May/June 2013
the pulse
a publication for the Florida Hospital North Pinellas family
The
Mayor’s
Proclamation
Our
Nurses
ROCK
Christine
Longley
She Doesn’t Walk... She Runs!
Stephanie -1 Alonzo-0
Smiling Faces Sharan, Helen, Joanne, Barbara and Jan
Thumbs Up, Mike!
Making A Difference When an organization’s mission statement becomes a way of life for its employees, the good that can be done multiplies exponentially. Florida Hospital North Pinellas’ mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ is both a privilege and a promise of our hospital leadership and the employees. Our mission not only makes us different, it makes a difference to the people who experience it. This is evident in the conversations I have had with community members, business leaders and even our own employees who reside throughout this and the surrounding communities. When you know what works it is easy to deliver, it just takes that extra step of confidence in your brand, your skill and your mission to make things happen. One of the best examples of this is the expanded reach of our hospital through the efforts of our Community Outreach program. Christine Longley, Manager of Community Outreach and Volunteer Services, has done a phenomenal job at creating a brand that appeals to the community, the doctors and to the employees at our hospital. She has been a tremendous addition to our team and I am thankful for all her efforts. In a recent Consumer Preference Report, our hospital grew significantly in Top of Mind Awareness and in Combined Attributes such as Best Doctors, Best Nurses, Best Overall Quality and Best Image/Reputation. It is imperative that we, as a team, continue to advance with the same attention to detail and focus as we have within the past year. It is evident that the formula we are using here at Florida Hospital North Pinellas is working. I am so pleased with the continued progress our hospital is making within the community and the organization and I want you all to know that our past success and future successes are only possible because of your commitment to our mission and, of course, your hard work. From our Volunteers to our Nurses to Food Service and everywhere in between I want to thank each of you for all that you contribute in making your hospital the best in the area. May has been a great month at our hospital. We have celebrated Melanoma Monday with the honorable Mayor Archie of Tarpon Springs, we have honored our Nurses for their continued commitment to patient care, we enjoyed another First Tuesday with nearly a record number of positive comments from patients and employees on the service of one another, we hosted an employee cookout in honor of Hospital Week, and we thanked our Emergency Medical Service (EMS) men and women for a partnership that we very much appreciate. If the first half of the year is any indication of the success and energy of 2013, I think we will be looking back on this year as something special. I am very excited to see the how we continue to grow in skill, execution and spirit. I thank each of you for choosing Florida Hospital North Pinellas as your hospital of choice and for choosing to serve this great community.
Wishing you all the best,
Bruce Bergherm President/CEO
2 1
WHAT MAKES YOUR HEART BEAT? SHARE YOUR STORY... Contact Kate Archer: kate.archer@ahss.org or (727) 943-3463
STARS 25 Year Employees
Special Thanks and Recognition ners
Service Award Win
n McLearen
Anthony Bulzone, Joh
20 Year E
mployees Carol Carmichael Not Pictured: Christopher Smith
s
15 Year Employee
Twice each year Florida Hospital North Pinellas hosts a luncheon to recognize the contributions our staff members have made to our organization. Employees are first recognized at their three year anniversary, again at their five year anniversary and every five years thereafter. The event, which is hosted by members of our Administrative team and the Board of Directors, begins with a delicious meal prepared by Alan Thomas, Chef David and the entire Morrisons team. The luncheon is followed by a presentation ceremony where each employee is individually recognized, presented with a Service Pin, Service Certificate, and for those individuals with five or more years of service, a recognition gift. It is a most enjoyable event which provides staff with an opportunity to meet other members of our hospital team, share laughter and stories, and to recognize each other’s hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence to those we serve.
We look forward to seeing you at your first or your next service luncheon!
Congrats, gals! On Friday May 10, the Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Pasco County held The 7th Annual Nurses Gala. Two of our very own Nurses, Laura Burke and Harmony Juchniewiez, were both nominated for Nurse of the Year. We’re very proud of you and happy that you call FHNP your home.
Deedra Vecsey, Kelly Smith Not Pictured: Luann Andrews, Margaret Luedke, Jeffrey Golji, Kelly Arnold
10 Year E
mployees Jim Lumbard, Danielle Rucker, Julie Garron, Andrew Dool Not Pictured: Clarissa Winthrop, Junice Altass
5 Year Em
ployees
Victor Fanelli, Jerry Morales Not Pictured: Fred Peace, Gary Carter, Caprice Frosch, Olivia Blaskvitch, Dolly Davis, Adonica Burdon, Terri Rodriguez, Denise Zumpano
yees
3 Year Emplo
Harmony and Laura
Front: Candice Young, Mae Jones, Kathy Hobday, Julie Lupis-Bolanger, Dr. Mushtaq Nabi Back: Elaine Hughes, Marjorie Fratea, Jackie Pendleton, Hassin Alabadi, Diane Toth, Chris Irwin, Dagrian Archer Not Pictured: Victoria Perro, Andrea Goettel, Lia Barnhill, Tynisha Gervais, Eileen Downour, Ivan Marc E De Los Reyes, Vassillia Edwards, Jeannette Oliveira
3
Christine Longley
She remembers it well. Her son had to run into work real quick, he said,
“Ma, come on and go with me over to the hospital.” She said, “No, Mike, I’ve been laying out by the pool all day.” With a few strokes of the keys and a familiar tune, she was persuaded and on she went as his riding buddy.
ley Christine__L__o__n____g_____
____________ n Facts on: ______
Fu
Hungarian h icken Paprikas Favorite Food: Ch rdenia Favorite Flower: Ga yummy! Jewish Pudding, Favorite Dessert: d Favorite Color: Re n New Year’s! rthday! … I mea Bi y M : ay lid Ho e ol Favorit ted Medical Scho my son gradua y da e Th y: or Favorite Mem in D chelbel Canon ! Favorite Song: Pa aughter, Leilea with my grandd ay Pl : do to g in Favorite Th
So often it is the parent who parades the child along, bragging and tooting the family horn, this time the tables were happily turned. Dr. Michael Longley, MD, FACEP, is so proud of his mother he couldn’t wait to take her along the halls of FHNP and show her off. With her freshly sun kissed skin Christine smiled, shook hands and kissed babies, filling the halls with the scent of Banana Boat SPF - no thank you. Just when she thought they were in the clear, a tall fella with a unique swagger sauntered down the hall, “Hey Mike, who’s this you’ve got with you today? Your sister?” With a kind smile and confident tilt of the head Mike said,
“No sir, this is my mom.” Blushing… or was that just the Florida rays sitting upon her cheeks... either way, Christine was given a personal invite to step in the President’s office for a little chat. Forty-five minutes later, Christine peeled her suntanned legs off the leather chair and out the door she and Mike headed. She couldn’t get to the car fast enough. She jumped in the front seat, shrunk down and gave her son the eye. Fast forward a few months and picture it: January 2012, a bright flash of color and a big smile with red painted lips. Orientation was complete and she was on her new assignment, Community Outreach Coordinator Extraordinaire. A quick hop over the Pinellas Trail and into the back yard she went. She sat down at an empty desk, pulled out her airplane ticket and a dusty phone book circa 2008 and… the rest of Christine Longley’s story is history.
^
d
4
Christine and
Michael
I am s watche o proud of my life wi d her live e mother. I ha has bee th a positive ver y day of ve more en n her gift attitude . T her anyone ergy and wo to me . She his has an I know, myse rks harder th has the he unmatched lf included . S an And h ar ts of ever y ability to tou he she lea er gift to the one she me ch ves o ets. mi We love n their faces. s the smile y ou , M om ! M
ichael,
Malien
a & Lei
lea
Regarded as one of the top four hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report, The Cleveland Clinic was Christine’s previous home. In her nearly 12 years there she received top-notch training and was exposed to many different aspects of the hospital. Realizing that she loves people as much as they love her, Christine found her niche with Community Outreach. Advancing in skill and knowledge, Christine so too advanced and was given an additional facility to serve within her organization. One of her most favorite and well-received programs she instituted was called Dinner with the Docs. Within four years, Christine had taken that program from an audience of 70 to an audience of 675. In March of this year Christine held our first annual Ask the Experts, a Dinner with the Docs. When asked why she chose to share this program with our hospital Christine said, “I know what works. This works.” She couldn’t be more right. With a team of one and only night-of assistance, Christine was a success. In her first year of hosting this event at Florida Hospital North Pinellas, she attained the participation of 39 doctors and 437 community members. “Within just a few minutes of meeting Christine, I realized that this lady has got the energy and we had to get her down here. She was looking for a challenge, and how much bigger of a challenge than what we didn’t have going on here,” said Bruce Bergherm, President/CEO. “She’s got the professionalism to carry out a program to a community that was very much suspicious of what we (Florida Hospital and Adventist Health System) were all about.” When it comes to organization, motivation and execution, Christine gets 10’s across the board.
Having FUN at work… Pucker up, Mr. Rock!
Perhaps that is why she was recently asked to extend her reach within our facility and become the Manager of Volunteer Services. “The Volunteers respect Christine tremendously,” said Bruce, “she’s a perfect fit.” Since accepting the position of Manager of Volunteer Services in February of this year, Christine has already implemented fresh ideas and enlisted 14 new Volunteers. In addition to assisting with a smile at one of our patient information desks, guiding visitors on hospital tours, and answering phones, Volunteers now are reaching visitors and patients in brighter ways. Christine loves bright colors, as is apparent by her to-die-for-cute-I-couldnever-pull-that-off wardrobe, so it only makes sense that she starts a brighter experience for each visitor as they walk through our doors. No matter how big or how small, how often or how rare a visitor stops in our hospital, the Volunteers are sure that each person receives their bright yellow visitor’s badge. Knowing the sometimes unsettling and stressful nature of a hospital stay, Christine has also come up with ways for the Volunteers to enhance a patient’s experience with us. From providing a comforting hand massage to visiting patients with our special Comfort Cart stocked with complimentary games, personal care items and reading materials, the Volunteers are taking patient-centered care to the next level. In less than a year and a half Christine has made her mark on this community… and on the hospital’s President. “She has certainly exceeded my expectations,” expressed Bruce, “She’s not allowed to retire.” It seems that is the general consensus of the FHNP family. When asking peers throughout the hospital about Christine, the response was a warm smile, the occasional clutching of the heart, and a cheerful reply of, “I love Christine!” Bruce said it best with this,
“Christine makes everyone feel like a friend and feel that they are valued. I’m very much a fan of hers.”
5
Do You
Know Your ABC’s?
Operation Sunshine and the Surgical Institute hosted Melanoma Monday on May 6, offering free skin cancer screenings to the public. Sixty-four new patients were seen, twenty-nine abnormalities were detected, and Mayor David Archie of Tarpon Springs proclaimed Monday, May 6, 2013 as Melanoma Monday in Tarpon Springs.
Operation Sunshine will continue to insert itself into the community, schools and industry in Pinellas County hosting skin cancer screenings because early detection equals cure. Every fifty-seven minutes a person dies of Melanoma. “Skin cancer is epidemic in the state of Florida due to the sunlight exposure and the elderly population,” said Dr. Douglas Reintgen, MD, FACS. So please, get checked! Wear your sunscreen! And, know your ABC’s!
A = Asymmetry; one half is different than the other half.
B = Border irregularity; the
edges are notched, uneven or blurred. C = Color; the color is uneven, shades of brown, tan and black are present. D = Diameter; greater than 6 millimeters E = Evolution; any mole that is changing, getting bigger, changing colors, forming a nodule when previously a flat lesion. Left to right: Christine Sparks, Rosemary Giuliano, Doug Reintgen and Mayor Archie
We t Our Nurses
Holy Walkamolie!
We are so proud of all of our Nurses Award Nominees and Winners this year at Florida Hospital North Pinellas!
Left to right: Bruce Bergherm – Proud President/CEO, Kelly Arnold - Friend of Nursing Award Winner, Kellie Fox - Grace Kleinfeld Award Winner, Carlos Palomino - CNA/Tech Award Winner, Dr. Raj Mathur Physician Friend of Nursing Award Winner and Karen Owensby – Proud Chief Clinical Officer
Every year, National Nurses Week focuses attention on the diverse ways America’s 3.1 million registered nurses work to save lives and to improve the health of millions of individuals. Celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, National Nurses Week is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways our Nurses are working to improve health care. Thank you to all of our Nurses who work hard every day to improve the health care of our patients and community!
Congratulations
to our very own Harmony Juchniewicz on being awarded 2013 Nurse of the Year from the Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Pasco County! Harmony was joined in nomination by 11 other Nurses from around the area.
Way to go, Harmony! 6
Florida Hospital North Pinellas was the Luminaria Sponsor for the 2013 Oldsmar Relay For Life. Erin Farmer, Team Captain of the “Holy Walkamolies”, led FHNP in the Team Unity lap at this year’s event at Canal Park. Fellow supporters, team mates and cheerleaders walking the lap with Erin included Paul Hoover, Kate Archer, Sheryl Bohlender, Steve Zacharia, Sharon Pridemore, Jonathan Zacharia, Christine Longley, Brett Peterson, Georgiann Peterson and Jessie George. Together the Florida Hospital employees raised over $4,000 for the Oldsmar Relay For Life in the fight to end cancer. The Oldsmar community’s total fundraising efforts have exceeded $60,000 for 2013.
Holy Walkamolie! Way to go, Relayers!
Happy Birthday to YOU!
les e Spark Christin ay! d th ir B on her
MAy
BIRTHDAYs
Orange
you gla d Birthd ay, Ern it’s your estine? !
Happy B Dan- irthday, the-M an!
JUNE
BIRTHDAYs
Rubi Rohm.....................................1 Jayce White..................................1 Valerie Diggins..............................1 Florence Rohrhoff..........................2 Bridget Jacob................................3 Earnestine Osei.............................5 Beatrix Ferencsik..........................6 Daniel Greive.................................6 Marc Dizon....................................8 Latasha Turk..................................9 Stanley Revell.............................10 Mary Crenshaw...........................12 Michael Samarkos......................13 Marcela Pertsas..........................16 Marsha Bausor............................16 Mary Dorian................................16 Joanne Mangos..........................16
Mary Smalios..............................17 Jacqueline Pendleton.................18 Karen Sadler...............................18 Theresa Manapin.......................19 Scott Keller.................................20 Pablo Acevedo............................20 Karen Cumberland......................21 Josue’ Santana...........................21 Alice Tormey................................21 Rebecca Wyatt...........................22 Amy Komlos................................22 Betty Swider...............................23 Robert Chizewick........................24 Sherree Ecker..............................24 Nadine Kapoun...........................24 Jocelyn Ganapin.........................26 Betty Hopper...............................30
Mary Cope......................................1 Sean Kyritz......................................2 Tynisha Gervais...............................4 Virginia Legrand..............................6 Dawne Huthnance..........................6 Courtney Jack.................................8 Chyna Poe.......................................8 Lewis Price......................................8 Brenda Krug..................................10 Iban Asanza Montesinos..............10 Valerie Johnson............................10 Clarissa Arkwright........................11 Brigid Flanagan.............................11 Victoria Perro................................12 Linda Pinkham...............................12 Dylan Kleissler...............................13 Carol Craft.....................................13 Susan Kardas................................14 Elin Wichers.................................14 Wendy Danner..............................15 Lauren Mazzant............................15 Julie Lewandowski.......................15
Nicole Hammani...........................16 Rae Widner...................................16 Christopher Fernandez..................17 Sandra Lewandowski...................19 Karan McCaughey........................19 Christine Sparks...........................19 Marjorie Fratea............................20 Shari Bizier....................................20 Daryl Sample................................20 Penny Sondgerath........................21 Kelsey Ray....................................21 Heather Vernillo............................22 Brian Bolcar..................................22 Jody Smith....................................23 Evan Andropoulos.........................24 Karen Bolle...................................25 Judith Stearns..............................29 Juliana Johnson...........................30 Chris Irwin....................................30 Michael Burzynski.........................30 Deborah Dunn...............................31
Courtney got a new office fo r his Birthday... jea lous much?!
Czech out Ma Happy r Birthd cela... ay, La dy!
me rings so Seven Sp thday, ir Showing B y ... Happ yna! and Ch Valerie
t
7
The Grille is the hospital’s best kept secret! Molly keeps the Surgery Center visitors smiling.
We’re the heavyweights at fighting heart attacks. Bruce loves visiting patients with the Comfort Cart!
Volunteer Services Our Volunteers make a difference in the lives of our staff, patients and their loved ones on a daily basis. Whether through offering a smile and a helpful hand, brightening a day with an item from our Comfort Cart, or providing input and support as a committee member or officer in our Auxiliary, Rock out with their service is invaluable. If you know someone who may The area’s only Accredited Chest Pain Center Doyle’s Revenge at Sunset Beach on is here to help you fight back. be interested in Volunteering, please contact Carole in the Thursday, July 25 at 7pm To register to receive your own complimentary Volunteer Services Office at (727) 942-5072.
Music on t e Beach Emergency Information Kit, please call (727) 943-3600.
Sponsored by
1395 South Pinellas Avenue (Alt. US 19) — Tarpon Springs (727) 942-5000 I FHNorthPinellas.com
(727) 942-5000 I FHNorthPinellas.com
The Pulse Editor: Kate Archer – kate.archer@ahss.org Layout and Design: Jackie Smith – jaqueline.smith@ahss.org
Bring your blanket, chairs and picnic for a night of FREE entertainment.