JULY 2022
Mercy Monthly MERCY Minute Liz Clancy Honored as Staff Nurse of the Year
Mercy Hospital recently celebrated the retirement of three beloved associates who were familiar faces to many of us. Sharon Kozlowski, who worked in the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) for over 52 Sharon Kozlowski years retired on July 1. Beginning her career at Mercy in 1970 at the age of 16, Sharon still recalls a co-worker’s advice, “We’re in healthcare and that means we’re a team and when we help each other, we are automatically helping our patients.” Marsha Recktenwalt, executive administrative assistant, retired after nearly 46 years of service. She began her Mercy career in 1976 in a temporary administrative assistant position for a contracted company raising funds to build floors 5 Marsha Recktenwalt through 8 on the McAuley wing. When the project completed in 1979, the hospital formed its own Foundation and Marsha was hired as the administrative assistant. In her own words she said, “…the rest is history!” Peggy Schlotterbeck, Nurse Manager of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) since 2015, retired in June. She was also the proud recipient of the 2022 DAISY Nurse Leader of the Year Award. With 40 years of nursing experience, she was involved with the successful development of the fast-paced CVICU that requires highly-skilled nurses, and the creation of a nurse-driven ECMO program.
Congratulations to Elizabeth (Liz) Clancy, BSN, RN, CCRN, who was recently honored as the 2022 Staff Nurse of the Year by the Professional Nurses Association (PNA) of WNY and Catholic Health—Mercy Hospital. With nearly twenty years of service, Liz began her career as a unit clerk in Mercy’s Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) in 2002. When she earned her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University at Buffalo (UB) in 2008, she became a nurse in the CCU and has remained a dedicated associate of the unit, which transitioned to the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) in 2018. Liz is member of the American Assocation of Critical Care Nurses and the PNA, and is a certified critical care nurse. She is currently pursuing
her master’s degree in Nursing from SUNY Empire State College. A busy mother of three children, ages 11, 9 and 6, Liz said that she Elizabeth Clancy enjoys being a nurse and taking care of people in their most vulnerable state. “Our patients put their trust in us and it’s rewarding when they get better.” “It is important to take good care of the patient, but I think the little extra things you do for the patient like combing their hair or playing cards, really make a difference.”
Stroke Team Celebrates 10-year Streak of Gold! Congratulations to the Mercy Comprehensive Stroke Center Team for earning the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s (AHA/ASA) Get With The Guidelines®- Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for the 10th year in a row! The hospital was also presented the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Award that recognizes the effective use of tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) to treat ischemic strokes. In addition, the team received the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award that recognizes quality care for patients with type 2 diabetes, a special at-risk population for strokes.
To top off National Stroke Awareness Month in May, Dr. Lee Guterman, PhD, MD, Medical Director of Neuroscience Services at Catholic Health, led an awards celebration to thank the team for their commitment to quality care. Also participating in the event were Guests of Honor Ronald and Sharon Kimaid (a retired Mercy Hospital Nurse) who took this opportunity to reunite and thank the staff who saved Ronald’s life earlier this year after he suffered a stroke.
MERCY
JULY 2022
Congratulations to our Latest Great Catch Winners! Congratulations to Mercy Hospital’s latest Great Catch Award winners: Michelle Skrzypek, RN, of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU); Tina Swan, RN, of the Mercy Ambulatory Care Center (MACC); Matthew Bailen, former nurse educator in the CVICU; and Michael Macri, RN, of the CVICU. The award recognizes associates whose attention to detail and commitment to quality care and patient safety may “catch” potential patient care errors.
Michelle Skrzypek
Tina Swan
Oh, Baby! A Nearly $3 Million Renovation to L & D! Mercy Hospital held a blessing ceremony for its newly-renovated Labor and Delivery (L & D) Unit on June 16. The $2.86 million project features nine modernized birthing rooms and the construction of two new state-ofthe-art operating rooms.
L & D team gather for a blessing of the renovated unit.
Five of the birthing rooms are equipped with Jacuzzi tubs and all rooms are equipped with specialized showers for hydrotherapy. Additional features include soothing lighting that can be adjusted to a mother’s preference, flat-screen TVs, recliners for birthing partners, and as always, 24/7 in-house OB/GYN physician, neonatal
coverage, anesthesia coverage for epidurals and C-section deliveries, and around-the-clock midwifery services. “We’re happy that our unit’s new facade now matches our outstanding L & D team who are warm, loving and dedicated to patient safety and compassionate care.” said Dr. Lynn Aronica, Associate Chair of Mercy’s OB/GYN Department.
Hospital’s Safety Grade Keeps Leaping Higher
Michael Macri
Matthew Bailen
STOP! In The Name of Falls
Here’s the SCOOP! All the staff and physicians at Mercy Hospital recently celebrated their commitment to quality care and patient safety by enjoying free ice cream sundaes, custom-made with everyone’s favorite toppings! The celebration recognized the entire team for their efforts in continuing to improve the hospital’s nationally-recognized Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. It’s now a Quajohn Prude, at right, is served an ice cream “B” and keeps climbing thanks to sundae by management volunteers Denise our amazing Mercy team! Stutzman, Alan Welch and Bill Vaughan.
Hutch-Tech Student Artists Donate Paintings
Kudos to the 7 East team who attended the WNY Professional Nurses Association’s 34th Annual Research and Scholarly Activities Conference in April. They presented their research poster entitled, “Stop in the Name of Falls: Ceiling Stop Signs in the Acute Neuro Setting”. Pictured above are, (l.-r.) Michelle Wild, Director of Nursing; Angie Boggs, 7E Nurse Manager; Amy DiPasquale, RN; Vicky Loretto, Asst. Director of Nursing, and Taronda Piphus, ITA.
Mercy Hospital held a dedication for six paintings that were donated to our ED pediatric rooms by HutchTech High School students. ED Nurse Liz Wright, suggested to ask students to submit artwork as her brother Dennis Wright is the HutchTech art instructor. Liz and Dennis’ mother, the late Kathleen Wright, was a dedicated, longtime Mercy nurse. Assoc. Chair of Pediatrics Dr. Michael
Zang, Mercy President Eddie Bratko, CNO Shari McDonald, and ED Nurse Manager Allison Revelas thanked the students and presented them with certificates and gift cards donated by Hyatt’s Art Store.