Chronicles From Friends of Nursing

A glimpse at this year’s celebration and the stories shared

It is undeniable. Good stories stay with us. That is why each year we honor clinicians during Nurses Week at the Friends of Nursing Celebration by telling stories—tales of amazing patient care, career inspirations and innovative treatments. Here’s a glimpse at this year’s celebration and some of the stories shared.

A TP’s qualities — Sheila Gates (right) believes in teamwork. That’s why Natalie Cyphers, R.N. (left), nominated her 6 Tower colleague for a Friends of Nursing Award. Gates’ patients think storytelling is her best attribute. One patient writes of the technical partner, “Her stories made me relax and allowed my mind the temporary hospitality of not being afraid of what was going on in my body.”

A special moment — Gretchen Fitzgerald, R.N. (right), received the Fleming Award for Excellence in Palliative Care from donor and Friends of Nursing co-founder Richard Fleming. It was a special moment for both of them, as Fleming’s wife, Peggy, was one of Fitzgerald’s patients. “Like her other patients, we love her,” Fleming says.

“Thank you, Russell” — Chaplain Russell Blair’s (second from left) story is best told by the family members of one of his patients: “Are there any words that can describe the priceless treasure found in an act of loving kindness? If there are, then we find them in this simple phrase: ‘Thank you, Russell.’” Blair received the LVHHN Department of Legal Services Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Patient Care, presented by (from left) president and chief executive officer Elliot Sussman, M.D., and chief medical officer Ron Swinfard, M.D.

Passion for family presence — Kristin Scrabacic, R.N. (center), is passionate about family presence. She cared for an open-heart surgery patient who, upon returning from the operating room, was extremely unstable. Scrabacic communicated with the physician, carried out the necessary actions and still made time to include the family at the bedside. The family returned a few weeks later with a big box of chocolates and overwhelming gratitude. For such care, she received the Mr. and Mrs. Abram Samuels Cardiovascular Nursing Award, presented by chief operating officer Stuart Paxton (left) and senior vice president of clinical services Terry Capuano, R.N.

A Friends of Nursing first — Lori Papciak, R.N. (second from left), is the first to receive the Friends of Nursing Florence Nightingale Nursing Practice Award. Her name will head the list of recipients labeled on a Florence Nightingale sculpture (similar to the bronze award she’s holding) that stands in the Kasych Family Pavilion. She celebrates her award with (from left) director of nursing relations Josephine Ritz, R.N., senior vice president of clinical services Terry C. Capuano, R.N., and vice president of patient care services Molly Sebastian, R.N.

Working harder and safer — It’s what labor and delivery colleagues are doing, and why they received the Best Practice Award. Even though they delivered 500 more babies this year, the number of adverse events on the unit plummeted. Why? A concept called “crew resource management.” It empowers nurses to challenge the medical management of a case by ordering a second opinion from a colleague.

A dream fulfilled — When war broke out in Liberia, Yah Kilikpo (seated) fled with her family to the Ivory Coast. After being granted asylum in the United States, Kilikpo is now a support partner and studying to be a nurse. As the recipient of the Student Nurse Award, Kilikpo says, “I hope to make a difference as a nurse by bringing joy to saddened hearts.” It’s what she’ll do when she joins our TNICU nursing team in September.

“Let’s make a difference” — That’s what recipient Janet McKinnon (second from left) tells her case manager colleagues every day. Her parents, Walter and Diane (left and right), and friend Michael Meehan are proud she’s doing just that. McKinnon worked tirelessly to find a guardian to care for a sick woman in her home while her husband was hospitalized. Today, that couple walks their neighborhood hand-inhand. McKinnon received the Virginia Schiffer Award for Excellence as a Case Manager.

Taking time to teach — Recipient Kathy Gray, C.R.N.P. (second from right, with husband John Gray, D.O., and daughter Lindsay), wears many hats. She’s an office manager, clinical coordinator and certified diabetes educator. She speaks three languages, and is a mentor and friend to colleagues. “Kathy takes extra time with patients and colleagues to teach things they need to know,” says office coordinator and nominator Jen Rodgers (left). She received the Lehigh Valley Physician’s Group Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Ambulatory Care.

Facing Fear
“I will never forget the day I entered the room of an 18-year-old, diagnosed with testicular cancer. He was recovering from surgery and his plan of care included future chemotherapy treatments. As soon as I opened the curtain, the patient’s mother headed toward me, her eyes wide with fear and pink from tears. She carried a notebook and asked for the name of all her son’s medications and the reasons why he was taking them. I recognized her fear, sadness and strength. I smiled and said: ‘I am a mother. I promise to treat your son as if he were my own.’ Two weeks later, my young patient came back to visit me. He was going for outpatient chemotherapy and wanted to show me his new haircut. (He was preparing for the chemo-related hair loss.) So brave and so young, the human spirit never ceases to amaze me.”

–Barb Labriola, R.N., Division of Urology Award for Excellence in Urologic Patient Care

Flash From the Past
“Recently there was a patient admitted to behavioral health. He was angry and resentful.This person even went as far as calling his attorney to get him discharged. He refused to participate in unit programming, refused to come out of his room for medications or meals, and was very difficult to work with. It became very clear that anger was overpowering the real issue: fear. As the days went by, we gently began to peel back the layers of anger. He was discharged, and when I assisted him to his car, he thanked me. He stated: ‘I know you don’t remember me, but I was here a year ago. I was severely overweight. I needed extensive dental work. I did not have a job, and I did not have the will to go on. You encouraged me and made me see that life was worth living. If it would not have been for you, I would not be here today.’ I will never forget that moment, mostly because I did not remember this man. In my heart I know that I do the best I can for my patients every day. This reinforced the profound influence that respect and caring results in positive patient outcomes.”

–Joanne Jones, R.N., Department of Psychiatry Psychiatric Nursing Award

‘Walk in Their Shoes’
“I learned early on that when working with others it is vital to ‘walk in their shoes’ to really understand how someone else does his or her job. Watching nurses do their jobs day in and day out on various units, I began to realize the stresses that are put on them and began thinking of what I could do to help. I decided to define my role as a pharmacist as one of customer support by trying to make the daily lives of the medical professionals I work with easier. I started handing out pieces of candy to the nurses if they were having a bad day. I always start my day going around and saying hello and asking if they need anything. I always get back to them with a prompt response. I believe they have taught me much more than I have taught them.”

–Jarrod Kile, R.Ph.
Robert C. and Helen K. Neubauer, R.N., Award for Excellence as a Pharmacist

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