Volume 5
WHAT’Snew
Number 16
August 5, 2016
Pennsylvania Hospital
GIVING THE
More than 121,000 people across the United States are currently on the organ transplant list and 5,700 of those people live right here in Philadelphia, many of whom are Penn Transplant patients. To help raise awareness about organ donation and to encourage more people to become donors, Penn Medicine, including Pennsylvania Hospital, is partnering with Gift of Life and the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) for the 2016 Pennsylvania Donate Life Hospital Challenge. From now through August 31, our goal is to earn state-wide recognition for PAH’s efforts to raise awareness about organ donation and encourage our staff and community members to make the generous decision to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor.
INSIDE Exclusive Learning Opportunities at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences.................................. 2 Free Continuing Education Training in LGBTQ-centered Care ................... 3 Celebrating the Pharmacy Residency Program at PAH............... 3 School Supply Drive July 18 – August 26............................. 4 A Heartfelt Thanks.............................. 4
`` PAH’s Theresa Larivee, Matt Menard, Rhoda Sulzbach, with guest speakers Derek Fitzgerald, Ann Murray, Gift of Life Hospital Development Coordinator Amy Martiner, and Gift of Life President and CEO Howard Nathan.
To help build even more momentum around this campaign, PAH team members gathered together on July 11 to honor organ donors and their families and celebrate the gift of life with organ donation recipients. Guest speakers included Gift of Life CEO Howard Nathan; Ann Murray, mother of an organ donor; and Derek Fitzgerald, a transplant recipient. PAH CEO Theresa Larivee welcomed guests and discussed the important role Penn Medicine plays in the organ donation process.
Sadly, at 17 years old, he suffered a head trauma during a car accident that left him brain dead. “Knowing that my son’s organs could help save the lives of others provided a ray of light and some peace during the darkest time of my life,” Murray said. “Our entire family decided to become donors along with many of my son’s friends and classmates. I am proud to be here today to celebrate his gift and the gift of so many others.” / / / Continued on page 2
“From helping to ease the anxiety and pain of our patients on the transplant list to providing support and information for families of donors, we understand the challenges, the sacrifices, the sadness, and the joy that comes with organ donation,” Larivee said. “But one of our most important roles is encouraging our staff, our patients, and our community to check ‘yes’ when they are asked if they want to be an organ donor.” Ann Murray’s son was one of those people who did check yes. He was born at Pennsylvania Hospital in 1983 and registered to be an organ donor when he passed his driver’s test. `` Transplant Recipient Derek Fitzgerald
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/ / / Continued from cover
life is a gift that I owe to so many others, and I will My
GIVING THE
never stop trying to earn it.
Derek Fitzgerald, who received a heart transplant at Penn, also shared his story at the event. After battling leukemia into remission, Fitzgerald was told that the chemotherapy that treated his cancer had destroyed his heart and he would need a heart transplant to survive. He was placed on the waiting list in 2010 and in January 2011, Fitzgerald received his life-saving heart transplant. Since his transplant, Fitzgerald has been able to celebrate major milestones with his loved ones that may not have been possible if it was not for a generous, selfless organ donor. Today, Fitzgerald dedicates his life to helping others through their own health care journeys. When not speaking as an advocate for cancer research, heart health, and organ donation, he competes in endurance events such as bike races and triathlons and spends time with his wife and daughter. Fitzgerald is the world’s only cancer survivor/heart transplant recipient to ever complete a full IRONMAN triathlon and to date has completed four IRONMAN triathlons. “My life is a gift that I owe to so many others, and I will never stop trying to earn it,” Fitzgerald said.
As a hospital partner in the HAP Donate Life Hospital Challenge, Pennsylvania Hospital encourages all members of our staff to join with Gift of Life Donor Program, our partner organ donation organization, to educate our hospital community about the critical need for donation and provide opportunities for people to sign up as organ, eye, and tissue donors. To learn more about donation and to sign up as a future donor, please visit www.donors1.org. By taking a few minutes to register, you ensure that your desire to give this gift is officially recorded. You may someday be able to give the priceless gifts of life, sight, and mobility to another.
›› L EARN MORE ABOUT ORGAN DONATION Each Thursday in August a Gift of Life volunteer will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in front of the Christ Healing the Sick painting to answer questions and share information. Giveaways will also be available!
Exclusive Learning Opportunities at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences With more than 100 years of health care education focused on perfecting real-world application, the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences has joined Penn Medicine as a part of the Lancaster General Health family. Founded in 1903, the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences has built a reputation that echoes its mission: “Educate for excellence in health care practice, leadership, and the continuous acquisition of knowledge.” Originally a nursing school, the accredited college has grown its academic curriculum to include associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees as well as professional certificates in a range of healthcare studies. Qualified Penn Medicine employees have access to a quick, easy, and free application process to enroll for the upcoming fall semester. The Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences is dedicated to helping you complete your degree — whether you are just getting started, or going back to finish a degree that you have already started.
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“The Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences offers Penn Medicine employees an excellent opportunity to learn from experts in health care — including some of Penn Medicine’s own leaders — and immediately apply those learning’s to benefit our patients and families,” said France Graham, director of Workforce Development for Penn Medicine Academy. “The school really champions the adult learner and has built programs focused on ensuring our employees achieve their education goals.” Penn Medicine employees can take advantage of exclusive resources to help them succeed in their academic pursuits. In addition to the tuition benefit — $8,000 is available for full-time employees, $4,000 for those budgeted as part-time — the college offers a flexible delivery system with both online and classroom-based formats to help accommodate busy schedules. Each semester students can choose to take one or two accelerated courses over a five-week cycle. The Center for Learning Success at the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences also provides assistance through tutoring, advising, and library support.
Faculty and guest lecturers will include leaders from Penn Medicine, while on-site programs create a positive environment to learn beside colleagues and peers. Courses at the college employ a combination of media-rich interactive modules, simulated dynamic environments, and on-site skill workshops. Personalized admissions assistance and a UPHS employee-dedicated website are available to make the enrollment process as easy as possible. See if you qualify and take advantage of this opportunity by visiting www.pacollege.edu/UPHS/.
Quick, Easy and Free application for UPHS employees! The Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences will waive the application fee for UPHS employees. Just use the partner code UPHS16 when you visit www.pacollege.edu/ UPHS/ to apply online for free.
FREE CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING IN LGBTQ-CENTERED CARE Penn Medicine was named a 2016 “Leader in LGBTQ Health Care Equality” and as part of our continued efforts to better serve our LGBTQ patients, families, and community members, Penn is partnering with the Healthcare Quality Index and Human Rights Campaign Foundation to offer free CME/CEU educational opportunities to our employees. More than 60 different free, online training courses are currently available. Topics include: • An Introduction to your
LGBTQ Patients
• Introduction to LGBTQ Health • Expanding LGBTQ Cultural
Competency
• LGBTQ Healthcare for
Clinicians
• Transgender Health
• Behavioral Health Care • LGBTQ Youth • LGBTQ Older Adults • HIV and STI Treatment and
Prevention
• Lesbian and Bisexual Women • Gay and Bisexual Men
For more information and to access the training resources visit: »»www.hrc.org/hei-training-on-the-cal#.V40r1sv2bcs or »»www.hrc.org/the-national-lgbt-health-education-center#CME Use the Pennsylvania Hospital facility code: 55586 Security keyword: HRC
You may also request on-site training for your team — the HEI team would be happy to attend your staff meeting, host a lunch and learn, or attend any other group forum that will reach care providers. Please reach out to Tanya Carmichael (Tanya.Carmichael@uphs.upenn.edu) for more information. We encourage you to take advantage of these great resources!
• Working with Trans Youth
`` Kelley Johnson, PharmD ; Chase Burkavage, Pha rmD
CELEBRATING THE
PHARMACY RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT PAH This June, the Pharmacy Residency program at PAH celebrated milestones and new beginnings. On June 22, residents Kelley Johnson and Chase Burkavage completed their training at PAH and on June 29 we welcomed our new residents, Jacqueline Chirico and Ta-Seti Donald. Pennsylvania Hospital is home to both the first hospital pharmacy and the first residency program in the United States. As a part of PAH, pharmacy residents play an integral role in our dedication to patient care, safety, and effective medication management. Our clinical pharmacist specialists group and the administrative team serve as preceptors for residents during their rotations. Throughout the program, residents gain a working knowledge of the operational components of the Pharmacy Department and are exposed to a variety of practice areas. They may also choose one area of practice as an elective experience, allowing them to focus the program toward their future career goals.
`` Jacqueline Theodorou, PharmD; Lindsay McDonnell, PharmD; Drew Kirk, PharmD, BCCCP; Marc Crane, PharmD, BCPS
mD; Drew Kirk,
hunchha, Phar
onam Ch oreno, MBA; Po `` Marco Ge armD, BCPS Ph e, an Cr c ar M
P;
PharmD, BCCC
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School Supply Drive, July 18 – August 26
Items Needed:
The first day of school is just around the corner and Women’s Health Outreach at PAH needs your help to meet the needs of many children in our community whose families can’t afford to purchase school supplies. Donations will be accepted now through August 26 at drop-off locations throughout Pennsylvania Hospital.
• Backpacks
• Scissors
• Composition Books
• Glue Sticks
Drop Off Locations:
• Pencils
• Highlighters
• 8th Street Entrance
• Intensive Care Nursery – 2nd Floor
• Pens
• Kleenex – Small packets
• Post-Partum Unit – 6th Floor
• Labor & Delivery – 3rd Floor
• Rulers
• Ziploc Bags
• Crayons
• 2 Pocket
• Colored
Folders
A Heartfelt Thanks
One hundred and forty-six days and counting. This is the number of days that our beloved daughter, our miracle baby, has been under the care of neonatologists, cardiologists, respiratory therapists, nurses, and other specialists at Pennsylvania Hospital.
Pencils • Markers
• Scissors • Copy Paper
One patient shares her praise for the outstanding care she received while her daughter, born at 27 weeks, was in the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN). She expressed her gratitude to all of our amazing staff who cared for her and her family, personally thanking two members of the care team: Joann Gregor, Respiratory Therapist III From the first encounter, my husband and I were amazed at just how patient Joann was with us. Our daughter has significant respiratory challenges due to her severe Chronic Lung Disease. As first-time parents not anticipating the ICN-life, we would find ourselves at PAH from the wee hours of the morning well into rounds for the next day. Joann always made time to speak with us. She was warm, gracious, and allowed us to ask for as much clarification as we needed. Joann took the time to listen as a scared mother shed tears of confusion, helplessness, and then offered reassurance concerning our daughter’s treatment. Our conversation was one of genuine hope, honest feedback about the journey ahead, and supportive professionalism. Megan Spoerl, RN From the very first day she was born, our daughter had one of the nursing profession's best, Megan Spoerl, caring for her! Megan was literally the first nurse to welcome our daughter into this world — all 1 pound and 11 ounces of her. Words cannot describe what it is like to have your little bundle of joy, your precious baby handed over to the trust of complete strangers covered in scrubs. Megan always offered patient explanations and comforting reassurances. And most importantly, Megan offered empathy. She understood the silent tears of a first-time mother who had to learn how to be a mommy, a NICU mommy, and a returning-to-work mommy. She knew when I needed space to wrestle through the ‘big decisions’ on medical procedures, treatment, etc. and when I needed a hug to just make it another hour as a preemie family. Megan is a large reason why I consider nurses to be angels in scrubs!
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WHAT’Snew EDITORIAL STAFF Johanna Harvey Editor
Lauren Hochenberger Graphic Design Barry Ogburn Photography
ADMINISTRATION
Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Holly Auer Director of Communications Sally Sapega Director of Internal Communications CONTACT WHAT’Snew at: Department of Communications Pennsylvania Hospital Philadelphia, PA 19106 phone: 215.349.8062 email: Johanna.Harvey@uphs.upenn.edu WHAT’Snew is published biweekly for PAH employees. Access WHAT’Snew online at news.PennMedicine.org/inside/whats-new/.