Volume 11, Issue 9 April 23, 2004
In This Corner by Jon D. Smiley, C.E.O.
One of the very best ways we can honor the volunteers who serve the hospital in the Auxiliary and the Volunteer Services Program is to say thank you.
Have you ever done something for someone else with no expectation of anything in return? Not everyone has the dedication of a volunteer. Most of us reading this are here because we are paid a salary to come to work. Volunteers are paid with a thank you, or a smile, or once a year a luncheon like was held earlier this week.
We can all be a part in making this a good place to work (for a smile or for a salary) by recognizing the contributions of each other.
Think about the week now concluding. How many times have you done a little extra to help someone out? Has someone else gone out of their way to help you? If the answer to both questions is no - what does that say to each other, and to our patients and families.
Our volunteers, and our volunteer board members, have set before us a sound example of what can motivate our performance. They are here for the satisfaction of being a help. That satisfaction of helping people in need is very rewarding as you know. But, the satisfaction of helping each other is also very important. When someone needs a boost do you help them, or ignore them?
While we have been working for quite some time on raising our customer service scores, I wonder if we might get the desired result with our patients, families and co-workers if we concentrated on what our volunteers concentrate upon. After all, if we are not here for the satisfaction of helping, then why are we here?
This week we also noted the retirement of longtime volunteer board member Olaf Elze. Olaf has been a true leader in this community for many years. He was one of many individuals who made our move here a positive change when Mary and I came to the Valley eleven years ago.
This week we are also celebrating Administrative Professionals Week and National Medical Laboratory Week. My thanks to all of you for your hard work and service.
Volunteers of the Year Recognized
Donna Langworthy (above center) and Betty Brown (above right) were named the Hospital Volunteers of the Year at the National Volunteer Services Week Lunch held this week at the hospital.
Donna and Betty both volunteer in the Admitting Department in the hospital greeters program. Both of the ladies were honored and surprised by their selection.
Door prizes donated by departments from the hospital were awarded to those volunteers in attendance. Volunteers contributed over 13,000 hours of service to the hospital last year alone.
Pastor Randy Quinn was the guest speaker for the even. Quinn is the Pastor of the Sunnyside United Methodist Church, but he also serves as a volunteer chaplain at the hospital as well as in the naval reserve. Quinn commended the volunteers for a spirit of willingness to give back to the community. He also talked about his recent two week assignment with the Navy in Kuwait.
(Click on photos for larger images.)
We are happy to announce Karen
Quinn, RN has accepted the position of Emergency Department Director.
Karen has been a long-term employee of SCH working as a RN and Nursing
Supervisor. This will be her first
position as a Director and she will need our support and encouragement as she
assumes this new direction in her career.
The Perinatal Continuing Education Program(PCEP) is off and
running in the OB department with over 20 participants (all of the full and part
time OB staff as well as all of the family practice physicians that deliver
babies and Dr Nealen). Many thanks
to our onsite PCEP coordinators Tomi Leifke
RN and Marisela Aquilar RN who both took
part in a two day workshop at YVMH hospital last month.
PCEP is nationally approved Perinatal continuing education program that
is designed for bedside care of obstetrical and neonatal patients.
It is a comprehensive program which is useful in the daily work of
physicians, nurses and other personnel who care for pregnant women and or
newborns. Our first onsite workshop
will be on April 29th, we will be honored to have Diana
Smigaj, MD, Perinatologist, Sue Johnson
ARNP, Outreach Educator and Terri Jones BSN
Program Coordinator as our PCEP instructors from Yakima Valley Memorial
Hospital/Central Washington Regional Perinatal Perinatal Program.
Pediatric Grand Rounds - Monthly educational programs for physicians, nursing and other health care providers. These programs originate from Spokane and are available for viewing by telemedicine at SCH. Click here for complete schedule. You may also contact Gabriella Barker for more information. A Women's Health Grand Rounds is also scheduled via telehealth.
SCH has now
been invited to the HFH & SHMC Oncology Grand
Rounds every second Friday of the month via Telehealth. 1200
-1400 hrs, every 2nd Friday of the month: 05/14/04
06/11/04 07/09/04 08/13/04
You can also get class information from the office of Gabriella Barker at any time of the day. Flyers for all current classes are posted on her door in the Administrative wing. So, even if you are working nights or weekends you can see the latest flyers by taking a walk down the admin. hallway. Your department manager should also have a copy of the monthly class schedule if one is not posted in your department.
Nursing Notes will now also be kept on a direct link at the front page of the hospital website. So, if you are looking for updated information on classes you can come to the newsletter, or the direct link on the website.
CPR Schedule for Spring/Summer
There are morning and afternoon sessions. Please contact Gabriella Barker to reserve your spot.
Health Care Providers - May 12 - June 9 - July 14
Heart Savers - April 28 - May 26 - June 23 - July 28
To avoid over crowded classes, disappointment and last minute scheduling, please attend a class during your birth month or the month prior to your evaluation date. Don't forget to document your CPR achievement on your continuing education record.
Auxiliary Sponsors Jewelry Sale
Want to know why Auxiliary sponsored events like next week's jewelry sale are so important? Why not ask one of the people around here who has benefited from an Auxiliary scholarship to help finish their educaiton.
The hospital Auxiliary is dedicated to funding the scholarship program every spring. That is why the gift shop is an important resource for the hospital. That is why they have sales and other events frequently.
This sale will be Tuesday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the classroom. Payroll deduction is available if you have your nametag with you. (And of course we all do, right?)