2023 Nurses Week

Happy Nurses Week to our health care HEROES.

Our nurses are valued team members dedicated to helping patients and families live their healthiest lives. Their compassion and commitment to our community remind us that, by working together, we can create a healthier Hawai‘i.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR JOSH GREEN,

M.D.

IN RECOGNITION OF ALL THE NURSES SERVING HAWAII

Nurses are the cornerstone of patient care in our state of Hawaii and I am honored to recognize them for their work. Of the four million nurses in the United States, more than 1,600 licensed practical nurses, 16,000 registered nurse and 1,200 advanced practice registered nurses reside in Hawaii.

Nurses work in all health care settings to support the delivery of primary, specialty and emergency care to the people of our state. They are the leaders in improving health care for all individuals by recognizing and addressing social determinants of health, reducing barriers to health care access and establishing a culture of safety and health for all. Nurses provide quality and compassionate health care to the most vulnerable in our society including children, elderly and persons who are houseless, disabled, gender nonconforming or struggling with addiction.

Our need for nurses has increased because of a shortage provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the aging of the population, the development of life-prolonging scientific innovations and the desire for people to receive care in their own homes. Nurses are a source of compassion, hope, understanding and healing for their patients and their families.

On behalf of the people of Hawaii, I ask the people of the Aloha State to join me in honoring nurses for their dedication, professionalism, inspiration, compassion, courage and resilience as they continue to take care of the medical and emotional need of our keiki, kupuna, ohana and communities.

Mahalo nui loa, JOSH GREEN, M.D. Governor, State of Hawaii

BY KYLE GALDEIRA

Florence Nightingale is known as the founder of professional nursing and became an industry pioneer after her work during the Crimean War from 1853 to 1856. Nightingale’s habit of making rounds at night led to her being known as “The Lady with the Lamp,” and, appropriately, National Nurses Week shines a light on the current crop of dedicated nurses.

National Nurses Week is May 6-12 each year — May 6 being Nightingale’s birthday. The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by American Nurses Association since 1896. Each of ANA’s state and territorial nurses’ associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels, and conducts celebrations to recognize the contributions that nurses make to the community.

“As the largest group of health care professionals in the U.S. and the most trusted profession, nurses are with patients 24/7 and from the beginning of life to the end. Nurses practice in all health care settings and are filling new roles to meet the ever-growing demand for health and health care services,” states ANA president Ernest Grant, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “Despite the major role nurses play in health care delivery and community outreach, there are opportunities to increase understanding of the value of nursing in order to expand investment in education, practice and research, as well as increase the numbers of nurses who serve in leadership positions.”

The Hawaii-American Nurses Association, or Hawaii-ANA, is one of the most active and visible professional nursing organizations in the state. Its mission is to empower nurses to advocate for the improvement of the health care system in the communities where we live and work.

The Hawaii-ANA’s purpose is to advocate for nurses in the workplace, legislature and community; provide opportunities for mentorship, leadership, continued education, community engagement, and promotion of the nursing profession; and build a network of empowered nurses to inspire change and improve our healthcare system and community.

Linda Beechinor, Hawaii- ANA’s

vice president and executive director, states that the “organization acts and speaks for Hawaii nurses on policy, regulation and legislation matters.”

She also believes Hawaii-ANA’s mission is aligned with Hawaii nursing education programs for the purpose of promoting education and participation by faculty members and students in this arena.

The Hawaii-ANA currently has more than 400 members statewide and aims to increase the membership to over 600 by 2025. The Membership Committee, chaired by Bob Gahol and co-chaired by Ruthie Clearwater, is working diligently to ensure it meets its recruitment and retention goals. The group actively networks with

other professional organizations statewide to promote the organization.

Hawaii-ANA also has a very active Advocacy Committee, chaired by Kristina Clark and cochaired by BJ Bartleson. The committee believes that advocacy is a pillar of nursing. Nurses instinctively advocate for their patients in their workplaces and in their communities. Legislative and political advocacy is no less important to advancing the nursing profession and patient care. The Hawaii-ANA Advocacy Committee intends to increase expertise in the advocacy process, give voice to the nursing profession around impactful legislation and promote solutions for the betterment of the patient and communities we serve.

The Hawaii-ANA Professional Development Committee, chaired by Denise Cohen and co-chaired by Brian Fikes, supports the nursing community by being visible locally, nationally and globally. The committee helps provide required continuing education credits to our nursing membership at no cost to our members. We organize our annual membership conference to bring national nursing leaders to meet with our members to discuss the challenges facing nursing today.

To celebrate Nurses Month this year, Hawaii-ANA offers a free one-hour CE presentation on Integrative Palliative and Primary Care by Brian Fikes. To register, please go to hawaii-ana.nursingnetwork.com.

LINDA BEECHINOR, DNP, APRN

American Nurse Association Hawaii vice-president and executive director Nurse for more than 50 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

The nursing profession has vast opportunities for practice and service in the community. They are endless! Being part of the profession has enriched my life-long education, ever-evolving nursing roles, healthcare policy development, political participation, research contributions, and always the inevitable opening of doors for human contact during life’s most important moments with patients and families.

UH MANOA NURSING SCHOOL SAYS ‘MAHALO’ TO NURSES AT EVERY LEVEL

If there is anything recent years have taught us, it is that the world could not function without nurses. Not only do they provide care, but they are also competent in evidence- and practice-based research, they fight for health policy and system improvement, serve on the frontlines of health care, collaborate with other health professionals, educate and train our future health care workforce and advocate for their

patients in a multitude of ways.

Nursing is the largest health care profession, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s National Nursing Workforce Survey. In Hawaii, 78% of nurses are baccalaureate prepared, compared to 59% nationally, according to the Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing (HSCN).

Our nurses engage in lifelong learning activities, ensuring they are up-to-date and

CLEMENTINA CERIA-ULEP

University of Hawaii at Manoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing

Nurse for 41 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

The varied opportunities offered in nursing — you can be a staff nurse, educator, manager, administrator, researcher and entrepreneur. I have done everything except being an entrepreneur. What I like most about being a staff nurse is the privilege of being present in people’s lives during their most vulnerable (sick) and happy times (being born or being healed). As an educator-administrator, the ability to impact the education of future nurses is an awe-inspiring opportunity that I treasure.

DEBORAH MATTHEUS

University of Hawaii at Manoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing and Hawaii Keiki: Healthy & Ready to Learn

Nurse for 37 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

I was drawn to the profession of nursing because of my desire to help people. The nursing profession allows me to use my intelligence and my heart to impact the lives of others, including the patients I care for as a nurse practitioner, the nursing students that I educate and mentor as a nursing faculty and the multidisciplinary teams I lead to conduct research- and evidence-based projects.

qualified to provide the best possible care for their patients. Hawaii nurses have accomplished so much, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing (NAWSON) would like to say “mahalo” for all that you do.

Hawaii nurses serve our community and care for vulnerable patient populations, such as uninsured, Medicaid/ Medicare, transgender/nonbinary, addic-

tion/dependency, houseless and disabled, according to HSCN. Licensed Practice Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) also respond to global health crises like COVID-19 and teach nurses and other health care students.

In celebration of the American Nurses Association’s National Nurses Month, mahalo nurses, you make a difference.

WILLIAM SIEGMAN

University of Hawaii at Manoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing & The Queen’s Medical Center (retired) Nurse for 40 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

As a nurse, I find the ability to help and connect with people at their most vulnerable to be truly rewarding. The dynamic health care environment ensures that each day is unique and exciting. While witnessing suffering can be challenging, the opportunity to provide comfort is both fulfilling and transformative. I am confident that as a nurse, I am not only aiding individuals in changing their lives, but they have also changed my life, too.

Mahalo, Hawai‘i Nurses

If there is anything recent years have taught us, it is that the world could not function without nurses. Our nurses engage in lifelong provide the best possible care for their patients. Hawai‘i nurses have

THE QUEEN’S HEALTH SYSTEM PROVIDES QUALITY CARE TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS, HAWAII RESIDENTS

BY LINDA PUU, MSN

Senior vice president, chief nurse executive, Quality & Patient Safety at The Queen’s Health System

National Nurses Week (May 6-12) provides us with an opportunity to recognize the important role our nurses play in the delivery of extraordinary care to our patients and families.

At The Queen’s Health System, our mission is to provide quality health care to Native Hawaiians and all of the people of Hawaii.

Whether this involves provision of necessary services, comforting someone at end of life who may be lonely and afraid, or teaching family members how to care for a chronically ill member of their ohana, our team is committed to providing the highest quality of care to every patient who travels through our doors.

We at Queen’s are remarkably proud of you and support your constant desire to learn and serve our patients with care, aloha, respect and excellence.

I am truly honored to work alongside this exceptional team of nurses, as well as partner with world-class physicians and support staff.

Our strong local and national standing includes being the first and only Hawaii hospital to achieve Magnet recognition, the highest honor for quality and nursing excellence in the United States.

This honor and others is due in large measure to our phenomenal group of talented and dedicated nurses who bring an uncompromising focus on the advancement and delivery of quality care to their profession, and to the patients and families they serve.

The patients we’ve cared for and their grateful families tell the story of the excellent care provided by our outstanding nurses and support staff.

During this celebration of National Nurses Week, I want to thank each and every one of you for your tireless work. Let us celebrate together as we continue to uphold

BRANDI ARECCHI, RN

Molokai General Hospital

Nurse for two years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

My favorite aspect about my profession is the diverse experiences I’ve had. I provide education and comfort for people of all ages who are taking on new medical experiences which can be difficult or scary for some patients. As my experience and knowledge base grows, so does my ability to help our community. I’m proud to be a service to my local people and most of all to my family.

The Queen’s Medical Center-West Oahu Nurse for 11 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession? One of the most satisfying aspects of nursing is building a relationship founded on trust with my patients. Not only does it calm their anxiety, but it also makes them feel like they’re in good hands, which is essential for them to be an active participant in their care. As a bonus, being able to make my patients smile or laugh is undoubtedly a daily highlight.

The Queen’s Medical Center-Punchbowl Nurse for 17 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

I am honored to be in this profession and to work alongside such caring and wonderful individuals. I get to be part of a symphony that heals and lightens the hearts and helps relieve the pain of our patients. Everyone on the team from the doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, housekeeping and dietary work together to become a masterpiece. I am honored to stand amongst my fellow nursing brothers and sisters.

MONA BAGGETT, CMSRN

IQRA ALEXANDER, RN, BSN, CEN

the standards that define us as professionals, for persevering when times are tough, and for exhibiting excellence in human caring for the benefit of every patient and family we serve.

Your strength and perseverance is humbling and inspiring.

The Queen’s Heath System is the preemi-

nent health care system with four hospitals, over 70 community health care centers, home care and labs throughout Hawaii and the Pacific. The Queen’s Medical Center is the first and only hospital in Hawaii to achieve Magnet recognition — the highest institutional honor for hospital excellence — from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

to the HerOes

University Health Partners of Hawai‘i is proud to be the practice partner for Hawai‘i Keiki! W your friends at the University of Hawai‘i John A. Burns School of Medicine greatly appreciate you and your hard work!

MAHALO to all of the nurses who work to provide extraordinary care!

here’s

Mahalo to the community and our patients for selecting Hawaii Cancer Care as Hawaii’s Best Cancer Treatment Center, where Hawaiian values guide our medical principles. Our Doctors and patient-focused, highly trained medical staff here for you, ready to assist and support you with all your treatment needs.

NURSES GO ABOVE, BEYOND

Nursing has changed. The classic understanding of the role of nurses — caring for patients at the bedside — is now one of several paths nurses can take over the course of their careers.

Today’s nurses may be highly specialized caregivers, such as the nurses at our Lihue Clinic on Kauai who provide services from infusions to wound care.

Other nurses are deeply engaged in public health efforts, such as leading Kaiser Permanente’s COVID-19 vaccination program. Thousands of Kauai residents ages 6 months and older received their vaccinations, thanks to the efforts of our nurses. Our Lihue Clinic is one of very few facilities on Kauai providing vaccines to children under 5.

Many nurses are involved in community outreach. Our Lihue team supports the Special Olympics by providing physical exams and screenings the athletes need before they can compete — and by providing on-site first aid.

Nurses also work as primary care providers, educators, case managers or executives.

Of course, the quintessential image of nurses — providing comfort and care to patients — remains an indispensable and critically important role.

“The nurses at Kaiser Permanente’s Lihue Clinic care for our patients with skill and compassion,” says John Yang M.D., president and medical director, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. “The nurses at our Lihue Clinic are highly trained professionals who perform essential work for a variety of specialties.”

Kaiser Permanente’s nurses are a large part of why the organization has received national recognitions for patient and family care. In fact, all of Kaiser Permanente’s 20 facilities across the state received the Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) designation. PCMH

provides health care that is relationship-based for the whole person and demonstrates a commitment to quality and quality improvement.

“We are extremely grateful to have amazing, caring nurses who have dedicated themselves to providing care for patients like family. Their resilience and flexibility through the pandemic and beyond has made a difference on Kauai,” says Greg Christian, Hawaii market president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. “They are the heart of our amazing team.”

In honor of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, Kaiser Permanente encourages patients, family members and friends to thank a hardworking nurse and let them know their commitment and dedication is greatly appreciated.

JENNIFER SUZA, LPN

Kaiser Permanente Lihue Clinic Nurse for 9 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

Being a nurse has truly been a rewarding experience because not only am I able to help people when they are in need, but the interaction with the patients and their families has provided many fond and lasting memories. Knowing that I am able to help improve the lives and health of the community even in small ways makes being a nurse one of the greatest professions there is.

A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY OF CARE

In 1938, George Norton Wilcox and Dora Isenberg created a hospital for plantation workers. Today, Wilcox Medical Center is a state-of-the art facility, offering the latest medical technology to families across Kauai. Wilcox and Kauai Medical Clinic comprise Wilcox Health. Its many locations share a single goal — excellent care for the community.

“Our nurses represent our community,” says Darla Sabry, chief nurse executive and vice president of patient services. “They are dedicated, innovative and resilient in finding ways to provide exceptional care for patients and each other every day.”

Eurielle Carrillo is one of those homegrown nurses. The Kapaa High School graduate earned her nursing degree from University of Hawaii at Manoa and first worked as a clinical assistant in the Emergency Department (ED) at Straub Medical Center.

“Right after high school, I experienced a traumatic passing of a friend, and I couldn’t help,” Carrillo says. “I chose emergency medicine so I

could act quickly to treat others when they need it most.”

Straub’s ED manager helped her get into the ED Nursing Academy for specialty training. That led her back home, to Kauai’s only Level III Trauma Center — Wilcox Medical Center.

Wilcox averages 25,000 emergency visits every year, ranging from car accidents and falls to strokes. The recently renovated ED features two larger trauma resuscitation suites, specialized care rooms and negative pressure rooms to isolate infectious disease cases. But the core of it all are the nurses, doctors, technicians and clinical assistants who give their best for the people of Kauai.

“When someone new starts working, we

don’t welcome them to the team, we welcome them to the family,” Carrillo says.

“In the ED, we experience both beautiful moments and difficult ones. We count on each other and trust each other completely.”

Carrillo is one of the many at Wilcox who are committed to training the next generation of Kauai health care workers. For her, it is a way to honor the managers and mentors who gave her that first opportunity, while sending an inspiring message to aspiring nurses.

“You don’t have to move away to become a nurse,” she says. “Take it one small step at a time and reach out. We will welcome you.”

EURIELLE CARRILLO

Wilcox Medical Center’s Emergency Department Nurse for 7 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

On Kauai, we have the responsibility of caring for the people who raised us, our teachers, our children, people we see in the grocery store. There’s a connection with everybody you care for at Wilcox.

HEALTH CARE FROM EAST TO WEST

Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) Kauai Region would like to recognize all of our nurses for their outstanding care. HHSC Kauai Region includes two hospitals, Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital; the Clinics at Waimea, Port Allen, Kalaheo, Poipu and Kapaa; the Specialty Clinic at Kalaheo; and the Urgent Care at Poipu. Our nurses are dedicated to providing quality, compassionate patient- and resident-centered care. Our team of nurses includes certified nurse aides, psychiatric techs, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. We would like to say mahalo to all of them for their compassion, flexibility, empathy, dedication and passion for taking care of others.

HHSC Kauai Region nurses have the ability to connect with our patients on an intimate level when they are the

most vulnerable. Nurses assist and witness the greatest triumphs and defeats of their patients and longterm care residents. There is nothing more special than participating in a birth and seeing the newborn take its first breath, or helping someone achieve a better life through improving their health, or holding a dying patient’s hand as they take their last breath. Nursing is truly a calling and we are privileged to have such excellent nurses who exemplify passion for what they do every single day. Patients and families will remember their nurse’s warm smile, gentle touch, the knowledge they shared and the fact that they cared for them in their time of need.

We recognize that it takes a village to provide excellent patient care. Nurses cannot do it all themselves. Many thanks to the entire care team.

Nursing is a work of love and HHSC Kauai Region nurses exemplify this.

MARCEAH STEPHENSON-SAMUEL, RN

Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital

Nurse for more than 39 years

What is their favorite thing about their profession?

Marceah shares that nursing wasn’t a profession that she thought about entering after high school. For her, it was a calling. Marceah started her nursing career as a pediatric nurse. She worked in Saudi Arabia for 10 years in different capacities including education. She had the opportunity to work in a pediatric ICU, where she found her passion. “Coming to Kauai in 2001, I thought I would have been able to work at Kapiolani and continue as a pediatric nurse,” says Marceah. “Family commitments prevented me, so I stayed at Wilcox and worked in every area except obstetrics/gynecology. This experience helped me to become a better nurse.”

In her current role at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, Marceah has the opportunity to show residents that she really cares for them. They have become her extended family.

“To see me working in LTC is amazing because I genuinely love my residents,” Marceah says.

recognition to the nurses of Regency at Puakea:

Mahalo Nurses for your dedication and commitment!

Chelsea Bisarra, RN Director Of Nursing

Cynthia Phillips, RN Jennifer Agno,RN Cieralyne Okamoto, RN

MAY 2023 • NURSES WEEK 19 Hawaii Health Systems Corporation

EMILY RICH RN, BSN

The Urgent Care at Poipu Nurse for 19 years

What is their favorite thing about their profession?

Emily started her career as a paramedic in 1997, which led her to go back to school to become a registered nurse and obtain her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Emily loves working with patients directly and likes to see how she can work with the physicians to help people feel better and improve patient outcomes.

“I love to develop relationships with patients and know that I can provide a health service to my community and truly help them,” Emily says. “I find fulfillment in my life by being a nurse and believe it is the best profession for me.”

CRISTAL LEWIS RN, BSN

Medical-Surgical Unit Nurse for 1 year following years as a paramedic

What is their favorite thing about their profession?

She enjoys giving to her community in any way she can. Being a nurse allows her to do this.

MahaloNurses! Nurses! Family-owned and Operated

GOOD JOBS HAWAII PROGRAM AIDS NURSES

BY JAYLIN CEZAR-BUTAC

Iam one of the students in the CNA to LPN Bridge Program on Kauai. I’m grateful for the Good Jobs Hawaii program because it’s the reason I was able to recently move back home from California.

I have been working for Ohana Pacific Health at Garden Isle Rehab and Nursing for almost two years now, and they have supported and guided me to achieve my nursing goals.

I was initially inspired to undertake nursing by my grandmother, who was also a nurse. When I was younger, she had a significant impact on my career goals and as I gained experience as a CNA, I understood that this is what I want to do and what

gives my life purpose.

However, the road to accomplishing my nursing ambitions has not been an easy one. After applying for nursing school initially, I was placed on a waitlist.

I decided to move to California to seek other nursing school opportunities and, while I was there, Bronson, Garden Isles’ amazing administrator, contacted me regarding the program. I applied, hoping for the best.

After receiving an acceptance letter, I no longer felt like I was at a standstill. Without hesitation, I accepted the offer and moved home to Kauai to join the Spring 2023 cohort.

I’m so grateful that this opportunity has enabled me to move back home, be with my family and friends, and progress my career.

So far the bridge program is great, there is a strong support system for us students, which you don’t see very often in other nursing schools.

Thanks to grants like Good Jobs Hawaii, nursing students like me are able to afford to go to school. It provides us with the chance to advance in this field to earn a living wage while living at home. I hope other students will want to participate in the classes and career opportunities that Good Jobs Hawaii offers.

These remarks provided courtesy of Ohana Pacific Health, via Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the nonprofit trade association for Hawaii’s hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, type II adult residential care homes, home health providers and hospices.

WRAPAROUND CARE COMES FULL CIRCLE

For the past 100 years, Shriners Children’s Hawaii has provided specialized care for keiki with congenital or acquired bone, joint and muscle conditions here in Hawaii and in countries and territories across the Pacific Basin. More recently, Shriners Children’s Hawaii has also offered convenient 24/7 care for keiki injured during sports or other physical activities. From mending sports injuries to treating clubfoot or scoliosis, pro-

viding comprehensive pediatric orthopedic care takes a team of professionals who each play a critical role in meeting a child’s needs beyond his or her presenting condition, in what Shriners calls “wraparound care.”

“With wraparound care, we treat our keiki holistically and involve family members in the process,” says Paulette Nakamatsu, RN, manager of inpatient services. “A child presenting with scoliosis may need mental health, nutritional, physical or occupational

ALLYCE HOKE, RN

Shriners Children’s Hawaii Outpatient Services

Nurse for 12 years

MARISSA ROCHELEAU, RN

Shriners Children’s Hawaii Inpatient Services

Nurse for 18 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

I love being able to share an experience with my patient and their family. I know how intimidating a hospital can be for a child or parent. I am happy to ease their stress, answer any questions, make them laugh or feel more comfortable. Going through their hospitalization with them creates a bond and I just love being able to come in and help them through that difficult time.

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

My favorite thing about being a nurse is the patients! Seeing them go from injured or sick to thriving is the best feeling.

services. When these issues are identified, we can often take care of them entirely within our hospital.”

“Our wraparound care approach really helps keiki live their best lives,” says Richelle Asselstine, PhD, RN, director of patient care services/nurse executive. “For a hundred years, our nurses and providers at Shriners Children’s Hawaii have delivered life-changing pediatric orthopedic care to keiki in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin regardless of their families’ ability to pay. For our nurses, working here isn’t a job, but a purpose to give every single child the care and attention they need and deserve, especially during challenging times.”

Notably, Shriners Children’s Hawaii was recognized by Press Ganey as a top-performing health care organization for patient experience for the third year in a row.

“This award is so meaningful to us because it reflects what our patients and parents say about the care we deliver,” says Asselstine.

But it is more than just the positive comments that Shriners nurses receive daily. Many are acclaimed for going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure keiki feel cared for.

“Our nurses invest so much of who they are in our keiki, providing that warm hug as soon as they enter our doors and creating

such a friendly and caring environment,” says Asselstine.

In fact, many keiki and families have remarked how they are put at ease whenever they walk into the facility.

“Many of our keiki comment how our hospital doesn’t feel like a hospital to them. They just love the small touches like the ocean-themed décor and kid-friendly activities, but more so the friendliness of the staff who make them feel like ohana,” says Asselstine.

“When my daughter was treated for scoliosis here, she experienced wraparound care,” says Nakamatsu. “Over the course of her treatment, she built special bonds with

her physician and the staff. They motivated her to embrace her scoliosis and, as a result, she felt empowered, which kept her smiling, dancing and moving forward.”

But the ohana environment motivated her in yet another way.

“Her experience at Shriners inspired her interest in medicine,” says Nakamatsu. “She is now in her last year of medical school and aspires to care for her patients just as she was cared for at our hospital, with compassion and aloha.”

She continues, “The true reward is that we can make a difference in the lives of our keiki and families no matter how straightforward or complex their condition may be.”

Shriners Children’s Hawaii Medical Sta Services

Nurse for 15 years and a pediatric nurse practitioner for 12 years

Shriners Children’s Hawaii Post Anesthesia Care Unit Nurse for nearly 27 years

TAMMY FANO, RN

MIKE NISHIMOTO, APRN

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

I love being a part of the team that takes care of the patients we serve. Nursing has nurtured me professionally and personally to be comfortable and confident in providing care to those in need.

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

I love being able to spend my days helping and playing/joking with the kids. Many kids are scared at first when they come to see us, but being able to help them relax and treat their injuries/problems is so rewarding. We have the best job!

THE MANY WAYS TO BE A NURSE

Nursing has changed. The classic understanding of the role of nurses — caring for patients at the bedside — is now one of several paths nurses can take over the course of their careers.

Today’s nurses may be highly specialized caregivers, such as nurse anesthetists who administer anesthesia to patients during surgery and other medical procedures. Or neonatal intensive care nurses who are experts in providing round-theclock care to premature infants.

Other nurses are deeply engaged in public health efforts, such as leading Kaiser Permanente’s COVID-19 vaccination program — which delivered more than 400,000 SARS-CoV-2 shots to people across the islands, including more than 100,000 to nonmembers.

Still other nurses are primary care providers, educators, case managers or executives.

Of course, the quintessential image of nurses — providing comfort and care to

patients — remains an indispensable and critically important role.

“Kaiser Permanente nurses embrace their many roles with skill and compassion,” says John Yang M.D., president and medical director, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. “Our nurses are highly trained professionals who perform essential work in our facilities across the islands. We are so very grateful for everything they do to care for our patients.”

“At Kaiser Permanente, we have embarked on a journey to bring newly graduated nurses into our organization and to transition some of our current nurses into specialty areas,” says Greg Christian, Hawaii market president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. “Our nurses are teaching, mentoring and supporting these new nurses as we welcome them into our health care community. I am so proud of their willingness to share their knowledge and experience with the next generation.”

Kaiser Permanente’s nurses have re-

ceived numerous accolades for patient and family care, including:

• Hawaii’s top-rated Medicare and Medicaid health plan, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance

• Hawaii’s only Medicare 5-Star plan, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

• Get With The Guidelines-Stroke and Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

• Women’s Choice Awards for Cancer Care, Stroke Care and Maternity Care.

In honor of National Nurses Week, running May 6-12, Kaiser Permanente encourages patients, family members and friends to take a moment to thank a hardworking nurse and let them know their commitment and dedication is greatly appreciated.

AURORA

AGLUGUB, RN

Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center acute care medical-surgical unit

Nurse for 31 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

The most rewarding experience for me with my nursing career is to see the journey to recovery for traumatic brain injury. To see these patients’ success story for recovery is very fulfilling and uplifting feelings.

Mahalo Team

for your dedication to caring for kūpuna

JENNA HOLLINGER,

RN

Kaiser Permanente Waipio Medical O ce

Nurse for 19 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

My favorite thing about being a nurse is helping people when they are at their most vulnerable. I want people to feel that they are safe, cared for and that they matter while they are under my care.

VICTOR FALLE, RN

Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center medical-surgical unit

Nurse for 10 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

The main reason that I became a nurse in the first place was to be able to help people. Nurses play an important role in the highest and lowest points in a patient’s treatment, and to know that you can make a difference in their lives is truly a privilege.

ohanapacific.com

A CENTURY OF INNOVATIVE CARE

Straub Medical Center has been setting the standard for medical care in Hawaii since 1921. That is when renowned physician Dr. George Straub opened “The Clinic” with a vision to provide top-quality, patient-centered and specialized care for the whole family under one roof.

The world and the world of health care has changed greatly in the past 102 years. Today, patients can go home a day after receiving lifesaving heart procedures at Straub’s Heart Center. Straub’s Burn Unit marked 40 years of treating life-threatening burns. In every department, Straub’s nurses are at the forefront of new technologies and procedures that help them provide the best patient care.

“Our nurses are avid learners who continuously work to enhance their skills to support our care teams and patients,” says Andrew Moats, vice president of patient services and chief nurse executive. “I am always amazed and appreciative of how they rise to every challenge, while still

HOME IS FOR ‘OHANA

At Palolo Chinese Home, Our Team is Our Family

We truly appreciate our ‘ohana of nurses and all they do for our kupuna and the community. Their continued dedication to provide better care for our residents inspires us and we know we could not do what we do without them.

We are always looking for new heroes to join our ‘ohana. If you’re looking to set up your career and help care for Hawai‘i’s kupuna, as an employee of PCH, you will enjoy a fulfilling career and variety of benefits.

serving as the compassionate hearts of this ever changing medical landscape.”

David Yano joined Straub immediately after college. As one of the first students in Straub’s New Graduate RN Program, he became part of the first Resource Team. Now, 13 years later, he still relishes being a resource nurse, which means he floats to support any unit that needs additional assistance. He may work with cardiac patients one week, then move to care for the various needs of patients in the Emergency Department the next.

“At Straub, I have had the opportunity and pleasure to be taught by the best nurses,” Yano says. “Consistently learning encourages me to work harder to be the best that I can be for any floor that needs me.”

And he is passing that inspiration on. As one of 70% of Straub’s nurses who have been there for five years or more, Yano is turning his experience into education.

“I am teaching students right now at UH. I tell them one of the most fulfilling things is to see patients get better, and to know that you’re making a big impact on their lives.”

DAVID YANO Straub Medical Center Nurse for 13 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

The camaraderie and teamwork I have with my co-workers at Straub. All of us strive to provide the best care for our patients, no matter what our roles may be. That brings us all closer in a way that only people in the medical profession can understand.

CARING AND GUIDING PATIENTS OF ALL AGES

Queen Kapiolani established the Kapiolani Maternity Home in 1890 to ensure the women and children of Hawaii had access to quality health care. More than 130 years later, her vision still inspires and motivates the nurses at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children every day.

“We are all so proud of our nurses here at Kapiolani,” says Joan Kanemori, vice president of patient services and chief nurse executive. “Nearly 80% of our nurses have been with Kapiolani for more than five years. Their specialized training and commitment to Hawaii’s women and children brings lifechanging care to families.”

In a state separated by water, a child’s life may depend on finding a flight. As the only full-service specialty children’s hospital in the state, Kapiolani depends on its Neonatal Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team to bring keiki to Kapiolani who need help from every island, and to and from the mainland, when necessary. Nurse Tim McClaren has been a part of this Transport Team for more than 20 years.

“The No. 1 priority is making sure the patient gets to the medical center safely,” McClaren said. “But we’re also taking care of their family.

We talk with them, update and reassure them, and let them know we will do whatever needs to be done to take care of their child.”

The Critical Care Transport Team helps about 600 babies and children every year. Traveling can be very stressful for medically fragile kids. Conditions can change in an instant. The specially trained nurses and respiratory therapists ensure lifesaving care continues while on the road or in the air.

“Kapiolani’s doctors trust our eyes, our experience and judgment,” McClaren says. “My team at Kapiolani is very strong. No one ever says no, we all support each other, we all have each others’ backs.”

That sense of trust and support permeates throughout Kapiolani, where everyone from nurses to physicians, psychologists to Child Life specialists and dieticians share the same focus that drove Queen Kapiolani more than a century ago — to provide the best care of Hawaii’s women and kids.

“I’ve worked in big university settings, but Kapiolani is a close-knit community. I don’t want to be anywhere else,” McClaren says.

TIM MCCLAREN

Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, Critical Care Transport Team Nurse for almost 35 years

What is your favorite thing about your profession?

I tell everyone that this is the best nursing job in the state of Hawaii. The Critical Care Transport Team receives training above and beyond our regular nursing courses and consistently work with doctors, specialists and other nurses.

Care Team

CARING IN THE COMMUNITY

Pali Momi Medical Center began as the vision of a young physician. Dr. Joseph “Joe” Nishimoto opened his practice in Pearl City in 1957, and had plans for a state-of-theart hospital where people could seek the care they needed close to home. Since Pali Momi opened its doors in 1989, nurses have been an integral part of the patient experience.

“Our nurses do more than take care of the community, they are rooted in our neighborhoods and dedicated to its people,” says Robyn Kalahiki, Pali Momi’s vice president of patient services and chief nurse executive.

That care extends beyond Pali Momi’s walls. Bernadette Lopes-Chang grew up in Waianae and joined Pali Momi immediately after graduating from University of Hawaii at Hilo. For 14 years, she worked bedside, helping patients through everything from surgery to cardiac conditions.

Five years ago, her focus shifted to patients’ needs after they leave the medical center. As a case manager, Lopes-Chang facilitates a smooth transition home by helping patients connect to services, medication and care through community programs. She meets with patients and their families daily to assess any changes, and also works closely with their nurses, dieticians, physical therapists and doctors.

“Every day is a new experience, every patient has a different journey,” LopesChang says. “Case managers and social workers are always collaborating, brainstorming and bouncing ideas off of each other. We often have to think outside the

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box to come up with not just Plan ʻA,’ but often Plan ʻB’ and ʻC’ for each person.”

When there are challenges, she turns to her team. About 76% of the registered nurses have been at Pali Momi for at least fi ve years. More than half — including Lopes-Chang — have called Pali Momi home for more than 10 years. As Pali Momi adds additional services, including a new Pulmonology Clinic, Lopes-Chang says the medical facility continues Dr. Nishimoto’s work of delivering worldclass care for the people of Central and West Oahu.

“We’re a close-knit team,” she says. “Doctors are always willing to explain and teach others. We trust each other.

“Pali Momi has made me the nurse I am today. My co-workers are not just co-workers, they are my family.”

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LOPES-CHANG

Pali Momi Medical Center Case Manager Nurse for 19 years

ST. FRANCIS HELPS PATIENTS WITH A POSITIVE CLOSING CHAPTER

It’s easy for all of us to get caught up in life’s busyness. There is always one more task on our to-do list, one more errand to run, and one more person to meet.

All of that can come to an abrupt halt when diagnosed with a terminal illness. Suddenly, our life is upended. Someone once said receiving a terminal diagnosis is like being abducted into another realm. The life you may have enjoyed is suddenly ripped away from you. St. Francis Healthcare System helps patients and uation.

This year, St. Francis Healthcare System celebrates the 45th anniversary of its hospice program. Over the years, hospice care has evolved, but the heart of hospice care continues to be compassion for patients and their families.

It takes special people to deliver hospice care. A strong commitment to teamwork is essential. Nurses play a critical role on an interdisciplinary team that includes social workers, spiritual care counselors, aides and others.

This team surrounds every St. Francis hospice patient and their family to provide the best quality of care for the best quality of life. Hospice care is provided in a patient’s own home, in a skilled nursing facility or at St. Francis’ inpatient hospice facility in Nuuanu.

“Every patient and family have a unique story. Our goal is to give each hospice patient the best closing chapter of their life’s story and end on a high note,” says Melissa Ah Ho-Mauga, interim CEO of St. Francis Healthcare System.

“No one’s story is the same, but we all share the same gamut of emotions when we are about to be separated from our loved ones. We may be overcome with anger, fear, resentment and sorrow, but our hospice team also helps make sure patients and families also experience joy, reconnection and healing.”

Families express their gratitude for the support they receive from the St. Francis hospice team.

In one letter, a husband shared the health journey of his wife, who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2020.

After being repeatedly hospitalized for different procedures and receiving care in multiple emergency departments for her lung condition over a 16-month period, she eventually started to receive hospice care from St. Francis, which was a breath of fresh air for this husband.

“With the transition to St. Francis hospice, my wife and her family were blessed and grateful for the staff and assigned team members of your organization. They were so energetically efficient, proficient and compassionate,” he wrote. “Without suffering any pain, she gracefully and peacefully passed away at our home. Al-

though I’m sad, I am pleased to say that at the end of her life, she had a slight smile on her face, which made it easier for all of us to accept she was no longer here with us.”

Another family member, the daughter of a hospice patient, simply wrote: “To my mother’s hospice team of ‘angels on Earth,’ with love, gratitude and many thanks!”

St. Francis Healthcare System is proud of all of its nurses and the other professionals who create a positive experience for every hospice patient and family entrusted to our care.

EMMA VICENTE, RN

St. Francis Hospice In-patient Unit Nuuanu

Nurse since 1991 and has been with St. Francis Hospice for the past 20 years

What is their favorite thing about their profession?

Emma originally was thinking about pursuing an engineering career but ended up going to nursing school. She enjoyed studying the human body, diseases and treatments. She likes learning about new technology that can help improve patient care. However, what she enjoys most is treating the whole person, not just the disease. She enjoys establishing a relationship with a patient. For this reason, she finds nursing fulfilling and rewarding — professionally, emotionally and spiritually. The work of a hospice nurse is filled with challenges.

“We walk with patients and their families during the most difficult time of their lives,” Emma says. “I’m able to share my knowledge and compassion with patients who are preparing to die and with families who are preparing to lose a loved one.”

DALE KIM, RN

St. Francis Home Hospice

Nurse since the 1980s

What is their favorite thing about their profession?

In his current role, Dale works with terminally ill patients who typically have six months or less to live. He enjoys the whole experience of helping patients and their families — beyond symptom management. After visiting patients and their families, he says it’s rewarding when families let him know how much they needed his support that day.

ELAINE ABBEY, RN

St. Francis Hospice Liaison and Admission Nurse

Began nursing in 2005 and worked in a hospital before becoming a hospice nurse

What is their favorite thing about their profession?

In her current role, Elaine gets to work with both terminally ill patients and their families who are often at the patient’s bedside. Elaine serves as the voice for both of them, giving them the freedom to say things openly to each other that they may be afraid to say to each other directly. Those who know Elaine well say that her career choice to be a hospice nurse is “what drives her as she is an advocate for those who need their voice to be heard.”

OUR SPIRIT, OUR SOUL, OUR ‘OHANA

To our more than 2,700 hard-working nursing professionals at Queen’s, mahalo for the impactful difference you make each day.