What a Great Party!

I would like to thank everyone involved in our very successful Art of Nursing celebration last week. The event’s emcee, Ron Shapiro, did a great job overseeing the event that featured presentations by our Board Chair, Bonnie Stein, our Chief Nursing Officer, JoAnn Ioannou, and a panel of physicians, which included Chief of Staff Dr. Melissa Sparrow, Chair of Surgery Dr. Jack Flowers and Chair of Emergency Medicine Dr. Jeff Sternlicht.  Each of them spoke about what nursing had meant to them in their careers. Two of our patients also recognized a nurse who had helped their families cope through the loss of their loved ones. This year’s winners of our nursing awards, Roxann Cavey, BSN, CCRN, RN, Samantha Clayton, MA, Alejandro Maynard, RN, Marcus Nicholson, MSN, MBA, RN, Nicola Wagner, RN, Delores Williams, AA, RN, Linda Young, CNOR, RN were all recognized.

When the formal program was over, Dionne Figgins, accompanied by our own Lisa Griffee, Director of Performance Improvement, Carolyn Keller, Nurse Manger of Unit 36 and Rachel Ridgely, Clinical Unit Coordinator of the MICU, got the place jumping with their rendition of “Stand By You.” This was followed by dancing to the tunes of DJ Mikey V.

It was a great opportunity to thank all of our nurses for all that they do for GBMC and our patients every day and to have some fun!

Recognizing Colleagues: Radiologic Technology Week & Forensic Nurses Week
This week is both “Radiologic Technology Week” and “Forensic Nursing Week” and I would like to thank all of our registered technologists (R.T.s) and our forensic nurses for their important roles in providing care and serving our patients as if they were their loved ones.

R.T.’s perform diagnostic imaging examinations and administer radiation therapy treatments and may specialize in a specific imaging technique such as bone densitometry, cardiovascular-interventional radiography, mammography, MRI, nuclear medicine, sonography or general radiography.  They work closely with our radiologists and radiation oncologists.

Forensic nurses are specially trained and certified examiners who care for adolescent and adult victims (ages 13 and older) of sexual assault.  Forensic nurses complete a full assessment of the patient, obtain potential forensic evidence and provide antibiotic therapy, emergency contraception, and resources for crisis counseling and support services.  Our forensic nurses, as part of our Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Program, are also an instrumental part of the Baltimore County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and work closely with local law enforcement agencies in cases of sexual assault in our community.

Please join me in thanking Phil Komenda, our Director of Imaging and Cardiac Services, and Laura Clary, RN, FNE-A/P, SANE-A, CPEN, our Clinical Program Manager for the SAFE Program, and their teams for all their hard work and for their important role in caring for our patients.

Thanking Our Veterans on Veterans Day and Every Day
Today, we honor the millions of American military veterans who have given of themselves to protect us. Let’s pause and salute all who have served and honor the tremendous sacrifices made by members of the U.S. armed forces and their families to preserve our freedom. I know that I speak for all of us at GBMC in offering our sincere gratitude for their personal sacrifices, past and present.