“The Nightingale awards always make me reflect on the practice of our clinical nurses at the bedside,” said Judy Boerger, MBA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president, chief nursing executive, Parkview Health. “The care they deliver to every person every day is truly remarkable. To nominate and choose nurses from among the many who represent the best among us in practice is a daunting task. The task this year was no less daunting as we heard the stories and saw the commitment of those who were nominated.
“As we announced this year’s recipients, almost immediately I was approached by co-workers who validated our choices by regaling me with stories about the care their loved ones had received from the hands of these nurses. I am so proud to present this year’s Nightingale recipients to you. Please join me in congratulating these nurses as they carry on the Parkview Nurse legacy of excellent care.”
About the Nightingale Initiative
As part of the Nightingale Initiative, created in 2014, Parkview launched the Nightingale Award the same year in memory of the late Marge Carpenter, LPN, who served at Parkview. The award is made possible through the generosity of her husband, the Rev. Doyle Carpenter. It recognizes nurses who foster and embrace the compassionate and caring culture of relational nursing, as exemplified by Florence Nightingale, a nursing leader who profoundly impacted the nursing practice in the 19th century. Marge was described by her co-workers as an innovative woman who had a strong work ethic, consistently exceeded the expectations of patients and families and served as a mentor to younger nurses.
The fourth annual Nightingale Award was presented during the Parkview Health’s Leadership Development Institute. Congratulations to the following 2017 Nightingale Award recipients:
•Freda Calligan, BSN, RN, MedSurg, Parkview Hospital Randallia (PVH)
• Jeni Schmidt, RN, Supportive Care Unit, PVH
• Jan Godfrey, BSN, RN, CMSRN, nurse leader, 6 Medical, Parkview Regional Medical Center
• Krista Stetzel, RN, Parkview Physicians Group – Family Medicine, Columbia City
*And our own
·Ruth Reed, RN, Prep Recovery, Parkview Wabash Hospital
Alison Pershing, BSN RN CNOR, ED Manager and clinical nursing site educator for Huntington University in Nursing. Alison submitted the application to the Nightingale selection committee. It was supported by her manager Laurie McCullers, RN and by Cathy Wolfe, MBA BSN RN, CENP, Vice President of Patient Care Services.
Ruth is so caring. She is able to look at the patient as a whole. She includes the family. She learned about the Peppermint inhalers as an alternative way to treat nausea. Her patients are drawn to her genuine caring attitude, and families never hesitate to ask her questions.
Ruth is such a fantastic resource in her department. She has helped train every employee in her department because she has worked here for over 30 years! She is very productive and inclusive with the entire surgery team. She treats everyone from the surgeons to the patient care techs with the same level of sincerity.
Ruth has phone numbers and resources that she shares with everyone to help care for the patients. She has special ways of doing things and helping patients that she cares for. She has been doing this for a long time; however, she is not scared of change. She loves to try new things, and she always is looking at evidenced based research. She even recently became certified in her area, which is a very difficult exam.
I was the educator prior to my current role, and I sent every brand new nurse to Ruth as part of orientation, even if they weren’t hired for surgery. She has taught the majority of the hospital RNs how to start IVs. She is patient and helps to build confidence in newer nurses. The Huntington University students always rave about Ruth and everything that she has taught them from assessment, to computer charting, dressing changes, e
Ruth has strong relationships with her patients and their families. I truly believe she makes a huge difference in why some patients come back to PWB to have their repeat surgeries or procedures done. She helps develop the trust through her caring approach.
Ruth is very committed to the nursing profession. She studied really hard and passed the CAPA certification. According to Sandy Wyatt, surgery nurse educator, many do not pass this certification. We have few nurses that have passed this. She became ACLS certified for the first time a couple of years ago. Parkview required this after Wabash was acquired. She was nervous, but she studies and led her team. She is always looking at quality improvements, and she works well with the NCAT team providing ideas and data.
Laurie states, Ruth Reed is truly the perfect role model of Florence Nightingale incarnate. Ruth lives and breathes her values as a nurse. Ruth always puts her patients first. Always! Ruth gives the same respect, patience and kindness to everyone she comes in contact with.
Cathy Wolfe MBA BSN RN CENP, Vice President of Patient Care Services concluded,
“Ruth is a true role model for all nurses but especially those just entering the nursing practice. She has been a lifelong mentor and is compassionate about educating young nurses. I believe that Ruth has received such values from her mother that spent her career with Wabash County Hospital now Parkview Wabash Hospital. She talks often about those values, work ethic, and quality her mother has passed down to her, often with tears. Ruth is truly deserving of such an award.