National Nurses Week 2011 by Marty Novak

NATIONAL

Nurses Week MAY 6-12, 2011

• ANA PRESIDENT ADDRESSES NURSES • PATIENTS PLACE TRUST IN AREA NURSES A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE KANSAS CITY NURSING NEWS MAY 2, 2011

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES CELEBRATE NATIONAL NURSES WEEK

2 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week

Nurses: trusted to care 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. This year, the American Nurses Association selected “Nurses Trusted to Care” as the theme for 2011. The ANA supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs Kansas and Missouri. Annually, National Nurses Week begins on May 6, marked as RN Recognition Day, and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession. During this week, registered nurses in Kansas City will be honored in a variety of ways. A list of activities is featured in this special edition of the Kansas City Nursing News. In honor of National Nurses Week and RN Recognition Day, registered nurses around the country are encouraged to wear the official “RN Pin.” The pin can be purchased by calling (800) 445-0445. ANA, through its state and constituent member associations, advances the nursing profession through standards of nursing practice, promotion of economic and general welfare, a positive and realistic view of nursing, and efforts to lobby Congress and the regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. Traditionally, National Nurses Week highlights the diverse ways in which registered nurses work to improve health care. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing

NATIONAL Nurses week

ANA PRESIDENT SHARES MESSAGE ABOUT NATIONAL NURSES WEEK Health care employees celebrate National Nurses Week each year beginning on May 6 and ending on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. The purpose of the week is to recognize the contributions of the nation’s registered nurses and to educate the public about the role nurses play in meeting the diverse health care needs of the American people. This year, the American Nurses Association, with its constituent and state nurses associations, salute the nation’s 3.1 million nurses with the theme “Nurses Trusted to Care.” cONTINUED on page 4

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May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 3

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4 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week Continued from page 2 The theme reflects and enduring belief in an ever-changing world: the public trusts us. For the 11th year, nurses were voted the most trusted profession in Gallup’s annual survey that ranks professions for their honesty and ethics. That trust takes on added significance now. As our nation undertakes transformative health care reform, we have unprecedented opportunities to optimize our practice, drive change and shape the health care system of the future. Our knowledge and expertise are in demand, and how we rise to meet today’s challenges will influence how our health care system looks in 10 years. Put more simply, the nursing profession has an opportunity to apply its unique talents and knowledge to make the changes nurses know are best for patients. In clinical settings, communities, and at policy-making tables, we need to raise our voices and be heard.

NATIONAL Nurses week The good news is that every nurse is a leader. Our country is calling on us to embrace our role as leaders. This year, during National Nurses Week, ANA is focusing a spotlight on leadership. I hope that you will join us for a webinar about leadership on May 10 and that you will cast your vote in our “I am a nurse, I am a leader” video contest, at www.nursingworld.org. As I travel around the country sharing ANA’s message, I am awed and inspired by what nurses do every day. Your dedication, innovation and commitment are remarkable, and you demonstrate every day why nurses continue to earn the public’s trust. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for supporting your professional association. Together, we can take the lead on shaping the health care system of the future. Karen A. Daley, Ph.D., MPH, RN, FAAN, is president of the American Nurses Association.

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May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 5

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6 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week

Area hospitals celebrate National Nurses Week Hospitals throughout Kansas City plan to celebrate National Nurses Week. Some of the scheduled activities are listed below. Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics • There will be celebrations at the hospital’s off-site facilities on May 2. • The Clinical Excellence Awards will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. May 3 in the hospital’s auditorium. A reception will follow in the community room. • “Evidence of Our Excellence” Hospitality Room sponsored by the Nurse Professional Excellence Council will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. May 3 in the third floor classroom at Children’s Mercy South. • The Nursing Scholarship

Awards Ceremony will take place at 11 p.m. May 4 in the auditorium. • Lunch for scholarship recipients, families and donors will take place at noon May 4 in the community room. • “Evidence of Our Excellence” Hospitality Room sponsored by the Nurse Professional Excellence Council will be open from 2 to 4 a.m. May 5 in the community room. • “Evidence of Our Excellence” Hospitality Room sponsored by Nurse Professional Excellence Council will be open from 2 to 4 p.m. May 5 in the community room. • Night shift staff buffet reception will take place from 12:01 to 2 a.m. May 6 in the Orbits Cafeteria.

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• Breakfast for the weekend staff is from 5:30 to 9 a.m. May 7 in the Orbits Cafeteria at Children’s Mercy South. • “Evidence of Our Excellence” Hospitality Room sponsored by Nurse Professional Excellence Council will be open from 6 to 8 a.m. May 7 in the HiWays Conference Room. Liberty Hospital • Nurses will wear National Nurses Week T-shirts to work on May 2. • Nurses will wear red on May 3. • A Nurses Fair will take place May 4. • Nurses will wear mismatched scrubs on May 5. • There will be a night shift pot luck meal from 9 p.m. to 12

p.m. on May 5. • A soothing room will be available for nurses from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. on May 5. • Nurses will show support for their favorite sports team by wearing those colors on May 6. Menorah Medical Center • The hospital will provide a home-style breakfast for nurses from 6 to 9:30 a.m. May 6. North Kansas City Hospital • North Kansas City Hospital plans to celebrate Nurses Day on May 11 with a Cinco de Mayo celebration. The Shared Governance Councils and Unit-Based Councils will display their current projects at the event as part of the hospital’s magnet journey. Snacks will be provided along

Celebrate Nurse

with music, fun and a festive environment. All licensed staff will receive a special gift in appreciation for their hard work. The Cinco de Mayo event is open to all members of the nursing team. Overland Park Regional Medical Center • A buffet lunch will be served May 5 to honor all nurses and new graduates completing the Overland Park Regional Medical Center Nurse Residency Program. • Cookie party for all night shift nurses. Cookies will be distributed by members of the senior administration team on May 5. • A formal luncheon May 6 will recognize the Nurse of the

Appreciation nig ht Tuesday May 17th at The K, . Visit www.Royals .com for discoun t ticket informatio with other disco n unts available all month long.

events on page 7

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 7

NATIONAL Nurses week Continued from page 6 Year, Rising Star award winner and all nurses who received advanced degrees and certifications. Olathe Medical Center • Physicians will sponsor a breakfast to honor nurses on May 6. Providence Medical Center • CEU presentation “The Power of Gratitude: How the DAISY Foundation Impacts Nurses Recognition, Retention and Research” from noon to 1 p.m. May 6 at the Keenan Education Center, Auditorium A. • CEU presentation “Developing Professional Identity: Leading Change, Advancing Health” from 4 to 5 p.m. May 12 in the Keenan Education Center. Reception will follow from 5:15 to 7:30 p.m. • Nurses will be recognized for achieving specialty certifications and degrees.

NATIONAL Nurses week

• Recognition of Nurses of Distinction. • Announcement of Florence Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence. Research Medical Center • There will be a uniform sale from 5 to 8 p.m. May 5 in the cafeteria. • Gifts and snacks will be distributed to units from 9 to 11 p.m. May 5. • There will be a uniform sale in the cafeteria from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 6 in the cafeteria. • Gifts will be distributed from 10 a.m. to noon May 6 to units at the main campus and the Brookside campus. • The Annual Awards Ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. May 6 in the cafeteria. • Snacks will be delivered to units from noon to 2 p.m. and from 8 to 10 p.m. on May 7.

St. John Hospital • CEU presentation “The Power of Gratitude: How the DAISY Foundation Impacts Nurses Recognition, Retention and Research” from noon to 1 p.m. May 6 at the Keenan Education Center, Auditorium A. • CUE presentation “A Nurse I Am … A Celebration of Compassionate Nursing Care” from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. May 11 in the Mother Xavier Ross Room. Reception following from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. • Posters will be up describing 2010 nursing achievements. • Recognition of Excellence in Nursing Reward recipients will be honored. • Nurses who achieved specialty certifications and degrees will be recognized. • Nurse of Distinction and Daisy Award recipients will be recognized. • The Florence Nightingale Award for Nursing Excellence

will be named. St. Joseph Medical Center • Carnations and doughnuts will be delivered May 8 • The Retention Committee will deliver cookies to all units May 9. • Managers will celebrate Staff Day and present Nurses Day gifts on May 10. • Auxiliary will serve popcorn to units on May 11. • The Blessing of the Hands will take place May 11. • Nursing awards will be given May 12. St. Luke’s Hospital • Smoothies will be available from 6 to 10 a.m. May 9 at Mill Creek Café. • Kettle Korn and lemonade will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. May 10 in the MAHI Atrium. • Massages will be provided from 6 to 10 a.m. May 9-11 at Mill Creek Café.

• Hero sandwiches and chips will be delivered to units from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. • The nursing awards ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m. May 12 at the Mill Creek Café. Nurses will celebrate on their units on May 13. St. Luke’s-East Lee’s Summit • Satin hand treatments will be provided on May 3 and May 5. • Chair massages will be provided on May 4. • All nurses will receive a customized jacket. • The 6th Annual Spirit and Art of Nursing Award Reception will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday May 5. St. Luke’s Northland Hospital • A multi-media nursing art show will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 6 in the Barry Medical Park Conference Center.

events on page 8

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NATIONAL Nurses week Continued from page 7 St. Mary’s Medical Center • Carnations and doughnuts will be delivered May 8 • The Retention Committee will deliver cookies to all units May 9. • Managers will celebrate Staff Day and present Nurses Day gifts on May 10. • Auxiliary will provide snacks to units on May 11. • The Blessing of the Hands will take place May 11. • Nursing awards will be given May 12. Shawnee Mission Medical Center • The hospital will host its annual Distinguished Nurse Lecture program. This year’s speaker will be Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE. The title of her presentation is “Amazed and Amused: Success, Significance and Happiness for Health Care Professionals.” • The hospital will sposnor Certified Nurse reception, the Frontline Leadership Academy recognition, a healthy snack and popcorn for night shift associates, and the Blessing of the Hands ceremony. • The hospital’s nursing administration extends a special recognition this year through the extension of nursing benefits

NATIONAL Nurses week

including CE Direct and the announcement of additional financial support to recognize the pursuit and achievement of specialty nursing certification. • Nursing Excellence Award winners will be announced. Categories for the awards are Newcomer, Caring Collaborator, Pathfinder and Step UP. The winners are determined by a peer review process. • The annual nursing report will be published and shared. The primary theme of the publication is communication and teamwork as the hospital celebrates nurses and recognizes all those on the health care team. Teva Neuroscience • Teva will sponsor Nurse Appreciation Night at Kauffman Stadium on May 17. Nurses can receive $10 tickets for a $34 field box seat. Throughout the month of May nurses can get $15 tickets for a $34 field box seat. For orders of 20 or more tickets, call (816) 504-4040 or e-mail groupsales@royals.com. Truman Medical Centers • There will be a celebration at 6:30 a.m. at Truman Medical Center Lakewood. Winners of the Annual Hiersteiner Nursing Award, LPN of the Year and Nursing

Excellence awards will be announced. University of Kansas Hospital • The hospital will host a Nurses Away From the Bedside Fair from 2 to 4 p.m. May 6 in the cafeteria. • Nurses will help residents in the community with minor home repairs as part of the Hospital Employees Reaching Out Program from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7. •There will be a guest speaker from 8 to 9 a.m. May 9 in Reike Auditorium with

light refreshments following in Stoland. • The Tenured Nurses Reception will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. May 10 in Francisco Lounge. • The Nurses Excellence Award Announcement will take place from 3:30 to 4 p.m. May 11 in Battenfeld Auditorium. • The Nursing Excellence Award and Foundation Award Reception will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. May 11 in Francisco Lounge.

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May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News â&#x20AC;˘ NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 9

Thank you for your extraordinary efforts and selfless commitment to caring. We appreciate each and every one of you.

10 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week

Long-term care facility celebrates anniversary arley hoskin EDITOR

When people place family members in a long-term health care facility, they put their trust in the facility’s nurses and nursing assistants. Jewel Gleason, LPN, knows about this trust firsthand. Gleason has served at Aberdeen Village for eight years. “I’ve been here long enough that these people are like family,” Gleason said. “You get attached to the residents as well as their families.” Aberdeen Village, in Olathe, Kan., is part of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. Gleason recently helped organize a party at Aberdeen Village to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of Presbyterian Manors. The staff and residents gathered from 6:30 to 9 a.m. and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. for food and beverages. Gleason helped relieve the nursing staff so every nurse had an opportunity to celebrate. “We’ve had a great turnout,” she said at the event. Aberdeen Village Executive Director Tim Allin said he likes to celebrate Presbyterian Manors’ heritage with the staff. “It’s wonderful,” Allin said. “It helps us understand our heritage.” Aberdeen Village Director of Nursing Suzanne Groat, RN, said the celebration gave nurses and other staff members a chance to connect and recharge. “We have fantastic nurses,” Groat said. “Our turnover rate is only 4 percent.” The anniversary party educated the staff on Presbyterian Manors’ history. In 1947, the idea for Presbyterian Manors started at a Presbyterian Church council. “The story is important for people to know,” Groat said. “It reminds everybody every year what our mission is.” According to the Presbyterian Manors website, “In June of 1947,

Aberdeen Village nurse Jewel Gleason, lpn, helped plan a celebration in honor of the start of the Presbyterian Manors. Arberdeen Village is part of the Presbyterian Manors community. arley hoskin/ NURSING NEWS PHOTOS

the chairman asked if anyone had anything to say for the good of the order. One member replied, ‘There is a Mrs. Alice Kalb of El Dorado who wants us to build a home for the aged and take her in.’ Although several people had approached the Synod for just this type of project, that the request came from a 90-year-old widow made an impact on those gathered. Mrs. Kalb symbolized the plight of a growing number of older persons who needed the

church’s help.” Plans for the first Presbyterian Manor were put in motion. Today, Presbyterian Manors has facilities in 17 communities in Kansas and Missouri. Gleason said she likes her job at Aberdeen Village because it is a facility in which she would trust her own family. “We have a very low patientcaregiver ratio,” Gleason said. “It’s nice to have the time to spend with each patient.”

Aberdeen Village nurse Jewel Gleason, lpn, serves staff member Christina Wilson during the facility’s anniversary celebration. arley hoskin/ NURSING NEWS PHOTOS

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News â&#x20AC;˘ NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 11

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Oncology patient develops trust with nurses

arley hoskin EDITOR

eth and Ernest Trammell planned to go to Maui last fall, but one word stopped the couple in their tracks: cancer. Ernest went to the doctor for a regular check-up and his physician noticed Ernest had irregular blood counts. The physician ordered a colonoscopy, which uncovered a tumor in Ernestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right ascending colon.

center on page 12

Kansas City Cancer Center patient Ernest Trammell, receives treatment from nurse Erica Messner, RN. Trammell said he trusts the nurses at Kansas City Cancer Center to provide the best care. arley hoskin/ NURSING NEWS PHOTOS

12 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

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Friendships blossom at cancer center The Trammells canceled their vacation to Maui and scheduled surgery to remove the tumor. At that time, the couple thought the surgery would solve the problem and they could get back to their regular life, Beth said. But the surgery revealed that Ernest had stage 3 colon cancer. Ernest’s oncologist said chemotherapy could reduce the chance of the cancer recurring, so he signed up for treatment at Kansas City Cancer Center’s Southwest location in Overland Park, Kan. “We had to cancel our vacation and get on this journey,” Ernest said. Ernest finished his chemotherapy treatment last week and the couple rescheduled their trip to Maui.

“We’ve got it scheduled for the end of October,” Ernest said. “The doctor seemed very optimistic that we caught it early.” Ernest and Beth said the nurses at Kansas City Cancer Center helped them at every step along the journey. “They are all so patient and so caring and compassionate,” Beth said. “We’ve been very, very pleased.” Erica Messner, RN, one of the nurses who treated Ernest, said she works hard to put her patients at ease. She said patients need to trust their oncology nurses. “They are coming in going through something that is very scary anyway. If they trust you they have less anxiety,” she said. That trust between nurses and patients often forms into a

relationship as patients come in for treatment week after week. “You kind of get to know their stories,” Messner said. “We do our jobs, but yet we get to know them personally, too.” At Kansas City Cancer Center, patients see the same two or three nurses throughout their treatment. Messner said this consistency makes it easier to develop relationships with patients. “They are seeing the same nurses,” she said. “If they question anything, we make sure we find the answer.” Fellow Kansas City Cancer Center oncology “The patients are just so appreciative and resilient,” Hitzelberger said. “They are so strong.” Ernest said he appreciates the personal touch his nurses gave.

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without compromise.

“We really get to know them for who they are,” Hitzelberger said. “It’s not all about the chemo and the drugs.” While Ernest won’t miss his treatments, or the side effects of the chemo, he said he will miss the nurses at Kansas City Cancer Center. “We’ve been coming every Monday for six months,” Ernest said. “They’ve become my friends.”

“We’ve been coming every Monday for six months. They’ve become my friends.” Ernest Trammell

We Salute the Nurses at Truman Medical Centers for their careing, compasssion and dedication. You Can Be a Part of the TMC Nursing Team As a nurse at Truman Medical Centers, you’re among the best of the best. You’ll discover a supportive, fast-paced environment where your life and the lives of the patients you serve are enriched. A place where care is enver comproised and patients come before proﬁts. We’re an academic medical center looking for high-caliber nurses who are comitted to service, integrity and excellence. Current Nursing Career Openings: ¦ PRN Float ¦ Experienced Labor and Delivery nurses Please submit resumes on-line through the careers section at www.trumed.org.

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Continued from page 11

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News â&#x20AC;˘ NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 13

(New Medical Office Building opening July 2011)

Happy National Nurses Week! The University of Kansas Physicians would like to thank our patient care staff for providing outstanding patient-centered care, the optimal patient experience and for supporting the clinical needs of our faculty practice.

You are SIMPLY THE BEST! If you would like to join the largest and most comprehensive multi-speciality medical group in the region, please visit our website: www.kuphysicians.com.

14 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

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Nurses serve patients at St. Joseph Medical Center

arley hoskin/NURSING NEWS PHOTO

St. Joseph Medical Center patient care technician Cecelia Tolbert checks Kansas City resident Mary Love’s blood pressure.

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 15

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arley hoskin/NURSING NEWS PHOTOS

St. Joseph Medical Center nurse Jenna Einhellig, RN, BSN, puts a suit on to prepare to enter an isolation patient’s room.

St. Joseph Medical Center Nurse Manager Stacey Kuhlman, RN, MSN, talks to Allison Wilkerson, RN. The two care for patients in a critical care step down unit.

St. Joseph nurse Jan Stella, RN, takes some Kansas City resident Mary Love waits as Jan Stella, RN, checks her medications from the floors Pyxis machine. oxygen level.

St. Joseph Medical Center nurse Julie Wolf, RN, BSN, checks the crash cart on the critical care unit 4 South., MSN, MBA. The hospital recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.

16 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

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Daughter follows in mother’s footsteps arley hoskin EDITOR

Kathy Jackson, RNC, MSN, Overland Park Regional Medical Center’s director of women’s services, always celebrates Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12 because it is the same day as her own. “I always say I was destined to become a nurse,” she said. The day will be extra special this year. On May 12, Kathy Jackson will pin her 21-year-old daughter Ka-

trina Jackson during the pinning ceremony at Research College of Nursing. Katrina will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing through Research’s partnership with Rockhurst University. Katrina also majored in Spanish during her four years at Rockhurst. “When Katrina went to her professor, they said it couldn’t be done in four years, but she did it in four years,” Kathy said. Katrina will be initiated in Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Society, a professional organization Kathy also belongs

to. Kathy has been a member since 1981. “It actually promotes nursing research,” she said. Kathy said she is proud of her daughter and happy to see her following in her footsteps. “I hoped one of my daughters would go into nursing,” Kathy said. “It’s a great career. I wouldn’t do anything else.” Katrina said she went back and forth about career paths

Katrina Jackson, left, will graduate from Research College of Nursing in May. Katrina’s mother Kathy Jackson, RNC, MSN, director of women’s services at Menorah Medical Center, will pin her during the nursing school’s pinning ceremony.

“I always say I was destined to become a nurse.” Kathy Jackson RNC,MSN

during high school. As a member of Raytown High School’s debate team, Katrina said she considered a career in law. “I went back and forth between being a lawyer or a nurse,” Katrina said. As graduation approaches, Katrina said she knows she made the right choice. And Katrina has found a way to merge her passion for policy into patient care. Katrina said after she gets a few years on the floor under her belt she wants to go into risk management or quality control. “I like the rules,” Katrina said. “I just like being the boss of stuff.” Katrina said she plans to go to graduate school eventually to pursue a degree

that would help her in management. But for now, Katrina said she looks forward to a new job and a life free of homework. Katrina took summer classes in order to finish in four years with a double major and she said her nursing classes required many study hours. “I’ve never really had an honest break,” she said. Kathy shared advice for Katrina as she prepares for her first year of nursing. “The first year is going to be difficult,” Kathy said. Kathy encouraged her daughter to remember to take breaks, prioritize her time and maintain healthy work boundaries. “Take care of yourself,” Kathy said. “Self-care is the best care.”

Thank you for the vital role you play in making our patient experience the very best it can be.

We Invite You to an Appreciation Luncheon Wednesday, May 11th • 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. Bring your 50 word essay on “Why I love nursing” and win prizes. • RN Hospital Stafﬁng (all areas) •Home Health RNs for MB/Neonatal/Peds • Home Health LPN • PT/OT • PRN MSW • HH Aides and Homemakers EOE

arley hoskin/ NURSING NEWS PHOTOS

www.ehh-inc.com 913-384-2273 • Fax 913-384-0688

Celebrate Our RCN Faculty Research rch College of Nursing would like to acknowledge our extraordinary faculty for their commitment to our 105 year history of excellence in nursing education. We appreciate all that you do.

R E S EARCH College of Nursing

www.integralcare.com 6811 Shawnee Mission Parkway Suite 115

Congratulations New Graduates and Alumni! We celebrate you during this 2011 National Nurses Week!

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 17

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NKC Hospital nurses show teamwork on their floor arley hoskin EDITOR

North Kansas City Hospital nurse Carrie Geib, RN, BSN, said she found a friend and more in co-worker Lynne Titterington, RN, BSN, ONC. “Lynne was already working on the floor when I got hired on, and after I passed my boards they had her as Lynne Titterington, RN, BSN, ONC, and Carrie Geib, RN, BSN, work together in North Kansas City Hospital’s orthodepic unit. Geib said Titterington servers as a mentor to her and other nurses on the floor.

MENTORS on page 6A

Blessed Trinity Home Health Care

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Happy Nurses Week and Congratulations to all the dedicated nursing staff at Blessed Trinity Home Health Care for achieving Elite Status once again! Your hard work and commitment to our patients is evident in all you do. Thank you for always going the extra mile to ensure your patients receive the best care possible and for making Blessed Trinity the leading home health agency in the city.

We celebrate Central nurses! We recognize the accomplishments of more than 1500 Central Nursing alumni. Thanks for allowing us to offer 50+ years of quality nursing education. • Bachelor of Science in Nursing, pre-licensure program • RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program • Master of Science in Nursing program Want more facts? Take a minute now to call us at 660-543-4775 (Warrensburg) OR 816-282-1100 (Lee’s Summit) or visit us at www.ucmo.edu/nursing

18 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week Continued from page 17 my preceptor,” Geib said. After Geib completed her preceptorship, Titterington continued to serve as a mentor to her and other nurses on the orthopedic floor. “We are not quite sure how it happened, but we started calling her our work mom,” Geib said. Titterington said she enjoyed taking on the role, especially to nurses so eager to learn. “I like working with the new people and helping them,” Titterington said. “Carrie always wanted to be a really good nurse.” Geib has been a nurse for six years now. She said she goes to Titterington when she has questions about a patient or situation on the floor. Geib said the best thing about the mentor relationship is that Titterington never criticizes her about any question she has.

“You always have your charge nurse to go to, but it’s nice if you have a friend there, too,” Titterington said. “It’s just nice to know that someone is not going to jump down your throat.” Titterington said she benefits from the mentor relationship as well. “Every day it’s a team effort,” she said. “It’s just nice to know someone is there to have your back day in and day out.” Gieb and Titterington have each other’s back on and off the floor. Last year, Gieb had a difficult pregnancy and had to miss 20 weeks of work. When Gieb ran out of paid time off, Titterington and other nurses on the floor donated some days from their PTO banks. “A lot of people on the floor helped,” Gieb said. “We have a very good, caring, trustful, floor.” That team spirit is an important part of North Kansas City

NATIONAL Nurses week Hospital’s orthopedic floor, Titterington said. “It’s just nice to have people that you enjoy talking to and spending time with,” she said. “The tighter the teamwork concept, the better.” This cohesive spirit starts at the management level on the ortho floor. “Our manager makes it a big deal to have teamwork,” Gieb said. “She makes it a big thing that we try to get along.” Titterington has been a nurse since 1984. She said teamwork is invaluable no matter what unit you work on. “You can’t do it by yourself,” she said. “Good, solid teamwork can do nothing but help.”

“It’s just nice to know someone is there to have your back day in and day out.” Lynne Titterington RN, BSN, ONC

RN opportunities Leverage your skills by providing clinical education and support for patients taking specialty and biologic medications. Get off your feet and eliminate physical labor with this life-friendly opportunity. • Full- and part-time positions available • Flexible scheduling available • Work-at-home opportunities available for certain programs • Comprehensive and extensive benefits package • Continuing education opportunities • Convenient location in Overland Park, Kansas • Professional, pleasant office environment • State-of-the-art call center technology • Thorough orientation, training, and mentoring programs Find out why this unique and growing field of nursing is an excellent way to diversify your skill set. To apply, please visit the careers section at www.unitedbiosource.com. Click on the Current Openings link and select jobs listed under U.S. Jobs Group B.

Product-to-patient support solutions www.proherant.com

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 19

NATIONAL Nurses week

Trust key in joint practices

Mischelle Kemp, RN, FNP-BC, left, discusses her practice with physician Bruce Williams, DO, at Family Care of Eastern Jackson County. Williams serves as Kemp’s collaborating physician.

arley hoskin EDITOR

When it comes to collaborative care practices, both nurse practitioners and physicians say the relationships depend on trust. “Trust is earned and it’s only by being willing to work very hard at what you do,” said Mischelle Kemp, RN, FNP-BC. Kemp has been a nurse practitioner since 2009 and works at Family Care of Eastern Jackson

arley hoskin/ NURSING NEWS PHOTOS

NURSES on page 20

Thank You

Happy National Nurses Day!

Day in and day out, our nursing staff works together, caring and feeling for those they serve. We believe in teamwork, and our nursing staff is at the heart of our team. “Thank you” to our nursing staff whose compassion, dedication and excellence are extremely vital to Garden Terrace at Overland Park.

“Thank you for the incredibly caring and loving way you helped my grandfather.”

913-631-2273 7541 Switzer Overland Park, KS Located just west of I-35 and 75th St. Accredited by Joint Commission

Kansas City Hospice salutes all hospice nurses

816.363.2600

kansascityhospice.org

20 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week

Nurse practitioners broaden family practice care Continued from page 19 County, an HCA Midwest clinic. Kemp works in collaboration with physician Bruce Williams, DO. She said trust has to be a two-way street in any nurse practitioner-physician collaboration. “You have to trust that they are going to support you,” Kemp said. As a family care nurse practitioner, Kemp said she provides a lot of well woman care and diabetes education. “I’ve been able to do a lot of women’s care,” Kemp said. “A lot of women prefer a woman to do that.” Williams said having Kemp at the clinic means patients can get in faster than if he was practicing alone. He said she also is able to

spend more time with diabetes patients and counsel them on diet. “It’s good to be able to get the patients in and seen,” Williams said. Kemp said the number of diabetes patients she sees continues to grow. She said she has found her niche in diabetes research. “I never thought I would enjoy treating chronic health conditions, but I do,” Kemp said. Before Kemp became a nurse practitioner, she worked in an emergency room. Kemp said she expects the demand for nurse practitioners to increase, especially if the federal mandate for individual health insurance comes to pass. “I think we will see a lot more nurse practitioners,” Kemp said.

Physician Stephen Thies, MD, agrees. “Probably what you will be seeing is the nurse practitioners are practicing to the fullest extent of their knowledge and the more complicated issues are going to the doctors,” Theis said. Theis practices at Providence Care Bonner Springs, a Carondelet Health clinic, with nurse practitioner Sandy Suderman ARNP. Suderman has been a nurse practitioner for 14 years. “Sandy has her own family care patients,” Theis said. “She functions like a primary care provider.” Suderman said she likes the autonomy she has in her role as a family nurse practitioner. “The nice thing about that is they allow me as a primary

Thank You for Caring.

Mid America Rehabilitation Hospital is a joint venture of HealthSouth Corporation and Shawnee Mission Medical Center.

care provider to practice fairly independently,” Suderman said. “In Kansas we have not as many regulations.” Missouri has more regulations for nurse practitioners.

Kemp said the state requires physicians to sign off on prescriptions for certain controlled substances, but she has enough autonomy in her practice. “I feel like I have a lot right

Thank you for being there for our patients, every step of the journey.

A Higher Level of Care

MidAmericaRehabHospital.com

Mischelle Kemp RN,FNP-BC

In honor of National Nurses Week, we salute our nurses, the heartbeat of the Kansas City Cancer Center family.

HealthSouth Mid America Rehabilitation Hospital honors Nurses Week with a special thanks to our caring team of nurse specialists. Their commitment and perseverance in helping rehabilitation patients reach their goals is invaluable. Thank you for all you do every day.

5701 West 110th Street Overland Park, KS 66211 913 491-2400

“You have to trust that they are going to support you.”

RN positions now available as we plan for bed expansions. Apply at MidAmericaRehabHospital.com

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 21

NATIONAL Nurses week

Florence Nightingale pledge “I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.” Mrs. Lystra E. Gretter and a committee for the Farrand Training School for Nurses composed the “Florence Nightingale Pledge” in 1893 in Detroit, Michigan. They reportedly named it the “Florence Nightingale Pledge” as a token of esteem for the founder of modern nursing.

Nursing and Healthcare: A Rewarding Choice JCCC can help you start or continue your healthcare career with innovative programs, outstanding faculty and state-of-the-art facilities. Associate Degree Nursing Program Registered Nurse � Fully accredited by the Kansas State Board of Nursing and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission � Small student-faculty ratio

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Call 913-469-8500, ext. 4722 or 2350

Johnson County Community College 12345 College Blvd. Overland Park, KS www.jccc.edu

22 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

Clinical Coordinator

NATIONAL Nurses week

Patients trust nurses to be there Nurses are trusted to give the right medicine, to hold the hand of the scared and to provide care that is complete and research based. Nurses are trusted to speak with kindness and truth, to work hard, to care endlessly and be the rock in shaky situations. Nurses are trusted to rush to the bedside of the ill, to stand firm when times are hard and to know the right words for the right times. We are great at what we do. We do everything we can and everything we’ve learned and we do it regularly to the best of our abilities. And it’s hard. We pop in and out of family situations that carry years of history that we know nothing about. We are trained to read people and to try and understand what’s not being said in the room or what doesn’t appear on a chart. We weren’t taught this in nursing school. There wasn’t a class called Mindreading 101. Instead, it comes from our time on the job. So often we are pulled into the middle of people’s lives, in what for them is the

most tragic moment they’ve ever encountered. And nurses thrive in that situation. Why? Because we’re more than nurses. We’re more than just people administering meds and starting IVs. We’re more than “the doctor will be right in…” When we’re good, when we’re really doing our jobs, we’re nearly family. We recognize all that’s happening in the patient’s room. We know the reason for all the interventions and we understand the science behind the efforts to save patients. But if we’re truly good, we also know when it’s time to step back and make this tragic event bearable, meaningful and tolerable for the family. We develop processes to help provide families with what they need. And what do they need? They need us to provide an environment where the care is complete and where our efforts are noticed now and appreciated later. They need us to open doors and pull curtains and grab an extra gown and do whatever is necessary to get that wife a spot next to her husband during his last moments. Because in

For more than 100 years, Saint Luke’s has provided the finest in Nursing education. Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences now offers

a traditional BSN starting in both Fall & Spring High NCLEX Pass Rates and Student Satisfaction For more information on an exciting career in nursing, please call 816-932-2367.

the end, no one is going to thank us for hanging another med or explaining the science. But they’ll thank us for allowing them those precious few moments with their loved ones. They’ll thank us for letting them say what they needed to say or even for allowing them to Kristin Sollars say nothing at all. RN, BSN, CCRN They’ll thank us for the opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t have had and for caring for their loved ones. Kristin Sollars, RN, BSN, CCRNm is a STEMI nurse and staff nurse in the CICU at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Around Here, We Honor Our Nurses Every Day. National Nurses Week is a great time to recognize our outstanding nurses and the important, lifesaving work they do. But a week is not really enough to do them justice. At Liberty Hospital, we’re proud of our great nurses and appreciate their efforts every day throughout the year.

8320 Ward Parkway, Suite 300 • Kansas City, MO 64114 slc-admissions@saint-lukes.org • www.saintlukescollege.edu An EEO Employer/Services offered on a non-discriminatory basis

Our people do amazing things.

BE PART OF THE COMPANY THAT’S MAKING MEDICINE SMARTER™ FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. Medco is a leading healthcare company serving more than 60 million people. We’re looking for individuals who are ready to challenge conventional wisdom in the spirit of positively impacting people’s lives. Join the company that Fortune magazine ranked No. 1 in “Most Admired Companies” in the Pharmacy category and No. 5 globally in Innovation.

Clinical Coordinator – Overland Park, Kansas

This role provides educational and clinical research expertise to potential research participants and physicians regarding protocols and pilot programs for Medco Research Institute clinical trials and projects. Primary tasks include recruitment of potential study subjects, accurate collection of data from study subjects and documentation of all communications. The clinical coordinator is responsible for following protocol-speciﬁc processes, documentation and coordination throughout all phases of program cycle. Qualiﬁcations include: •

BSN degree from an accredited school of nursing

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3+ years of nursing experience to include project management, healthcare quality audit, client services and clinical research or outcomes analysis

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Strong analytical skills and familiarity with research techniques

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We offer a highly competitive base salary and an outstanding beneﬁts program, including medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, life insurance, paid time off, tuition assistance and an employee stock purchase plan. Visit our website at www.medcohealth.apply2jobs.com to apply. In order to be considered, online submission is required, referencing Requisition # DMA10784. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F/D/V

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 23

Nurses, thank

you for all that you do!

In celebration of Nurses Week, we would like to honor the women and men who go above and beyond to offer highly personalized, compassionate care for our patients. These skilled professionals work in Johnson and Allen counties in Kansas, and Jackson and Lexington counties in Missouri. As the backbone of our hospitals, our nurses provide our patients with quick-thinking, sound advice and tireless dedication – not to mention hope and strength when they need it most.

Midwest Physicians Overland Park Regional Medical Center Research Belton Hospital Research Medical Center Research Psychiatric Center An Equal Opportunity Employer

www.hcamidwest.com

��

Allen County Hospital Cass Regional Medical Center Centerpoint Medical Center Lafayette Regional Health Center Lee’s Summit Medical Center Menorah Medical Center

24 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

NATIONAL Nurses week

Nursing trivia enhances National Nursing Week • The American Nurses Association was founded in 1896. • Isabel Adams Hampton Robb was the first president of the American Nurses Association. • According to projections released in February 2004 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs top the list of the 10 occupations with the largest projected job growth in the years 2002-2012. Although RNs have been listed among the top 10 growth occupations in the past, this is the first time in recent history that RNs have ranked first. These 10-year projections

are widely used in career guidance, in planning education and training programs and in studying long-range employment trends. According to the BLS report, more than 2.9 million RNs will be employed in the year 2012, up 623,000 from the nearly 2.3 million RNs employed in 2002. However, the total job openings, which include both job growth and the net replacement of nurses, will be more than 1.1 million. This growth, coupled with current trends of nurses retiring or leaving the profession and fewer new nurses, could lead to a shortage of more than

one million nurses by the end of this decade. • The nation’s RN work force is aging significantly and the number of full-time equivalent RNs per capita is forecast to peak around the year 2007 and decline steadily thereafter, according to Peter Buerhaus of Vanderbilt University’s nursing school. Buerhaus also predicted that the number of RNs would fall 20 percent below the demand by 2010. (Journal of the American Medical Association, June 14, 2000) • Schools of nursing were forced to reject more than

147,000 qualified applications to nursing programs at all levels in 2005 – an increase of 18 percent over 2004, according to a report by the National League for Nursing (NLN). The NLN blamed the problem in part on a continuing shortage of nursing educators. Meanwhile, nursing colleges and universities denied 32,617 qualified applicants in 2005, also resulting primarily from a shortage of nurse educators, according to survey data released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The AACN survey also reveals that enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased by 13 percent from 2004 to 2005. According to AACN, this is the fifth consecutive year of enrollment increases with 14.1, 16.6, 8.1 and 3.7 percent increases in 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Prior to the five-year upswing, baccalaureate nursing

programs experienced six years of declining enrollments from 1995 through 2000. • There are more than 240,000 advanced practice nurses in the United States. Of these, approximately 144,200 are nurse practitioners, 69,000 are clinical nurse specialists, 14,600 are both nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists, 13,700 are nurse midwives, and 32,500 are nurse anesthetists. • The Congressional Nursing Caucus - a bi-partisan initiative, co-chaired by U.S. Reps. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Steven LaTourette (R-OH), with 56 congressional members - was formed in March 2003. The purpose of the caucus is to educate Congress on all aspects of the nursing profession and how nursing issues impact the delivery of safe, quality care. The caucus was formed

FAST FACTS, page 23

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 25

NATIONAL Nurses week

Fun fast facts about nurses, profession consultation between congressional leaders and ANA. • Research indicates that advanced practice nurses can provide 60 to 80 percent of primary care services as well as or better than physicians and at a lesser cost. • Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia allow advanced practice nurses to prescribe medications. • The Jan. 5, 2000, edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported the results of a study that revealed patients fared just as well when treated by nurse practitioners as they did when treated by physicians. • The nation’s nurses rank second for their honesty and integrity, with 82 percent of Americans rating them “high” or “very high,” according to a 2005 Gallup Poll. Nurses have consistently rated first every year but one after being added to the list in 1999. • The American Nurses Association consists of 54 state and territorial associations, whose mission is to work with ANA’s Associate Organizational Members (AOMs) and Organizational Affiliates for the improvement of health standards and availability of health care services for all people, foster high standards for nursing, stimulate and promote the professional development of

We celebrate our nurses every day. Not a single day goes by that we are not inspired by the group of dedicated, spirited nurses who rallied to build Olathe Community Hospital in 1953 and launched what would grow into our current health system. Today, more than 900 nursing professionals work in our two regional medical centers and in our network of primary care and specialized clinics. And every day, we are grateful that they are our frontline of patient care, focusing their compassion and healing energy on a single specialty: you. Han Staab, R.N.

olathehealth.org/careers

26 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

“We proudly exceed state and national averages for virtually all quality measures.” Angela Waldron, RN Lawrence Memorial Hospital

Quality Matters

Excellence in healthcare is measured in many ways. At LMH, we come to work every day with a sense of purpose. Quality care is a priority here. We are all responsible. Our nurses, doctors and staff are experts at coming together and communicating as a team to do the right thing and prevent mistakes. That’s why LMH continually outperforms 90 percent of hospitals in the United States. Visit www.lmh.org/qualitymatters to learn more about our clinical outcomes and why quality matters.

325 Maine

Lawrence , KS

785-505-5000

w w w. l m h . o r g

May 2, 2011 Kansas City Nursing News • NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 27

NATIONAL Nurses week

Nurses look back on profession’s history National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1997, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week each year. The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by the American Nurses Association, commonly referred to as ANA, since 1896. Each of ANA’s state and territorial nurses associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels. Each conducts celebrations on these dates to recognize the contributions that nurses and

nursing make to the community. The ANA supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions. Below is a brief history of National Nurses Week: • 1953 Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a “Nurse Day” in October of the following year. The proclamation was never made. • 1954 National Nurse Week was observed from Oct. 11 to 16. The year of the observance marked the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. Rep. Frances P. Bolton sponsored the bill for a nurse week.

Apparently, a bill for a National Nurse Week was introduced in the 1955 Congress, but no action was taken. Congress discontinued its practice of joint resolutions for national weeks of various kinds. • 1972 Again a resolution was presented by the House of Representatives for the President to proclaim “National Registered Nurse Day.” It did not occur. • 1974 In January, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) proclaimed that May 12 would be “International Nurse Day.” (May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale.) Since 1965, the ICN has celebrated “International Nurse Day.” • 1974 In February, a week was designated by the White House as National Nurse Week, and President Nixon issued a proclamation. • 1978 New Jersey Gov.

Brendon Byrne declared May 6 as “Nurses Day.” Edward Scanlan, of Red Bank, N.J., took up the cause to perpetuate the recognition of nurses in his state. Scanlan had this date listed in Chase’s Calendar of Annual Events. He promoted the celebration on his own. • 1981 ANA, along with various nursing organizations, rallied to support a resolution initiated by nurses in New Mexico, through Congressman Manuel Lujan, to have May 6, 1982, established as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.” • 1982 In February, the ANA Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982, as “National Nurses Day.” The action affirmed a joint resolution of the United States Congress designating May 6 as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.” • 1982 President Ronald

Reagan signed a proclamation on March 25, proclaiming “National Recognition Day for Nurses” to be May 6, 1982. • 1990 The ANA Board of Directors expanded the recognition of nurses to a weeklong celebration, declaring May 6 to 12, 1991, as National Nurses Week. • 1993 The ANA Board of Directors designated May 6 to 12 as permanent dates to observe National Nurses Week in 1994 and in all subsequent years. • 1996 The ANA initiated “National RN Recognition Day” on May 6, 1996, to honor the nation’s indispensable registered nurses for their tireless commitment 365 days a year. The ANA encouraged its state and territorial nurses associations and other organizations to acknowledge May 6, 1996, as “National RN Recognition Day.” • 1997 The ANA Board of Directors, at the request of the National Student Nurses Association, designated May 8 as National Student Nurse Day.

Thank you to all of our Gentiva staff for their hard work, dedication, and compassion they bring to each and every patient’s lives!

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28 Kansas City Nursing News â&#x20AC;˘ NATIONAL NURSES WEEK May 2, 2011

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he care and compassion you provide to our patients every day makes a difference long after they leave our hospital. In honor of national Nurses Week, we thank you for the contributions you make each day in the lives of both patients and families. Your dedication and expertise to Shawnee Mission Medical Center is what makes us Much more than medicine.

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Health questions? Need a doctor? Call ASK-A-NURSE at 913-676-7777 or visit ShawneeMission.org To learn about career opportunities at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, visit our Web site at ShawneeMission.org.