2022 Nurses, Heart of the Healthcare

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NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

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Page 9 Melissa Canterberry

Page 19 Arlene Jones

Page 11 Jamie Colyott

Page 21 Sandra Long

Page 13 April Courtway

Page 23 Cyndie Meyer

Page 15 Sandra Hutchings

Page 25 Jim Newman

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Page 17 Brandi Irvin

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Page 7 Jennifer Brewer

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Honorees

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE May 2022

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Annette Schnabel (left) and Heather Taliaferro (right)

At Parkland, the goal is always the patient

H Pam Clifton

Contributing Writer

ighly skilled, compassionate nurses and staff who provide quality care.

Chief Nursing Officer Heather Taliaferro summed it up perfectly when she said the staff at Parkland Health Center truly cares about their patients.

“They provide the same quality of care right here in our community as one would receive in the St. Louis market,” she said.

At Parkland Health Center, patients receive timely care by skilled, caring nurses and staff members.

“I rest easier at night knowing that if my family and friends had a medical emergency, they would receive quality care,” she said.

Taliaferro is amazed at daily stories she hears of how Parkland staff members saved lives and improved health outcomes for people in need.

“At Parkland, we’re a family and you’ll be greeted each day with a warm, familiar face,” she said. “We’re not so big that it’s a task to get in and out of, but we’re the right size that you can receive the care you need here in your community.”

Taliaferro has worked at Parkland/BJC HealthCare for 15 years and 20 years total in the healthcare industry.

She’s grateful Parkland is part of BJC because she’s able to “have the best of both worlds” by caring for individuals

within her hometown and working for an organization whose mission is to improve the health of the communities in which they serve by providing safe, compassionate and excellent care.

Tristan Ervin, nurse manager for the medical-surgical, intensive care and telemetry units, said the comradery among team members at Parkland sets them apart from other hospitals.

“Staff have to lean on each other during difficult times and have been able to celebrate with each other through miracles we see daily,” she said. “We are a community hospital which I believe is a benefit.”

Ervin said Parkland is a community hospital, and the staff grows connections with the team members who they work with every day.

“This is what allows us to provide better care to our patients from an interdisciplinary approach.”

Although healthcare can be challenging, it’s a rewarding profession. Ervin has always been drawn to healthcare. She worked as a radiology technician prior to becoming a nurse.

Regardless of the department, Ervin said everyone has the same goal: the patient.

Ervin has worked for 14 years in the healthcare industry. Her current role as a nurse leader is to support those who care for patients and ensure the nurses have appropriate training and tools to succeed.

“Watching my team continue to grow within their profession and making a difference in the lives of others motivates me every day,” she said.

She also sees and hears the nurses’ compassion when they care for their patients.

“Listening to patients’ stories, crying with them, laughing with them, being vulnerable with them,” said Ervin. “It’s also the joy of seeing that patient walk out the front door at discharge when the odds of survival were stacked against them.”

She said the Parkland staff is “like a big family because we all come together and work cohesively with other departments to do what is best for the patient.”

Raquel Dunn, BSN, RN, TNS, is manager of the emergency room. She has worked at Parkland/BJC for 11 years and in the medical field for 31 years.

Dunn started working as a CNA and quickly found her passion to help others.

She became a registered nurse in 1994 and found her calling in emergency medicine. Now, she could not imagine doing anything else.

Dunn said Parkland’s “tremendous teamwork” pulls the entire team together to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care.

“Our patients remain the focus of our decisions as we strive to live our mission of providing excellent care with great compassion,” she said.

Parkland is a community hospital with a family atmosphere, combined with

Parkland Health Center 1101 W. Liberty Street, Farmington 573-756-6451 ParklandHealthCenter.org Parkland Health Center 7245 Raider Road, Bonne Terre 573-358-1400

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of Parkland’s team. He’s managed the hospital’s cancer and infusion center for the last seven years.

When he first made the choice to become a nurse in 1977, Spurgin said there weren’t many male nurses in the profession. Things have changed in the time he’s worked in the healthcare industry, and he feels most fortunate to have had the experiences he’s had.

“I’m the luckiest nurse manager at Parkland,” he said. “I get to deal with

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staff friendliness and a great team of healthcare providers who combine their talents and experiences.

“There have been many changes and struggles in healthcare, and I’m amazed at the resiliency and dedication of my team,” she said.

During the pandemic, Dunn watched not only the nurses but team members in every department “go above and beyond to contribute to care for our community.”

John Spurgin is another integral part

older sisters was a nurse.

Schnabel considered becoming a nurse but learned more about physical therapy and felt that was a better fit for her.

“As a physical therapist, you really get the opportunity to problem solve,” she said, “and I really enjoy the challenge of getting to the base issue affecting a person’s ability to enjoy movement.”

Schnabel has worked for 35 years in the healthcare industry.

Now as the hospital administrator, she focuses on the overall function of the hospital and the service they provide to the community.

“I feel I make a difference for our patients when I support my team of caregivers and ensure they have the resources they need,” Schnabel said.

“From that perspective, opening our cardiac cath lab has been the most impactful moment so far.”

She said Parkland staff are “passionate about ensuring that we provide excellent quality care for our patients. That is the kind of environment we strive for every day, and that is what I enjoy about being part of the Parkland team.”

They’re also committed to their patients. Some staff members have worked at the hospital for more than 40 years.

“When you consider all the knowledge and experience they bring to the team, you begin to understand the dedication and commitment across the organization,” said Schnabel. “We recognize that it takes a diverse group of people to ensure our community receives great care.”

From the doctors and nurses and other support staff to housekeeping, maintenance and dietary staff, all members contribute to patient care at Parkland Health Center.

“Our team cares for the community with such passion,” said Schnabel. “How we take that expertise and put it to use to care for the health of our rural community is what sets Parkland Health Center apart from other hospitals.”

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Jim Newman works with patients who receive infusions at the cancer center at Parkland Health Center.

the team in oncology and oncologists themselves, but most importantly, all of our patients. That makes the day bright and every day interesting.”

Spurgin enjoys going to work every day and interacting with patients and the Parkland team.

“I feel our hospital takes the extra step to ensure patients and employees are all well treated and well respected,” he said.

From the administration and board to all employees, Spurgin said the BJC system provides “so much direction and support, and our nursing staff that we have is phenomenal.”

He said, “the nursing staff is the most compassionate group and the best team that I’ve had the pleasure of working with in all of my career because they are excellent.”

Spurgin has worked with colleague Jim Newman for all of Newman’s 24 years at Parkland.

Newman, who Spurgin described as “all heart,” works with patients who receive infusions at the cancer center as well as performs many other tasks.

“Parkland staff have made me part of the family,” he said. “Even through the pandemic, BJC worked hard to make sure we have the best equipment and supplies.

They’ve helped us deal with day-to-day challenges and constantly worked to meet our community’s needs.”

Newman, who transferred from the intensive care unit, said the Parkland team is a family.

“We have well-experienced and well-rounded nurses, and we pull from everybody’s experiences and skills to meet the needs of all of our patients,” he said.

Ashley Davis has worked as the senior marketing and communications consultant for Parkland for two years.

When she was growing up, most of her immediate family worked in healthcare.

“I saw how important their various roles were to my health and wellbeing of our community, and I am proud to be part of this industry,” she said.

Davis trusts her own healthcare and that of her family to their incredible Parkland team.

“Each member of our team plays an integral role in caring for our community,” she said, “and I am honored to work alongside them.”

Parkland Health Center President Annette Schnabel has always had an interest in caring for people. One of her

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NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Jennifer Brewer Honored for Nursing Excellence

Brewer brings both passion and humility to her profession Contributing Writer

No one really knew what we were going through. If it wasn’t for my colleagues and my church, I wouldn’t have made it.” and support.

Brewer has been a nurse for 17 years and was recently honored with the prestigious DAISY Award. While she was proud to be a recipient, she was quick to point out that there are so many others who are deserving of such recognition.

“I couldn’t be the nurse I am without the nurses I work with. We make a great team, but we couldn’t be the nurses we are without the rest of the staff: housekeeping, supply, maintenance, the kitchen, they all keep us going. I know everyone in my department would want those staff members to know that we love them, and we see them and appreciate them.”

Despite the daily challenges of her profession, Brewer still finds time to bring joy to others. She is part of a group of women at the Bridge Community Church that work to bring smiles to the faces of people at MCII in Farmington. They bring desserts once a month for a little birthday celebration.

Brewer has an associate degree from Mineral Area College and a bachelor’s degree from Central Methodist University.

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ennifer Brewer knew at a young age that she wanted to be a nurse.

She spent time in the hospital as a small child and immediately recognized the positive impact that the nurses had on her, providing comfort to her when her mother was unable to be there. It’s no surprise that she spent time in pediatrics early in her career.

It didn’t take long though for Brewer to recognize that she needed to pivot, and she has been in critical care for most of her career. She gave up the long commute to work locally, first at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center and now at Parkland Health Center.

“I feel like Parkland is a community hospital, and that’s a lot different from the experience at a hospital in the city. I’ve been with my colleagues for a long time.

When you are in a critical situation, you have your brothers and sisters with you.”

She enjoys seeing her patients out in the community and seeing them gets her through difficult times.

“I saw a patient that I had taken care of during the pandemic. He got out of his wheelchair and walked a few steps. He had been in the hospital for 81 days. We lost so many people recently. I wasn’t used to that, so seeing him come back from that was just huge.”

The Farmington resident acknowledges that the last few years have been a challenge, and she has only been successful through the support of those around here.

“I feel like my whole career is clouded by the last two years. Emotions of all levels. I thought I knew what fatigue was. I felt like I knew what sadness was. No one really knew what we were going through.

If it wasn’t for my colleagues and my church, I wouldn’t have made it.”

In addition to her colleagues, Brewer notes that her husband Tatar and her dog Maggie have provided tremendous love

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J Dan Jaycox

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Member FDIC

May 2022 

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2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Melissa Canterberry Receives Heart of Healthcare Award Celebrating 20 years in healthcare

O Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

ne of the most rewarding aspects of Melissa Canterberry’s job is seeing a patient fully recovered out in the community.

“It’s great when we get to see them later, walking around, perfectly OK. So many come back and thank us. I bump into them at the grocery store, and it’s wonderful.”

Of course, it doesn’t always work out that way for Canterberry who works in the Parkland Health Center Emergency Room. And that can make the job very difficult at times.

“That’s the thing with being an ER nurse. You have to be able to filter things out quickly. We have to walk from one room where we lost someone and go to another room where hopefully we can have better news for the patient.”

Canterberry has a special patient who has DRAVET Syndrome. The condition

results in a lot of trips to the ER, and Canterberry has developed a bond with both the patient and the patient’s family over the last few years. Seeing the patient improve and stabilize means fewer trips to the ER, but Canterberry is grateful that his condition is under better control.

Canterberry’s job is full of a lot of extremes. Sometimes during a single shift, she faces moments when all hope is lost but then she has moments full of joy. Canterberry believes that the outcome goes beyond the work of her and her coworkers.

“We definitely have higher powers working through us. The job can test our faith sometimes, but there are other times when we totally know.”

An important moment in Canterberry’s nursing career came when a familiar face entered the emergency room. It was a former coworker she had remained close with over the years.

“My friend was very sick and came to our ER. I took care of her. Her spleen ruptured, but we were able to fly her out and get her

to Barnes. She’s healthy today, and she’s raising her 5-year-old granddaughter. It was important to me that I came through in that moment to make sure that she could get the care she needed.”

Canterberry has been with BJC HealthCare for the last seven years and recently joined the Employee Experience Team. She is a member of the Red Cross and volunteer organization and went to Joplin in 2011 to help after the EF-5 tornado devastated the community.

Before working at Parkland, Canterberry was in home health care for six years. She has been an LPN since 2008 and an RN since 2009.

She also spent six years as a certified nursing assistant.

Canterberry lives on a farm with her husband Jeff. She has two sons, Aaron and Adam. The family enjoys dirt track racing, both as spectators and participants. She also enjoys going to Council Bluff Lake and Black River frequently throughout the summer.

The job can test our faith sometimes, but there are other times when we totally know.”

SM

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Your Best Medicine is Close to Home

Parkland Health Center has opened a new cardiac cath lab to diagnose and treat a range of heart conditions right here in our community.

Scan to learn more about the Cardiac Cath Lab. parklandhealthcenter.org/cathlab

CS_1044356_4/22

Jamie Colyott Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient The Iron County resident has been a nurse since 1999 Contributing Writer

Last month we served over 70 infants and children throughout Iron County.” other’s lives.”

One of Colyott’s proudest accomplishments is establishing a baby pantry for Iron County residents. The project works in conjunction with the Family Resource Centers of Missouri and the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks. The pantry is able to supply up to 50 diapers a month to each child in the program.

“It has been very successful. Last month we served over 70 infants and children throughout Iron County.”

Colyott gets fulfillment from serving members of her community.

“I love seeing all the families that come in. I get to watch the babies grow up and have babies themselves. That’s where my focus is. I focus on the people I have helped and the people that still need our services. That’s what keeps me going. It’s the whole reason I decided to become a nurse in the first place.”

In addition to her work at the health department, Colyott enjoys volunteering for the local cub scout pack, teaching them handwashing, first aid, and emergency preparedness.

Colyott holds a bachelor’s degree from Deaconess College of Nursing.

She and her husband, Jim, are residents of Iron County. They have three sons, Austin, Jacob, and Joshua.

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amie Colyott has been at the Iron County Health Department for more than 16 years.

County health departments provide essential services as a matter of routine, but nothing has been routine for them over the last couple of years.

Despite the challenges, Colyott knew she had to persevere.

“There were days when I thought I didn’t want to be a nurse and didn’t want to do this anymore, but you have to keep showing up and going on because so many are depending on you.”

Colyott shared that most health departments do not have the staffing levels to handle surges during a pandemic.

This led to a lot of nurses working six or seven days a week, often for 12 hours a day to keep up. Both the nurses and their families had to make sacrifices.

“When numbers were high with the Delta variant, we only had two nurses to handle the contact tracing and other services. Unfortunately, not everyone was always happy to hear from us, but we had a lot of people who were very appreciative, especially with the vaccine clinics we had.”

Colyott and the other employees were able to make it through by leaning on each other during the most difficult times.

“What we’ve all went through is unprecedented. I have a really amazing work family here at the health department.

We are really small, only eight employees, but they are an extension of my family, and we’ve really depended on each other these last two years.”

With COVID drifting into the background, Colyott is pleased to be able to focus on the other important services that the health department offers. One of those programs is WIC. “We have some families that might spend 10 or 12 years on the WIC program. We become part of each

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J Dan Jaycox

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

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May 2022

Happy Nurses’ Appreciation Week!

We want to sincerely thank our Cedarhurst nurses and ALL nurses for their continuous support, commitment and compassion.

You are true heroes!

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(573) 309-0179 • CedarhurstFarmington.com

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2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

April Courtway Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient The Iron County resident is grateful to be recognized for her work in hospice care

F Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

or April Courtway, becoming a nurse was seemingly inevitable.

Her grandmother was a certified nursing assistant. Her mother was a nurse. It’s no surprise that Courtway’s daughter is now a nurse.

But nursing isn’t what Courtway set out to do. She started her education on a path to become an accountant. She quickly decided that wasn’t for her.

“I like to be up and moving and going.

There’s plenty of that in what I do, but I just didn’t see that in accounting.”

Working for Heart and Soul Hospice in Farmington has given Courtway plenty of opportunity to be moving. The Iron County resident spends time out on calls, as well as in the office as the Clinical Services director. While she hasn’t always worked

in hospice, she has spent the majority of her career working in long-term care.

Courtway got her first taste of healthcare in 1992 at the Baptist Home in Ironton. She worked there eight years before leaving healthcare. Courtway later earned an associate degree from Mineral Area College and returned as a nurse.

She finds working in hospice care rewarding and is grateful that she has the opportunity and ability to help people during such a difficult time.

“When you work with hospice patients and death and dying every day, there are a lot of little moments where you can make somebody’s day.”

Courtway finds joy in limiting the suffering and providing relief.

“When you can make someone comfortable and provide comfort to the family, it’s so rewarding. It’s an honor to be a part of such an intimate time in someone’s life. I form a bond with the family members. It’s hard not to.”

Courtway is full of gratitude and takes little credit for herself.

“I think that being able to do this is driven

by God. I have to accept death as a part of life.

I’ve been with the company for 16 years, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without God.” Courtway also notes that in most healthcare settings, the certified nursing assistants are essential to the success of everyone involved.

“CNAs are the absolute heart of the profession. They do so much to support patients and nurses.”

If Courtway wasn’t a nurse, she would be a photographer. She’s worked many weddings and enjoys taking baby photos and senior pictures. She believes that hobby helps balance the emotions of spending so much time around patients who are near the end.

Courtway is involved in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN).

I think that being able to do this is driven by God. I have to accept death as a part of life.”

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May 2022

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NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Sandra Hutchings Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient

The Washington County resident came out of retirement when her community and colleagues needed her

S Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

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andy Hutchings will soon be retiring from the Washington County Health Department…again.

Hutchings retired the first time three years ago but had continued to work PRN for the agency. However, during the pandemic, her services were once again needed.

“My administrator reached out to me during the pandemic to see if I could come back and help out. I returned to help my colleagues and my community, and these last 18 months or so have been some of the most rewarding times in my career.”

One of those rewarding moments came through an opportunity to provide COVID vaccines to the community, “One of the great moments in my career was a collaboration between the health department, Washington County Memorial Hospital, Washington County Ambulance District, and Great Mines Health Center,” she said. “We all came together and did a drive through vaccination clinic at the ambulance district.”

She was grateful for how seamlessly everyone worked together and surprised at how many people came from other areas to take part in the clinic.

“It was so wonderful to come together and serve the community and provide vaccines to those people who wanted them,” she said. “We were able to help people in our community and served many people from other areas. The process went so smoothly, and people were very grateful.”

Hutchings is very quick to deflect when it comes to her achievements and passes credit to her coworkers.

“I’m so grateful for the people I work with. They have worked so many long hours trying to serve the community during this crisis. Our agency excels in

It’s very rewarding knowing these people and helping them through a difficult time.” patient advocacy and caring for patients.

From the minute a person walks in the door, they are greeted with kindness and I’m proud to be a part of a place that prioritizes kindness and respect.”

Before the pandemic, one area of focus for Hutchings was to ensure that women had access to cancer care even if they didn’t have insurance.

“Show-Me Healthy Women is a program very near to my heart. The program helps uninsured women in Missouri with many of the cancers associated with women. We’ve served so many women in our community who have had breast cancer or cervical cancer. We’ve helped them through that journey and made sure they had the care they needed. It’s a wonderful program.”

While most of her 31-year career as a registered nurse has been focused on serving her community through public health, Hutchings spent time early in her career providing home health care. She

enjoyed working with those patients.

“You get to go into a patient’s home, and they put their full trust in you to be there on time and take care of what is needed.

You establish a rapport with them and form friendships with those people. It’s very rewarding knowing these people and

helping them through a difficult time.”

Hutchings and her husband Tony have been residents of Washington County for the last 43 years. They are both active in their church, At the Cross, in Cuba. She holds an associate degree from Mineral Area College.

THANK YOU NURSES.

May 2022

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NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

From Our Team To Yours -

Locations in Fredericktown, Farmington, desoto, ste genevieve, Festus

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Brandy Irvin Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient Embracing opportunities to continue to learn and grow

L Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

I have learned just a tremendous amount about taking care of people. We get a variety of patients with different needs.”

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“We had a patient intubated and on a vent which is uncommon for a hospital of that size. We ended up keeping her there for almost a month. She’s doing great. It was an amazing experience for everyone involved in her care because she was one that was not likely to make it.”

While her work at Midwest Pain and Spine is relatively predictable, she enjoys the variety of challenges at Madison Medical Center.

“I have seriously learned so much at Madison Medical Center. I have learned just a tremendous amount about taking care of people. We get a variety of patients with different needs and that leads to creativity.”

Irvin believes those experiences will serve her well as she works to become a nurse practitioner. Irvin is motivated in her pursuits by her desire to lead.

“I’m a born leader, so I like to be in a position where I have opportunities to advance and grow.”

Irvin holds an associate degree from Mineral Area College and a bachelor’s

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ike many healthcare workers, Brandy Irvin holds positions at multiple facilities in the area. She is currently employed both at Midwest Pain and Spine in Farmington and Madison Medical Center in Fredericktown. Irvin is in her fifth year as a nurse and enjoys the balance of experiences that each facility can provide her.

Irvin has been with Midwest Pain and Spine since 2009 and started as a radiological technologist before returning to school to complete a degree in nursing.

“I feel like pain and spine is my bread and butter because I know it and it’s familiar. We do a lot of really cool procedures, and I get to see patient progression from start to finish. Being part of that improvement is great.”

There are challenges at working in a facility that serves patients who have chronic pain.

“It can wear on you a little bit because everyone who comes into our office is having a bad day. They are all in pain, and we are there to help them with pain management. It does provide an opportunity to build relationships with patients though which is very rewarding.”

She takes an empathetic approach and focuses on providing them relief.

Problem-solving seems to come naturally to Irvin who enjoys being at the bedside with patients to see treatments through.

“I’ve always been a math and science person. I have a concrete perception of the world. Healthcare was the obvious choice because I can make sense of it and solve issues that patients are experiencing.”

One of Irvin’s most rewarding moments came at Madison Medical Center during the pandemic. The facility had a patient that they were trying to transfer out, but there were no available beds.

degree from Central Methodist University.

She completed her certification for radiology through the Mineral Area Regional Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology. She is currently

working on a master’s degree at Maryville University.

Irvin resides in St. Francois County with her husband Eric and their two children, Ranger and Rio.

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2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Arlene Jones Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient Bringing passion for supporting those with mental illness wherever she goes

A

Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

rlene Jones has worked at Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center in Farmington for 30 years.

She believes that it is important to reframe how we view people receiving mental health care.

“These are people who just have an illness. Many of them have been through severe trauma. Many of them have been abused, and we have to remember these are just people who need support.”

The St. Francois County resident is motivated both by her sincere desire to help others and the rewarding experience of watching a patient improve.

“Watching a client go from a frightened

and withdrawn person to an outgoing and productive person with goals makes it all worthwhile.”

Early in her career, Jones recognized the impact that she could have on others as a nurse.

“My sister and I were traveling to Kansas City and witnessed a horrible accident between a semi and another vehicle. We stopped, and I was giving assistance. I returned to the car and my young niece looked at me and said, ‘Aunt Arlene, you are a hero!’ That’s when I realized that what I do is more than a job, more than a career, but can really be lifealtering for people.”

Jones is active in her community and one project stands out to her as very special. She and her husband, Dale, spent more than 20 years as luminary chairs for the St. Francois County Relay for Life. In 2003, the couple was given the Community Volunteer Award presented

What I do is more than a job, more than a career, but can really be lifealtering for people.” by the American Cancer Society for Outstanding Accomplishments and Contributions. Jones is also proud that her family is a past recipient of the Mike Dealy Spirit Award.

In addition to volunteering in the community, Jones enjoys guiding student nurses.

“I love working with student nurses and

helping to change their view of mental health nursing from fear to one of hope and empathy. Building a new generation of nurses who are ready to provide care to the mentally ill is so very rewarding and gives me hope.”

Being named a Heart of Healthcare recipient is not the first award that Jones has received during her career. She was named the Statewide Department of Mental Health Employee of the Month in January 2012 and has been named the SMMHC Employee of the month on three separate occasions.

Jones is an active volunteer at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Farmington. She is a member of St. Louis Geocachers and teaches psychiatric clinicals as an adjunct instructor for Mineral Area College and Jefferson College.

Jones has been an avid geocacher since early 2006. Many of the local geocaches have been placed by Jones and her husband. If she wasn’t a nurse, Jones would enjoy being an employee at a national park.

“We have such a beautiful, amazing country with so many things to see.”

Jones holds two associate degrees from Mineral Area College and earned her bachelor’s degree from Central Methodist University.

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May 2022

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Sandra Long Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient Veteran enjoys approaching different healthcare environments

Contributing Writer

My work is who I am. It defines me.

I’m a nurse.

I feel very fortunate to be able to say that. I’m blessed.” patients aren’t shortchanged.”

The Navy veteran enjoys approaching different healthcare environments as opportunities to learn more and experience new things.

“I enjoy the challenge of working medsurg floors as well. It’s really challenging with all of the variety. You have to really prioritize what patients need at a fast pace.”

Along the way, Long also worked in prison environments to provide care.

“I spent a lot of time doing psychiatric support in the prison system. It’s very challenging work to get them through their daily lives.”

While there, Long received a Life Saver Award for saving the life of a prisoner in 2013, one of her proudest accomplishments.

Although Long has many hobbies, including dancing and camping, she is quick to point out that her identity is rooted in her profession.

“My work is who I am. It defines me. I’m a nurse. I feel very fortunate to be able to say that. I’m blessed.”

She has been married to Scott Long for six years. They reside in Bonne Terre.

PAGE N21  May 2022

andra Long started working in healthcare in 1984.

She completed a certified nursing program during her junior year of high school and has spent most of her adult life working in healthcare. Long completed the LPN program through Jefferson College and has been a nurse since 2008.

Long laughs about the differences between her initial perception and the reality of her profession.

“I thought it would be working side-byside with doctors. I was really naïve about it when I started because a nurse is really the frontline professional.”

She is grateful that she has had the opportunity to work in a variety of places and learn from many talented coworkers and supervisors during her career.

In particular, she gained a lot of valuable experience at Washington County Memorial Hospital.

“I was very green when I arrived, but I learned so much. It was exciting, and I could put all my skills to use. There were excellent mentors there who really helped me along the way.”

Long enjoys working at multiple places simultaneously, both because there is a need and because it fits her self-described “hard-charging” personality.

“A lot of nurses I’ve worked with only work in one place, but I encourage them to get out there and try side work to see what they might enjoy or might really have a calling for.”

Long currently works as the manager of the memory care unit at Cape Albeon in Valley Park and at Georgian Gardens Care Center in Potosi.

“I really enjoy the memory care patients. I’m good at it. I like working with aging populations, despite all of the challenges. There are staffing shortages nearly everywhere, so we have to work harder and longer to make sure that



S Dan Jaycox

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

BALA

SOLE

MAY 2022

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PAGE N22

MATES 4 shoe brands earning 5 stars from nurses

NANCY CLANTON ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

Benjamin also tested and rated BALA Twelves. This shoe is designed by nurses and is crafted around female foot morphology. The result is a perfectly fitting nurse shoe without compromises.

“I liked the snug fit and how comfortable they are. They are actually liquid-resistant,” said Benjamin, who gave the shoes a 5 in every category.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BALA FOOTWEAR

BROOKS Wali Khan, BSN, RN, is an ICU/ER nurse with 10 years of experience. He wore the Brooks Ghost 12 running shoes three times before rating them.

Although he usually wears Nike Free Runs, Khan said his feet “did not hurt after an intense movement. The fit of the shoe was true to size and did not require a ‘break-in’ period. I also ran several miles in the shoes to test comfort and durability and they proved to be great shoes.”

Khan rated the shoes a 5 for quality, comfort, foot/ ankle support and durability. For cost ($110), nonslip, style/fashion and ability to clean, he assigned them a 4. The other two categories were given an N/A.

N

urse “uniforms” have changed dramatically over the decades — good riddance to white tights — and that includes the shoes.

Today’s nurse can express their individuality while protecting themselves from heel pain, plantar fasciitis and other ailments. Having so many choices, however, can make it difficult to pick a pair that keeps up with your pace while protecting your feet.

Each year, Nurse.org asks its online community of more than 133,000 members for shoe recommendations, then has actual health care providers wear and rate the more popular ones.

Four brands rated a five — the highest score — this year. Here’s what the testers had to say about them.

ASICS Alice Benjamin, MSN, BSN, RN, is a critical care nurse and host of the Ask Nurse Alice podcast. She wore the Asics Novablast SPS for three shifts.

“I usually wear Nikes or some type of running shoe because they are comfy and don’t hurt when I am running all day,” said Benjamin, who usually works shifts of 12 or more hours.

Of the 10 categories in which the shoes were rated — quality, cost, comfort, water resistant, nonslip, style/fashion, foot/ankle support, durability and ability to clean — Benjamin AMAZON.COM gave the Asics PRODUCT PHOTOS a 5 in eight of them. For water resistance and foot/ankle support, she rated the shoes a 4.

NIKE Atlanta’s Everett Moss II, BSN, RN, is a critical care/ vascular access nurse with five years of experience. He wore the Nike Vapormax at work for a full shift.

Moss rated the Vapormax a 5 for quality, comfort and style/fashion, saying they are “very light and comfortable.” However, Moss also prefers “shoes that are more fluid-resistant,” and rated these only a 2 in that category.

You can check out the other seven shoes at Nurse.org.

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE 

PAGE N23  May 2022

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Cyndie Meyer Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient

The St. Francois County Resident has 34 years of experience in healthcare.

T Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

he journey to become a nurse was not always an easy one for Cyndie Meyer. She began her career in healthcare in 1988 as a medical assistant.

Her experiences in that role were essential to her career trajectory. She said, “I worked for an OB/GYN and I was blessed to work in a very education-driven practice. I was encouraged to go on and become a nurse. While I was there, I assisted and performed procedures, under the supervision of the doctor, and it gave me a lot of confidence to continue.”

In 1996, Meyer started college courses.

She was a single mother, and she was

working full-time while also attending school. She said, “Some days I worked from eleven at night until seven in the morning, and then I would get my kids to school, the baby to daycare, and then head back to school.” The hard work paid off for Meyer. She became an LPN in 1998 and in 1999 graduated from Mineral Area College as an RN. Meyer has spent her career working with patients in all stages of life, but she has a deep love for hospice care. She said, “Out of all of my experiences I would say I am a hospice nurse at heart, and I always will be. My many years in hospice definitely supply my best memories.”

Meyer is humbled by the opportunities she’s had to serve her hospice patients and provide support to families. She said, “To be invited into someone’s home to help their family adjust to the many

challenges of losing a loved one is one of life‘s greatest honors. I strive to educate families to help them understand the process, find comfort and to experience the beauty that is within death.” Meyer emphasizes that death can be peaceful, and it’s important to approach it that way.

She said, “I want to be that person that can provide peace in that critical moment, and I work to minimize panic and the potential for chaos.”

Meyer gives credit to a higher power for giving her the strength and ability to have helped so many patients in hospice care. She said, “There were so many times when I would open my mouth and would say exactly what a person needed to hear, and I honestly didn’t know where the words came from.” Additionally, Meyer gives credit to the wonderful coworkers she’s had throughout her career.

The compassion Meyer shows for her patients is driven by the personal experiences she had before she was a nurse. Meyer spent a lot of time in hospital rooms as a young mother while her son battled VATER syndrome. She said, “I think knowing nursing from both sides as the patient or parent of a patient and being a nurse gives you more heart and empathy.”

I would get my kids to school, the baby to daycare, and then head back to school.”

Meyer is currently a case manager for Anthem Nationwide out of Atlanta. Her focus is on coordinating the best outcome for patients while also helping members understand the financial components of their care. Meyer works remotely and is a resident of St. Francois County.

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

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NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

2 0 2 2 N U R S E S : Heart of Health Care Honoree

Jim Newman Named Heart of Healthcare Recipient The most challenging part is also the most rewarding

T Dan Jaycox

Contributing Writer

Most nurses build up walls to help cope with the amount of loss, and that works pretty well until it hits closer to home.”

PAGE N25  May 2022

While Newman has strategies to distance himself from losses, those defenses aren’t always effective, especially when the losses are family members.

“Most nurses build up walls to help cope with the amount of loss, and that works pretty well until it hits closer to home. My dad got COVID and ended up in the ICU. He got better and was moved to the floor. We, of course, couldn’t see him because of the visitation policies at the time. He ended up getting worse, and they put him on a vent, and we couldn’t get him off it.”

Newman’s father had lost his wife only a few weeks before his own passing.

It was a difficult time for Newman, but he was determined to make sure his patients still received the care they needed.

“I try not to carry my troubles with me.

Some of those patients are having a bad



he decision to become a nurse was a practical one for Jim Newman.

He had spent some time working in law enforcement and had driven a truck locally.

He took a job in a manufacturing facility and was laid off.

Newman recognized that he needed to pivot to something else entirely.

“Honestly, I didn’t even realize what a nurse did. I looked at the programs that Mineral Area College offered and thought nursing would be a stable path.”

Two years later, Newman graduated with an associate degree and began working at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center. Most of his career has been spent working in the intensive care unit, but he recently transitioned to the Parkland Cancer and Infusion Center.

“You might call it perfect timing since the pandemic started right after I moved away from the ICU, but I felt bad for my coworkers who were still there on the frontlines, especially at the beginning.”

Eventually, as for most healthcare workers, the pandemic would reach his office, too.

“It didn’t hit our office until we started offering monoclonal therapies in the evenings, much later in the pandemic.”

The most challenging part of nursing for Newman is also one of the most rewarding. He enjoys getting to know the patients as they receive their treatments, but many of those patients are battling terminal illnesses.

“The hard part about it is whether you’re on the floor or in the ICU, you get to see the patients on a regular basis.

It’s especially true with us since we provide ongoing long-term treatment.

Just this evening I got a call that a little lady we treated two weeks ago passed away. I didn’t see it coming, and that can be tough.”

enough time just trying to get through their day. My problems shouldn’t be their problems.”

Newman enjoys providing services that can make life easier for patients in the community.

“We treat people locally that would have had to go to the city for those treatments

not too long ago. A lot of those treatments can take all day and not having to add that drive can make it a lot easier on those patients.”

Newman enjoys hunting and other outdoor activities in his free time. His wife, Tracey, is a teacher at West County Elementary School.

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE PAGE N26 

May 2022

Mineral Area College continues to invest in Allied Health Programs

College increases offerings, adds personnel, expands space dedicated to health professions Student actors (left) participate in simulations to give nursing students a richer experience.

M

ineral Area College is in the process of adding five additional certifications to meet needs in the local community.

Allied Health Director Angie Erickson said those programs were chosen intentionally in response to feedback from various agencies and organizations throughout the area.

“What we have found, especially during the pandemic, is that we have some people who are underserved. In many cases this means that they are putting extra strain on emergency medical services.

“One thing we looked at with our partner, the Washington County Ambulance District, was how to find a way to serve that population effectively to

Practical nursing students participate in a pinning ceremony.

Allied Health Director Angie Erickson

minimize that strain.”

In response, WCAD and MAC have developed a community paramedic program.

“This program will allow for paramedics who are already working to take care of some things that a nurse would traditionally take care of in a

patient’s home. They can do wound care, check A1C levels, and address some of the comorbidities, and in doing so, they can prevent the need for emergency medical services.”

The two organizations also saw value in developing a community health worker program. These individuals won’t provide

any actual care, but they instead serve as a resource. They go into the home and determine what needs the individual may have to link them with the appropriate community support.

Additionally, the college worked with one of its clinical partners to begin training Psychiatric Technicians before

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE 

Our first class had a 100% job placement rate after completion, and hopefully they choose to stay in those positions long-term.”

PAGE N27  May 2022

- ANGIE ERICKSON

they begin working. This is a shift from the on-the-job training approach that has been used historically. The program is off to a strong start.

“We think this is going to lead to higher staff retention for those facilities. Our first class had a 100% job placement rate after completion, and hopefully they choose to stay in those positions long-term.”

Mineral Area College has also added a phlebotomy technician program.

“We actually recently just completed the first round of that program as well. Our first round of our new certified nursing assistant program starts this summer.

So that’s five new high impact programs to serve our local area and provide opportunities for our students.”

The investments go beyond new program offerings though. Erickson will be transitioning to a new role as the dean of Health Professions. The college will retain the role of Allied Health director.

The college has also added a full-time Allied Health advisor to serve students who are interested in those programs.

Devon Cox works in that role and is staying very busy.

“Devon has been a wonderful addition, often having back-to-back appointments with students for the entire day. She also attends career fairs and goes out

Student nurses completing a simulation exercise in a Mineral Area College nursing lab.

to schools to discuss opportunities at the college.”

The college has also been able to expand lab space and add equipment with funds available as a result of the pandemic.

In addition to providing safer environments during times of high transmission, the space was needed to facilitate more opportunities for students to practice essential skills.

“The expansion, both in terms of space

and equipment, has allowed students to have a lot more reps and to complete both independent and guided practice in a socially-distanced environment.”

Erickson loves seeing how successful MAC graduates are in their careers and knows that wouldn’t be possible without the support of the campus community and clinical partners in the area.

“Administration is very supportive of our programs. When we make requests of them, they know we are asking so that we can provide opportunities to students who are going to serve our community.

Additionally, the faculty in the program are excellent and expect excellence from the students.”

Erickson also cites the college’s clinical partners as essential to student success.

“We have great clinical partners that provide wonderful experiences for our students. They wouldn’t be as well prepared without those partners and the personnel in those facilities.”

Erickson will begin working in her new leadership role in July.

NURSES HAVE HAD

A TOUGH

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NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Chief nurse executive Joyce Leido at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center.

May 2022



TWO YEARS Here’s how they’ve stayed resilient Mental health resources for nurses

KAREN GARCIA LOS ANGELES TIMES‌

A

t the beginning of the pandemic, Penny Weismuller, director of Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing, said everyone in her Southern California neighborhood would come outside at 7 p.m. to make noise in celebration of the health care workers on the front lines.

Her neighborhood still comes out to honor the resiliency of health care workers, especially nurses.

Nurses have always had to be resilient, Weismuller said. The pandemic showcased that resiliency and pushed its limits in some cases.

She said for some nurses, this is their first disease outbreak. Weismuller, who for 30 years worked in disease control and epidemiology, has experienced multiple outbreaks. But this pandemic “has been very difficult for all of us.”

With multiple waves of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, some nurses and other health care professionals are burning out.

In a Mental Health America survey from June to September 2020, 93% of the more than 1,100 health care workers surveyed were experiencing stress. The survey found that 86% reported experiencing anxiety, 77% reported frustration, 76% reported exhaustion and burnout, and 75% said they were overwhelmed.

Front-line workers, including health care workers, who are concerned about their mental health can visit Mental Health America to be screened and find resources and support.

The American Nurses Association recommends nurses contact their organization’s employee assistance program if stress, anxiety, fear, rumination or depressed moods are interfering with their functioning. Be proactive and do not wait until you’re in crisis.

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation Grand Challenge is a program that aims to create a healthy nurse population.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association provides self-care strategies.

Nurse associations collaborated to create the Well-Being Initiative, a nurses’ guide to mental health support services.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness created a guide for health care professionals that covers when to reach out, confidential and professional support, peer support resources, building resilience and other resources.

Emotional exhaustion was the most common answer when health care workers were asked what had changed for them recently — followed by trouble sleeping, physical exhaustion and work-related dread.

About 39% of health care workers said that they did not feel like they had

adequate support.

We spoke to four nurses on the front lines of the pandemic in Los Angeles County and one in academia to ask what challenges they’ve faced since March 2020 and how they are coping, personally and professionally. Here’s what they said.

participate in patients’ follow-up care.

“It’s absolutely healing for a lot of them to know that our patients are being taken care of,” she said.

Joyce Leido

FRANCINE ORR PHOTOS, LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE‌

work in the ICU. She also relies on meditation and moments of gratitude before and after work to get herself in the right mindset to perform her duties in caring for her community.

When it came to helping her staff, Correa was integral in establishing a post-ICU clinic at Martin Luther King Jr. hospital.

She said nurses worried about whether discharged patients would get the specialty care they needed to completely recover from a bout with severe COVID-19.

“Our nurses were feeling like, ‘We’re saving these patients, but what was going to happen to them after?’” she said.

Correa collaborated with a physician to create the clinic where ICU nurses can

Chief nurse executive Joyce Leido (not pictured) brings her two dogs into Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center to visit her staff last year in Los Angeles. The staff surrounds her dogs “Lani,” left, and “Feta,” right.

Penny Weismuller Typically, students attending Cal State Fullerton’s nursing program need to fulfill a certain amount of direct-care hours, earned by working in a hospital setting, to become a nurse. In 2020, students earned their hours by assisting Orange County’s emergency pandemic operations.

Penny Weismuller, director of the program, said the county public health department had students plan the conversion of a vacation facility to a hospital setting, conduct contact tracing and administer COVID-19 tests and vaccines.

“The hospitals didn’t have the capacity for them to go into critical care because they

Penny Weismuller, director of The School of Nursing at California State University, Fullerton and Registered Nurse Joelle Otteson, nursing faculty, in the Nursing Skills Lab on campus in Fullerton, Calif.

PAGE N29  May 2022

Anahiz Cortez lifts weights last year at the UFC Gym in La Mirada, Calif. Working out is one of the activities Anahiz does for her self-care.

Joyce Leido is a support system at work and at home. Leido, chief nurse executive for Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, looked after her team of nurses during the pandemic as well as her husband, who is a registered nurse in an ICU at another Kaiser hospital.

Her husband would come home from work with stories about telling a patient’s out-of-town relatives that their loved one was going to die, or of caring for a critically ill patient.

She knew that if her husband was coming home with “this emotional and mental anguish and pain,” then every single nurse at her hospital was dealing with the same thing.

“It was a magnifying glass. I just don’t get to hear all of the stories from our 1,300 nurses (at Kaiser Los Angeles), but I know they’re feeling the same thing,” she said.

As a leader, Leido said, she was intentional about providing resources for them.

Leido’s advice:Leido said she did a lot of listening — not only about day-to-day experiences, but also fears. Many of the concerns she heard from her staff (and her husband) were about not knowing when the increase in patients would slow down or when the pandemic would end.

She provided a space to talk or cry for anyone who needed it. From that, she

learned that many nurses carried a lot of guilt — especially when a patient died.

“He’s an excellent nurse, but he would say, ‘I wish I could have done something different,’” she said about her husband.

In these scenarios, she could tell a reassuring truth: They did the best they could; the patient knew they were cared for with 120% of you; this is a terrible disease; and there’s nothing more that you or anyone else could have done because we all are doing our best.

Another way Leido has helped her team is by certifying her dogs Lani, a softcoated Wheaten terrier, and Feta, a golden retriever, to be therapy dogs. Lani was a respite for Leido after a long day at work, so she shared her furry support with her staff. Her dogs go to work once a week, and just about every employee at the hospital finds a moment to destress with them.



Anahiz Correa remembers a strong connection with a patient at South L.A.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, where she is the head of nursing for the intensive care unit.

She and the patient shared a last name, and he happened to be from the same town in Mexico as her grandfather.

Correa had to fill in on night shifts when the hospital was short-staffed, on top of her normal duties. That’s how she met and connected with this man.

“We knew that the chances of his survival weren’t high,” Correa said.

He had been in the intensive care unit for about two weeks, and by the end of his second, the unit’s physician, with the patient’s consent, made the decision to intubate him.

Correa helped the patient call his wife, knowing it might be the last time he would be able to speak to her. Correa and the other nurses stood by the patient to support him and each other in that moment.

“Witnessing that conversation, it really put me through how many times my staff has witnessed these conversations during this time,” Correa said.

Correa’s advice:After that phone call, Correa and her team stepped out of the room and talked about what they witnessed and how it made them feel.

Correa said those kinds of conversations occurred often. For some members of her team, that was enough. Others chose to seek professional help — including Correa.

She began talking to a therapist about her

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

Anahiz Correa

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE PAGE N30 

May 2022

didn’t need the stress of a student at that moment,” Weismuller said.

Weismuller’s advice: People need to recognize that health care workers are all humans and don’t have unlimited capacity to endure stress.

“In order to continue to provide care to other people, we have to take care of ourselves. ... We cannot burn through our bank of the amount of stress we can endure in our life,” she said. “It’s so important right now that those of us that are here need to be able to stay here as we get through the end of this pandemic hopefully.”

When nurses are reaching their limits, Weismuller said, all public and private medical entities need to help them develop resilience.

She serves on the board of the California Assn. of Colleges of Nursing, which preaches “resilience, reflection and reimagination.”

“In order to develop resilience, we need a time to reflect on what we’ve learned, what we could do differently, and reimagine how we can enhance our care for ourselves and others, for the future,” Weismuller said.

ABOVE: Neomi Gomez, a perinatal nursing supervisor for East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital in Los Angeles.

LEFT: Emergency Department Registered Nurse and retired California Air National Guard Col. Nancy Sumner at Dignity HealthGlendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center in Glendale, Calif.

FRANCINE ORR PHOTOS, LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE‌

Nancy Sumner Nancy Sumner just celebrated her 45th anniversary at the Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center. She’s a registered nurse in the emergency room and a retired colonel in the U.S. Air National Guard, where she specialized in aeromedical evacuation.

What has helped Sumner cope through the various phases of the pandemic?

“I always say Air Force core values — which (are) integrity, service before self, and excellence — have been my mantra,” she said.

It reminds her, she said, to focus on what she can do for a patient and not allow herself to feel overwhelmed before exhausting other options or asking for help.

“You have to cope, get it done and move on,” Sumner said.

Lately, Sumner’s team has had to cope with a new challenge: political divisions entering the hospital room.

Sumner said a family recently denied that a young patient who died had been infected with COVID-19. It was frustrating to deal with family members who were not vaccinated, refused to wear masks in

the emergency room and yelled at nurses.

The family has every right to be angry after the death of a loved one, Sumner said. But other people in the packed emergency room also needed to be kept safe.

“Pre-COVID-19, nurses, front-liners, you were respected a little bit more. Now a lot of nurses don’t feel as respected. ...

We do feel respected by our hospital and staff,” she said.

The other challenge for Sumner is that she doesn’t talk about her experiences at work with her family, citing patient confidentiality and not wanting to scare them.

It’s not easy for them to understand that she’s taking precautions at work and feels safe, because family members are thinking only about her exposure to the virus.

But her adult children can tell when she’s especially tired or when Sumner mentions she “dealt with a lot of COVID” that day.

Sumner’s advice: She finds solace in the fact that she can remove her scrubs at the end of her shift and change into clean clothes before leaving the hospital.

“It really made a difference for our staff because they felt they can leave everything (from the day) behind,” she said.

When she has a difficult day, Sumner will take a longer route home. It gives her time to debrief, think about what she can do differently another day. She also listens to calming music or a meditation app. Or sometimes she just yells in the car, which she finds cathartic.

On her days off, decompressing means playing with her grandchildren, taking them horseback riding, going on a walk or swimming.

Noemi Gomez Noemi Gomez is a registered nurse, a certified lactation consultant and a perinatal nursing supervisor for East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital. Gomez said she continues to find her work emotionally fulfilling, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

She said East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital cares for an underserved community so the gratitude from patients is visible, especially from expecting or new mothers.

During the pandemic, expecting mothers have worried about possible exposure to the coronavirus when going to the hospital for prenatal care. Gomez said she participated in a lot of community outreach through public forums to educate the community about the safety protocols the hospital implemented.

The other challenge in the prenatal unit was that families couldn’t always be physically present.

“We provide a very family-centered approach here, and having to limit the number of visitors that could be at the bedside during that time was a challenge.

We had to be able to accommodate the patient with the father of the baby or a designated support person throughout their hospital stay, while simultaneously keeping the other patients and ourselves safe,” Gomez said.

For pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19, a designated support person wasn’t able to be in the delivery room, so Gomez and other nurses in the unit were their support system.

“The role of the nurse as being also emotional support, I think, wa s just so much more enhanced during this pandemic because our pregnant mommies really needed us. It’s like we became their second moms because their mom wasn’t able to be with them and give them guidance at this moment of becoming a new mommy,” she said.

Gomez’s advice: She said she always tries to find the positive.

“As hard as that might be sometimes, I try to surround myself with people that are optimistic,” she said.

That positivity, for Gomez, can often be found in nature. So she regularly hikes and jogs. She equates it to finding a little normalcy in the midst of all the chaos.

How can the community care for nurses?

Nurses The Times spoke to were unanimous: Saying a simple “thank you” goes a long way for health care workers.

They also talked about working together as a community to end the pandemic by practicing hand hygiene, wearing a mask and following local safety guidelines.

And Kaiser’s Leido emphasized vaccination.

“The best way that you can help and provide support to all of our front-line health care workers, all of our essential workers, is to get vaccinated,” Leido said.

F

or nearly every indicator, t h e A m e r i ca n N u rs i n g Association says, America’s nurses are less healthy than the average American.

FAAN, said. “Together, we can ensure our nursing workforce is at its peak health and wellness.”

One of the things the program does is to match nurses with mental health resources, offering things like a free subscription to Headspace PLUS and other apps to improve the mental health and resilience of nurses across the country. It also organizes challenges for nurses to participate in for healthy eating, exercise and more.

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A Healthy Work ‘Nurses’ physical and mental well-being have never been more important’

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“Nurses’ physical and mental well-being have never been more important — to the profession and to every one of us who counts on nurses for health care and leadership,” said Kate Judge, executive director of the American Nurses Foundation.

Matthew S. Howard is a nurse who participates in the HNHN challenge. He said he walks the dog and connects with family and friends regularly, even virtually, to improve his well-being.

“A healthy mental lifestyle is so important to me right now,” he said.

Sonya L. Clayton, another participant, said she carves out quiet time to help her mental health.

“At night, I try to have at least 30 minutes of quiet time reading or doing something calming,” she said. “I also talk to my prayer partner every day, and that connection is so reassuring.”

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They’re more likely to be overweight, stressed out and tired. Workplace violence, injuries on the job and the 24/7 demands of the health care environment push many nurses to the breaking point.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that registered nurses have the fourth-highest rate of injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work when compared to all other occupations.

Yes, even lumberjacks.

To improve the health of America’s 4 million registered nurses, the ANA launched the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation movement five years ago. Its

mission is to connect and engage nurses and organizations to help nurses get more exercise, rest, nutrition, a better quality of life and be more safe on the job. It’s a free program, open to everyone in the industry.

There are more than 230,000 participants and more than 580 partner organizations.

It was particularly vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, which tried nurses’ health like never before.

“We encourage employers, professional associations and schools of nursing to share and amplify the vital HNHN resources that help nurses combat burnout, manage stress and overcome trauma,” ANA President Ernest J. Grant, RN,

NURSES, THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE

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