Flagstaff Nurses Week | 2019 by Arizona Daily Sun

Sunday, May 12, 2019 | S1

COMMITTED COMPASSIONATE CARING

Celebrating National Nurses Week 2019

TAKE TIME TO

THANK A NURSE A

ny day is a good day to celebrate America’s nurses. After all, every day patients enter medical offices and facilities and spend more time with nurses than any other health care provider. But since 1993, the American Nurses Association has set aside a week to celebrate and elevate the nursing profession. National Nurses Week honors more than four million nurses across the country and concludes today, May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, pioneer of modern nursing. A special day set aside to honor nurses began in 1965 with Nurse’s Day, with the intent of raising public

awareness of the important role and contributions nurses make to society, according to Nurses.com. An unofficial Nurses Week stretches back a decade earlier in 1954 to mark the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. Then, as now, nurses are on the front lines of a caring profession. On duty around the clock 24/7, nurses are the caregivers we most rely on in almost any health care environment. “One of my favorite sayings about nursing is our ordinary is actually extraordinary. We provide an amazing service to the public, whether in hospitals, clinics, long-term care or in the community,” said Jennifer

Mensik, a nurse who wrote about how she celebrates her calling in an article on Nurse.com. “Being a nurse is not something we turn off completely at any time. It doesn’t stop at the end of our shift like many other professions,” Mensik wrote. “We are there to help at a moment’s notice because we care. That perspective of caring is always with us, and we believe we are doing what any other person might do in the same situation — that it was our job.” Unfortunately, there’s a nursing shortage. According to a report in the American Journal of Medical Quality, a shortage of registered nurses is projected to spread across the nation

through 2030, with the South and West begin most affected. On the upside, registered nursing is listed among the top occupations for growth opportunity into the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In other words, there’s never been a better time to enter this challenging and rewarding career field. Nurses are truly the unsung heroes of the health care profession. They are dedicated to healing, compassionate care and touch the lives of millions with their devotion and skills. So if you encounter a nurse in the community, don’t hesitate to thank them for their work.

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S2 | Sunday, May 12, 2019

NURSES CELEBRATION

Patients, family members recognize

LOCAL NURSES ‌The Arizona Daily Sun asked the community to share stories of outstanding nurses they’ve come across. Here are some of those reflections.

Beth Davis Emergency Department Registered Nurse, Flagstaff Medical Center Beth Davis has been a nurse at Flagstaff Medical Center for 34 years. She has spent most of her professional career in the emergency department, where she has served innumerable patients. She is one of the most amazing and caring nurses that I have ever known. Steady, calm, and compe‘When tent, you can always count on Beth you are in make a visit to Beth’s care, to the emergency deyour world partment the best it could possibly is a more be. She has cared secure for family, friends, place to be.’ and strangers alike with professionalism, skill and a unique approach to patient care that includes humor and sincere dedication. When you are in Beth’s care, your world is a more secure place to be. Whenever a decision has to be made in our family group as to whether an emergency room visit is necessary, it is usually predicated by the question, “Is Beth working today?” If you have to go, the knowledge that Beth will be

Lisa Heath there with you is the golden ticket of the patient experience. Not only is she a star in the emergency department, but she has been there for us when we drive our wounded kids or family over to her house for a consultation, or a bandage, or reassurance that everything is going to be OK. She is always available and goes out of her way to help, no matter what the circumstances. In addition to being a stellar member of the medical community, she is an amazing person. She and her husband Brian raised four wonderful children in Flagstaff, had a myriad of excellent adventures and were always on the move, dedicating every day to a good time. Beth continued to work in the emergency department while she cared for family members that she ultimately lost to cancer. First, her husband, Brian; then her father, Tom; and most recently her older sister, Debbie, all succumbed to cancer while Beth was right at their sides caring for them, supporting them and loving them fiercely as they battled illness. Beth is a remarkable person and exemplifies all the attributes of a skilled and caring nurse, and she has made a tremendous impact on the Flagstaff community. —Nomination by Sue Stilley

Cardiology Charge Registered Nurse, Flagstaff Medical Center Lisa Heath brings a special joy and love of life to every patient interaction. She is always willing to go the extra mile and work extra hours to make a patient feel comfortable and secure. Her favorite go-to expression is “Kill them with kindness!” Lisa is a significant asset to Flagstaff Medical Center and can always be counted on to help out. Lisa is the most caring person I know and has been a longtime family friend, nurse and mother. Lisa has worked much of her career serving Native American communities and has spent her summers as a volunteer nurse at summer camps. She is the best nurse ever. —Nominations by Eliza Van Dyk and Ron Dovzak

Joy Gay

Beth Davis

Stephanie Wiley Emergency Department Registered Nurse, Flagstaff Medical Center When my brother was 16, he hit a tree with his truck and was taken to the Flagstaff Medical Center trauma room. He talks about being scared in a cold, foreign environment when a warm hand grabbed his and told him he was going to be OK. This happened in 1994. Several years after that incident, I began my career in the

emergency department as an emergency medical technician. It did not take long before I recognized Stephanie “Steph” Wiley, the warm heart that had comforted my brother. Steph has been an inspiration as a coworker. She has an innate ability to provide excellent and efficient care with compassion. The emergency department is a very hectic and loud environment, so finding nurses with the ability to remain

consistently calm and compassionate is extremely rare. Steph is a pillar of emergency care in Flagstaff and has inspired me throughout my career. As a flight nurse, when I transfer a patient to Steph, I know that patient is in the greatest of hands. My brother often says that the warm hand that comforted him in his time of need is one of the reasons he also decided to become a nurse. —Nomination by Ryan Heck

Registered Nurse, Flagstaff Medical Center, Orthopedic and Spine Unit Joy Gay, my mother, is a nurse at Flagstaff Medical Center, where she has worked for 31 years. I grew up with her taking care of my siblings and me as well as constantly hearing from her coworkers and patients about ‘She has what a great nurse inspired me to she is. Every time I would come up follow in her to see her at work, footsteps.’ multiple people would come up and tell me how much they loved to work with her, about how much she cares, about how she goes out of her way to help others. She is always trying to help people without complaint and without asking for recognition. She is the best nurse I know as well as the best mom, and she has inspired me to follow in her footsteps. —Nomination by Randy Hartsock

Happy National Nurses & Hospital Week!

Congratulations Destiny!

Recognized this Nurse’s Week 2019 for your hard work and dedicated service in providing top tier care for all of our patients and in helping the Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Arizona be the best Acute Inpatient Hospital in Northern Arizona. Thank You

Thanks for all the care you provide! Stroke • Brain Injuries • Spinal Cord Injuries • Orthopedic Injuries Including Hip Fractures • Major Multiple Trauma ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) • Multiple Sclerosis Parkinson’s Disease • Guillain-Barré Syndrome

1851 N Gemini Drive • Flagstaff, AZ 86001 rhna.ernesthealth.com • 928.774.7070

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NURSES CELEBRATION

Sunday, May 12, 2019 | S3

Jory Malis

Nicole Zygadlo

Nursing Director of Memory Care Unit, Peaks Senior Living Community There’s great diversity in the type of work nurses do, the settings they work in and the patients they care for. I’m nominating Jory Malis, a nurse ‘[Jory’s] work with a huge capacity for caring as a nurse for many of the honors our less-advantaged, special patients family and in our commuthe nursing nity. She’s been a home health profession’ care nurse, a jail nurse, a public health nurse and a hospice nurse. While working as the nurse for the Coconino County Public Health District Immunization Program, Jory went beyond the call of duty to give tetanus shots to first responders during the Schultz flooding incident. During her recent tenure as a hospice nurse, she often visited patients on tribal lands. The visits would often include driving a long distance to the patient’s home, spending time with both the patient and family members, perhaps allowing for translation of questions and responses back and forth. Jory currently serves as nursing director in the Memory Care Unit at the Peaks Senior Living Community, which provides specialized care for dementia patients. In addition to leading the staff and caring for patients on her floor, she counsels family members as they often struggle to support their loved ones through a difficult and often final life chapter. One reason Jory relates

Patient Care Technician, Flagstaff Medical Center and Nursing Student, Coconino Community College Nicole, along with her manager, started a volunteer program at Flagstaff Medical Center called Compassionate Companions. The program meets the needs of those patients who have no family members close and need companionship during their hospital stay, especially if they are in the final moments of life. This not only helps patients but also assists those in the medical field that have required volunteer hours to fulfill. Zygadlo recently told the Arizona Daily Sun, “Every person deserves at least one person holding their hand as they are transitioning out of this life. I think we all deserve that.” —Nomination by Katherine Costa

Nicole Zygadlo

Bridget Wicks Jory Malis effectively to those patients and families and understands their challenges is that her parents were residents at the Peaks Community and she was part of those decisions for their care. I know this because I’m Jory’s sister. Her work as a nurse honors our family and the nursing profession. —Nomination by Karen Malis-Clark

Cyndi Benedict Registered Nurse, Northland Hospice and Palliative Care Northland Hospice employs 11 nurses. Being a hospice nurse requires dedication over and above the average nursing job. They are on call 24/7, caring for the dying patient as well as the grieving family. One of our nurses stands out. Her name is Cyndi Benedict, a registered nurse. She is a certified hospice nurse with more than a decade of experience in hospice care. Her knowledge and compassion bring tears to my eyes. She understands the needs of her patients and their family and is a good listener who can read between the lines and offer emotional, mental or spiritual assistance when needed. She supports the hospice team through kind words and actions, always with a ready smile. Dealing with death and dying every day is a gift, and Cyndi has blessed us with her talents. —Nominations by Janetta Beaumont and Sue Stilley

Cyndi Benedict

Certified Nurse Practitioner, North Country Healthcare I am the executive director of Flagstaff Shelter Services, the largest emergency shelter in northern Arizona. Bridget Wicks comes to our shelter every week and works all day with some of the most vulnerable individuals, those with significant and chronic health conditions. The primary care she provides to our community is lifesaving. She does this work with passion, respect and compassion. She is continuously working with our case managers to make sure people have what they need and can access the necessary treatment. She is a fierce advocate for these individuals who have literally nothing, and she works hard to have a pleasant bedside manner with folks that don’t even have their own bed. She treats each patient as human and never shies away from working with individuals with complex issues. Her choice to use her gifts as a nurse with people that others

Bridget Wicks often avoid is truly inspirational, and I am so thankful to know her. —Nomination by Ross Altenbaugh

Destiny Kester Registered Nurse and House Supervisor, Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Arizona. Destiny Kester has been an exceptional part of our team at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Northern Arizona since day one. She can look at the whole person when she is with a patient, not solely focusing on the one thing that brought them to us. She also provides families the training they need to take their loved ones home. She has a passion for patient care and puts a patient’s needs first. Destiny is always at the ready to assist coworkers with any situation with a smile and a helping hand. We are incredibly fortunate to have Destiny as a part of our team. —Nomination by Sarah Johnson

Andrea Mac Intosh Registered Nurse, Haven of Flagstaff When my husband and I tried to go on a two-week vacation to the Grand Canyon last year, it was cut short on the second day when my husband had a massive heart attack. Earlier that same day he thought it was something else, and he had me take him to North Country Urgent Care. There, we met nurse Andrea Mac Intosh. My husband wasn’t going to listen to what the hospital had told him, and that is when Andrea stepped up to the plate and explained very compassionately that if he were to continue the vacation, he wouldn’t come out of the canyon alive. She went out of her way to gather all paperwork and make copies, so all I had to do was hand it to the doctors back home. She made sure we had all we needed for the long trip home. She called several times to make sure that we arrived back home safely. Thanks to her sincere caring efforts and the information that assisted his doctors, my husband is now fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Nothing I could say can thank you Andrea Mac Intosh for saving my husband. We have become good friends after all this, and she still calls to this day.

Destiny Kester

Ben Cutter

NANCY WIECHEC‌

Andrea Mac Intosh Andrea now works at Haven of Flagstaff, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. —Nomination by Barbara Skaggs

Licensed Practical Nurse, Northland Hospice and Palliative Care I would like to nominate our Northland Hospice and Palliative Care nurse Ben Cutter for this nursing recognition. Ben is a highly qualified and compassionate nurse who also brings much joy to the team. In addition to providing quality patient care, Ben is responsible for providing management for our two hospice assisted living homes — Olivia White Hospice Home and Elaine’s Forest House. Ben is fantastic at delivering end-of-life nursing care and emotional support to our patients and their loved ones. Ben has worked in health care for several years, with nine years as an LPN and five years at Northland. —NominaBen Cutter tion by Katherine Simmons

CCC Nursing student Nicole Zygadlo, was working at Flagstaﬀ Medical Center as a patient technician when she noticed some patients didn’t have family or were lonely and wanted to share their story. She worked with FMC administration to help launch a volunteer program, “Compassionate Companions,” where volunteers spend time with patients. “We as people need love, aﬀection and communication,” Zygadlo said. “Every single person deserves that.”

making a difference.

Congratulations Nicole

Join our journey and apply today! coconino.edu M 1

Nicole’s immediate goal is to become a Registered Nurse. Eventually, she wants to become a Nurse Practitioner. “I am challenged, and I’m growing,” she said. “Every day, I feel I’m learning more and becoming a better person because of it.”

NURSES CELEBRATION

| SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019

POPULAR PERCEPTIONS W

CHANGE

hat we see on TV and in movies shapes our impressions about the occupations actors portray in film and on television. No less is true than the representation of nurses in popular media. Perhaps among the most famous portrayals is that of Loretta Switt as Maj. Margaret Houlihan in the hit 1970s and ‘80s TV show “M*A*S*H.” Another is Louise Fletcher’s performance as Nurse Ratched in the 1975 film, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.” Both these portrayals underscore extreme stereotypes — “Hot Lips” Houlihan is a romantic/sexual interest of several characters at a surgical hospital during the Korean War, and Ratched is presented as a cold-hearted tyrant at a state mental hospital — but neither is representative of the real-life world of nurses. Of course, these characters are presented for entertainment purposes but those images have real impact on viewers. In “Celluloid Angels: A Research Study of Nurses in Feature Films, 1900-2007,” author David Stanley, a nurse and lecturer at Australia’s Curtin University of Technology, reviewed more than a century of nurses as predominant characters in movies. He found that “nurses and the nursing profession are frequently portrayed negatively or stereotypically in the media, with nurses often being portrayed as feminine and caring but not as leaders or professionals capable of autonomous practice.” To combat these portrayals, the Baltimore-based group the Truth About Nursing seeks to challenge stereotypes and to educate the world about the value of nursing. Its mission is to foster a better understanding that nurses are autono-

mous, college-educated science professionals to strengthen nursing care, education and research, allowing nurses to save more lives. Of course, the “truth about nursing” is that nurses save lives and work long, hard hours and make many sacrifices to provide healing and care at hospitals, clinics and in a variety of environments where nurses serve patients who may not otherwise come in contact with a healthcare provider. Nurses have a long history of pioneering heroes, from Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, to Clara Barton and Mary Breckinridge. Fortunately, the image of the nurse in TV, movies and in the media is improving. More recently, movie nurses are “intelligent, strong, and passionate characters,” Stanley says. An example is “Nurse Jackie.” At first condemned by nursing organizations for her drug abuse, the Truth About Nursing says, “Jackie turned out to be arguably the strongest and the most skilled nurse ever depicted on serial U.S. television.” As it developed, “Nurse Jackie” was commended for standing up to organizations that threatened safe and equitable care, recalls Canadian nurse Lori Campbell. Jada Pinkett Smith’s portrayal of Christina Hawthorne in “HawthoRNe” featured a nurse as its main character. As the chief nursing officer at Richmond Trinity Hospital, Hawthorne presented a positive portrayal of nursing, advocating for her patients and staff. “These are vital messages to increase public understanding of nursing and funding for nursing practice, education, research and residencies,” the Truth About Nursing reports.

PUBLIC DOMAIN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

MEN BATTLE STEREOTYPES IN NURSING D

emand for nurses has never been higher. It’s a career, and a calling, that is enduring an ongoing shortage into the next decade, if estimates are correct. That’s why more men are being encouraged to enter a field traditionally dominated by women. Only 9 percent of the estimated 4 million nurses in America today are men, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. But those numbers are growing, with the number of active male RNs enrolled in graduate or doctoral programs increasing three-fold since the turn of the century. So why aren’t more men becoming nurses? Studies point to both stereotypes and barriers to gender diversity. In fact, in one recent study attempting to identify the few numbers of men in nursing, 70 percent of respondents cited stereotypes as a major challenge. But in this new era, those challenges are beginning to change.

“Patients are much more receptive to health care providers of similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and that may well translate to gender as well,” said Vernell DeWitty, deputy director of New Careers in Nursing, a program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in an article on the foundation’s website. “The shortage of the future will likely not be solved unless men are part of the equation,” added male nurse William T. Lecher, president of the American Assembly for Men in Nursing, in the same article. “We really have to figure out how to provide more gender inclusion and balance in the nursing workforce.” Similar studies show men who are drawn to a career in nursing typically pursue advanced degrees and often out-earn their female counterparts. That has contributed to the 11 percent rise in male nurses in the past few years, according to statistics collected by Montana State

University. That data also shows that overall men are more inclined to pursue careers as nurses in hospitals. Nearly 70 percent of male RNs worked in hospitals, as opposed to 61 percent of female RNs in 2015. The study said male nurses may be more drawn to the types of care — emergency departments and critical care units — than women. All the data and statistics point toward a challenging and lucrative career for men in nursing, where average salaries top $60,000. Now is an excellent time for men to consider careers in nursing — and to get over the stigma. “Forget about the stigma,” Jorge Gitler, an oncology nurse manager, told The New York Times in an article focused on men who had left other careers to pursue nursing. “The pay is great, the opportunities are endless and you end up going home every day knowing that you did something very positive for someone else.”

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NURSES CELEBRATION

SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019 |

THE EVOLUTION

SCRUBS

crubs have long since entered lexicon and moved from uniforms for nurses, doctors and medical staff, to being embraced as a real mode of fashion. Because they allow freedom of movement and comfort to hard-working medical professionals, the garments have become as popular as warm-up suits for those in and out of the field. Scrubs were born of necessity and were first worn by physicians for ease of movement. They also provided sanitary dress in operating rooms and could be quickly discarded. According to an article on dressamed.com, nurses once wore long, bulky gowns for protection but they were prone to transmitting disease.

Modern scrubs were pioneered by Dr. William Hasted, who also developed the first pair of latex gloves. But it took decades before what we now recognize as scrubs spread from operating-room wear to the de facto uniform of almost every hospital medical staffer. While most medical facilities provide the drab green or blue scrubs most are familiar with, those in the medical field have sought out an even more comfortable and fashion-forward look . It’s no mistake that people who wear any sort of uniform want to invest in a look that feels good, wears well and expresses some individuality. And manufacturers have responded. Among them is Barco, a Califor-

nia-based uniform supplier that has been in business since 1929. The company claims to have created “the world’s first fashion scrubs” in 1965, and also makes uniforms for such fast-food chains as McDonald’s and Taco Bell, according to an article in The New York Times. But Barco also has a close connection to the entertainment world, supplying scrubs for a range of television and movies for decades, the article notes. It’s biggest hit is a line in partnership with the popular, long-running medical drama, “Grey’s Anatomy.” The show — and the scrubs — proved so successful that Barco turned from making scrubs for fictional TV shows to a line based on that show for real-world medical

wear, the Times article reported. On their website, Barco features no fewer than five signature “Grey’s Anatomy” lines of scrubs for women and men made from soft, stretchable fabric that “drapes elegantly and conveys a polished professional image.” But Barco is not alone in producing fashion-forward scrubs. Several companies, including Med Couture, Jaanuu and Cherokee are changing the look of medical uniforms, introducing bold colors, patterns and prints. As an article on WorkingNurse. com pointed out, “Looking good makes you feel good, and feeling good makes you perform your job even better. And that’s never out of style.”

Congratulations

to North Country HealthCare’s own

Bridget Wicks, FNP The enTire norThland hospice & palliaTive care family would like To say congraTulaTions To

Cyndi Benedict & Ben Cutter for being selecTed as:

Outstanding Nurses Best of Healthcare 2019

We are grateful for your dedication to fulfill our mission to create healthier communities.

northcountryhealthcare.org M 1

we Thank you for The dedicaTion To your paTienTs and Their families as a final journey begins for one and a paTh of loving memories begins for oThers Serving our community for 36 years as the only not for profit hospice in Northern Arizona

S6 | Sunday, May 12, 2019

Special Section 1

N O R T H E R N

A R I Z O N A

H E A LT H C A R E

Thank you to all nurses, techs and healthcare professionals who answer the selfless calling of helping others in need while providing our communities with 5-star care. Your dedication does not go unnoticed and is deeply appreciated – not just this week, but every day. day

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