Vanessa Rojas, M.D., is a family physician and HIV specialist with Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center. The Broward Health Physician Group member completed her residency and HIV fellowship at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in New York.

 

“I became a physician because therein lies an intersection between science and art,” Dr. Rojas said. “No two patients 

are ever alike, and with each patient an individualized touch goes a long way. My favorite part of being a physician is the excitement I get each and every single time I see a patient get better.”

 

Dr. Rojas considers it a privilege to care for others, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Providing patients with reassurance during this time is something they are extremely grateful for,” she said, “and for me it means truly fulfilling the oath I took as physician.”

 

 

Carol Zuniga has 12 years of experience in HIV infection and works as a medical assistant for the adult clinic at the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center.

 

“The reason I chose to go into working with patients who are immune-comprised was to get a better understanding of the disease and the stigma behind it,” she said. “It is very gratifying knowing that I made a difference in assisting in the continuity care of patients who live with the negative stigma of their diagnosis.”

 

Zuniga works alongside the medical team on the front line of the center’s COVID-19 response, saying, “Just knowing that I can make a difference standing in the front line brings me great pleasure in helping patients with their medical and emotional needs.”

 

 

Janine Taylor, R.N., has worked as a nurse for five years with stints in emergency services and urgent care before joining the adult clinic at the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center.

 

“I became a nurse because I always had a passion for helping others in need,” Taylor said. “My mission is to always provide the best care possible, and to be the person that will sit down for just a few minutes and just listen to the patient’s concerns and provide as much feedback as possible to establish trust between the nurse and the patient.”

 

The ambulatory nurse has quickly learned the soft skills a healthcare worker must have to manage challenging times. “I have learned that as a healthcare worker you must have an extreme level of patience, empathy, and compassion during this stressful time,” she said.

 

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit South Florida, the workload for Andrew Sinclair, guest relations manager, and Susan Barrow, nursing director, was already demanding, as can be expected at a Level II Trauma hospital. Sinclair, who oversees the patient experience at Broward Health North, and Barrow, who manages the hospital’s daily nursing operations, didn’t let that deter them from volunteering to help provide meals for their colleagues who were working tirelessly to care for COVID-19 patients and the community. They joined forces to ensure that meals delivered by an appreciative community were doled out to team members throughout the hospital. The dedicated duo come to work early and stay late to make sure donated meals are shared by all shifts. In a matter of weeks, Barrow and Sinclair have delivered more than 1,000.

 

 

James McCrae, RN, was a blur of action at the height of Broward Health North’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the nurse manager for the critical care and the surgical/telemetry units, McCrae was responsible for guiding the caregivers who were on the front line providing care for patients with COVID-19. This healthcare hero is most proud of his team’s cooperation and camaraderie as they adapted to the crisis while still supporting each other.

 

McCrae started his nursing career at the hospital in 1999 when he was hired as a licensed practical nurse. He said what attracted him to the profession was the ability to “help patients get better and provide support to the patient’s family while their loved one’s hospitalized.”

 

 

When Carol Kuhne started her career in 1979, respiratory therapy was a relatively new field and the novelty was one of the attractions for her. She also liked that therapists could work in all critical care areas. The registered respiratory therapist works at Broward Health Medical Center and treasures the teamwork that happens among her colleagues.

 

“We all do our part to help the patient,” Kuhne said. “I work with some really talented people.” Being part of a cooperative team is essential, she said, when the work is challenging like when the caregivers are in the throes of the hospital’s COVID-19 response. For this and more, she is a healthcare hero.

 

Kuhne said that while being a caregiver during the pandemic is exhausting, there are also some very rewarding moments, like when she saw patients improve enough to go home to their families.

 

 

As a child, Traci Vose was always nursing her pets, as well as any stray animal she encountered. She knew nursing would be her calling. It didn’t hurt that her grandmother was also a nurse. Vose works as a critical care nurse at Broward Health Medical Center.

 

“There is nothing more sacred than the balance of life and death,” Vose said. “Having the opportunity to help save a life or lead one through the journey of death is a privilege.”

 

Vose also loves the camaraderie that develops between coworkers, especially during more stressful times. “When I became a nurse, I understood it meant to care for all those in need, said the 24-year veteran. “But, again, nursing chose me and, more so, God called me to this career. I cannot imagine doing anything else.”

 

 

 

Shaneque West is responsible for maintaining a safe environment at Broward Health Imperial Point for visitors, team members and patients. As the security manager, she leads a team of 16 that is responsible for implementing the latest hospital security policies, following safety protocols and minimizing risk. Her job took on another dimension during the COVID-19 pandemic. She had to ensure that her team could quickly adjust the hospital’s security protocols to fit the shifting dynamics.

 

“The pandemic was a test of teamwork, strength and endurance,” she said, and West is grateful for her team’s ability to meet the challenge. She also treasures the opportunity to work in tandem with front line caregivers. West considers the main role of hospital security to create an environment that allows the medical team, guests and patients to feel safe and frees them to focus on healing.

 

Patricia Conklin’s experience in infection control management has been instrumental in guiding Broward Health Imperial Point in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conklin, an epidemiologist, is providing leadership and trusted direction through timely updates based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health. She also collaborates with the hospital’s lab to ensure accurate test result reports for patients with COVID-19.

 

Conklin is also a former educator and doesn’t hesitate to participate in rounding where she shares CDC updates and recommendations, and answer caregivers’ questions. Her expertise and willingness to share what she knows makes her a healthcare hero.

 

 

Owen Knight is a licensed respiratory therapist who is on the front line every day in Broward Health Coral Springs’ fight against COVID-19. He works alongside nurses and physicians to help patients survive through improved oxygen exchange and better breathing.

 

Knight is clinically educated and specially trained in the art and science of mechanical ventilation. He and his team of respiratory therapists are instrumental in caring for patients who have COVID-19. They manage the specifics of putting patients on and weaning them off ventilators. Knight is especially skilled at positioning patient’s breathing tubes.

 

His care extends beyond the patient to his fellow caregivers. Knight obtained closed circuits and filters for the hospital’s breathing equipment to decrease the possible risk of COVID-19 exposure to the staff caring for patients. He is a true healthcare hero who literally ran into critical situations to save those under his watch.

 

 

Matt Arnold demonstrates a friendly and caring disposition. Arnold, who works as a service mechanic at Broward Health Coral Springs, tackles work order requests with speed and a smile. He has a positive attitude and is often seen teaching his coworkers a new skill or technique in an effort to enhance the facility department’s level of service.

 

In addition to mentoring others, Arnold is often the first to volunteer to learn new skills, such as how to perform preventative maintenance or HVAC repairs. At the height of our COVID-19 response, Arnold performed daily rounds on the COVID nursing units to ensure a safe environment was always being maintained. He is truly a healthcare hero with his focus on keeping patients, staff and physicians safe. Arnold is an asset to the community and the Broward Health Coral Springs family.

 

 

Palm Health Foundation nursing scholarship recipient and Palm Beach Atlantic University DNP graduate student Dustin Magdales, RN, MSN, is an outstanding scholar, nurse and community member. Upon returning from a medical mission trip to El Salvador in March, she found her neuro step down unit at JFK Medical Center had transitioned to a COVID-19 floor. She immediately focused on an important lesson learned at PBAU: staying FAT – flexible, adaptable and teachable, and encouraged her fellow nurses to do the same.

Grateful to the foundation for supporting the pursuit of her Master’s Degree and her Doctorate degree, Dustin also embraces the university’s biblical lessons to provide peace to the sick and dying. She has found Colossians 3:1-3 to be calming to think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. “Patients want you to be honest and human,” said Dustin. “It’s about making connections to let them know we can do life together.”