CVMC Nurses……Giving Back to the Community through Health Outreach

Health First Center
Nurses working in the medical center’s Health First Center as well as nurse volunteers from throughout the organization touched the lives of an estimated 10,000 people at area events, health fairs and programs during 2008.  They provided first aid coverage at the Greater Hickory Classic golf tournament and at all home games of the Crawdads.  They also staffed a two-day Women’s Symposium that drew 4,000 to the Metro Center.  Several CVMC representatives provided programs during the event.  A Health First RN, Debbie Leger Scott, managed a full program of events and programs through the Safe Kids Coalition during 2008, distributing free or discounted car seats and bike helmets to those in need, conducting education programs for children and their parents through the schools and at community events.  RNs Julie Collins, Marie Wimmer, Janet Shores, and Natalie Barkley provided prenatal and postnatal education for CVMC parents.  Their program is the only Lamaze certified program in the area.  Additionally, they started Lactation Station to offer new mothers reasonably priced breast pumps (rental and sales) and lactation supplies.  Walk Catawba Valley, a walking program, continued throughout 2008, attracting more than 1,500 participating in the “get active” initiative.

While CVMC nurses track many clinical quality indicators in the care of their patients, perhaps one of the most important measures is the unsolicited compliments we receive from those we serve.  A sampling of those compliments from 2008 follow:
 

"I would like to commend one of your employees who my family and I came in contact with during a surgery at the Day Surgery Center.  Her name was Kelly Ward.  She is an excellent employee who provided me with a sense of relief about my 6 year old having surgery.  I was about to back out of having it done when Kelly called to set up the appointment time with me.  She answered all of my questions professionally and courteously.  Then, I was so glad that she was one of my son’s nurses on the day of the surgery!  She was very thoughtful and kind to us and to my son and we just wanted you to know that she should be commended!”

 

Courtesy, Attitude, Respect, and Enthusiasm – CARE – describe the expectations we have of ourselves and our coworkers in our relationships with those we serve.  The formal CARE awards honor an outstanding employee who is nominated by patients, families, or employees. 

Five nursing division employees were honored with CARE awards in 2008: