Salute to Nursing

 

 

Dr. Maria A. Suarez is Assistant Vice President of Nursing Operations at Baptist Health South Florida’s Miami Cancer Institute and is President of the Nursing Consortium of South Florida. Dr. Suarez was previously Assistant Vice President of Advanced Nursing Practice & Academic Affairs at Baptist Health South Florida and managed the BHSF Scholars Program for several years. Under her direction the Scholars Program, an innovative collaboration between academic and a clinical partners, grew from producing just a small group of nurse graduates annually to one graduating hundreds each year and expanded it to support both entry level and graduate level nursing education. Dr. Suarez was born in Havana, Cuba and came to Miami when she was two years old. She was first inspired to become a nurse as a student at Miami Beach Senior High School and she has been a nurse for more than 30 years. She has been an active participant on Nursing Consortium committees since 2007, supporting the growth of Day in the Life of a Nurse™, the Centralized Clinical Placement System (CCPS), and other Nursing Consortium initiatives. She says, “Some of the most important things the Consortium does is inspire high school students to pursue nursing, links academia to practice, and encourages nurses to get involved in community engagement by serving on boards. We must also continue fostering collaboration between practice and academic institutions to ensure nursing education is current, to develop advanced practice residency programs, and to encourage nurses to be educated at the highest level of their profession.”

 

 

Jean B. Seaver, the Associate Vice President Learning & Development at Broward Health, is the new President-elect of the Nursing Consortium of South Florida. Prior to joining Broward Health, Seaver was Director of Nursing and Support Services/ACNO at Delray Medical Center. She was born in Burlington, Vermont and grew up outside of Boston. She says, “I knew I wanted to become a nurse when I was three years old and went to get my tonsils out.” That early instinct was realized when she graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. Seaver put herself through school, working all sorts of service jobs from chambermaid to waitress to ice-cream scooper girl at Friendly’s. She later earned a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Florida Atlantic University. She additionally pursued a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership. Seaver also holds a Certificate of Training and Development from Vanderbilt University. She readily admits, “I really am an advocate for the networking and the learning that comes from participating in the Nursing Consortium of South Florida … the sharing and collaboration. The quality of the education we put on is really essential to keep our nursing community up to date with current practices and events … especially coming out of these challenging times.”

 

 

Dr. W. Jason Dunne, a leader in nursing education, serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Nursing Consortium of South Florida. Dr. Dunne was President of the Miramar campus of Chamberlain University College of Nursing for the past five years. This January he was promoted to Senior Director of Campus Operations for the South Region with expanded oversight of all the Chamberlain University campuses in Florida and Texas. Dr. Dunne believes that, "It is important for nurses to be involved in decision making from the bedside to the board room.” He is also a strong believer in community service and has served on a variety of voluntary board and advisory positions including the National League for Nursing Awards Committee, Nurses on Boards Coalition State and National Integrated Strategies Work Group, and others. As well, he participated in the United Way – Reading Pals program and Broward School Board – Take Stock in Children Mentorship program. At an early age, growing up in Canada, he says that his grandparents instilled in him the importance of giving back to your community. He has been a nurse for 21 years. As an officer on the Nursing Consortium board he will advance new opportunities for collaboration between leaders in academia and practice. He will also continue to advocate for programming that exposes youth to nursing careers.

 

 

Dr. Joanne Masella serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Nursing Consortium of South Florida. Dr. Masella is currently the Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Integration at the Nova Southeastern University Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing. She was previously Dean and Professor of Nursing at Palm Beach Atlantic University for 11 years. Dr. Masella was born in Philadelphia and has been a nurse for 46 years. She started her career as a clinician prior to moving on to teaching and developing nursing educational programs. As a teacher she tells students that nursing is both an art and a science. She stresses the value of compassion and love and says patients remember the little things you do, more than your technical skills. Her car has a bumper sticker that reads “Do Small Things with Great Love” (Mother Teresa). Dr. Masella shared, “I happen to be a patient myself right now undergoing treatment for breast cancer … experiencing the importance of somebody taking a moment to say hi, how are you or chat with you.” With the Nursing Consortium she helped grow Day in the Life of a Nurse™ and other programs. She sees the role of the Consortium “as essential to marketing the nursing profession, especially to young people … to gain the next generation of the profession.”

 

 

Jon Hodges, RN, BSN, CEN, has spent more than 25 years in nursing, initially choosing another profession, nursing would be a stepping-stone to move on. However, when he found the emergency department, he realized that this was his passion and where he was meant to be.

 

With Jupiter Medical Center for 16 years, Jon serves as Clinical Manager of Emergency Services. “The most rewarding thing about my job is the team I work with every day” explained Hodges. When asked what the past year has been like Jon shared that the most difficult and the most rewarding things are closely related. “The unknown and constant changes that seemed to happen on almost a weekly occurrence were challenging. But how our team reacted, took all changes in stride, and continued to provide outstanding care to our community were the most rewarding. Nursing is a great profession, so many opportunities to work in different areas. I feel very lucky to have found a job that is rewarding and brings me great satisfaction at the end of every day.”

 

 

Maria Cenname, RN, BSN, has been a nurse at Jupiter Medical Center for 12 years. She started her career in business hospitality but was never fully fulfilled in that role. “I always loved helping others, so later in life I pursued a career in nursing. I finally found the perfect profession”.

 

Marie started her nursing career in the Intensive Care Unit, where she spent the next 10 years. She has been the Clinical Manager of the Observation Unit and Progressive Care Unit for two years. “I am privileged to work with an incredible team, my co-workers make my job so rewarding” says Cenname. When asked what the past year has been like Marie shared taking on a new role as a clinical manager during a pandemic and all the changes healthcare has faced as a result were challenging. “The team at Jupiter Medical Center is a family, this is an awesome and rewarding profession that brings me great satisfaction at the end of the day.”

 

 

 

Mirta Aguilar-Ragbir, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, RRT, began her journey as a respiratory therapist and today practices as an APRN. Her commitment and contribution to healthcare comes by way of her dedication to her career, her patients, and to the future of nursing. Mirta is loved by those she cares for. She goes above and beyond for her patients. In fact, the Belize native knew there was a language barrier between important COVID-19 news and the Hispanic community, and took time from her already busy schedule, to partake in virtual question and answer sessions delivered in Spanish through Latin media outlets. Most people would agree we need more practitioners like Mirta, so it’s admirable and comforting to know she is also a teacher, leading the next generation of Nova Southeastern University students. Mirta offers so much to patients, as an APRN specializing in pulmonology, especially with respiratory therapy experience.

 

 

Palm Health Foundation honors nursing scholarship recipient and Good Samaritan Medical Center critical care nurse Palmer Randall, R.N. Randall’s passion for nursing came about after his brother suffered a traumatic injury while serving in the Unites States Marine Corps. He has dedicated his life to caring for others with the goal to work at the Veterans Administration as an orthopedic nurse practitioner serving our nation’s heroes. The foundation’s Nursing Advancement Fund supported Randall while at Palm Beach State College. He will receive his BSN in the fall and plans to pursue a masters degree.

 

In his current role, Randall is already benefiting veteran patients by making personal connections. “I’m able to share the story of my own military family and build trust,” he said. “Creating common ground, especially when a patient is in a vulnerable state, opens the way to greater involvement in their care.”

 

Registered nurses Georgia Burke and Linda McQuade have worked in various hospital specialties, but currently, they are devoted to Lakeside Medical Center’s dialysis unit. Together, they look after patients suffering from acute kidney failure, high blood pressure and hypertension, which at times are combined with COVID-19 symptoms. 

 

Their combined years of experience help them tackle any unforeseen situations. McQuade’s quick response time from years of working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Burke’s previous experience as a respiratory therapist, has helped the duo effectively treat COVID-19 patients undergoing dialysis treatments.

 

“When I see a patient on the ventilator during dialysis treatment I have a vast understanding of what the combination of both can do to the body,” Burke said. “A lot of times they exhibit low blood pressure, so it’s a combo of things and you just have to use all of your clinical skills to make sure the patient is safe.”

 

 

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, registered nurse Lesli Tosto was used to the high traffic in her school’s clinic at Western Pines Community Middle School. Now, the school health nurse oversees the care of more than 400 children, a third of the usual school’s attendance, during the pandemic.

 

She tackles the usual ailments seen in schools as well as chronic conditions ranging from diabetes to seizures and severe allergies. She also conducts COVID-19 screenings, testing and helps with contact tracing.

 

“When we first started school everyone was nervous, including staff and administration, but then we got in our groove and had a system going,” she said. “COVID brought more teachers to me with questions and concerns. I talked them through it because if they’re fearful, they’re going to make the kids fearful.”

 

By focusing on facts and science, Tosto was able to help teachers understand COVID and help create a safer environment for staff and students.

 

 

Donna Buckmire has always loved to help others.

 

Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, her home was one the neighbors gravitated to because they knew they’d be taken care of there.

 

“I just love people, making sure they’re fine,” Donna said.

 

When her husband’s job transferred him to Florida and her kids were old enough to be in school full time, Donna looked for work. She saw numerous advertisements for nursing and felt that the need for nurses and her penchant for caring for others was a perfect match.

 

She started at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital right out of school and 15 years later she is still there, working in the medical surgical unit.

 

“I just love helping,” she said. “When I used to work with oncology patients, we were there from their first diagnosis to the end of their treatment. It was an awesome feeling to know you helped them get through it.”

 

Thai Elmer has always been a caregiver, even if she didn’t always recognize the trait in herself. The oldest of five children, it was her mother who encouraged her to go into nursing.

 

“I think she saw something in me, maybe something I didn’t even know about myself, that I was always taking care of others,” Thai said.

 

A nurse for nine years, the Aruba native now serves as nurse manager of the Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital medical ICU, intermediate care and dialysis units. In that role she continues to provide care but to a different audience.

 

“I love caring for patients, but when I started in leadership my focus shifted to caring for caregivers,” she said. “I think I have the best job because of the impact I’m able to have on the people who care for patients.”

 

 

As a young child, Missy Gazdacko watched doctors and nurses take care of her father through severe health issues. It made an impression that has lasted a lifetime.

 

“I saw that and said, ‘I can do that, I can make a difference,’” she said. “I am a nurse because I like taking care of someone and working with them. You see people coming in that are so sick. When they’re discharged, you see the improvement and you know you were part of that care team that helped them get better.”

 

Missy started with Cleveland Clinic Martin Health as a patient care technician in 2010. Six years later she earned a nursing degree. Today, Missy serves as assistant nurse manager on the medical surgical, orthopedic and observational unit at Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital.

 

“Being a PCT before I became a nurse helped me be a better nurse,” she said. “And being a nurse is all I’ve ever wanted to be.”

 

 

As a child growing up in Haiti, Claudine Napoleon wanted to be a pediatrician. When she came to the United States, however, she entered the nursing field and quickly fell in love with the work.

 

“I don’t think I could’ve been anything else,” she said. “The compassion that we have, the amount of time we spend with the patients, it is extraordinary. I love it.”

 

Claudine has been a nurse for two decades, the last seven at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health. Working in the clinical decision and observation unit at Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital, she now serves as a mentor for new nurses.

 

“It is satisfying to see the nurses I’ve trained, who I’ve showed the ropes, when they are progressing and they’re doing it right and they enjoy it,” she said. “That’s my biggest accomplishment. There is an art in nursing and I want to help show them that.”

 

 

 

Jessica “Red” Claassen, R.N., has been a registered nurse with Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital since 2017, as a member of the nurse float pool and most recently the Intermediate Cardiac Care unit.

Red is a seasoned nurse, and while her ICU and emergency department experiences have helped her develop clinical strengths, perhaps her greatest asset is the empathy with which she practices, day after day, patient after patient.

Through her compassionate care, Red is able to quickly establish a rapport with her patients and their families, and it is this connection that allows her to provide them emotional support when needed most. One patient described Red as “a pillar of peace, strength and love shown to my mom and I during her passing.”

 

 

Mike Dipardo has been with Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital for nearly a decade. He had worked in the capacity of unit clerk and patient care tech, before becoming a nurse in 2015.

 

Mike started his nursing career in the intensive care unit, moving in 2020 to the emergency department. Known for his positive attitude, quick wit and willingness to help any team member with any task, he is well-liked by his patients and respected by his peers.

 

Mike’s quick nursing judgment and instincts serve his patients well on a daily basis. Recently, his fast actions helped save the life of a young child, exemplifying the traits that make him such an incredible nurse. His willingness to go above and beyond for patients, their families and coworkers are a testament to his character and professionalism.

 

 

Canadian-born and now Pompano Beach resident Gabrielle van den Eerenbeemt has been with Holy Cross Health for two years. She is an RN in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit providing care to critically ill patients with cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgical issues. To Gabrielle, nursing means she is part of an amazing team of healthcare professionals at Holy Cross that help patients get through what can be their most vulnerable state. Holy Cross Health has taught her how to care for the patients physically, emotionally and spiritually. Caring for patients holistically has become an important aspect of her nursing career. Gabrielle takes great pleasure and pride in being part of a team that is so dedicated and committed in providing quality, compassionate care each and every day. She is grateful to be able to call Holy Cross Health her home.

 

 

Serving as the Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner for Morselife Health System, Karen Melvani oversees the clinical team that provides comfort, care, and support to geriatric patients with chronic and severe illnesses. She works to meet patients’ medical and psycho-social needs to enable them to live independently in their homes and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. Karen coordinates care with primary care providers and specialists to manage patient care. Karen also educates patients to help them understand disease processes to assist in their care for conditions that include Parkinson’s disease, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, COPD, CHF, and cancer. Karen previously worked in palliative care, geriatrics, and oncology at top hospitals in New York, Connecticut, and Texas before relocating to South Florida. Karen is an Adult and Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner with a specialty certificate in Palliative Care and completed her education at New York University.

 

 

Dr. Debra Hain is a Professor and Graduate Coordinator of the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner concentration. Dr. Hain’s scholarship, practice and service are focused on improving health outcomes of an ethnic and racially diverse older adult population living with chronic disease, such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease and memory disorder. Dr. Hain has partnered with local, national, and international leaders to engage in activities that promote health and early identification of kidney disease in those living with diabetes. In addition, she is collaborating with faculty in Thailand to develop a palliative care program for adults living with chronic kidney disease.

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Leavitt is one of the first and last professors students meet in FAU’s College of Nursing. She teaches Learning Strategies to help freshman nursing students transition from high school into college. She also teaches seniors their last two medical-surgical courses. Dr. Leavitt’s extensive acute-care practice experience in critical care and cardiology provides a strong base for these courses. Her research work is in collaboration with FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science to develop a wearable sensor to help patients with heart failure stay out of the hospital.

 

 

A veteran of the first Gulf War, Anthony Ross credits his military training with preparing him to handle the high-stress situations faced by nurses in the emergency room. And while he couldn’t have known it at the time, the chemical suits he wore in the Army would make the transition to wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) in the battle against COVID-19 a lot easier.

 

“We’ve all gotten used to the routine of wearing PPE; it’s become part of the norm,” said Ross, who transitioned to nursing from respiratory therapy after leaving the military. “It’s especially important because we don’t know who might have a communicable disease when they first get to the ER.”

 

Ross also cites his management and decision-making abilities and improved interpersonal skills as other helpful byproducts of his four years of service.

 

 

In more than 26 years as a nurse, Raji Jinu has never worked outside Memorial Healthcare System. That isn’t to say she hasn’t been on the move within it.

 

The clinical manager of Memorial Regional Hospital’s critical care unit, Jinu has seen what had been primarily a cardiac ICU become a COVID-19/ICU unit. While she was used to working with the critically ill, Jinu calls this her “toughest year” as a professional. “It is a daily reminder that life is short and every minute counts. COVID doesn’t care who you are, so while we’re the ones providing care now, it could be us in that bed tomorrow,” said Jinu.

 

While Jinu is the one currently being recognized, she is quick to express her admiration for the staff and management team she works with. “They’re the best of the best in the system to provide exceptional care for critically-ill patients.”

 

 

“Miss Audia” is well-known and much loved after more than 14 years with Memorial Healthcare System, much of it spent as a preceptor and mentor to new nurses. She has knowledge to share with the novices and considers it her responsibility to help them grow within the profession. “A new environment can be difficult for anyone,” said Riley, “but through communication and education fear can be overcome. I want to create a situation to help them learn more about themselves.”

 

Riley’s leadership extends to Memorial’s system of collaborative governance, where she represents Memorial Regional Hospital South at the system level on the Best Practices Committee. She also chairs the ‘Voice from the Bedside’ group of nurses that make recommendations to administrative leaders within her hospital. On the patient side, Riley has made it a priority to educate the families of discharged patients about the care they’ll need to provide at home to further their loved one’s recovery.

 

 

A nurse for 27 years, Hazel Selorio most enjoys mentoring colleagues as the clinical ladder chair at her hospital. “It’s an opportunity to extend my influence outside our department and lead experienced and knowledgeable nurses from other floors,” said Selorio, who has been with Memorial Regional Hospital South (MRHS) since 2008. “I’m humbled and proud to work with these professionals to improve the system for the communities we serve.”

 

Selorio is also a member of the Memorial Healthcare System’s Clinical Ladder Council, co-chairs Shared Governance, and is on the Daisy and Sunflower Award committees at MRHS. She describes her leadership style as ‘mentor by example.’ “There is always fulfillment when you are able to serve a greater number of people.”

 

From 2008-2020 at Memorial Regional Hospital South, Selorio cared for patients as an emergency room nurse. She transitioned to pre-op/PACU last year.

 

 

A staff nurse and a member of her unit’s leadership team, Chelsea Peirce is known for going above and beyond to serve patients fighting blood cancers. “As soon as patients enter the unit doors of 3 West, they become family and I make it a point to ensure they feel that way from day one. I want them to feel special even on what might be the worst days of treatment,” she said.

 

One of several recent examples of Peirce’s dedication arose from the situation a single mother faced after being diagnosed with an aggressive leukemia. Her hospitalization meant she’d not only be away from her two-year-old son at Christmas but also unable to purchase any gifts for the child. In just a few days, Peirce rallied the 3W team and collected enough money to buy and wrap a mountain of toys for the needy family.

 

“Chelsea is extraordinary in every way,” said Denise Reynolds, chief nursing officer at Memorial Hospital West. “She is compassionate, selfless, passionate about her patients, and a true representation of a Memorial nurse. We are so blessed to have her.”

 

 

Miguel Hernandez uses an expression often credited to the Navy SEALs when describing his mindset while dealing with surges in COVID-19 patients in the last year. “You’ve got to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

 

Hernandez, the clinical manager of the joint replacement unit, did that and more during 2020 when Memorial Hospital West experienced unprecedented surges in its COVID patient census. He stepped up as interim nurse manager on two occasions, overseeing the setup of both a 22-bed post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and a 30-bed overflow unit to accommodate patients when the rest of the hospital had been filled to capacity. “Miguel is where he needs to be, at the right time to lead, and it has become clear his potential is truly limitless,” said Denise Reynolds, chief nursing officer at Memorial Hospital West.

 

“I just want to fulfill life’s purpose as long as my livelihood gives meaning to other people,” said Hernandez, who has risen from a patient care assistant to leader, motivator, and team builder in just six years. “If I can help others at the most critical times, that’s what I’m here to do.”

 

 

A longtime advocate for Cystic Fibrosis patients and a Memorial Healthcare System employee since 1988, Cheryl Kushner is an advanced practice registered nurse at the Joe DiMaggio Cystic Fibrosis, Pulmonary, and Sleep Center, a facility that cares for nearly 200 patients. In that role, she has seen research and new drugs make a difference for those suffering with CF, none more than Trikafta, a highly effective modulator that helps the defective CF gene work better.

 

“The increase in lung function for many of the patients using this medication has been life-changing,” said Kushner, a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-South Florida board member and chair of its local Great Strides fundraiser. “Seven of our patients taking Trikafta got pregnant, fulfilling a dream that most assumed would never be possible for them. Needless to say, we shed happy tears together.”

 

The treatment advancements mean more CF patients than ever before are surviving to adulthood, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done. “We need to find a cure,” said Kushner.

 

An infectious disease specialist that primarily cares for individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Tara Griffin is acutely aware of the stigma that has always been attached to the patients she treats. “What’s important to know is HIV is a chronic disease, not a death sentence. We’ve come a long way with medication and treatment and our patients are welcomed, not judged.”

 

Griffin prides herself on addressing the needs of the whole person, whether they be medical, social, or mental health-related. She enjoys the long-term relationships she forms with patients and believes compassion, empathy, and the ability to listen are the keys to the success she’s had in the nearly five years she’s worked with the Memorial Physician Group.

 

“Patients are grateful for the primary and HIV care we provide and it’s nice seeing the same people all the time. I’m aware of their personal and medical issues and am here to lessen the anxiety they feel.”

 

 

Ordinarily a case manager for the Care Coordination Program, Cheryl Robinson enjoyed the time she recently spent helping at one of Memorial’s COVID-19 vaccination sites.

 

“It was a wonderful experience interacting directly with so many in the community,” said Robinson. “People were excited about getting the vaccine and appreciated the efficiency of our process. It was mind-blowing to see the joy among all the different races, languages, and ethnicities.”

 

When not on vaccine detail, Robinson is able to help patients overcome barriers that are often the social determinants of health. She connects her clients to resources both inside and outside Memorial Healthcare System that address issues that include unstable living arrangements, food insecurity, or a lack of transportation. “It’s our job to close the care gap and make sure our patients stay on the right track. Helping people is the most important thing I do.”

 

 

Now 45 years into her nursing career, Cora Benson is a respected and experienced leader who serves her hospital as a nurse manager. In that position, she oversees critical practices that support surgical services, including oversight of the Sterile Processing department. “It’s my role to foster innovation, provide direction, mentor, challenge, and offer guidance on standards and regulatory compliance,” Benson said.

 

That leadership was never more valuable than last year during the busiest days of COVID-19. Benson partnered with Memorial Healthcare System surgical and clinical leaders to guide the sterile processing effort that safely reprocessed N95 masks for emergency use. Prior to that, in 2019, she was instrumental in establishing the ambulatory surgical center at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington, procuring standardized instruments, supplies, and aligning policies and procedures to ensure adherence with Joint Commission requirements for safety and quality.

 

 

As the only wound care-certified specialist at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Lea Crestodina has made it her mission to prevent pressure ulcers and promote skin injury prevention. It’s a role she embraces enthusiastically as co-chair of the Solutions for Patient Safety team that leads the ongoing surveillance of all admitted patients.

 

“Under Lea’s leadership, the hospital has increased awareness of skin injury prevention, heightened preventative clinical preventive efforts, and augmented multi-disciplinary partnerships to decrease injury from respiratory devices,” said Jineal Shinn, chief nursing officer at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. “Best of all, initiatives she has led have decreased skin pressure injuries by nearly 50% since 2019.”

 

The prevention effort involves nurses, dieticians, physical and respiratory therapists, and others involved with patient care. Shinn says Crestodina is a humble but eager teacher that is a respected leader in her field. “Memorial and its children’s hospital are fortunate to have her on our clinical team promoting quality patient outcomes.”

 

 

When it comes to patient care, Garfield Young’s mindset has always been to do whatever is needed. It’s a philosophy that has served him well during a 26-year nursing career that has included considerable time caring for the very sickest in the ICU.

 

“Nursing is a gift and a calling,” said Young, who shares his passion for and knowledge of the profession as an adjunct professor at Chamberlain University College of Nursing. “I’m just a humble servant.”

 

Young was part of the original team of nurses that opened Memorial Hospital Miramar and has been honored as “Clinical Manager of the Year,” “Nurse of the Year,” and a “Memorial Angel.” A self-described ‘adrenaline junkie,’ he has served in a wide variety of clinical and administrative positions and is active with the Broward chapter of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

 

 

While appreciating the fast-paced, ever-changing environment of the emergency room and the work she does as a clinical manager, Tzilla De Jesus has an even more personal connection to Memorial Healthcare System. She credits doctors at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital with saving her son’s life.

 

Born with a congenital heart disease, Renzo, underwent open-heart surgery at the pediatric facility. The procedure was successful and the child is now a healthy 14-year-old. “Dr. (Richard) Perryman and the cardiovascular team will always be part of our family for the gift they’ve given us,” said De Jesus.

 

A native of the Philippines, De Jesus came to the U.S. in 2005 and joined Memorial Healthcare System seven years later. While she worked in banking for five years in her home country, she says nursing was always her first calling and today she enjoys sharing knowledge and mentoring the younger nurses on her team.

 

Jen Leeser knows firsthand the emotions cancer patients face, feelings that include depression, anxiety, and fear. She encourages those she cares for not to live in the past or fret about the future but to live in the present and keep pushing forward.

 

“It’s important to treat the entire person and not just the disease they have,” said Leeser, who joined the Memorial Healthcare System in 2011 and has worked with both inpatients and outpatients. “Individuals with cancer need extra compassion and should understand the disease doesn’t define who they are.”

 

Leeser became a nurse at the age of 40, after a career in customer service. She has achieved her RN IV on the clinical ladder and is currently working on completing her BSN. “I’m amazed to be where I’m at. Becoming a nurse is the best thing I’ve done in my life,” Leeser said.

 

 

An oncology nurse for the past 9 years, the last two within the Memorial Healthcare System, Natalia Villafranca’s focus is on individuals with blood cancers. It’s a patient population that often requires special attention from caregivers. “They all have compromised immune systems, so what might be a minor issue for other patients could become a big problem for them,” said Villafranca.

 

Part of the cellular therapy program that combines Memorial’s resources with those from Moffitt Cancer Center, Villafranca has expertise performing specialized procedures that include Hematopoietic Stem Cell Apheresis, Extracorporeal Photopheresis, and Donor Lymphocyte infusions. She is also her unit’s clinical manager, scheduling nurses and covering shifts, among other responsibilities. “Everyone on our team is helpful and communicates with each other about what our patient’s need. It’s exciting to be part of a journey that helps so many people.”

 

 

COVID-19 has brought tremendous hardship to the nursing community, but also opportunities to make a difference for those with the coronavirus. Such was the case for Jennifer Dunn and the team at Memorial Hospital Pembroke.

 

As director of emergency services, Dunn was responsible for the startup and ongoing activity of Memorial Healthcare System’s only monoclonal antibody infusion site. Given to patients in the early stages of a COVID infection, the treatment lessens the severity of symptoms and has been effective at preventing the virus from worsening. “We’ve infused more than 700 patients and all but 45 were able to recover at home. Even better, we’ve had no COVID-related deaths, even among our most vulnerable populations,” said Dunn.

 

During the pandemic, Dunn was able to effectively and efficiently run two emergency departments, one at Memorial Hospital Pembroke and another at its 24/7 Care Center, in addition to the monoclonal site. She credits the resilience and pride of a team that was able to overcome fatigue by staying focused on the positive impact they were able to have for patients.

 

 

If Rachel Chavez, R.N., must choose one thing that the fraught days of the pandemic crystalized it’s that “there is nothing nurses cannot do.”

 

“We have help from many different disciplines and ancillary departments that allows us to provide the best possible care to our patients,” said Chavez. “During the most challenging times we always believe in what we can accomplish, so we do.”

 

Chavez, who is a nurse manager, leads about 70 caregivers in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). The 49-bed PCU provides medical intervention and care for acutely ill patients who have a range of complex, progressive and rapidly changing medical or surgical disorders.

 

“It has been my honor to lead my department to practice at the height of what they are trained to do by enhancing the level of care and service that we provide to the community,” Chavez said.

 

“We have laughed, learned and cried together over the last year,” she said. “All of this has only strengthened our team, motivated and inspired us to continue to do what we love – provide nursing care.”

 

Chavez holds certifications in nurse management and pediatric emergency. She also has a master’s degree in nursing from Grand Canyon University and a bachelor’s degree from Barry University.

 

 

 

Ruth Chibis, R.N., began her nursing career 42 years ago and has served at Broward Health North in the Surgical Telemetry Unit on the 9th floor for the last 10 years. From Chibis’ earliest memories, she always wanted to be a nurse and loved helping others.

 

In addition to being a caregiver, Chibis serves as a mentor to many new nurses. She encourages them to love their patients, to treat every patient like they would want to be treated and emphasizes the importance of team work within the unit.

 

COVID-19 brought about challenges and triumphs over the past year. Her most rewarding experience in the battle against the virus was being a confidant and a hand for many of her patients to hold as they battled alone.

 

“It has been so wonderful to be with my patients, to listen to them, encourage them, love them and be their "family away from their family," said Chibis. “No matter how sick, alone or scared a patient is, being there, caring for them, and holding their hands makes a huge difference.”

 

Chibis’ biggest motivation as a nurse is being an advocate for her patients, “making sure that nothing is overlooked that would affect their outcome,” she said. “You should make every patient feel that they are valuable and loved.”

 

In her free time, Chibis volunteers as an aid for international disaster relief with Hope Force and Project Medishare.

 

 

Donna Small, R.N., is the Chief Nursing Officer at Broward Health Medical Center. Her passion for her nursing career has translated into 30 years of healthcare experience, from bedside nurse to executive leadership positions.

 

“I have always wanted to be a nurse,” said Small. “Even when I was a child, I wanted to take care of people. It was my passion.”

 

As CNO during the COVID-19 pandemic, Small considers these past 14 months the hardest for nurses and nurse executives. “Never did I ever think that we would have a pandemic so difficult and so long with all the physical and emotional pressures,” she said. “One of the positives is how the caregivers have adapted to change as we continue to learn about COVID-19.”

 

Small considers loves working with seniors and enjoys making that connection with the patients and her staff. “When you think about the difference you made – ‘I saved a life. I helped a family member. I made a connection with someone. Nursing is a rewarding profession,” said Small.

 

Before joining Broward Health in December 2019, Small served as chief nursing officer at St. Mary’s Medical Center and Palm Beach Children’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, where she provided leadership for patient care services. Small also worked previously as CNO at Broward Health North for 10 years.

Small earned her associate in nursing from Broward College and her BSN at Lynn University. She received her MBA in Healthcare from Phoenix University. She is a professional member of American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) and the Southeast Florida Organization of Nurse Executives (SFONE).

 

 

A nurse since 1989, Lisa Powers always knew she wanted to make a difference in the world by helping people. After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a degree in nursing, Powers spent her early years as a hospital and traveling nurse in Hawaii, Virginia, and Washington DC.

 

It was around that time that Powers met a hospice nurse, witnessing firsthand the impact of compassionate hospice care on patients and families. Today, she is grateful that the bulk of her 30-plus-year nursing career has been dedicated to comfort-focused end-of-life care.

 

“It’s always an honor to take care of patients as they are dying,” she says. “To take care of them physically and emotionally, and their families—it’s such a special part of their life, and to be a part of that is very gratifying.”

 

 

Carrie Gibbons has dedicated more than 26 years of her life to nursing, with the last year and a half as a VITAS hospice admissions nurse.

 

“For many years, I have wanted hospice nursing to be the culmination of my career,” she explains. “I knew that by now, I would have the clinical knowledge, experience, and emotional strength that hospice requires.”

 

Gibbons was initially drawn to the hospice profession’s array of opportunities, from hands-on patient care to administrative roles to the fact that end-of-life care can be provided in a variety of settings anywhere in the world. “I knew I could find fulfilling work, no matter my stage in life or location,” she says.

 

“Facing the last chapter of a loved one’s life is difficult,” Gibbons says. “I hope and pray that my work can make this time easier for everyone involved.”

 

 

Timicka Kennedy has spent a fulfilling 22 years as a nurse, including over two decades at VITAS.

 

“In nursing school, I was afforded the opportunity to spend a portion of my clinical education at a VITAS inpatient hospice unit,” she explains. “I was assigned to work alongside a nurse named Richard. I could see the difference he made in the final days of his patients’ lives.”

 

Now Kennedy spends her time touching the lives of her own patients at VITAS. For Kennedy, it’s not a career but a calling.

 

“I know I may only get to visit a patient and family one time while they’re under our care,” she adds. “I strive to make a connection during that one nursing visit that will make a positive, lasting memory. In the words of Maya Angelou, ‘They may forget my name, but they will never forget how I made them feel.’”

 

 

As a nurse for 14 years, Bernice Worley found her calling in hospice care. That’s why she joined VITAS two years ago when it began providing end-of-life care in Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties throughout the Treasure Coast region.

 

“When I began my career as a nurse, I was a single mother with five children,” Worley explains. “I felt drawn not only for financial stability, but as a devout Catholic. God was calling me to fulfill his plan for me.”

 

For Worley, supporting and meeting the needs of patients and families during one of the most critical experiences in their lives is unlike anything she has experienced.

 

“The demands of a hospice nurse require great compassion and excellent communication skills, with emphasis on listening,” she says. “But there is nothing more rewarding than being at the bedside of someone who is leaving this world and entering into a new beginning.”

 

Though Tammy Blackford has been a nurse for over 20 years, she says she discovered a true sense of meaning when she transitioned to VITAS in 2020 after spending a majority of her career as an emergency room nurse.

 

“I like guiding the families through the hospice journey,” she says. “It gives me a feeling of meaning.”

Looking back on her time at VITAS, she feels lucky to help families and their loved ones as they near the end of life together.

 

“My bonds with the families mean the world to me,” Blackford says. “It’s like I become part of them. Going to work every day for me is no longer a chore. It took me many years to find what I actually love. I continue to work in the ER once a month to keep up on emergency medicine, but I really feel hospice is where my heart belongs.”

 

 

Eryka Grant, R.N., has been with the Hematology Oncology Clinic since 2014, is the sarcoma team lead nurse, and our primary charge nurse on the unit. Eryka has excelled and been flexible with a constantly changing clinic environment in the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. She always has her patients’ best interest at heart. Eryka is well liked and trusted by her peers and is often the sounding board for their ideas and concerns. She is instrumental in clinic process improvement projects, talking up her teammates, and ensuring fairness among team members. She is well organized, a patient and colleague advocate, and is always willing to go above and beyond for her patients, colleagues and providers. She is often seen as the voice of calm during hectic clinic days and has been extremely flexible and adaptable to clinic workflows, staff changes, and in-person/telehealth visit shifts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

Lauren Caldevilla is a clinical nurse educator for the COVID unit at UHealth – the University of Miami Health System. She is responsible for teaching doctors, nurses and hospital personnel how to properly use maximum barrier protection. During the health system’s most strenuous time with high patient volume and nursing shortages, she worked tirelessly to onboard and train hundreds of ICU nurses. She rounds in the unit when asked to make sure protocols are managed appropriately. Caldevilla received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing from Barry University. She began her career at UM in critical care in the surgical intensive care unit. Her transition into serving as a clinical nurse educator allowed her to combine her love of teaching and passion for nursing. She has received awards, including the “Good Catch Award” and several Daisy Awards.