O'Toole, RN RN

Randie Peters, LPN Kerry Risco, RN Kim Serafin, RN Heather Simora, RN Annette Sotus, RN Kimberly Streiff, CRNP Susan Tombaugh, RN Anissa White, RN Kelly Wienczkowski, RN Diana Zenewicz, RN Rebecca Zieziula, RN

th

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Because of you, we are happier and healthier.

Thank you.

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May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 17

Nurses are at the frontline of healthcare

By Sallie Piazza, Chief Nursing Officer at AHN Saint Vincent Can you hear us now?

Our nurses make a big difference. A big thank you to our nurses who make a positive difference in the lives of our residents every day.

ou!

A BIG Thank Y

CareersAtSrCare.org

Can you hear that collective voice of nurses across the country?

Where would we be over this past two years if it were not for the nurses?

Nurses were the first to stand at the front line. They were bold and fearless. Our country shut down and our nurses came into work every day and faced almost impossible situations.

Sallie Piazza is the Chief NursThe past two years ing Officer at AHN Saint Vincent. have tested all of us, Contributed Photo but none more than nurses and our other frontline healthcare workers.

Nurses were the first to hold your hand, wipe your brow and they were the first to help calm you and your families.

Our current climate has changed us all - the way we think, how we talk and how we interact with one other. Some of it has been good and some not.

I am so proud to be working for AHN Saint Vincent Hospital. As an organization, they are hearing our nursing collective voices. Investments are being made, not only in our salaries, but also our work/life balance.

We are giving our nurses and ancillary staff choices.

We have created Serenity Rooms for a quick respite.

Our cafeteria is open for our night shift to receive a hot meal.

Our hospital leaders round weekly at night to ensure we are meeting the needs of our workers.

We are minimizing weekends and eliminating swing shifts.

When you see a nurse and other frontline workers, please take a moment to thank them for all they have done individually for our patients but for our community.

They literally saved our lives.

EOE

18 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 19

Tight-knit nursing community nurtures legacy of mentorship

By Kristin Brockett, Edinboro University

When the time came for Cranesville, Pennsylvania, native Heather Bowers to choose a career path, the decision was easy. Nursing emerged as the ideal blend of her greatest passions – science and helping others.

“I love biology, anatomy, physiology and everything in the science realm, and I love helping people,” she said. “Nursing is the perfect mesh of those two worlds, and I’m really glad I chose it because I’ve loved every second of the experience so far.”

“You’re never really alone in nursing school ... We’re all there to help each other.”

And for Bowers, who will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a minor in biology, choosing to attend Edinboro was even easier.

“Edinboro has an amazing nursing program, and I wanted something that was both affordable and close to my family,” she said. “It was kind of a no-brainer.”

Faced with the first-year jitters, Bowers found the rigors of nursing school to be much more challenging.

But she soon found a tight-knit community of student nurses and faculty who were eager to lend a hand.

“There’s a lot of pressure, and everyone has very high expectations. The amount of information we must learn in four years can be daunting,” Bowers said.

“It was really, really hard at the beginning, but I had upperclassmen who were willing to help me and guide me. The professors are amazing. They’re willing to sit down with you and make accommodations that will help you get through it in any way, shape or form.”

Inspired by her own mentorship experiences, Bowers is now a tutor for other students in the department who need assistance with coursework or advice on developing study habits. She’s also a scholar in the Edinboro University Honors College and a member of Student Nurses of Edinboro – commonly known as SNOE – a group of nursing students who organize career-building opportunities and give back to the community through volunteer events.

20 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

Heather Bowers will graduate from Edinboro University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Contributed Photo

“You’re never really alone in nursing school. Everyone in the community is just so amazing,” she said. “We’re all there to help each other.”

As graduation approaches, Bowers looks forward to making her mark in either medical-surgical nursing or postpartum nursing.

“You know, it is hard. The long nights of studying can be brutal,” Bowers said. “But if you love something, then you just have to persevere. Because at the end of the day, the people that we help and the lives that we get to save are 110% worth it.”

For more information about Edinboro University’s Nursing Department – which features programs at the undergraduate, graduate and doctorate level – visit www.edinboro.edu/nursing.

For those who

answer the call.

Over the last two years, we’ve seen what real heroes look like. On behalf of the entire Edinboro campus community, we salute and thank the nurses and health care workers who have again and again risen to the challenge. Your critical thinking and ethical decision-making have provided comfort and care to so many. You have made us very proud.

For those inspired to follow their lead, join us at edinboro.edu/nursing.

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 21

Nursing is all in the family with parents, children, siblings

By Janet Rice, UPMC Hamot Contributed Photos

UPMC Hamot’s founding father, Charles Hamot Strong, represented courage and compassion. His legacy of family and strength solidified a foundation that has sustained the Hamot family for more than 140 years. Today, the tradition of family continues as evidenced by numerous relatives who have chosen to serve the community as a part of the UPMC Hamot team.

A wonderful example of this includes two nurses, Laura Marsden and Jessica Marsden.

This mother and daughter team are nurses who serve in the same medical surgical oncology unit. Jessica was inspired by her mother Laura’s deep passion for nursing.

Laura Marsden is well Jessica Marsden and known for her quality Laura Marsden nursing care and compassionate approach. Together they provide care for one of UPMC Hamot’s most vulnerable patient populations.

Narcisa Alicusic and Arisa Tatarevic are sisters and nurses who also serve on the same inpatient unit at UPMC Hamot. Alicusic came to Hamot in 2012. She recruited her sister, Tatarevic, in 2017 and Tatarevic began her career at Hamot as an L.P.N. MRIU celebrated Arisa Tatarevic and Tatarevic achieving Narcisa Alicusic her U.S. citizenship in 2019. She graduated with her R.N. in 2020. Alicusic completed her B.S.N. in 2021 and M.S.N. in 2022.

22 | Nurses Week | May 6-12, 2022

Ashley Hawkinson, a nurse, recruited her mother, Theresa Schley, to be a nurse. They worked together for two years, until Ashley transferred to NICU at Magee Womens – UPMC Hamot.

Another dynamic duo is Cheryl Spacht, a longtime operating room nurse and her daughter, Holly Spacht. Holly Spacht graduated from Gannon University’s nursing program in 2017 and has been working at UPMC Hamot on a medical surgical unit for five years. Holly Spacht is currently Holly Spacht and seeking her family nurse Cheryl Spacht practitioner degree. She was inspired to become a nurse because of her mom’s example and a love to help and care for others. Holly Spacht shared that her grandparents who passed away from cancer, inspired her to seek an advanced degree in hopes of working as an oncology nurse practitioner.

Michael and Amber Olszewski

Michael and Amber Olszewski are recent newlyweds and longtime nurses at UPMC Hamot.

Michael Olszewski is an ICU nurse leader, and Amber Olszewski is a post-anesthesia nurse who is also nearing the completion of an advanced degree to become a nurse practitioner.

The Pietkiewicz family members also serve as direct care nurses at Hamot. Cassie Pietkiewicz followed in the footsteps of her parents, Lynnette Pietkiewicz and Chris Pietkiewicz, both seasoned nurses at UPMC Hamot. Following her parents’ example, Cassie Pietkiewicz began her Hamot career in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)as a new nurse four years ago, however she quickly excelled and often serves as a preceptor. Lynette Pietkiewicz has been at UPMC Hamot for many years in the MICU. She and Cassie Pietkiewicz often work together in the MICU. Chris Pietkiewicz works on a medical surgical unit. Frequently the family works on the same shifts, allowing them to carpool to the hospital together.

We’re proud you’re on our team.

UPMC Hamot is also blessed with several sets of siblings including two sisters, Rose Konsel and Ruth Faulhaber. Rose is a transformational leader with over three decades of service and a pillar of specialized patient care, as an enterostomal, wound and ostomy nurse. Ruth Faulhaber works on a cardiac medical surgical unit, where she is recognized for 14 years of exceptional care.

Jitsel Miranda and Blanca Miranda

Blanca Miranda and Jitsel Miranda, both UPMC Hamot nurses on medical surgical units, have influenced their younger sister, who is a nursing student at Gannon University.

Blanca Miranda recently received a prestigious award for patient safety where they were joined by their very proud mother.

UPMC Hamot is an American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designated hospital, that empowers nurses, nursing support and all employees to deliver care at the highest level. As we recognize nurses week, we celebrate the UPMC Hamot culture, which defines “family” by synergistic relationships between staff working to deliver world class care founded on compassionate care. At UPMC Hamot, we are family, taking care of families and each other.

During National Nurses Week we celebrate our incredible nurses and Florence Nightingale’s legacy.

Called to care for people in times of their greatest need, the dedication of our nurses is an inspiration to us all. Thank you for delivering expert and compassionate care to our patients every day.

UPMC is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

May 6-12, 2022 | Nurses Week | 23

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