Thisyear,wehonorall
BYERICAMILLS
St.Louisisproudtobeanationalleader inhealthcareandmedical/lifesciences research.Ourmedicalinstitutionsdraw toptalentfromaroundtheglobe.
Fortheninthconsecutiveyear,the St.LouisPost-Dispatchreaffirmedthis reputationandhonoredthearea’snurses withtheNurses:TheHeartofHealthCare program-acontestandsectionsupported bypresentingsponsorBJCHealthCare andtitlesponsorMercy.
Thenursesencounteredthroughout theprogramshareseveralidentifying characteristics:compassion,respectand empathy.Theyworkinhospitals,clinics, schools,residentialfacilities,in-homecare andevenvirtually.Theyeducate,console, relate,comfortandendearthemselvesto patientsandfamilies.
ABOUTTHENOMINATIONS
Theprogrambeganwithacallfor nominations.Thepublicwasencouragedto nominatenursingprofessionalswhomade animpactonthelivesoflovedonesand thecommunityatlarge.Thecommunity answeredwithover100nominations.
ABOUTTHESECTION
Peers,patients,friendsandfamily sharedtheirstoriesandgratitudefor nursingprofessionalsacrossthearea. Nursenominationsweresubmittedbythe communityfromtheirpointofview.The threenurseprofilesincludedwithinthis sectionwereselectedbyoursponsorsas outstandingnursesintheirorganizations.
Celebratethesetirelessprofessionals andtheirunfadingrecognitionduring NationalNursesWeek,May6-12,2025.
ABOUTTHECOVER
CONGRATULATIONS
CARDIACCARE
CHARLENEPOWELL
MERCYHOSPITALST.LOUIS
TO A L L O F T H I S Y E A R ’ S N O M I N E E S
TOALLOFTHISYEAR’SNOMINEES
COURTNEYAVERY
ST.LOUISCHILDREN’SHOSPITAL
Sheputsherheartandsoulintoherjob. She’sverycompassionate.
JENNIFERSWINEY
Forbeingthemostwonderful,all-around womanIknow.
DANIELLECHURCHILL
BARNES-JEWISHHOSPITAL
Shetaughtmehowtobeanextraordinary nurse.Sheisaleader,abeacontoothernurses andheadstheCardiacSurgeryStepdownUnit atBJH.Thesepatientscomefromacrossthe regiontoreceivethebestcareafteropenheart surgery,andDanielleistheverycoreofit.
KELLIGIBBS
MERCYHEARTANDVASCULARHOSPITAL
ST.LOUIS
Forgoingaboveandbeyondduringmy husband’sheartprocedures.Kellialways answeredourquestionswithcompassionand carenomatterhowbigorsmall.
MICHELEFUSE
MERCYHEARTANDVASCULARHOSPITAL
ST.LOUIS
Michelleisefficient,knowledgeable,dedicated, canbecountedontofollowupanddoesitall withagreatsenseofhumor!Wearegratefulto havehersupport.
DOCTOR’SOFFICE
JOSEPHLENNARTZ
JOHNJ.COCHRANVETERANSHOSPITAL
NursePractitionerJosephLennartzcares deeplyforhisneurologyandendocrinology veteranpatients.Heisalwaysstrivingtobetter hispracticeandismovingthefieldforwardin newresearch.
MARIAWALLS
WESTCOUNTYMEDICALASSOCIATES
Forgenuinelylisteningtomyconcerns.
SHANNAZWICK,PA-C
BARNES-JEWISHWESTCOUNTYHOSPITAL
Forbeingprofessionalandsensitive. Thanksforallyoudo!
EMERGENCYROOM| TRAUMA
CLAREWUESTHOFF
SSMHEALTHCARDINALGLENNON
CHILDREN’SHOSPITAL
Forworkinghardthroughherpregnancy.
REDBUDREGIONALHOSPITAL
Foralwaysgoingaboveandbeyondherjob. Shelovestolearnmoreandmore.Sheis workingonherdoctorateinnursing.
KATIEMOORE
HANNIBALREGIONALHOSPITAL
Katiewentintonursingtoprovidecare forherpatients.Sheconsistentlydelivers excellentserviceinafast-pacedanddynamic environmentintheER.
LIZZBARNETT
ST.LOUISCHILDREN’SHOSPITAL
Lizzisanincredible,dedicatednursewhohas beenstellarineverythingshesaysanddoes. Sheisgreattoworkwithandsheislikeno otherwhenitcomestomeetingandexceeding allgoals,especiallyinthefaceofadversity.
HOMEHEALTH| HOSPICE
ASHLEYRIDE,CNA
SERENITYHOSPICECARE
Ashleyhasgoneaboveandbeyondinproviding caretomyin-lawsintheir90s.Forboth myfather-in-lawandmother-in-law’s96th birthdays,sheandherteamshowedupin costumetocelebratetheirspecialday.
DIANEFAIR
GENTIVAHOSPICE
Forfightingforotherstolivelifetothefullest asahospicenurse.
HOMEHEALTHNURSES
MERCYHOMEHEALTH
Inominatethegroupthathascometoour hometohelpwithmyhusband:Jennifer, Melissa,CaliandJenn.Alloftheladieshave beencomingtwiceaweekandhavetakensuch greatcareofmyhusband.
JOICEWESTFALLHOLLINGSWORTH
SELF-EMPLOYED
Forover50yearsofnursingcareservice.
JONISTEVENSKI
MERCYHOSPITALST.LOUIS
Foralwaysbeingthereforpatients.
TERRISWIDER
PRIVATEHIRE
WhetherTerriisonthejoboroff,sheattends tothephysicalandmedicalneedsoffriends andclients.
INTENSIVECAREUNIT
ALECHOFFMAN
MERCYHOSPITALST.LOUIS
Alechasacompassionateandcaringattitude thathedeliverstoeachpatientandfamilyheis takingcareof.
AMYKUEHN
CHRISTIANHOSPITAL
Forherdedicationtoherjob.
ANGELADELEAL
MERCYHOSPITALJEFFERSON
Angie’sheartiswithforherpatientsandtheir families.Iamblessedtonotonlycallhermy coworker,butalsomyfriend.ThankyouAngie forallthatyoudo!
CAITLINZAHN
SSMHEALTHCARDINALGLENNON
CHILDREN’SHOSPITAL
ForCaitlin’scompassionanddedicationto providingexcellentpatientcare,especiallyfor thepreciousbabies.Shetrulyisoneinabillion!
DEBBIE
BARNES-JEWISHHOSPITAL
Thanksforallyoudo!
EMILYGOLDSTEIN
BJCHEALTHCARE
Foralwaysshowingempathy,kindnessand compassion,andgoingtheextramilefor patientsandtheirfamilies.
JUDYHUFFMAN
MERCYHOSPITALJEFFERSON
IwanttothankJudyforhermanyyearsas aMercyICUnurse,managerandeducator. Shehascaredforandtaughtsomanyover theyears.
Everynurse,techandphysicianlookstoherfor guidanceonourpatients.Somanyofuslook atJudyasourmentor.Withouther,wewould notbetheexcellentICUwearetoday.
Thankyouforbeinganamazingnurse, educatorandleader.Youhavetouchedthelives ofthousandsofnursesatMercyJeffersonover your38yearsofservice.
Judyhasbeenaninspirationtomefrom themomentIdecidedIwantedtobeanurse. Shehasgivenherwholelifetonursingandthe educationofnurses.Sheisoneofthesmartest andmostcompassionatenursesIhaveeverhad thepleasureofworkingfor.
LAURENKAUNE
MERCYHOSPITALST.LOUIS
FormakingpersonalgiftsforNICUbabies whentheygohome.
TIFFANYHAZZARD
ST.LUKE’SDESPERESHOSPITAL
Whetherit’sanorthopedicsurgeryoracritical careneedintheICU,she’syourperson. Sheprovidesperson-centeredcareinevery moment,andherpatients’healthoutcomesare anattestationtoherhardwork.
LABOR&DELIVERY| MATERNALCARE| NEONATAL| WOMEN’SHEALTH
ANGELAHALL
ST.LUKE’SHOSPITAL
Thankyouforalwaysbeingthereforme. Yougoaboveandbeyondwhatisaskedofyou. You’reamazing!
ANNIERETZER
BARNES-JEWISHHOSPITAL
Annie’spassionfornursingistrulyadmirable. ThishasbeenalifelonggoalofhersandIknow howmuchsheloveshelpingpeople.
Foryourincrediblecareandsupport.Allof yourcalmandkindnesshasalastingeffect duringyourpatients’mostvulnerablemoments.
EMILYMCDONIEL
ST.LOUISCHILDREN’SHOSPITAL
Emilyhassomuchpassionandloveforher patients.Itisatoughdepartmenttoworkin andshebringssomuchexpertiseandcareto thosebabiesandtheirparents.
ForherdedicationandhardworkintheNICU.
HALEYVENABLE
MERCYHOSPITALST.LOUIS
Forherhardwork,compassion,determination andalwaysdoingtherightthing.Thankyoufor alwaysbeingyou.
HARLEIGHSCHENCK
MERCYHOSPITALST.LOUIS
Thisnurseputsherentireheartintoherjob. Sheengagesnotonlywithherpatients,but withherpeers.
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ThisNursesWeek,we wanttoextendour heartfeltgratitude totheincredible nurseswhomakea differenceeveryday. Yourunwavering compassion,expertise, anddedicationtoyour patientstransformlives andinspireallofus. Thankyouforyourhard work,yourkindness, andforbeingtheheart ofhealthcare. HappyNursesWeek!
AtMercy,we’renot justateam—we’reafamily. Together,wedeliverexceptionalcare toourcommunityeveryday. Readytojoinus? ScantheQRcodetoapply andlearnmoretoday!
Mercyofferssign-onbonuses,loan forgiveness,flexibleschedulingand benefitsstartingondayone.
Nursingopportunitiesareavailable atallofourhospitallocations withintheSTLarea: MercyHospitalSTL, MercyHospitalSouth, MercyHospitalJefferson, MercyHospitalWashington andMercyHospitalLincoln.
MercyInnovationUnit advancescaresystemwide
SPONSOREDCONTENTBYMARYMCHUGH,BRANDAVE.STUDIOSCONTRIBUTINGWRITER
It’sforthepatientsinthebedsrightat thismoment—and10yearsfromnow.
That’shownurseAngelaNovakdescribesthepurposebehindMercy’snew InnovationUnit.
“Theimpetusbehindtheunit’screationisbasedontheideasof‘howdowe keepnursesworkingeffectivelyatthe bedside,happyintheirposition,with aneyeoncaringforeverysinglepersoncomingthroughourdoorsnowand intothefuture?’”Novaksaid.“Inother words,canwemakethedocumentation processmorest reamlined?Howcanwe integratetechnologytohelpourprocessesworkseamlessly?Thosearethe kindsofthingswe’retryingtoidentify throughoutoursystem.”
Theinnovationunithasateamof92 medicalprofessionals,nurses,andcommunicationsandtechprofessionalsand wasformedtwoyearsagotohelproot
outinefficiencies,createinnovativesystems,andreplaceantiquatednursing policiesandpractices.AnyMercyemployee,regardlessoftheirposition,can submitideasthroughanonlinesuggestionform.Theinnovationunit’sleadershipteamthenreviewsthesuggestions anddetermineswhichonestotestout.
“What’sabetterwaytoreceiveideas thanfromthosecaregiversworkingat thefrontlineofcare?”saidJoeSchmitz, executivedirectorofoptimizationat Mercy.“Theyareourchangeleaders— afantasticgroupthatgoesaboveand beyondtheirjobdescriptionstotestthe ideasoutandtakethetimetoprovide theessentialfront-linefeedb ack.”
MercyHospitalSt.LouisOrthopedicsUnitservesasthepilotsitefor testing.Earlierlastyear,asecondinnovationunitwasselectedasatrialsiteat MercySpringfield.
Ideasthathavegonefromtrialtosystemwideusagehaveincludedeverything fromthewayapatient’scallbuttonalert isreceivedbythestafftohowmedications aredeliveredtothepatient’sbedside.
Inthepast,forexample,whena patientpushedtheircallbuttonforassistance,thealertwouldimme diately appearonthemobiledevicenursesuse duringtheirshifts.Butifanursewasin themiddleofamedicalcallorupdating documentationonthephone,thealert wouldimmediatelyopenupanother screenontheirdevice,interruptingwhat thenursewasdoingatthetime.
Toalleviatetheinterruptions,theinnovationteamtestedabanneralertthat wouldappearonlyatthetopofnurses’ phonescreens.Thenursecouldchoose tostopandaddressthesituation,ifit wasaneme rgency,orquicklyfinishwhat theyweredoingbeforefollowingup.
“Itwassuchahitamongthestaff andweknewwithinaweekthatthis wasreallyworking,”Novaksaid,“so weintroduceditthroughoutMercy immediately.”
Regardingprescriptions,thepharmacyhospitaltypicallyfillsthembefore thepatientisdischarged.Inthepast,the nurseswereusuallynotalertedbythe pharmacystaffastowhen,orevenif, themedsweredelivered.Theinnovation teamcameupwithalow-techsolution: alaminatedsigntobedisplayedonthe patient’sdoortoconfirmthemedshad beendelivered.
Thissimplesystemdrasticallyreducedthetimespentduringthedischarge
processacrossthehospital. Mercycontinuestolookforways tooptimizeworkflowsforthehospital, creatingbetteroutcomesfornursesand theirpatients.
FormoreinformationonMercy, pleasevisitmercy.net.
Personaljourneyleadsthisyoungnurse backtotheMercyER
BYMARYMCHUGH,BRANDAVE.STUDIOSCONTRIBUTINGWRITER
MackenzieBrownwas13whenher motherpassedawayand16whenher fatherdied.
Thepatientcareandsupportshe andhersiblingsexperiencedatMercy Hospitalduringeachofthoseincrediblytryingtimeswasimmeasurable. Itwasalsotheimpetusbehindherdecidingtobecomea nurse.Butittookanother12yearsforher torealizethatdream.
INSPIREDFROM
AYOUNGAGE
Theyoungestof five,Brownwentto livewithher23-yearoldsisterafterherfather’sdeath.Family andfriendshel pedto keepherontrack.She graduatedfromhigh school,becameacertifiedorthodontistassistantandworkedin thedentistryfieldfor thenextnineyears.
“Inthebackofmy mind,though,there wasalwaysthatmemoryofthecompassionandsympathyof thenurseswhocared formyparentsand supportedmeandmysiblingsthrough thoseincrediblytryingyears,”Brown said.“Theywerejustamazing.Their familiarfaceswereinandoutofour livesoveralongperiodoftimethrough illnessandd eath.AndIfinallyrealized thatIreallywantedandneededthat interactionwithpatientsatadifferent
levelinahospitalsetting.”
Sheenrolledinnursingschooland spentthenextthreeyearsjugglingher part-timejobwithclassworkandclinicalrotations,oneofwhichwas,ironically,atMercySouth.
“WhileIenjoyedbedsidenursing,I thinkmyheartwasalwaysintheER. Itjusthitsachordfor me,”Brownsaid.“In theERyouareprettymuchimmersedin apatient’ssituation andveryhandson. Whileworkingwith them,Itrytodisplay thesamecompassion, empathyandsupport inthesamewayit wasdisplayedtome andmyfamilyduring ourmostcritical moments.”
TAKINGONA NEWROLE
Today,Brownmarks herthirdyearasanER nurseatMercySouth, andsecondweekinto hernewroleassupervisor.“It’sbeenanincrediblejourneytoget tothispoint,”Brown said.“Ilovemyjob, andmyco-workersarefantastic.We’re likealittlefamilyhereintheERunit. Mydirecto rshavehelpedmegrowand ifitwasn’tforthemandtheirsupport, Iwouldnotbeinthisleadershipposition.Theyhavebuiltmeup,takenme outofmycomfortzoneandmademea betterperson.”
Brownattributesthissupportto theMercymission,whichisfounded oncompassionatecareandexceptional service,somethingthatisimplemented throughoutitsentirehealthandhuman servicesministry.
“Ifeellikeweare helpingthesepatients outonthemostcriticaldaysoftheirlives, treati ngeveryonewho walksthroughour doorsasanequaland beingthatshoulder forthemtoleanon,” shesaid.
SURPASSING STATISTICS
Brownknowsthat herlifecouldhave takenmyriadturns withoutthesupportandcareofher family,friendsand co-workers.
“Ihavecomealong waywiththecardsI
wasdealtandcontinuedon,surpassing thosestatisticsofnotbeingsomething, andinsteadturningintosomething.”
Brownsaidshethinkshermomand dadwouldbeveryproudofher.
OTHER
TAMMYTAYLOR
MERCYCLINICPRIMARYCARECHESTERFIELDVALLEY
Forgenuinelycaring.
WENDYTAYLORSON
ST.LOUISVAMEDICALCENTER
Fordedicationtotheveterans.
SCHOOLNURSE
KAYDEEWISE
GILSONBROWNELEMENTARYSCHOOL
Forbeinganawesomecoworker,nurse andperson!Youaresopatientandkindto everyoneandalwayswillingtohelpanyoneout. Weappreciateyoumorethanwecansay!
LISAMCDADE
CLAYTONHIGHSCHOOL
NurseLisa’sreputationprecedesheratClayton HighSchool!She’screatedanenvironment whereherstudentsknowtheywillfeelseen andheard.Youcan’tfindakidatClaytonthat doesn’thaveanicethingtosayabouther.
SKILLEDNURSING|
ASSISTEDLIVING| MEMORYCARE
ALALIAKRAFT
FRIENDSHIPVILLAGECHESTERFIELD
Alaliahasalwaysbeenapersonwholikesto fixthingsandhasbeenapersonwholovesto helppeople,sonursingcombinesthosetwo thingsperfectly.Workinginalong-termcare communityreallyisforher.
BRENDASCHMIDT,RN
DELMARGARDENSWEST
Forherdedicationtoourgeriatricresidentsat DelmarGardensWest.
DANA
MOUNTCARMELSENIORLIVING
Shewaswonderfulduringmymonthinrehab.
JESSICALEMONS
FRIENDSHIPVILLAGECHESTERFIELD
Jessicaisateamleaderandgoesaboveand beyondfortheresidents.
JessicaLemonshasbeenservingtheresidents ofFriendshipVillageChesterfieldforoverfour yearsasalicensedpracticalnurse.Residents benefitfromnotonlyherexcellentnursingskills butthecompassionandencouragementshegives atthemostvulnerablestageoftheirlives.
JUDYWEISS
GREENVILLENURSING&REHABILITATIONCENTER
Shehasbeenanursefor44years.Sheretired andwentbackduringCOVID-19.
MARGARETCHAPUT
OVERLOOKMEDICALCENTER
SUMMIT,NEWJERSEY
DoinggreatserviceatOverlookMedicalCenter for25years.
Thanksforallyoudo!
RACHAELSIMPSON
SUNRISESENIORLIVING
Forherdedicationandherpassionforherwork.
RELEABURNS
SHIFTKEY,LLC
Hercareandcompassionfortakingcareof herpatients.
SUSANLACHANCE
CORIMANORHEALTHCARE& REHABILITATIONCENTER
Susanputherselfthroughnursingschoolin hermid-30swhilesimultaneouslyworkingfull timeasawaitressandraisingfourchildrenasa singlemother.Herselflessnessandresilienceare unparalleled.
URGENTCARE
DJGROSS
OZARKSHEALTHCAREMEDICALGROUP
Sheishonored,cherishedandrespectedforher outstandingcaringnature.Herpatientsareher lifeinthesmallcountryclinicwhereshecares forsomanypeople.
DJP.
SHANNONCOUNTYHEALTHCENTER
Hercontinuingdedicationtoherprofessionand, moreimportantly,hercommunity.
MORNING POST
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