t
CONGRATULATIONS to our award winners! They are part of an elite team whose standard for care makes a difference in the lives of patients and families, and makes medicine better for us all.
EXCELLENCE Brittany Evans, RN St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Constantin Pelts, RN Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Your 31,000 team members across BJC HealthCare applaud you for this recognition. Join us. BJC.careers
Emily Wacker, RN Barnes-Jewish Hospital
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OUR JUDGES DEBRA ELLERBROOK
IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES, WE HONOR SOME EXTRAORDINARY NURSES Each day, thousands of nurses bring their skill, attention, care and love to patients in the St. Louis area. During a pandemic, the risk for all health care workers is elevated, as is our sense of gratitude and appreciation for the job they do. We are more aware than ever of the heroic work done by nurses. For the fourth consecutive year, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is honoring that work with Nurses: The Heart of Health Care program — a contest, section and recognition event supported by presenting sponsor BJC HealthCare, title sponsors Centene Corporation and Mercy and education sponsor, Maryville University. This year’s honorees will tell you that they are just doing their jobs. But their peers and patients have shared examples of how each of them have gone beyond the call of duty in bringing compassion, respect and empathy to their care, even before the onset of COVID-19. These truly are remarkable times and we are proud to share these remarkable stories.
THE 300 NOMINEES: The contest began with a call for nominations. The public was encouraged to nominate nursing professionals who made an impact on the lives of loved ones and the community at large. The community answered with nearly 300 nominations.
JUDGING THE TOP 100 FINALISTS: Three independent judges, Mariea Snell, Debra Ellerbrook and Quita Stephens, reviewed the 100 finalists and selected the nine winners featured within this section. The 10th winner was chosen by our readers. Read about each winner within this section and online at STLtoday.com/nurses.
RECOGNITION CEREMONY: At the time of publishing, the recognition ceremony has been postponed for a date that has not yet been determined. When we are able, we will bring together these 10 nurses, their families and colleagues to honor and celebrate their accomplishments.
THIS CONTENT WAS PRODUCED BY BRAND AVE. STUDIOS. THE NEWS AND EDITORIAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH HAD NO ROLE IN ITS CREATION OR DISPLAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BRAND AVE. STUDIOS, CONTACT TGRIFFIN@STLTODAY.COM.
Sarah Gerrein / Brand Ave. Studios content production manager · 314-340-8014, sgerrein@stltoday.com Aubrey Byron / Brand Ave. Studios contributing writer · 314-340-8643, abyron@stltoday.com Natalie Macias / Brand Ave. Studios contributing writer · 314-657-3310, nmacias@stltoday.com Francesca Eales / Brand Ave. Studios digital designer · 314-475-1268, feales@stltoday.com Charles Mems / regional advertising sales director · 314-340-8033, CMems@post-dispatch.com Mandy Loyet / director of advertising operations & classified · 314-340-8601, mloyet@post-dispatch.com Teresa Griffin / vice president Brand Ave. Studios · 314-340-8909, tgriffin@stltoday.com
Debra Ellerbrook served as the director of Concordia University Wisconsin – St. Louis Online Center for the last 10 ½ years until their closure in June 2018. She is also an adjunct instructor and curriculum developer for courses in management, marketing and retail. She has an extensive background in retail and wholesale sales and management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in psychology and a master’s degree in marketing, both from Webster University. She has served two terms as president of the St. Louis Area Health Care Recruiters Organization.
MARIEA SNELL, DNP, APRN, FNP-C Maryville University
Dr. Mariea Snell is an assistant professor and coordinator of the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Maryville University. She also serves as vice president of the Missouri State Board of Nursing. In addition, she works as a family nurse practitioner at Maven Clinic Inc., where she diagnoses and treats common primary care conditions using telehealth. Before coming to Maryville, Dr. Snell worked at Saint Louis University, where she instructed students on adult, pediatric, women’s and geriatric health. Prior to that, she was a research nurse of infectious diseases at Washington University in St. Louis for four years before earning her FNP. She holds a bachelor’s in nursing from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College, a master’s of science in nursing from Indiana State University and a doctorate in nursing from Saint Louis University.
QUITA S. STEPHENS, LNC, MSN, MSW, BHA, CERT. CMRN United Healthcare
Quita Stephens works for UnitedHealthcare as a boardcertified registered nurse case manager and trained legal nurse consultant. She has served as the president of the Black Nursing Association of Greater St. Louis for the past four years and has served with a commitment to change and advocacy. Before UnitedHealthcare, she worked in various areas of nursing including, trauma, OR, Med-Surg and oncology. In addition to her extensive clinical experience, Quita holds a bachelor’s degree in health care management, a certification in case management, a master’s in social work from Saint Louis University and a master’s in nursing leadership from Walden University.
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HEAR FROM OUR HEROES BY SA R A H GER R EIN , BR A ND AVE . STUDIOS CONTRIBU TING W RITER
NURSING DURING A PANDEMIC Each of the 10 nurses featured in this section work in differing fields and institutions, yet none are immune to the current health crisis of COVID-19. Here’s what they have to say regarding nursing during a pandemic: CONSTANTIN PELTS “We have always had the team, but now we have our community right alongside us. It’s nice having our voices heard, and we have people that have no medical background making masks, hand sanitizer, ventilators. We get
food [delivered] and I’ve actually been able to take a lunch break!” E’LISA MOSS “…teamwork is being redefined for the better. This is truly a learning curve for the health care industry, but I have no doubt that we will come out of this crisis more equipped with knowledge and innovative technologies that will aid us in the future.” EMILY WACKER “Nurses are having to adapt in ways they never have before.
Patients are now alone in the hospitals with no visitor policies and nurses are becoming families for patients. So much is unknown, yet we still want to show up every day and do an extraordinary job.” RODNEY ARMSTEAD “No matter the situation, nurses are there to help. We are almost like superheroes. The job can be exhausting and mentally break you down, yet we get up the next morning, going in for more.”
SHERRON WALKER “Nurses have always been onthefrontlinesofanyand all medical pandemics, epidemics and medical emergencies.Wearefirst responders, we volunteer to goplacesthatothersrun from,weprovidesome ofthebestcareunder themostextreme ofcircumstances, weareoftenthe people that are with a person when theytaketheirlast breathandcomfort thebereavedfamily/ lovedones.Wedo thesethings without hesitation.”
ADVICE TO NEW NURSES Some of our nurses are seasoned professionals and some are just a few years in, but they offered valuable advice to anyone just starting out or considering entering this amazingly rewarding career: AARON STOVER “Be sure this is something you’ll want to do because it’s not always easy — but it’s always rewarding. I see new grads starting their career and it can be a bit overwhelming for them at times.”
ADMIR BRKIC “Just do it — nursing is so challenging in so many ways, but the reward is endless.” BRITTANY EVANS “Be yourself. Be scared. We are humans, too. Be honest. Don’t get wrapped up in black and white nursing. There are grey areas.” CONSTANTIN PELTS “Do not be afraid to ask for help. It does not make you a bad nurse [because] there are times when we get complicated patients [and] we do need help.
Doing it all on your own creates stress — make sure you take care of yourself. If we can’t take care of ourselves then we can’t take care of our patients.” DEBBIE SCHWEISS “I look at new nurses in the hospital or ER and they have to spend so much time on the computer inputting information on their patient. I know this is important, but if I had one bit of advice to give, it would be: Don’t forget what you got into nursing for. Don’t forget to listen,
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and make sure you give [patients] the time they deserve. Show them that you care and will do your very best for them.” E’LISA MOSS “Be assertive. Be confident in your practice. Routinely evaluate your skillsets.” MONICA CROSS “When I meet new nurses or nursing students I always tell them, ‘Before you get started, write down why you want be a nurse. What is your happy thought about nursing school?’ Because I’m here
to tell you, that you will find a point in the middle of nursing school that you are going to want to quit. It’s hard. So I want you to open up your happy thoughts in the darkest moments and remind yourself why you’re doing it, because sometimes you lose sight of it... If you are truly called to be a nurse, there will not be another profession as rewarding.”
NURSES STAND AT THE FRONT LINES OF MODERN HEALTHCARE WE’LL HELP YOU STAND STRONG — AND STAND OUT As a nurse, you stand out in your scrubs. True leadership in the medical field starts on the front lines — with brave nurses like you. No matter where you are in your career, Maryville University can help you prepare for your future with your online bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, or graduate certificate in nursing.
THANK
YOU
TO ALL OUR NURSING GR ADS — AND TO ALL THE BR AVE NURSES WHO CONTINUE TO KEEP US SAFE
online.maryville.edu/post-dispatch
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NURSES ON THE FRONT LINES OF CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
CONTENT PROVIDED BY GR EEN SHOOT MEDIA
In December 2019, a devastating coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, surfaced in Wuhan, China causing mass illness throughout the country. The global pandemic has led to nationwide lockdowns in Italy, majorleague sporting cancellations and uncertainty throughout world stock markets. On March 14, 2020, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency regarding the coronavirus. Medical professionals, including nurses, are on the front lines risking exposure while limiting the spread and symptoms of the virus. The union National Nurses United urges employers to keep their health experts safe by incorporating necessary protocols. Employers shall clearly communicate with all health care workers, including notifying nurses when there is a possible or confirmed COVID-19 case. Facilities should be prepared for a surge of patients with potential or confirmed cases of the virus which should include how to isolate and care for patients, along with how to provide safe practices for medical staff. Employers shall conduct a thorough investigation after a COVID-19 patient is identified, ensuring the staff who were exposed are identified and notified. Nurses who faced exposure shall be placed on precautionary leave for at least 14 days without losing their pay or benefits. Nurses and other health care workers must also be provided with
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY STA F F S GT. SERGIO A . G A M B OA , U. S. A IR FO RCE VI A A D O B E STO CK /G R EEN SH O OT M EDI A
U. S . AI R FO RCE C A P T. T H E R E SA S N Y D E R , 355T H M E DIC A L O P E R AT IO N S SQ UA D RO N O P E R AT IO N A L M E DICI N E F L IG H T CO M M A N D E R , W E A R S P ROT EC T IV E G E A R AT DAVI S - M O N T H A N AI R FO RCE BA S E , A R IZO N A , O N M A RCH 27 W H I L E H E L P I N G WIT H COVI D -19 T E ST I N G .
efficient protective gear and any available education and training that may help experts understand the outbreak more efficiently.
HOW NURSES CAN STAY SAFE Since much is still unknown about how COVID-19 spreads, nurses and others in the medical field are at an increased risk of exposure.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges all nursing professionals to wear properly fitting masks and protective gloves while attending to patients.
HELP A NURSE The coronavirus is a widespread pandemic that is causing major corporations to close their doors temporarily. As a citizen, you can help
the medical professionals in your area by listening to guidelines from your state’s officials. Many are prohibiting events that are expected to draw over a specific number of people. To help lessen your exposure and need for medical assistance, avoid visiting high-traffic areas where the risk of obtaining the virus is enhanced.
Kenrick’s Would Like to
THANK all the NURSES and DOCTORS
and all Essential workers for their Selflessness and Dedication! WE SALUTE YOU! 1st Responders, All Hospital Employees To All the Restaurant Staff and Delivery People that Keep Us Going! To All of Our Fellow Grocery Store Workers Working So Hard to Keep Shelves Filled and Keeping Food on the Table! Also, To Our Staff who is Putting in Long Hours and Their Relentless Ethics to Keep Us Moving!
Our Family of Workers are Proud to be able to help in this Trying Time! ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE
TOGETHER WE CAN DO A LOT!
4324 Weber Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123 Meats & Catering
314-631-2440 kenricks.com
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RODNEY ARMSTEAD SINGING NURSE HELPS CALM HIS PATIENTS NATALIE MACIAS, B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Rodney Armstead Jr. likes to be musically and medically in tune with his patients. Songs have been a staple for Armstead since nursing school. As a memorization tool, Armstead wrote songs as a means to study for tests. He shared these songs with his fellow students, eventually ending up on Facebook, he laughed. “Students would approach me after a test and tell me that they thought about the song I sang and how it helped them figure out the answer,” he said.
RN, BSN St. Louis Communit y College - Forest Park & Barnes-Jewish Hospital
NURSING PROGRAM: Chamberlain College of Nursing
His self-proclaimed music career has followed him right into his professional nursing career.
BUTTERFLY EFFECT
His combined passion for science and human anatomy led him to his first health care position as a transporter at BarnesJewish Hospital. Three years later, he transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit as a patient care tech. Still, nursing remained in his heart. Pointing out the fact that his on-the-job questions were those of a typical nursing student, a nurse at Barnes asked him, “Have you ever considered nursing?” That sparked his desire to finally pursue his nursing degree at Chamberlain College of Nursing. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2014. Armstead calls his career at Barnes a “butterfly effect,” as he started as a transporter, turned patient care tech, then later evolved to a vascular PCU (progressive care unit) nurse. In fact, his nursing career is still evolving as he is currently pursuing his master’s degree in nurse education at Webster University.
RO D N E Y A R M ST E A D
Not only is Armstead continually learning, but he is also teaching. He serves as an adjunct clinical instructor to St. Louis Community College - Forest Park nursing students during their clinical rotation at Mercy Hospital. “My favorite part of teaching is watching students evolve from being afraid of direct contact with patients to jumping from room to room, confident in their work,” Armstead said. His biggest piece of advice to each of his students: Ask a million questions. Armstead shares that he’d “rather ask a stupid question than make a stupid mistake.”
A FUN-LOVING APPROACH TO NURSING
On the vascular PCU floor at Barnes, Armstead is known for his fun-loving and silly personality. Hence, his songwriting. His colleagues and patients get a frontrow seat to his impromptu song breakouts. “I make up songs as I’m working, and the patients are cracking up laughing at me the entire time,” he joked. “A lot of them tell me that it helps them get their mind off the things they are going through.” One patient in particular, Armstead
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recalls, was generally unresponsive. That was, until Armstead broke out in America’s “Ventura Highway.” The patient opened his eyes in response to his singing and the family laughed alongside him. Armstead’s tune brought a moment of solace for everyone in the room.
REDEFINING THE STEREOTYPE
As a male, African-American nurse, Armstead finds it important to inspire and advocate for others who might not otherwise have considered nursing. “I don’t fit the general stereotype of a nurse, so I try to inspire other men of my race and ethnicity to follow the path I have chosen,” he said. “I want to find ways to encourage other African-American men to get into nursing. And I want them to look at me and think, ‘if he can do it, why can’t I?’ “Something I always tell people who want to pursue nursing but are afraid is, ‘I was scared to go to nursing school, but I was more scared of where my life would be if I didn’t, so I got up and did what I had to do.” Armstead is changing the face of nursing — one melody at a time.
Teaching & Vascular PCU
YEARS OF SERVICE: 5
“
I don’t fit the general stereotype of a nurse, so I try to inspire other men of my race and ethnicity to follow the path I have chosen.
“
Nursing wasn’t his initial career path, although it was embedded in his mind from a young age. Out of curiosity as a child, Armstead borrowed his aunt’s nursing schoolbooks and was fascinated by the pictures. His heart for nursing started long before his mind caught up.
AREA OF FOCUS: P H OTO P ROVID ED BY RO D N E Y A R M ST E A D
Health Care. The entire STLCC community is proud of our amazing adjunct faculty member who is making a difference in our community. Are you interested in becoming a nurse? STLCC offers an affordable, two-year program. Learn more at stlcc.edu/nursing
stlcc.edu
Looking for a new dinner option? Find restaurants in your area serving carryout!
STLtoday.com/carryout
1870
for being selected as an amazing Nurse, The Heart of
2020
Congratulations to Rodney Armstead
St. Luke’ss Celebrates “The Year of the Nurse” in 2020 The “Year of the Nurse,” designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), recognizes the critical role the nursing profession plays in the complex healthcare system. It also honors the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, a revered hero and trailblazer of the nursing profession. We wish all nurses a happy National Nurses Week! We especially thank the nurses of St. Luke’s Hospital and St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital who touch countless lives and hearts in a way no one else can, and who have demonstrated heroic courage and compassionate dedication during the novel coronavirus pandemic of 2020. To learn more about nursing opportunities that allow you to fulfill your potential and achieve your professional goals, visit stlukes-stl.com/careers.
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ADMIR BRKIC
THIS NURSE BRINGS PERSPECTIVE AND PASSION INTO HIS CARE AU B R E Y BYRON , B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Admir Brkic’s path to nursing was personal. He spent substantial time in the hospital as a child due to a heart condition. The hardship encouraged him to want to help people through their own hard times.
MSN, APRN-BC Mercy Hospital St. Louis
He started as a student at St. Anthony’s Hospital in South St. Louis County (now Mercy South). He then began his nursing career in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. He eventually became a supervisor and spent 11 years in the unit.
NURSING PROGRAM: Goldfarb School of Nursing , BSN, Mar y ville Universit y, MSN
Now for the last 3 ½ years, Brkic has worked as a critical care nurse practitioner on the Critical Care Medicine Team. He says he has always had “a passion” for critical care. “I love everything about it,” he said.
AREA OF FOCUS: Critical Care
YEARS OF SERVICE:
“I love being challenged and putting together the puzzle pieces of the big picture to help efficiently and effectively treat critically ill patients collaboratively with my team,” he said. They work to provide the best possible care in the patient’s time of need. Not a day goes by they don’t learn something new, according to Brkic.
That hard work has paid off for many patients over the years, but it has had a lasting effect on one in particular. Every year, Brkic gets a visit from a patient to thank him for saving his life. The man had a heart attack and needed life-saving open heart surgery. Now that man gives back in his own way by volunteering to hold babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). For Brkic, being a great nurse is all about listening. “I think listening to patients and their families during such a critical time is essential to building a trusting health care relationship,” he said. “Things
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY A D MIR B R K IC
A D M I R B R K IC A N D FA M I LY
change so quickly and drastically within critical care. We want to make sure families are not surprised, and know that they have options with their loved one’s treatment.” Empathy and treating others the way he wants to be treated are foundational parts of Brkic’s care approach. “I realize one day it could be me in the hospital bed. It’s important to be kind to people. I treat people the way I would want to be treated.”
A CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE
For anyone thinking about going into the nursing field, he says, “Just do it.” Although a challenging profession, Brkic believes that the reward is endless, and that it can give you a different perspective on life. Brkic’s perspective is partly shaped by his multi-cultural background. Being
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from Bosnia and growing up in Germany before moving to the United States as a 16-year-old helps him relate to many different people. “When you’re exposed to other things, you realize you can do things different ways,” he said. For him, it keeps him from having a bias of just one way things should be. That perspective continues to shift as we adjust to the pandemic. “I have learned to never take anything for granted and to never underestimate the nursing profession. The teamwork and comradery are incredible. Everyone is willing to rise to the challenge and provide the best care we can for these patients,” he said. According to his nominator, Brkic has “a unique, unwavering brand of caring for people.” On top of this, he is a supportive son, loving husband and inspiring father — what he considers his greatest accomplishment of all.
“
It’s important to be kind to people. I treat people the way I would want to be treated.
“
His colleagues recognize his passion and work ethic and praise him as a vital part of their team. “Admir is seen as a resource for nurses throughout the entire hospital as he is also a provider for the Rapid Response Team. He is highly regarded amongst the patients he cares for as well as his colleagues,” said a nominator.
14
MERCY BRINGS NURSING MISSION TO LIFE
WITH COORDINATED, COLLABORATIVE CARE SP ONSOR ED CONTENT BY N ATA LIE M ACIA S, BR A ND AVE . STUDIOS CONTRIBU TING W RITER
To be a nurse at Mercy is to embrace the responsibility of patient care. “At Mercy, delivering compassionate, coordinated, collaborative care is the basis for all we do,” says Betty Jo Rocchio, chief nursing optimization officer. Mercy is a four-time Watson Health 15 Top Health System (2016-2019) and serves millions annually. This includes more than 40 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, 900 physician practices, 45,000 co-workers and 2,400 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Serving the St. Louis community, Mercy has five local hospitals, employing a total of 5,195 nurses altogether. As a faith-based organization, Mercy is rooted in its mission of bringing to life the healing ministry of Jesus through care and service. There are five core values that guide Mercy nurses and the directions they take with their care every day – dignity, excellence, justice, service and stewardship.
A RICH HISTORY OF SERVING Mercy’s mission and values began with the Sisters of Mercy, often referred to as “The Walking Sisters,” who would seek out those in need and deliver care in the streets of Dublin, Ireland, serving the poor, the homeless and women and children regardless of their culture or background. “Our foundress, Catherine McAuley, is foundational to our Mercy identity, to honoring our history and heritage. We educate our nurses, physicians and coworkers from orientation onwards about Catherine’s story, and we reinforce the story of Mercy’s founding and values in the workplace,” said Rocchio. With dignity as a core value, each nurse strives to treat each individual just as the Sisters did. “Dignity to us means respecting everyone,” said Marie Graham, director of medical-surgical and women’s health units at Mercy South. The core value of dignity intertwines
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY M ERC Y
with another value that is on the top of the list: justice. Mercy nurses have a special focus on those who are economically poor, making sure each individual within the hospital and in the community has services available to them. Thanks to technology, some of these extended services include Mercy Virtual, or a “hospital without beds.” Virtual care allows clinicians to “see” patients wherever they are – whether it be in the intensive care unit on a two-way camera or in the comfort of their own home via an iPad.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH Mercy offers a variety of opportunities for nurses to continue their education and eventually move into leadership roles. Some of these opportunities include: • Tuition and professional development reimbursement programs • Nursing loan forgiveness • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) • Student loan refinancing discount • Mercy scholarships and grants • University partnerships providing discounted tuition, scholarships and waived fees • RN to BSN bridging program • MSN program
Nurses Graham and Corin Allen, director of heart and vascular services at Mercy South, have taken advantage of these opportunities. Allen started at Mercy as a patient care tech and Graham began her Mercy career as an LPN. Both nurses have been able to move into leadership roles thanks to the opportunities that Mercy provides its staff. “The opportunities are limitless,” Graham said. “Whether it be advanced practice or a higher level care in leadership, all of these options are available to any Mercy nurse.” “I started as a patient care tech here, and over the years I have benefitted from the tuition reimbursement programs and started my master’s program,” said Allen. “I am very blessed to be a nurse here at Mercy.”
COLLABORATIVE CARE Nursing leaders at Mercy embrace the decision-making process by involving every member of their team, recognizing that each individual plays an important role when it comes to caring for their patients. “Mercy has developed professional practice teams by nurse specialty that work alongside our physician specialty councils to make decisions regarding policies and protocols, care delivery and shared decision-making
so that we deliver a coordinated, collaborative, front-line approach to patient care,” Rocchio said. This decision-making process combined with Mercy’s digital and technology platform have transformed the care delivered and the care experienced in the midst of COVID-19. “We have a nursing leadership structure that is nimble so we can make timely decisions, a digital technology and analytics footprint that gives us real-time information to make informed clinical and care decisions, and evidence-based care guidelines embedded right into our electronic medical record for our nurses. This platform has been very instrumental in our ability to move care in the right direction during this pandemic,” Rocchio said. She and leaders at Mercy are also cross-collaborating with other area hospitals during this time. “This is a special time in nursing as we are being called upon to transform the care and respond to community needs. We are reaching out to our local nursing leaders, making sure we are connected,” she said. “We want to make sure that not just Mercy patients are covered, but the entire community.”
NUMBER OF STAFFED BEDS AT EACH MERCY LOCATION • Mercy St. Louis: 703 • Mercy South: 500 • Mercy Jefferson: 173 • Mercy Washington: 74 • Mercy Lincoln: 19
NUMBER OF MERCY NURSES IN ST. LOUIS • 5,195
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MONICA CROSS
RESEARCH NURSE DELIVERS COMMUNICATION AND COMPASSION TO CANCER PATIENTS SAR AH G ER R EIN , B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Communication is one of the biggest obstacles oncology patients and their caregivers face. Medical terminology, ever-evolving procedures, the neverending prescription list and varied treatment options weigh heavily on an already-stressed mind. They need a cancer interpreter. They also need a comforting presence to walk with them through this uncertain future.
RN, BSN, OCN Mercy Hospital St. Louis
NURSING PROGRAM: Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish
Luckily for oncology patients, Monica Cross, Oncology Certified Research Nurse at Mercy Hospital, possesses both qualities. And they have her grandmother to thank for her career choice.
AREA OF FOCUS: Oncolog y Research Cer tified Nurse
“My grandma always said that I would make a great nurse,” said Cross. “I didn’t believe her at the time. I was afraid to hurt people, and my only idea of what nurses did was to give shots and IVs. And that, in my experience, was causing pain, not comfort or healing.”
Oncology has been her specialty ever since. “While working on the oncology floor, I found that I was capable and comfortable making the connection with patients going through their fight with cancer,” said Cross. “I enjoyed getting to know patients and their families and helping them during their time in the hospital, which for most of them is at their sickest.”
A RESEARCH ROLE
With a desire to learn more about both
9 P H OTO P ROVID ED BY M O NIC A CRO SS
M O N IC A CROS S
the diseases her patients were living with as well as the rapidly evolving treatment options, Cross joined the Mercy Research team after eight years on the oncology floor. In this leadership role, she explores best practices and educates other departments in the cancer center about clinical trial opportunities. She then works closely with patients who could benefit from a clinical trial.
every question the patient had about [participation]. After working closely with the patient, his family and his team of physicians, the patient confidently agreed to participate in the clinical trial. It is this same patient-centered approach that has allowed Monica to form relationships with so many patients who trust her to advocate for them.”
Cross says her communication skills have been her biggest accomplishment to date. It’s true that collaborating among departments, doctors and patients requires a skilled and organized communicator, but it also requires a comforting patient advocate. Cross’ supervisor, Stephanie Sekscinski, explains Cross’ patient-first approach: “Monica is first an advocate for those patients’ wishes. She sat in an exam room with a patient and his wife for over an hour explaining a possible clinical trial opportunity and answering
It makes no difference if Cross is involved in direct care or in a research role, her grandma remains at the forefront of her nursing philosophy. “I think of how I would want [my grandma] cared for,” she said. And I want to make sure that my patients are knowledgeable about the care they are getting. If it is a chemo infusion, I tell them what to expect. If it is a test or procedure, I try to help them understandwhattoexpect.Thereissomuch in their life that they are not in control of — I figure knowing what to expect helps even in the smallest way.”
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“
There is so much in [a cancer patient’s] life that they are not in control of — I figure knowing what to expect helps even in the smallest way.
“
With that in mind, Cross went to college and received a degree in communications, but she was drawn back to the idea of nursing when she worked for an orthopedic surgeon as a medical assistant. She found she enjoyed helping people get back their quality of life, so she decided to go to nursing school after all. While in school, she worked on the oncology floor as a hospital tech to help with tuition reimbursement and gain valuable experience.
YEARS OF SERVICE:
NURSES, THIS WEEK AND EVERY WEEK, WE SALUTE YOU
THANK YOU. PRODUCTION SUPPORT SERVICES
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BRITTANY EVANS
PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGY NURSE RIDES THE WAVES WITH HER PATIENTS NATALIE MACIAS, B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
She was a nurse fresh out of orientation and had to deliver a devastating diagnosis to a pediatric patient on the oncology/hematology floor. She didn’t know how she’d find to courage to do so.
RN, BSN St. Louis Children’s Hospital
The patient’s lighthearted response, thinking the hospital was a hotel: “Where’s the pool?”
NURSING PROGRAM:
Brittany Evans, RN, BSN and pediatric oncology/hematology nurse at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, remembers this patient fondly. She explained that this blissful innocence is the essence of pediatric c ancer patients.
AREA OF FOCUS:
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Pediatric Oncolog y/Hematolog y
YEARS OF SERVICE:
DESTINED TO BE A NURSE
Evans initially pursued a career in speech pathology after studying communication disorders in undergrad. Her grandpa, who she cared for from a young age, prophesized her future calling. “You’re going to be a nurse one day,” he would tell her.
RIDING THE WAVE
Children who battle cancer and hematology blood disorders day in and day out typically have a longterm treatment plan. Brittany called her nursing journey with the patients and their families “riding the wave.” This “wave” her patients ride can be physically and mentally taxing, which is why Evans finds it important to help her patients and their families focus less on the diagnosis and more on the
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY B R IT TA N Y E VA N S
B R IT TA N Y E VA N S
patient. “I get to fall in love with the child and their whole family. I want to know their life outside of cancer. Every patient has a story beyond their diagnosis. I want to really know them,” she said. Patients’ families also benefit from Evans’ style of nursing. One mother of an oncology patient referred to her as, “MY Brittany,” emphasizing that Evans was one of the only nurses that her timid daughter would interact with in her yearlong stay at Children’s. Not only did she suppor t the patient, she af firmed and comfor ted her parents, as well. “ She [Evans] has seriously helped me through so many moments where I was breaking and felt I couldn’t go on anymore. She’s talked me through the bad times and the good times,” the patient ’s mother said.
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BEAUTY IN VULNERABILITY
Young children are often unaware of all the details of their diagnosis, which brings levity to their serious medical situation. “The kids are always up playing and laughing,” she said. “They don’t act like they’re sick. There’s beauty in that vulnerability. Knowing too much can be scary,” she said.
Still, being a nurse on a pediatric oncology and hematology floor is not for the faint of heart. It takes a special nurse to endure this specialty. Evans emphasized that her faith in God is the foundation that guides her through. “Being able to pray and holding onto my faith plays an integral role in my job. “People say all the time, ‘I don’t know how you do it.’ And I don’t have a good answer — other than my faith. I believe God put me in this field.”
“
People say all the time, ‘I don’t know how you do it.’ I don’t have a good answer – other than my faith. I believe God put me in this field.
“
He was right. After realizing nursing was where she belonged, Evans enrolled at Chamberlain College of Nursing. She landed her first job at SSM St. Mary’s Hospital ICU, but she felt a specific pull to work in pediatric oncology and hematology after falling in love with the specialty on a nursing rotation in college. She has been working alongside these young cancer patients for the last 2 ½ years.
4½
DEAR ST. LOUIS AREA NURSES, During my 40+ years in nursing, I have never been more proud of the career I chose or the people I am privileged to represent. As a BJC team member and the mother of physicians working the front line, I am humbled by the dedication and courage I have witnessed in the face of this pandemic. So while I want to extend a message of congratulations to BJC’S award-winning nurses Brittany, Constantin and Emily, I also want to take this opportunity to speak to all nurses across our region. Nurses, you’ve chosen more than a job or a profession—you’ve responded to a higher calling. Today, more than ever, you must feel that calling as you leave your families and the safety of your homes to enter what some are calling a “battle zone.” Your work has never before been this important, this vital. Right now, you may be the only face of compassion, the only loving touch, the only source of comfort for patients nearing the end of life without their loved ones close by. You may be smiling under your mask as you send a recovered patient off to a thankful family. You’ve been celebrated as angels and heroes. But you also go home after days you could never have imagined in nursing school. You may break down as you drive because you had to be strong and stoic while caring for frightened patients. You may be moved to tears as you leave your workplace pporrt an nd cheering parra to signs so off sup s sup an e eerin gp adess. ades
And while I too wish to shout from the rooftop a big THANK YOU for fighting this virus on our behalf, I also want to calm your fears. I want you to know that your leaders are behind you, fighting for you every day in incident command centers across the region. We are working around the clock doing everything possible to help you provide the safest and most effective care for our patients and community. Many of us spent the early years of our career on the front lines and we remember it well. We understand the fears you have, and we want you to know that your well-being is first and foremost in our minds and hearts. Please trust me when I say, you are at the very center of every decision we make. We are deeply and eternally grateful for the lives you touch—and save—every day. I know my leadership colleagues at BJC and across the region join me in expressing the sincere hope that you will all remain safe, that the lessons of this pandemic will serve you well throughout your career and that you will ultimately reap the rewards of your vocation—knowing you are truly the beloved heroes of our time. With the utmostt g gratitude,, llove and admiration,
THANK YOU! enise Murphy, Mu hy, Vice Vic esi Patient Care Den Denise Deni De urphy rphy ph ce e Pr Preside P sident, ident, de t, P dent, ient ent C re e Chieff Nu Nurs xecutiiv ve Sy ysstems and y d Ch C Nur u se Execu Ex xec v
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We invite you to join our ministry and mission to serve our community. During these uncertain times, join our team of health care heroes who provide daily moments of Mercy for each other and those we serve.
Congratulations to our fellow nurses for their dedication to the Mercy mission and their recognition from the St. Louis community in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Heart of Health Care contest!
Aaron Stover – Registered Nurse, ICU Admir Brkic – RN – Practitioner, ICU Monica Cross- Clinical Research Nurse, Mercy Research
Apply today careers.mercy.net STLtoday.com/nurses | Brand Ave. Studios • Sunday, May 10, 2020 • 17
E’LISA MOSS
COMBINING PASSION AND CAREER IS AN ART FORM THIS NURSE HAS MASTERED NATALIE MACIAS, B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
E’Lisa Moss is a believer in the healing power of the arts. With a background in psychology and a clinical nursing degree, her broad knowledge of the human mind and body are complementary assets in her current position as a Float Pool Nurse at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital.
RN, BSN SSM Health St. Louis Universit y Hospital
Float pool is a fancy way of saying “wherever she is needed.” For Moss, every day is different. She floats from cardiac to neuro to transplant wings. Her job allows her to learn a myriad of cultures and disease practices.
NURSING PROGRAM: Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing & Health Sciences
AREA OF FOCUS:
Her wide array of experiences, duodegrees and her career have led her to this conclusion: Art therapy isn’t just for the cognitive patient. Art therapy is an essential part of healing for every patient. “I am an artist at heart,” she said. “Combining health care and the arts is a discipline.”
Float Pool
YEARS OF SERVICE: 4 P H OTO P ROVID ED BY E ’ LISA M O SS
Moss always dreamed of becoming a nurse. But when she learned that her mother had cancer, her dream became a passion. She began the application process to nursing schools while living in her hometown of Austin, Texas. It would be a year before she was accepted into Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing & Health Sciences in Quincy, Illinois. “I had never even heard of Quincy. I honestly don’t even remember applying there,” she laughed. Although different from her initial plans, Moss believes the gap of time between her mother’s diagnosis and nursing school was a gift from God to spend uninterrupted time with her mother. Just four weeks after starting classes, her mother passed away. Blessing-Rieman became just that to Moss: a blessing. The teachers and staff took her under their wings and guided her through nursing school in her mother’s absence. Even still, it was her mother’s
words that became her guiding light. “My mom left me jewels and words of wisdom,” Moss said. Since graduating from nursing school, Moss made it her mission to be a change agent wherever she was serving. In fact, that desire led her to St. Louis after hearing of the Ferguson riots, hoping to put this mission into action. She then started her career at St. Louis University hospital and has resided in St. Louis for four years.
LIVING OUT HER MISSION
By incorporating the arts — including coloring, writing, positive communicating and music — into her care plans, Moss not only inspires her patients but her coworkers as well. She encourages them to see the arts as a positive activity in their own lives. “I don’t believe that nursing is one-dimensional,” she stated. She often tells her coworkers to tap into their own skill sets and use them beyond the bedside. One such skill that Moss herself practices
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outside of nursing is gardening. She and her husband have their own farm, GroFarm and Gro Health Center, where they turn their love for horticulture into healthy food choices for their community. Her husband covers the hydroponics and she covers the agricultural side. Their vision is to start a healthy food initiative that will offer workshops to community members to learn about farming and gardening with the goal of eliminating obesity. “Preventative care is extremely important,” she said. “Being healthy starts with your source of food.” As much as she loves treating her patients at the hospital, if she can prevent them from a hospital stay by teaching healthy eating habits, that’s a win in her book. In her free time, she and her husband open their home to a five-year-in-the-making collection of art called “the Carrington Collection” to display contemporary art and share warm conversations with the community.
“
Combining health care and the arts is a discipline.
“
E ’ L I SA M OS S
A DREAM REALIZED
CENTENE’S MANAGED CARE PROGRAM
EMBEDS NURSES IN THE COMMUNITY FOR POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES SP ONSOR ED CONTENT PROVIDED BY CENTENE COR P OR ATION
Since beginning her nursing career over 30 years ago, Kim Henrichsen says the profession has provided her with boundless opportunities, including joining Centene in 2018. As senior vice president of Population Health and Clinical Operations, Henrichsen directs teams of nursing professionals that provide managed care services for Centene’s 24 million beneficiaries. Prior to Centene, Henrichsen served as a chief nursing executive for a large hospital system in Utah and Idaho. She has provided direct clinical care across the health care spectrum, and helped shape the careers of other nurse educators, administrators, advanced practice nurses and nurse informaticists. She says that after moving into her first managed care position at Centene, she appreciated that the company’s purpose and mission aligned perfectly with her professional commitment to support the good health of communities and individuals. “I quickly realized that my approach remained the same. Centene provides a powerful opportunity to help our members achieve positive health outcomes,” she says. “Managed care presents a way to really embed ourselves in the community, and think about what is needed to help people live healthier lives and contribute back to their communities in positive ways.” As a leading multi-national health care enterprise, Centene is the nation’s largest Medicaid managed care organization, and the No. 1 carrier in the nation on the Health Insurance Marketplace, as well as the national leader in managed long-term services and supports. For more than 35 years, the company has remained deeply committed to transforming the health of the communities it serves. Centene’s local health plans across the U.S. help members address their specific needs. Nursing professionals are an essential part of the strategy. Teams of health service experts, using Centene’s advanced clinical analytics,
NURSING OPPORTUNITIES “For me, one of my most gratifying experiences is helping nurses realize their full potential,” Henrichsen says. “I always encourage those who are entering the nursing field to be aware of the extensive opportunities this career provides for not only personal fulfillment, but also for growth and new experiences. For example, health care transformation relies on nurses who want to drive innovation, and nurses who embrace new technology solutions are positioning themselves to advance the profession.” She adds, “Centene is a company that embraces the advantages that technology provides for successful health solutions.”
work together to implement award-winning programs, develop care plans, enable partnerships, and work one-onone with members. “At Centene, nurses who serve as care managers collaborate with behavioral health care mangers, care coordinators and community health workers to create care teams that surround and support members on their health journey,” Henrichsen adds. “Members of our care teams also partner with community organizations to design and deliver care pathways for our members. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be innovative and to think about how we can truly transform health care at a local level.”
REAL-TIME HELP FOR MEMBERS As health care professionals around the globe are wrestling with the threat that COVID-19 presents, nurse-led care teams at Centene health plans are working with members to keep them safe and healthy. Henrichsen says, “The pandemic has created new challenges for all of us and our care management teams have inspired me as I’ve watched them creatively work to ensure our members have access to continuation
of critical supports and services. Nurses are helping members understand COVID-19 prevention, and they’re working with families to address basic needs during this crisis. She adds, “Many of our nurses have also expressed an interest in volunteering in their communities to provide much-needed relief to their colleagues providing direct care in hospitals and other settings.” Henrichsen notes that a major shift has been occurring in health care, moving a large portion of patient care from the inpatient hospital setting toward a home and community setting. “It’s very important that when thinking about where our members are receiving their care, we realize that health care most often happens in the community and a home environment. Nurses with Centene health plans are directly helping members, but they’re also working with family members who are serving as caregivers, teaching them how they can best provide care for their loved one, at home.” She adds, “Our members are often the most vulnerable individuals in our country. They are living with complex care needs and we are here to serve them.”
TRANSFORMING THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, ONE PERSON AT A TIME • Provides affordable and high-quality health products to nearly 1 in 15 AmerIcans across all 50 U.S. states. • Provides Medicaid, Medicare, Health Insurance Marketplace and TRICARE products • No. 1 carrier in the nation on the Health Insurance Marketplace • The largest Medicaid managed care organization in the U.S. • The national leader in managed long-term services and supports • Serves over 23 million managed care members • Ranked No. 51 on the Fortune 500® list of largest American companies • Ranked No.7 on the 2019 FORTUNE Change the World List • Selected as one of FORTUNE’s Most Admired Companies SOURCE: CENTENE ANNUAL REPORT AND CENTENE.COM
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CONSTANTIN PELTS
FROM THE MARINES TO THE ER, THIS NURSE DOESN’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF BY NATALIE MACIAS, B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Caring for others’ needs above their own is a hardwired characteristic of nurses. The same can be said of those who serve in the United States Marine Corps. Constantin Pelts, RN, BSN, CEN, has done both.
RN, BSN, CEN Barnes-Jewish Hospital and SSM Health St. Louis Universit y Hospital
He took to this way of living at the ripe age of 18 when enlisting in the Marine Corps. Soon thereafter, he was deployed to Iraq in 2003. His love for medicine developed while overseas when training to be a combat aidesman. Using his fastpaced, combat-driven skills, he pursued a paramedic degree upon his return to the states.
Johns Hopkins Universit y, Goldfarb School of Nursing
AREA OF FOCUS: Emergency Medicine
YEARS OF SERVICE: 11 P H OTO P ROVID ED BY CO N STA N TIN P ELTS
CO N STA N T I N P E LT S
early signs in the change of a patient’s condition, then being able to reverse the cause is why I love the ER,” said Pelts.
Thanks to his background, Pelts knew that he would make an exceptional emergency nurse – and that’s exactly where he ended up. Pelts has served on the Barnes-Jewish Trauma Care Team as a Certified Emergency Nurse for the past year, and recently accepted a position in the emergency department at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital. He affirmed his calling by saying, “Emergency medicine has always been my backbone and where my heart is.”
There is no shortage of selfless compassion and care from Pelts in his position. For instance, he was caring for a 4-year-old patient who loved dinosaurs, so he decided the most comforting thing he could do for this young patient was to buy some dinosaurs from the store over his lunch break and bring them back to him to keep him company.
His Marine Corps and paramedic experience made for a smooth transition into constantly-evolving emergency situations. “I have [an] expanded toolset along with experience to provide the best care. Being able to notice the
Another instance of Pelts’ kindheartedness was when a patient was in distress over their hospital meals being incorrect that day. Pelts took it upon himself to personally buy this patient dinner to smooth over the rough day they had
SELFLESS COMPASSION AND CARE
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experienced. “We are here on the patient ’s worst day, and our at titude can make a difference in that patient ’s experience,” he said. Besides his constant desire to put the needs of others before his while g oing above and beyond to care for patients who enter the emergency room, Pelts wanted to continue sharpening his skillset. From Marine Corps aidesman to paramedic to RN to BSN, Pelts became a board cer tified emergency nurse (CEN), acquiring the skills and knowledge to be top-notch in his unit. A calm demeanor is the key to success in emergency medicine, Pelts explained. “If I panic, my patient panics.” His advice to combat this: “Don’t sweat the lit tle things.”
“
Emergency medicine has always been my backbone and where my heart is.
“
He served in St. Louis county and city for over 10 years as a paramedic. A preceptor in paramedic school, who was also an RN, inspired Pelts to pursue his career beyond the ambulance with a nursing degree. “Watching him and the other nurses come together to work a trauma or cardiac arrest without missing a beat, and the confidence they had in each other got me hooked,” Pelts said.
NURSING PROGRAM:
Thank You, Nurses! We are grateful for everything that you do. As nurses work to improve health care, Webster University works to help nurses prepare for their own futures by offering flexible, convenient, eight-week terms and small evening classes. • RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) • Master of Health Administration (MHA) • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) • Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice
WEBSTER.EDU/NURSING
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MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY HELPS BRAVE NURSES STAND OUT IN THEIR SCRUBS SP ONSOR ED CONTENT PROVIDED BY M A RY VILLE UNIVER SIT Y
At Maryville University, current and future nurses aren’t just building a career. They’re preparing to step up, stand out and lead. That’s because Maryville is on a mission to empower and embolden nurses with high-quality, accessible education that fits around their busy schedules. “Nurses are brave because they are always putting someone else before them,” says Ta’Mare Banks, a Maryville University graduate who now works with mothers and babies in a hospital setting. “Your job is taking care of someone else, 100% of the time. We’re so resilient because things can go wrong within a flash. … You might be panicking, but you can’t panic, because the patient is panicking . … You have to be strong for her.” The need for highly skilled nurses has rarely been more obvious than now. With the global COVID-19 pandemic on people’s minds, there’s a high-profile test case that highlights the vital role nurses and health care professionals play in our society. With the help of expert faculty and practical, experience-based learning, Maryville’s nursing students are preparing to face the day-to-day challenges of the field — and to lead in times of crisis.
In 2019 alone, Maryville Online boasted a graduating class of more than 1,000 nurses earning their graduate certificates or degrees at all levels. See Fig. 2. One of those graduates was Taryn Denezpi, whose advisor helped her see how Maryville could allow her to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) without making compromises on the things that mattered most to her. “She gave me so much information. She was very open, she was very kind,” Denezpi says. “She said, we understand people have jobs and they have families, and they need work-life balance and a school-life balance. She portrayed Maryville in the best way possible, and I do believe it to be true after graduating. ... I had a child in the midst of all of that, and I was still able to grow my career. I [never] had to put my life on hold.” Now an accomplished nurse in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Denezpi has helped research neuro-thrombectomy practices that could prove life-saving for stroke patients — and helped implement those techniques in her current practice. The National Institutes of Health quantifies the
P H OTO S P ROVID ED BY M A RY VIL L E U NIV ER SIT Y
MARY VIL L E N U R SING ST U DE N T S P R AC TICE TH EIR TECH NICAL SKIL L S.
severity of a stroke on a scale of 0-42, where 0 is no stroke and anything above 21 is considered a severe stroke. Denezpi says patients with strokes in the mid20s or higher could potentially face long-term disability or death — but neuro-thrombectomy practices could greatly diminish the risk. “I looked at patients’ post-thrombectomy scores,” she says of her research, “and I found that in just receiving thrombectomies [as sole treatment]. ... patients were having a decrease in their stroke scale by at least eight points on average... It really takes away a lot of that devastation to where they can continue to have a very high quality of life.
FLEXIBLE DEGREE PROGRAMS At Maryville, nursing is one of the most in-demand degree choices, in large part due to the university’s robust online degree programs that allow maximum flexibility for students working around their professional, personal and social schedules. The university offers web-based programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, as well as a selection of graduate certificates. With some 10,200-plus students currently enrolled, more than half of whom are earning their degrees online, Maryville is the fourth-fastest growing university in the nation. The online nursing programs, with a combined enrollment of more than 3,100 students, comprise about 30% of the total student body and 60% of online enrollment. See Fig.1.
Fig. 1
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GR A P HIC P ROVID ED BY M A RY VIL L E U NIV ER SIT Y
NEARLY 150 YEARS OF SERVICE Outstanding nursing programs are a natural fit for Maryville University, because service is in its DNA. The institution has been committed to making a difference since 1872 — in the St. Louis community, and now nationwide via remote learning options. One of the oldest and most historic private institutions in the St. Louis area, Maryville was founded by the Religious of the Sacred Heart, a Roman Catholic group whose mission was to provide educational opportunities for girls who otherwise may not have been able to pursue the lives they wanted. From the beginning, Maryville was all about providing access. Its inaugural student body comprised some 80 women in the boarding school, and another 70 students in the free school for underprivileged children. In nearly a century-and-a half since then, the university’s reach and scope have expanded, now serving students from all 50 states and 58 countries. But its mission remains the same: providing high-quality education to as many people as possible. That’s the commitment to excellence that helps Maryville’s nursing students thrive in the classroom — and in the workplace.
IMPROVING ACCESS AND SUPPORT FOR EVERYONE Dr. Mark Lombardi, president of Maryville University, has championed the idea of streamlining the administrative aspect of the college experience, reflecting the university’s mission to increase access to undergraduate and graduate education. That way, students can focus fully on their education instead of worrying about logistics. “In our online programs, including our nursing programs, we work hard to keep doing what this university has done for nearly 150 years: Put students’ needs first and give them the access and support they deserve to succeed,” says Dr. Lombardi. “We want to break down
STANDING OUT IN THEIR SCRUBS
A MARY VIL L E N U R SING ST U DE N T R ECEIVES IN STRUC TION FROM FACU LT Y.
perceived barriers students might have. So we believe that everything inside the classroom should be challenging and rigorous — but everything outside the classroom should be easy.” There are a number of ways the university accomplishes this goal. Students can apply to Maryville Online — including the nursing programs — with no application fee, no entrance exams and in most cases no letters of recommendation. Prospective students also work with dedicated enrollment advisors, and once admitted, students get personalized attention from their academic advisors — as well as access to a multitude of online resources and 24/7 technical support. “Everything we do is about streamlining the process so we can ease students’ minds, because we believe high-quality college education should be for everyone,” says Dr. Lombardi.
All nurses work hard and provide an essential service for our society. That’s clear today more than ever. But Maryville University believes each nurse stands out in his or her own unique way. By eliminating potential barriers and improving access to high-quality nursing education, the university empowers outstanding nurses who may otherwise not have had the opportunity to earn their degrees. That means they can focus on what really matters: serving patients. “We are the most trusted profession because of everything we do,” Banks says. “We’re the patient’s educator, we’re the patient’s confidante, we’re the patient’s backbone and we’re their nurturer. I think nurses are brave because they take on so many things within that one role. We put our lives on the line, because people’s lives are in our hands every day.” Denezpi believes any nurse with a proper education can thrive as long as they are willing to care unconditionally. “People are like, ‘You must be really smart because you went into the medical field and you chose to be a nurse,’” she says. “But it’s not just about what you’ve learned or how you’re applying it. … I think any nurse who would really stand out is one who cares unconditionally, cares enough to learn what needs to be learned, cares enough to do what needs to be done, cares enough to advocate for their patients. … We’re seeing patients at their lowest, but we’re still there to care for them regardless of the situation.”
P H OTO S P ROVID ED BY M A RY VIL L E U NIV ER SIT Y
MARY VIL L E N U R SING ST U DE N T STAN DS OU T IN HIS SCRU B S.
Fig. 2
GR A P HIC P ROVID ED BY M A RY VIL L E U NIV ER SIT Y
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DEBBIE SCHWEISS DIGNIFIED NURSING CARE FOR THE GERIATRIC POPULATION SAR AH G ER R EIN , B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Compassionate care. Treating the body, mind and the soul. Family inclusion. Involving patients in their own care and helping them make decisions even though in the outside world, they are unable to do so. Respect.
RN Dolan Memor y Care
These traits embody Debbie Schweiss, RN Manager in a group home setting for Dolan Memory Care at Lourdes Manor.
NURSING PROGRAM: St. Louis Communit y College - Meramec
Schweiss began pondering a career in nursing after spending countless hours (and years) observing nurses at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital with her young daughter who was experiencing seizures. “They taught me to look for signs and symptoms of seizures, never made me feel that I was incompetent to care for my child and encouraged me to ask questions. That was when I decided that I was going to be a nurse,” she said.
SPEAKING DEMENTIA
Among her many talents, Schweiss “speaks dementia.” Since 2016, Nurse Schweiss has been a house manager for one of Dolan’s dementia-specific homes. Each home has 10 bedrooms, all with community spaces. Schweiss is the leader of this community, where family members are actively involved with their loved ones. What’s even more important is the residents’ “age in place,” which means once they are admitted to a home they won’t have to leave — even if their care becomes more intense. Schweiss practices compassionate care by ensuring that her residents feel respected and valued. The methods are simple, yet effective. One method she uses is giving
Geriatrics, Dementia Care
YEARS OF SERVICE: 29
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY D O L A N M EM O RY C A R E
D E B B I E SCH W E I S S PAI N T I N G WIT H R E SI D E N T
choices. She said she asks, “’Do you want a bath, a shower or just wash up today? What time would you like to do this?’ They may not remember the conversation, but they have been given a choice. I usually come back later to remind them and they will choose one.” Schweiss’ patience and work ethic are important for staff members to model. “’Lead by example’ is my motto. If my staff sees me comforting a resident or dancing to music, they are more likely to do it too. This is also the best motivator for resident care. They also need to see me willing to toilet, bathe, dress and care for my residents. I’m not afraid of working hard and my staff sees that,” said Schweiss. Her ability to respect and value staff and residents alike conveys acceptance as well as the feeling of “being normal” — to enjoy activities that are no longer possible in the world outside of Dolan. Schweiss sings and dances, plays games
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and cooks alongside her patients. She comforts them when they are feeling anxious and depressed. “This is truly the Dolan Mission, and Debbie carries that out that extremely well,” said supervisor Toni Dewhirst. An example of Nurse Schweiss’ work in action was sent in by her nominator: “In one instance, a resident in Debbie’s care was very anxious and exit-seeking as the house was preparing for a block party. Debbie comforted her resident by including her in the preparations. She and the resident spent the afternoon chopping watermelon and making salads together. This purposeful activity eased the distress her resident was experiencing.” Progressive neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia rob our loved ones of their personality, memory and life skills. RN Debbie Schweiss makes sure it doesn’t steal their dignity.
“
I’m not afraid of working hard and my staff sees that.
“
Once both of her children were in school, Schweiss attended the nursing program at St. Louis Community College-Meramec. A working student, it took Schweiss five years to receive her degree. Her first job after graduation was on the Med/Surg floor to gain clinical experience. She then made the jump to home health where she discovered her passion for the geriatric population with a specialty towards dementia patients.
AREA OF FOCUS:
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AARON STOVER
ICU NURSE FLIES UNDER THE RADAR BUT LEAVES AN IMPACT SAR AH G ER R EIN , B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
RN Aaron Stover says he likes to just “hang out in the background.” He goes about his workday with focus and skill. He is an unassuming presence, yet leaves a big impact on his patients and their families.
RN, MSN Mercy Hospital St. Louis
Stover is a Level 1 Trauma-Neuro ICU nurse at Mercy Hospital St. Louis. His patients have critical needs and while the work is very fast-paced, he spends a significant amount time with his patients as many are there for weeks, even months. Stover takes this opportunity to get to know his patients and their families on a personal level. “People feel in control of very little in the ICU, so I try to make it as personable as possible. Anything we can do to make them not feel stressed is something I try to do on a daily basis,” he said.
Stover cares for his patients until their time in ICU ends, no matter the outcome. He has witnessed peaceful endings, as was the case with the forementioned patient, and he has also played a part in miraculous recoveries. He recounted, “Recently, I had a severe trauma patient who I cared for almost a month. I saw that patient go from a state where we were really unsure they
Clark College in Vancouver, Washing ton, RN & Mar y ville Universit y, MSN
AREA OF FOCUS: Trauma- Neuro ICU
YEARS OF SERVICE: 4
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY A A RO N STOV ER
A A RO N STOV E R A N D H I S WI F E
were going to survive to a point where they were walking, talking and able to take care of themselves.” Another nominator described an ICU experience with Nurse Stover. “My nephew was in a horrific accident in December 2019. When Aaron became his nurse, our lives were forever changed. Aaron worked his 12hour shifts working hard to help my nephew survive this accident. My nephew was lucky to make it through. He had multiple fractures and lost multiple internal organs. Aaron stood at his bedside and made sure he was well taken care of. He is truly a caring person and nurse.”
DO WHAT YOU LOVE Stover always knew he wanted a career in the health care field, and nursing seemed to fit his personality best. He attended
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the nursing program at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, for his RN degree and went on to receive his MSN from Maryville University. After a phone interview with Mercy St. Louis while still living in the Pacific Northwest, he was hired for the Trauma-Neuro ICU where he has spent his entire four-year career. He said he chose this specialty because, “I like fastpaced environments and couldn’t think of a faster-paced environment than the ICU in a Level 1 trauma center.” In high school, advice from a friend helped shape Stover’s work ethic: “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This mantra sums up the simple and effective way Stover goes about his job. There are no “tricks” to being a nurse and connecting with his patients — he simply loves what he does.
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People feel in control of very little in the ICU, so I try to make it as personable as possible.
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Personalized, yet acute care was a common theme among the nomination entries for Stover. One of Stover’s more prominent patients was a 95-year-old WWII veteran who had suffered a stroke. The veteran was a proud, strong man who survived the Battle of the Bulge and didn’t have a history of previous health issues. Having lost his own grandfather recently, Stover easily related to the patient and his visitors. A friend of the patient described, “I found Aaron to be very focused, strict in a good way and very skilled. He moved with an accuracy that was amazing. He asked about [my friend] and his life and took an interest in our stories of a man who had lived a good life.”
NURSING PROGRAM:
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EMILY WACKER
THIS TRANSPLANT NURSE HAS THE HEART FOR THE JOB NATALIE MACIAS, B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Nurses often bring hope to the lives of their patients. This nurse not only brings hope to her patients, she gives them a second chance at life. Her patients are receiving a brand-new, vital organ — a heart.
RN, MSN Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Emily Wacker, RN, MSN, is a heart transplant coordinator at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She streamlines the entire process of her patients’ transplant journey: initial visits, preparations, the transplant itself and continuous follow-up care. Her patients are lifelong.
NURSING PROGRAM: Saint Louis Universit y School of Nursing , RN; Webster Universit y, MSN
Wacker’s father was a cardiac nurse, but that didn’t necessarily attract her to that specialty. But it’s where she ended up.
AREA OF FOCUS:
Wacker has held many different heartrelated positions. She has been an ICU nurse caring for heart surgery recovery patients and a staff nurse in cardiology with SSM Health Medical Group, which led her into managing three cardiology practices. Her cardiology career came full-circle when she transferred into her current role as transplant coordinator with BJC Heart Transplant Group in 2018.
YEARS OF SERVICE:
A TEAM EFFORT
Wacker’s responsibilities range from educator to scheduler to comforter. She is an advocate and a navigator for her transplant patients. Her team of pharmacists, physicians and social workers ensure that their patients’ transplant process is seamless and stress-free. “It’s a team effort, especially in the first year of transplant — keeping the patient and that sacred resource [the heart] protected. We want to get the longest life out of the transplant as possible.” Wacker not only schedules appointments, delivers her patients their lab results and
11 P H OTO P ROVID ED BY EMILY WACK ER
E M I LY WACK E R
secures their transplant, but she and her team are also ready and willing to step in for non-cardiac related issues — anything from a colonoscopy to a last-minute knee replacement. “If they have something else come up that they need help with, we coordinate all of that so they don’t have the stress of navigating the health care system. It can be challenging,” she said.
relationship-building was the rapport she built with a patient while working at SSM Medical Group. The patient had congestive heart failure, and Wacker was involved in his care plan at the time. Years later, the patient qualified for a heart transplant and was referred to the BJC Heart Transplant Group. Wacker recognized his name and requested to coordinate his transplant.
PUTTING HER WHOLE HEART INTO HER JOB
Wacker left such an impact on the patient, he himself nominated her. He stated, “Emily coordinated everything that was going on. Going home from a heart transplant can be frightening. The meds, the followup appointments, [they] are a lot. Without Emily, I would not have had the transition from congestive heart patient to heart transplant recipient.”
One nominator summed up Wacker’s personality and approach to nursing, stating: “She puts her whole heart into every patient.” Another nominator explained that she is a “caregiver by nature.” Her patients receive that level of dedication and compassion that she feels for them. Her comforting personality and commitment to each of her 100-plus patients does not go unnoticed. One example of Wacker’s outstanding
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It’s clear that Wacker’s heart is in everything she does in her coordination role. By putting her whole heart into her patients, her patients’ hearts become whole again.
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We want to get the longest life out of the transplant as possible.
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“I never thought I would do cardiology,” she said. “But here I am with 11 years of cardiac surgery/cardiology and now cardiac transplants under my belt.”
Hear t Transplant Coordinator
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SHERRON WALKER THIS SCHOOL NURSE GOES BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY NATALIE MACIAS, B R AN D AVE . STU DIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AT A GLANCE
Sherron Walker, RN, BSN, lives her life with purpose. She is a voice for the voiceless, an advocate for the marginalized and the school nurse at Woerner Elementary School in the St. Louis Public School District (SLPS).
RN, BSN Woerner Elementar y, SLPS
There are 420 students at Woerner, and Nurse Walker knows every single one of them. “Not only does she know their names and health needs, she knows their social and emotional needs and, in some cases, their academic needs as well,” said Peggy Meyer, principal at Woerner Elementary School.
NURSING PROGRAM: Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing
AREA OF FOCUS: School Nurse, Public Health
Sherron had big plans after graduating high school, and none included nursing. “I was planning to major in journalism,” she said. But her mom recommended nursing school. Apparently, mama does know best. She enrolled at Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing and fell in love with the field.
Walker has spent 23 years serving as the school nurse in the SLPS District. She initially worked part-time in elementary and middle school before taking a full-time position at Woerner Elementary. Woerner has students ranging from age 3 yearsold up to 5th grade. And many students at SLPS are from low-income families, according to Principal Meyer. Walker loves that she has the opportunity to work with little ones in their formative elementary years. “I just connect with little kids. I empathize, but I’m an authority figure,” she said.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE SCHOOL NURSE
“When you think of a school nurse, you think of someone who puts on Band-Aids
P H OTO P ROVID ED BY SH ER RO N WA L K ER
YEARS OF SERVICE: 37
S H E R RO N WA L K E R A N D H E R ST U D E N T
when kids fall down and gives medicine to kids who need it. Nurse Walker, along with most other school nurses, does so much more,” said Meyer. Walker finds it important to teach each student ways to be healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually. “I teach them how to be healthy and make healthy choices,” she said. Walker helps students based on their individual needs – whether it be making healthy food choices, helping diabetics count carbs and insulin, teaching kids with seizures safe play on the playground or teaching students who take certain medications the importance of doing so properly. “I have to meet the kids where they are, assessing their needs and meeting them,” she said. “I’m fun, but I’m firm. I advocate for them.”
BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY
Walker served her students beyond the call of nursing when she coordinated and executed a program called “Blessings in a Backpack,” feeding over 50 students outside of school. She chose to shop for the food on the weekends and put together
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meals for each child. “For three years, every Saturday, I would go to the grocery store for food and gallon Ziploc bags, take the food home, put it all in the car and bring it to school. I gave 50-plus kids meals every Friday,” she said. Meyer added to Walker’s outstanding student outreach initiatives by stating, “She even takes on extra tasks like tutoring and mentoring students, coordinating our Box Tops for Education program and working on school event committees. She ensures that we bring in community partners to provide vision, dental and hearing screenings and services for our students. She helps families find health insurance and navigate the health care system.” Walker hasn’t missed a day of work in eight years and has always worked more than one job since graduating nursing school. This is a true testament to her dedication to selflessly serving people, her community and her students. In the words of her nominator, “There is nothing this nurse hasn’t done.”
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I’m fun, but I’m firm. I advocate for [my students].
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She was especially partial to caring for babies during her job as a student aid nurse while in school. Her first nursing position post-boards was in the newborn/special care nursery at Deaconess Hospital. Little did she know that this experience would set her career trajectory as a school nurse.
& Pediatric Home Health
To all nurses across the St. Louis region, we honor you. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to our communities, and you have stepped up to the challenge gracefully and courageously. We are humbled by your continued compassion in the face of fear and uncertainty, and we champion your tireless dedication to our patients and communities. Thank you for selflessly leading the charge in our region’s fight against COVID-19.
You are true heroes, today and every day. We thank you.
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Impacting lives at every step of your career Whether working directly with patients or helping lead the future of care, nurses are the caregivers who help our communities thrive. jobs.centene.com 32 • Sunday, May 10, 2020 • Brand Ave. Studios | STLtoday.com/nurses