INSIDER July 2016

MVHS Begins Appraisals of Downtown PropertiesPage 6

Inpatient Pediatric Care Consolidates to St. Luke’s CampusPage 10

MVHS Honors Employees with AwardsPage 5

Together we makea difference.

SEMC Celebrates150 Years

From a small house in West Utica to a 201-bed medical center, SEMC staff has been providing care to our community for 150 years. | Page 3

2 | July 2016

Table ofContents 3 | SEMC Celebrates 150 Years SEMC staff has been providing care to the community based on its founders’ examples for 150 years.

4 | German Experts Visit MVHS to Review Organ Donation Procedures MVHS hosts experts from Berlin to establish standards between Germany and the United States.

5 | MVHS Honors Employees with Distinction and Scholarship Awards

6 | MVHS Begins Appraisal Process of Downtown Utica Properties MVHS is moving forward with appraisals of downtown properties that will be impacted by the new hospital project.

7 | Sewing Group ‘Pillow Ladies’ Recognized by State and County Leaders

7 | MVHS Awarded Gold for Healthcare Advertising

8 | News in Brief

9 | MVHS Participates in Relay for Life Event

9 | Health Support Services Changes Name

10 | Inpatient Pediatric Care Consolidation at St. Luke’s Campus

11 | Super Sim Lab Boosts Realism to Training Programs for Nurses and Physicians

12 | Upcoming Events

12 | Staff Announcements

Starfish

Starfish Stories are about caregivers, protectors, companions and cham-pions. They acknowledge special, and sometimes life-changing, moments that make a difference for our patients, resi-dents, their families and our coworkers. The following stories are about those individuals and teams who inspire us to always do our best.

Andrea Johnson, DO – HospitalistSt. Elizabeth CampusWords cannot express how much I appreciate the care I received from Dr. Andrea Johnson and all the staff at St. Elizabeth. Dr. Johnson’s sweet and caring attitude comforted not only me as the patient, but gave comfort to my wife and family, as well. She was very, very thorough and I can’t say enough about her positive, caring attitude. She made me laugh and improved my spirits so much that my visitors could barely believe I was sick at all. She sure impressed me and I’m hard to impress. I was close to waking up on the other side of the dirt and Dr. Johnson is the reason I didn’t. Every-one at St. Elizabeth – all of the nursing staff and the housekeepers in the ED, in the ICU and in room 375 – were all wonderful and made me and my family feel so comfortable. I used to go to the VA and to Albany for all my medical care, but they’ve lost me as a patient now. The people at St. Eliza-beth have made all the difference.

I work at my local library, and when I shared my story with the people there, several of them joined in to say how much they appreciate Dr. John-son. She’s a great ambassador

for St. Elizabeth in our community and you should give her a big pat on the back for her awesome attitude and great work!

Keith Gerlach, a grateful patient

CMI: Cooperative Magnetic ImagingSt. Luke’s CampusMy 4-year-old daughter, Isabella, had an MRI with contrast at CMI on the St. Luke’s Campus. There were three employees who provided exceptional care and attention to my daughter. During the MRI, they played her fa-vorite music and, when needed, they spoke directly to her over the micro-phone/intercom system and in per-son while administering the contrast via her left arm. Isabella was treated with respect and was included in her care. When the MRI was done, my daughter was greeted with a sign that read “Good Job Isabella,” a stuffed animal and a snack. Their actions were kind, heartfelt and genuine.

The three employees that tended to my daughter should be acknowledged as role models in their profession. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the employees for a job well done and appreciated. Our entire experience has been memorable for the right reasons. Thank you again.

Melissa Milham-Wilkosz, PT, DPT

Stories

July 2016 | 3

St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) was founded as St. Elizabeth Hospital by the dedicated women of the Sisters

of St. Francis on December 12, 1866. They selflessly gave their entire lives to keep the hospital operating, providing needed care for those in Utica and the surrounding areas – regardless of their ability to pay. Although only a few Sisters work with SEMC today, the community recognizes the Sisters and their predecessors for their continuous efforts over the decades.

The Medical Center has a rich history, with origins dating back to a small house on Co-lumbia Street in West Utica, given to the Sis-ters of St. Francis by the Franciscan Fathers.

In 1883, one of the founders, St. Marianne Cope (then Mother Marianne), left Syracuse with six Sisters to help treat patients with Hansen’s disease on the island of Moloka’i in Hawaii. No doubt, she is the person who

personifies SEMC the most to the public. St. Marianne Cope was in the spotlight, both locally and worldwide, when she was canonized and named a saint in 2012.

Over the decades, the hospital established St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, built the present hospital in 1917, opened a School of Radiography, a Family Medicine Residency Program, a Trauma Service and much more.

In 1964, SEMC was the first area hospital to build a Psychiatric Unit with 20 beds. In 1996, the School of Nursing became the Col-lege of Nursing and the hospital changed its name to St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

Also during the 1990s, St. Elizabeth and Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH) collabo-rated to bring cardiac services to this area, with help from the community. The hospi-tals continued working together in the Dia-betes Education Program and the Regional Cancer Center.

In 2014, the hospitals announced their af-filiation as the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) and now look forward to a future that includes a new hospital for the Mohawk Valley. Because of its history of affecting the lives of so many in our region, SEMC was in-ducted into the Mohawk Valley's Healthcare Hall of Distinction – Class of 2016 on May 18, honored for its impact on the region during its 150 years of operation.

Sponsored by The Genesis Group and The Medical Societies, the recognition honors outstanding healthcare professionals for their commitment to excellence in the work-place and community.

“It’s a wonderful tribute to the Sisters, our medical staff, employees and volunteers,” said MVHS President/CEO Scott Perra, FACHE, while noting the sesquicentennial. “You’ll hear about more activities to cel-ebrate the anniversary in coming months.” v

150 YearsSEMC Celebrates

By Sandra Fentiman

Patients were cared for by the Sisters of St. Francis in St. Elizabeth Medical Center’s original home on Columbia Street in Utica.

4 | July 2016

The St. Luke’s Campus of MVHS recently hosted experts from

the Deutsches Institut für Zell und Gewebeersatz GmbH (DIZG), known in English as the German Institute for Cell and Tissue Replacement, a non-profit organization that provides transplantable musculoskeletal tissue and skin grafts to recipients in need within the international community. DIZG, headquar-tered out of Berlin, Germany, is a sister company to the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, the nation’s lead-ing tissue bank that connects donors with surgeons and transplant recipients.

Dr. Matthias Löwel, the head of Quality Assurance and Mr. Zhivko Zhivkov, group manager of Tissue Do-nation, visited the St. Luke’s Campus as a part of a mul-ticenter tour to ensure that tissue donation procedures at affiliate hospitals are conducted within the necessary sterile, surgical conditions re-quired to comply with accepted transplanta-tion standards. The focus of the visit was to prepare for a full audit later this year when the DIZG returns to New York.

“DIZG seeks to establish standards be-tween Germany and the United States for organ donation,” said Dr. Löwel. “Generally, we are looking to make sure there is proper hygiene, that there are procedures in place for entering and exiting the operating room and temperature control in the morgue.”

Dr. Zhivkov added, “We also review documentation and how recovered tissue is packaged,” noting that MVHS carefully documents the temperature and persons in and out of the facilities on a comprehensive log. These visits help prepare organizations for the official audit that occurs every two to three years.

As a community hospital, MVHS’s Organ Donation Program had three consented organ donors, 10 consented tissue donors and 12 consented cornea donors in 2015. This rate is similar to other community hos-pitals in Central New York. MVHS continues to sponsor the Donate Life Flag Program, in which a “donate life” flag is raised in respect for all organ and tissue donors. The flag is flown for one week and then returned to the Center for Donation and Transplant, which then presents the flag to the family in honor of their loved one.

MVHS also received recognition for its rose donation that was placed on the 2015 Donate Life Float in the 126th Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California.

The Donor Memorial Garden at the St. Luke’s Campus continues to flourish with beautiful flowers and plants that are cared for by our volunteers. Donor plaques con-

tinue to be placed in the garden in memory of our organ, tissue and cornea donors.

Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the national transplant list. On average, 21 people die each day in the United States while waiting for a transplant. Being part of a national register saves lives. More than 10,000 New Yorkers are currently on the waiting list because need far exceeds the supply. MVHS is committed to ensuring that families of each potential organ, tissue and eye donor are informed of their options to donate in a manner that encourages discre-tion and sensitivity with respect to circum-stances, views and beliefs of the patient and the patient’s family.

Individuals who are interested in organ, tissue and cornea donation may enroll in the New York State Donate Life Registry by visiting www.health.ny.gov/ through the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles. v

German Experts Visit MVHS to Review Organ Donation ProceduresBy Christina Polowicz

Dr. Matthias Löwel (left), the head of Quality Assurance and Mr. Zhivko Zhivkov (right), group manager of Tissue Donation, discuss organ donation procedure with Susan McKinstry, BSN, RN, nurse clinician at MVHS.

During National Nurses Week in May, MVHS honored 29 employees with Nurse and Caregiver of Distinction

and scholarship awards.

The following employees were honored:

Nurse of Distinction Award• Mary Akins, RN – PACU, Faxton Campus• Shelly Forrester, RN – Education Services• Clarissa James, LPN – Whitesboro

Medical Office• Michelle Jaramillo, RN – New Hartford

Medical Office - Medical Arts• Sheila Jayakumar, RN – Neuro/Pediatrics,

St. Elizabeth Campus• Christine Menard, RN – St. Elizabeth College

of Nursing• Mary Jo Parker, RN – Herkimer Medical Office• David Volz, RN – Dialysis, Faxton Campus• Peg Ward, RN – Emergency Department,

St. Elizabeth Campus

Caregiver of Distinction Award• Lindsay Coffin – Psychiatric Assistant, 2A,

St. Elizabeth Campus• Terri Genther – Unit Secretary, Clark North,

St. Luke’s Home• Cora Jackson – Care Attendant,

Peri-Operative Services, St. Luke’s Campus

Scholarship AwardsBice Nursing Scholarship• Malinda Lynch, RN – Sixth Floor, St. Luke’s

Campus

Dolores Martellotto Nursing Scholarship• Rose Wright, RN – Maternity,

St. Luke’s Campus

The Faxton Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Award• Inna O’Connor, RN – AC 3,

St. Luke’s Campus• Jennifer Darling, RN – Sixth Floor,

St. Luke’s Campus• Kimberly Bonvicino, RN – Nurse Manager,

AC 3, St. Luke’s Campus• Marilyn Bohling – Fitness Instructor,

Wellness Center, Faxton Campus

Irene Defazio Advanced Nursing ScholarshipBachelor’s Level• Taylor Webster, RN – Education ServicesMaster’s Level• Shalynn Cozza, RN – Education Services

Lucy M. Kellogg Relief Society Scholarship• Kayla Panko – Nurse Tech, Neuro/Pediatrics,

St. Elizabeth Campus• Taylor Beach – Nurse Tech, Neuro/Pediatrics,

St. Elizabeth Campus

Marjorie Lockwood Scholarship• Kaleigh Miller – Care Attendant, Sixth Floor,

St. Luke’s Campus

Marianne Guiney Nursing Scholarship• Alexandra Roberts – Nurse Tech, PCU/4A,

St. Elizabeth Campus• Bikash Regmi, RN – Sixth Floor,

St. Luke’s Campus

Shirley Tibbitts Pye Memorial Scholarship• Sarah Jacopino, RN – Neuro Sciences Group

Medical Office • Shannon Perez – Patient Care Tech, Dialysis,

CRCCS

Medical Executive Nursing Scholarship• Brianne Godlewski – Care Attendant, AC 2,

St. Luke’s Campus• James Pollard – Care Attendant, ICU,

St. Luke’s Campus

Denise Taurisano & John Weakley Awards

The annual awards recognize two MVHS employees for significantly fostering a healthy and positive work environment with excellent customer service, professional-ism, responsiveness, compassion and a caring nature.

The awards are named after Denise Tauri-sano, a SEMC Radiology employee, and John Weakley, a volunteer and greeter at FSLH.Both Denise Taurisano and John Wekley exhibited all of these qualities toward their coworkers and toward their patients. They were an inspiration to all who had the plea-sure of working with them.

John Weakley AwardMary Beth Dowling, BSN, RNICU Manager, St. Luke’s Campus

Nomination: Mary Beth approaches each day with a positive attitude, enthusiasm and a wonderful sense of humor. She is patient centered as an advocate who goes the extra mile. She brings the interdis-ciplinary team together whenever needed and has done a great deal of work around pallia-tive care with her team, which has allowed many patients and families to reduce their pain and anxiety and allow patients to die with dignity. She truly is a caring, compassionate professional. She embraces her leadership role wholeheartedly and strives to lead from the core values of MVHS, embodying the mission and vision.

Denise Taurisano AwardLisa Rocci, RN, Lead Supervisor of the Transfer Center, St. Elizabeth Campus

Nomination: On a daily basis, Lisa displays great customer service to patients, families, physicians and employees. Lisa is always available to help solve any problems. She goes above and beyond with the professionalism she displays. She is very well respected by all employees and especially physicians.

If you call Lisa for anything, she is right there to help or find you the help you need. As a house supervisor, this is so important for her peers to know she can be counted on.

Lisa has a warm, compassionate side to her. She has seen almost everything in her 35 years of service.

Lisa’s caring nature is another great quality about her. She is a loyal, well-respected, caring individual — she resembles a lot of the charac-teristics that Denise Taurisano had. v

July 2016 | 5

MVHS Honors Employees with Distinction and Scholarship Awards

Save the DatesSt. Luke’s Home is celebrating its 20th anniversary during the week of August 22-26, 2016. Check the intranet and Daily Ops for more information.

6 | July 2016

MVHS announced in May that it is moving forward with the apprais-als of the downtown properties

that will be impacted by the new hospital project. The health system solicited propos-als from certified appraisers to evaluate the properties and a letter was mailed to down-town property owners that informed them of the anticipated process.

“We want to begin the valuation of the downtown properties as the process will take some time to complete,” said Scott H. Perra, FACHE, president/CEO of MVHS. “In the meantime, MVHS continues to work on the funding plan for the project, which we hope to have completed in the next 60 to 90 days.”

The property areas that will be appraised and evaluated include several city blocks south of the Utica Memorial Auditorium, bounded by Oriskany Street to the north, properties abutting Columbia Street to the

south and Broadway to the east, as well as State Route 12 to the west.

Four appraisal firms were selected, and it will take approximately three to six months

to complete the appraisals. After the proper-ties are appraised, MVHS representatives will meet with each property owner to re-view the appraisal, likely to take place in the first quarter of 2017.

“The appraisal process and the offers that would follow will be contingent on a New York State (NYS) approval of a Certificate of Need (CON) for the new hospital,” stated Perra. “We are currently working with the NYS Department of Health (DOH) on the final plan for securing the $300 million and the process it wants us to follow moving forward to complete and file the CON.”

MVHS officials cautioned property owners that there are multiple steps and approvals with the DOH before any offers can be made or any work can begin on the properties. Tentative plans include offers on the proper-ties in early 2017 and any work on the sites may begin sometime in 2018. v

MVHS Begins Appraisal Process of Downtown Utica Properties

Hospital Draft/Conceptual Drawing - April 2016

“MVHS continues to work on the funding plan ... which we hope to have completed in the next 60 to 90 days.”

Scott Perra, President/CEO

July 2016 | 7

MVHS has been awarded a Gold Award in the Healthcare Marketing Report’s 33rd Annual Healthcare

Advertising Awards for the recent brand-ing campaign created by the Marketing and Communications team.

MVHS’s entry to the contest included the new “valley” logo, the brand presentation book and the “Together We Make A Differ-ence” video, which featured several staff members. This year, over 3,700 entries were received, making 2016 the largest Healthcare Advertising Awards competition and one of the ten largest of all advertising awards. A national panel of judges reviewed all entries based on creativity, quality, message effec-tiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design and overall impact.

The MVHS logo, presentation book and video are all available on the intranet at intranet.mvn.local/makeadifference. v

MVHS Awarded Gold for Healthcare Advertising

Members of the St. Elizabeth Heart Pillow Sewing Group, who refer to themselves as the “Pillow Ladies,”

were recognized twice this spring for their years of sewing heart-shaped pillows for patients who have had open heart surgery at SEMC.

The pillows help recovering surgical patients by providing a comfortable method for them to have chest support when they move or cough. The group creates the pillows for patients in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit entirely from raw materials. In 2015, the Heart Pillow Sewing Group made 825 pillows for patients, donat-ing 645 hours.

In May, they were recognized for this work by the Oneida County Office for the Aging and Continuing Care when they were presented with a certificate as a 2016 Older American Awards Honoree at a ceremony at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro, New York. They also received certificates that day from the offices of New York State legislators, Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi and Senator

Joseph Griffo, with Assemblyman Brindisi inviting the group to visit the Capitol in

Albany for a tour and to sit on the floor of the Assembly on June 2. v

Sewing Group ‘Pillow Ladies’ Recognized by State and County LeadersBy Sandra Fentiman

From left, front row: Linda Kurtyka, Jean Saint-Amour, Carole Nunziata, Theresa Jadlowski, Margaret Lalonde. Second row: Emily Gaffney, Jane Kosuda, Helen Harrington, and SEMC

Volunteer Director Grace Garro. Back row: Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, Patient Advocate/ Volunteer Coordinator Catherine Southwick-Lee. Missing from photo: Joan Carroll,

Diane Szlachtowski and Lucy Zohne.

Dr. Kevin McCormick is featured in the “Together We Make A Difference” video, which can be viewed on the intranet at intranet.mvn.local/makeadifference.

8 | July 2016

NEWSIN BRIEF

The St. Elizabeth College of Nursing (SECON) graduated 89 new nurses on Saturday, May 14, 2016. Of the 89 graduates, 75 at-tended weekday classes and 14 participated in the evening/weekend program. The 110th graduation ceremony was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Utica. MVHS welcomed 43 of the graduates into nursing positions within the system.

Tara Millson, MSN, RN, CIC, received her certification in Infec-tion Prevention from the Certifica-tion Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC).

Certification represents the com-mitment of an infection preven-tionist and an institution to the continued improvement of infection prevention and control functions as well as their contribution to health-care and patient safety.

Millson began working at Faxton Hospital in June 2003 and moved to St. Luke’s Campus in 2004. She began working in Infec-tion Prevention in 2014. She received her associate in applied science from Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) in 2003, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2013 and a Master’s of Science in Nursing in 2015, both from Western Governors University. Millson is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Infection Prevention from Loyola University with an anticipated graduation date of July 2018.

Korinn Chaffee, BSN, RN, OCN, CN-BN, received her certification in Breast Patient Navigation from the National Consortium of Breast Centers, Inc. Certification validates a medical professional’s knowledge and skills in navigating a breast patient through his or her breast cancer/care continuum.

Chaffee began working at FSLH in 2004 as a registered nurse on the Inpatient Medical Oncology Unit and the Outpatient Infusion Unit. She was named navigator for the Breast Care Program at MVHS in 2015. Chaffee earned her associate degree in business from MVCC, her associate degree in nursing from St. Elizabeth College of Nursing and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Keuka College. She is certified in oncol-ogy, chemotherapy and biotherapy.

The 25th annual FSLH Foundation Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals Telethon aired Wednesday, June 1, 2016, on WKTV NewsChannel 2. The Telethon raised $502,262, which will be used to support programs, services and equipment that benefit Maternal Child Services at FSLH. With funds from the 2016 Telethon, the staff at FSLH has identified the need for a por-table neonatal heart monitor for dedicated use in the Labor and Delivery Unit. This monitor ensures that the staff is following the current American Academy of Pediatric guidelines for neonatal resuscitation. You can continue to support CMN at MVHS by purchasing a Miracle Home Makeover ticket for $100 in cash. Visit www.faxtonstlukes.com/mhm for more information.

SECON Graduates 89 New Nurses

MVHS Employees Earn Certifications

CMN Hospitals Telethon Aired

If you are a MVHS non-union employee with MVHS-sponsored medical insurance through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, there is a Domestic Providers & Services Directory on the intranet under Human Resources that is a valuable resource when determining what services are covered under the domestic tier. The medical insurance plan features a tier of coverage that is specific to dis-

counted services provided at FSLH and SEMC. The discount applies to all domestic care, which is defined as services provided by a FSLH or SEMC-employed provider, or services billed by FSLH or SEMC as outlined in this directory. Please refer to the Summary of Benefits and Coverage for your plan for more detailed information on costs and coverage.

Medical Insurance Resource Posted

Tara Millson

Korinn Chaffee

July 2016 | 9

Members of the SEMC and FSLH Relay for Life Teams represented MVHS at the 2016 Relay for Life at

Mohawk Valley Community College Saturday, June 11 through Sunday, June 12. Together, the MVHS teams raised more than $12,000 for cancer research and support, which was donated to the American Cancer Society. Fundraisers were conducted throughout the

year at MVHS and at the Relay for Life event.All cancer survivors at the event were

invited to participate in the opening lap at noon followed by a caregiver lap and a survi-vor and caregiver reception.

The popular Luminaria Ceremony was held on Saturday evening, followed by a bagpipe-led lap around the track surrounded by illuminated luminary bags. The Relay for

Life Teams at MVHS welcome any employees interested in participating in the event next year to be in touch with current members.

Visit www.relayforlife.org/uticany or contact Karen Wahl at 315-801-3014 or kwahl@mvhealthsystem.org, or Sheilah Kittle at skittle@mvhealthsystem.org, kazoogranny@gmail.com or 315-624-5792 for more information. v

MVHS Participates in Relay for Life EventBy AJ Wiswell

Team members at the survivorand caregiver reception

Team members at the MVHS tent

s of Friday, July 1, St. Elizabeth Health Support Services (SEHSS), a Franciscan Companies affiliate of

SEMC, changed its name to Mohawk Valley Health Support Services, Inc. (MVHSS).

“Our medical equipment and respiratory care services support the needs of patients across our communities,” said Ryan Thomp-son, MVHSS executive director. “This name

change reinforces our commitment to pro-viding quality services to all MVHS member organizations, not only to SEMC.”

MVHSS, located at 3899 Oneida Street, Washington Mills, has served the Mohawk Valley region for nearly 20 years. It offers an array of medical equipment for the home in-cluding oxygen, CPAP equipment, nebulizers, power chairs and scooters, wheelchairs and

walkers, easy-lift chairs, bathroom safety devices, hospital beds, orthopedic items and compression stockings. MVHSS can be reached at 315-737-0310.

“Our products and services allow patients to remain in the homes they love,” Thomp-son said. “We are proud to offer that peace of mind and needed support to people in the Mohawk Valley.” v

Health Support Services Changes NameBy Sandra Fentiman

A

10 | July 2016

On Friday, July 1, 2016, MVHS consolidated inpatient pediatric

care to the St. Luke’s Cam-pus. MVHS pediatricians are still on call for any pediatric patient who may arrive at the Emergency Departments (ED) at the St. Elizabeth Campus or the St. Luke’s Campus. Pediat-ric patients will still be treated at both EDs. Consolidation helps us support improved clinical quality and provide more efficient services for our patients and their families. One of the goals of our hospital affiliation is to centralize services and care whenever possible, building on our expertise, and making the best use of our resources. Since the affiliation, we have consolidated endoscopy services at the St. Luke’s Cam-pus, cardiac services at the St. Elizabeth Campus, and the primary care offices under the MVHS Medical Group. • MVHS pediatricians are on

call for any pediatric patient who may arrive at the ED at the St. Elizabeth Campus or the St. Luke’s Campus. Pediatric patients will still be treated at both EDs.

• SEMC is the area’s designat-ed Trauma Center. Pediatric trauma will continue to be treated at SEMC. Pediatric outpatient surgery will also continue at SEMC.

• FSLH is the area’s CMN Hospital. Donations from the community are used to enhance care for chil-dren in our Emergency, Pediatrics and Maternity Departments, as well as for outpatient care for Hearing and Speech, Physical and Occupational Therapy and at our MVHS Medical Group primary care offices. v

Pediatric CareInpatient

Consolidation at St. Luke’s Campus

Ava Joanne was born and cared for at the St. Luke’s Campus in

March 2016.

July 2016 | 11

St. Elizabeth College of Nursing (SECON) hosted a mass-casualty simulation experience for students and residents

in May. Senior nursing students from SECON and Utica College cared for the simulated patients in a collaborative model with resi-dent physicians from the St. Elizabeth Family Medicine Residency Program.

Simulation-based learning has become a growing trend in healthcare. Controlled environments, such as simulation labs, are used to mimic a variety of scenarios that nurses and doctors will experience when providing care.

SECON clinical instructor Jillian Atkinson, MS, RN, coordinated the simulation expe-rience for the students and residents by creating a disaster simulation that involved 11 patients (10 actors and one “manikin”). In a re-created ED environment, the 17 nurses and 11 residents cared for a wide range of patient injuries resulting from a three-vehicle motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver operating a sedan, along with a second sedan and a bus.

A mock Incident Command was initiated and patients were triaged and treated for their injuries while other staff maintained care for patients already in the unit. Individu-al patient cases involved chest pain or short-ness of breath, broken bones, intoxication, language barriers, cardiac episodes, prenatal care and dehydration. Students and residents worked to evaluate and arrive at the underly-

ing diagnosis, followed by the initiation of therapeutic interventions and medication.

Simulation Lab coordinator Justin Crossman, MA, said, “The goal was to help residents and nursing students practice effective communication. Physicians made assessments of patient conditions and gave orders. Nurses made sure they understood and carried out the orders.”

The collaboration of SECON President Varinya Sheppard, MS, RN, and St. Elizabeth Family Medicine Residency Program Director, Mark Warfel, DO, FAAFP, enabled students and residents the opportunity to demon-strate their clinical knowledge in an authen-tic disaster situation and also provided the invaluable experience of multidisciplinary communication and collaboration. v

Super Sim Lab Boosts Realism to Training Programs for Nurses and PhysiciansBy Lindsay Mogle and Sandra Fentiman

In a simulated ED environment, 17 nurses and 11 residents cared for a wide range of patient injuries resulting from a mock, three-vehicle motor vehicle accident.

MVHS Employee PicnicsTuesday, July 26St. Elizabeth Campus

Cafeteria1 a.m. to 3 a.m.

College of Nursing Parking Lot11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, July 27Faxton Campus

Cancer Center Parking Lot 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, July 28St. Luke’s Campus

Cafeteria1 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Parking Lot by Energy Center11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

12 | July 2016

PO Box 479 | Utica, NY 13503-0479

Upcoming EventsJuly 26 Employee Picnic at the St. Elizabeth Campus

July 27 Employee Picnic at the Faxton Campus

July 28 Employee Picnic at the St. Luke’s Campus

July 31 Deadline for Difference Maker Award Nominations

August 22-26 St. Luke’s Home 20th Anniversary Celebration

Please visit the intranet for a complete list of

upcoming events at MVHS.

Vice PresidentsTraci Boris, Esq. - Vice President of Legal and Compliance

Jack Davis, SHRM-SCP, SPHR - Vice President of Human Resources/Chief Human Resources Officer

Shannon Mathewson, MBA, PCMH CCE - Vice President of Operations

Michael F. Trevisani, MD, MBA, CPE, FASCRS, FACHE - Senior Vice President/Chief Medical Officer

Eric Yoss, MD, FCCP - Senior Vice President of Quality

Medical StaffIsha Gupta, MD - Nephrologist

Nalini Jayanthi Namassivaya, MD - Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist

Richard O’Brien, DO - Community Medicine/Urgent Care

Juleen Qandah, DO - Community Medicine/Urgent Care

Directors & ManagersDave Briggs - Director of Risk Management

Cathy Callanan - General Manager of Sodexo for MVHS

Suzanne Chabot, RN - Nurse Manager of the Sister Rose Vincent Family Medicine Center

Cindy Christian, RN - Nurse Manager of the Dialysis Center

Nicole Henry, RN - Assistant Nurse Manager of Maternity and Nursery Services

Delta Rubsamen - Director of Volunteers for FSLH

Visit the MVHS intranet for more details.

Staff AnnouncementsMarch - June 2016