THE COURIERPAGE 2 SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012www.wcfcourier.com

By KAREN BUSHANAM

karen.bushanam@wcfcourier.com

WATERLOO —Sharyn Fleming’s career choice can be summed up in three small words.

“I love babies,” said Fleming, 53, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo.

Fleming’s aspirations to care for the littlest patients date back to childhood. She went to school and landed a job in a well-baby unit at a relatively small Iowa hospital. Watching transport teams come and take the sickest infants to larger hospitals with more sophisticated resources clinched her decision.

Today, she has 28 years experi-ence as a neonatal nurse, 11 spent at Covenant, a hospital with a level II regional NICU. The des-ignation allows Covenant to care for high-risk mothers and new-borns, provide a wide range of support and follow-up services and maintain a transport team.

A passion to help vulnerable newborns and premature infants leads some neonatal nurses to their specialty. Area nurses say they love doting on the little ones, helping them get strong enough to go home.

After all, neonatal nurses get the “cutest little patients in the hospital,” said Amanda Wagner, 31, a staff nurse and clinical edu-cator for the neonatal intensive care unit at Allen Hospital in Waterloo.

Allen Hospital carries a level II designation, Wagner said. Neo-natal nurses are trained to care for healthy newborns and mothers as well as select pre-term cases and newborns with mild infections or some complications. Some nurs-es are also cross-trained in labor and delivery.

“I thought for awhile I might want to do more labor and deliv-ery, and now I get the perfect bal-ance,” Wagner said. “I get a little bit of both.”

Caring and empathy must be

balanced with the ability to be selfl ess, decisive and level-head-ed, especially in dicey situations. Neonatal nurses are trained to look for the smallest sign — such as a heart murmur — that may signal a more serious problem.

Babies battling health problems can go from stable to very sick in minutes, Fleming said.

“The stress level can be high. You have to have a lot of critical thinking skills,” she added.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 10 per-cent of newborns need some form of medical assistance, and 1 percent of newborns require intensive care, Wagner said.

Even without major medical concerns, preemies and new-borns need to be handled with extra care.

“They say every medicine you give to a newborn baby that little is high-risk,” Wagner said. “It’s defi nitely an art to handle babies that are really small. There are a lot more considerations.”

Premature birth occurs in up to 13 percent of pregnancies in the U.S., according to healthy-children.org, a service of the American Academy of Pedi-atrics. A child born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered pre-term.

Neonatal nurses are respon-

sible for all aspects of care, from starting intravenous therapy to administering feeding and medi-cation, and monitoring ventila-tors and body temperatures.

“When they are born pre-mature, everything is prema-ture,” said Tricia Spading, the nurse manager for the NICU at Covenant.

To minimize stress, nurses use a light touch, avoid unneces-sary stimulation and use a soft, comforting tone of voice. Rooms are kept dark, temperatures are monitored, babies may be tightly swaddled and noise levels kept at bay — all to simulate a womb-like environment.

Nurses also help concerned parents understand what is going on and how to be involved in their little one’s care, said Latisha Scott, a neonatal nurse at Cov-enant who is studying to become a neonatal nurse practitioner.

“A huge part of it is being able to work with families and being able to talk to people during dif-fi cult times and being open to learning,” Scott said.

Brittany and Jeff ery Flanagan of Ackley appreciate the patience and compassion shown by the nurses caring for their daughter, Olivia Renee.

SALUTE TO NURSES

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

Staff nurse Jordan Tovar writes notes on 3-week-old Olivia Flanagan at the Covenant Medical Center neonatal intensive care unit on March 29.

Neonatal attraction The cutest little patients handled with extra care

See NICU, page 7

THE COURIER PAGE 3SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 www.wcfcourier.com

For all you do, Thank You Nurses!

La Porte City Nursing & Rehab Center

1100 Hwy. 218 North, Laporte City, IA

319-342-2125Iowa’s Largest Not-For-Profi t Senior Care Provider

319.272.2002 :: cvhospice.org waterloo . independence . grundy center . waverly . hospice home

it’s about livingbecause

ask the questions.

make the call.

We celebrate Nurses Week and the caring that

never stops. Our compassionate nursing staff is

committed to excellence and providing quality

care to those who matter to you.

SALUTE TO NURSES

LA PORTE CITY — La Porte City Nursing & Rehab Center is set amidst 13 acres of rolling hills and evergreen trees on the northwest edge of La Porte City just 10 miles southeast of Waterloo.

A 46-bed skilled nursing facil-ity, the beautiful building opened in August 2004 and boasts a unique setting for seniors. The center is decorated in a warm, woodsy lodge style with ele-ments from nature featured throughout.

“La Porte Lodge,” as it is often referred to, looks more like a mountain resort for a weekend getaway than a nursing facility.

La Porte City Nursing & Rehab Center has off ered skilled nurs-ing care in a clean, comfort-able and homelike environment since 1966. It is Medicare- and Medicaid-certifi ed and accepts most private insurance for inpatient stays and outpatient therapy. Staff work directly with physicians to provide residents with the highest level of care. Rehabilitation services are also off ered on an outpatient basis, including physical, occupational and speech therapy.

The facility has helped many residents return to a more inde-pendent lifestyle which many times includes returning home. Nurses and therapists coordi-nate care to assist orthopedic and stroke patients to reach their highest level of function. Out-patient services focus on assist-ing individuals to regain function through exercises and treatment.

Specialized nursing services off ered include:

Wound care. Pain management. Tube feeding. Antibiotic therapy. Post-operative care. Ostomy care. Hospice.

The center off ers 12 semi-pri-vate and 22 private rooms, each with a bathroom accessible to the physically challenged. Each room is furnished with a bed, multi-option lighting, a call sys-tem for nursing care, an armoire, a small chest-of-drawers, a large bureau and a chair. Each room also is equipped for cable TV and telephone service access.

Within the facility you will fi nd:

A conference room for family and physician meetings.

A beauty salon with servic-es off ered fi ve days a week by a licensed cosmetologist.

A fully-equipped therapy room.

An ice cream parlor. A beverage bar for self-service

to residents and visitors. A large patio for relaxation

and family gatherings. A living room with fi replace. Cable television. An aquarium .

The high quality of service is recognized throughout the area and even the nation. The facil-ity was named by US News & World Report as one of the top-rated facilities in the state and received a 5-star rating on the Medicare.gov website. For more information or to schedule a tour of the beautiful lodge, call (319) 342-2125.

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La Porte City Nursing and Rehab a unique facility, a unique setting

THE COURIERPAGE 4 SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012www.wcfcourier.comSALUTE TO NURSES

WATERLOO — When nurses choose to work in the hospice and palliative care fi eld, it is not a decision made lightly.

For many, it is a calling. This specialty is vastly diff erent from most others. It carries a unique-ness incomparable to many posi-tions, says Krista Mulder, Cedar Valley Hospice nurse outreach representative.

“Many people have mispercep-tions about hospice nursing,” she said. “My goal is to help other health care professionals under-stand the signifi cance of hospice for the patients and families we care for.”

Hospice nurses perform many traditional nursing duties such as observing, assessing and recording symptoms, but have a particularly tough job because they know the patient for whom they are caring is terminally ill. The medications hospice nurses administer and the symptoms they record aren’t intended to aid a patient’s recovery, but rather to make their remaining days as comfortable as possible. Most duties involve minimizing pain. The focus is on optimizing and celebrating life while realistically preparing patients and families for as comfortable a death as possible.

Hospice care is what is known as comprehensive palliative med-ical care — treatment to reduce pain and troubling symptoms as opposed to treatment to cure. The majority of hospice and pal-liative nurses say knowing they have assisted patients to opti-mize the time they have left with their loved ones — on their terms

— is the most gratifying experi-ence of their nursing career.

Although being a nurse of any kind is diffi cult, hospice nursing requires an exceptional tempera-ment, one that embodies great caring, patience and resolve. Hospice nurses are often asked how they can work in such a depressing environment dealing with death every day.

“Many words come to mind when I refl ect on my job,” said Laura Edler, Cedar Valley Hos-pice nurse educator. “The work is extremely challenging and very rewarding but never depressing. I value what I do, because I am seriously reminded each day that every moment matters.”

Hospice nurses are part of an interdisciplinary team includ-ing physicians, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains, grief counselors and trained volun-teers. Together, they develop a plan of care specifi c to the wishes of each patient, providing pain management, emotional support and expert medical care. Wheth-er keeping a promise to a fam-ily member that their loved one will not die alone or alleviating a patient’s symptoms, hospice nurses and aides say it is a per-sonal and professional honor to care for patients and their fami-lies at such a vulnerable time.

At Cedar Valley Hospice, nurs-es and aides are specially trained by Edler in pain management and symptom control techniques to alleviate the suff ering often associated with a life-threaten-ing illness. More than 65 regis-tered nurses and 25 hospice aides cared for 1,011 hospice patients

and their families last year with skilled patient care and educa-tion. The majority of Cedar Val-ley Hospice nurses and aides have earned the designation of certifi ed hospice and palliative care nurse or certifi ed hospice nursing assistant. These profes-sionals must have at least two years of full-time experience in a hospice nursing practice and pass exams administered by the National Board for the Certifi ca-tion of Hospice Nurses.

Cedar Valley Hospice is a not-for-profi t organization serving Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Grundy, Tama, parts of Benton, Chickasaw, Delaware, Fayette, Hardin, Linn and Mar-shall counties. Cedar Valley nurses are available 24 hours per day on an on-call basis for emer-gencies. For more information, contact Cedar Valley Hospice at (800) 617-1972 or visit www.cvhospice.org.

Cedar Valley Hospice focuses on comfort and education

COURTESY PHOTO

Cedar Valley Hospice registered nurses Krista Mulder and Laura Edler assist in providing education to hospice and palliative care professionals.

Providing comfort

We are a proud member of the Care Initiatives family:

Ravenwood Nursing & Rehab CenterA non-profi t facility

2651 St. Francis Dr., Waterloo, IA 50702Phone: (319) 232-6808

www.careinitiatives.org

Thank You!to all our dedicated nurses

who provide quality services through their exceptional skills

and extraordinary care.

We are currently accepting applications for RN positions.

THE COURIER PAGE 5SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 www.wcfcourier.com

Honoring Excellence on Nurses’ Day and Every Day

We appreciate our NURSES and the work they do.

These are no ordinary hands. These are the hands of nurses.

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare

SALUTE TO NURSES

Care Initiative Nurses committed to caring for Iowans WATERLOO — Ravenwood Nurs-

ing and Rehab Center is part of the Care Initiatives Corporation, the largest not-for-profi t pro-vider of long-term health care in Iowa. The staff is committed to providing personalized service with an emphasis on the individ-ual’s right to dignity and respect. The Ravenwood staff has 1,258 combined years of experience with 56 licensed nurses and 75 CNAs .

The nursing staff is skilled in advanced wound manage-ment, IV therapy, tracheostomy and tube management. Staff -ers provide compassion and understanding to residents and families and strive to return resi-dents to their greatest degree of independence, minimizing their disabilities.

Well-planned nursing care is vital to helping residents achieve their goals, whether to return home, to an assisted living set-

ting or to remain in the long-term care facility. The attention given by the nursing staff also includes interventions to meet spiritual, social and nutritional needs, as well as hands-on nursing care.

Promoting family involvement and working with therapy, social services and activities staff are also important nursing roles.

Ravenwood supports nursing staff members and encourages

further education and career growth. Many experienced nurs-ing staff members started out as certifi ed nursing assistants and are now licensed nurses who bring vital understanding, skills

and insight to the care of our res-idents. Some nursing staff have over 30 years of experience and act as mentors for new nurses. The nursing staff is committed to providing quality, cost-eff ective care in a homelike environment.

With the overall changes in the delivery of health care, hospital stays have been shortened and the acuity of residents in the long-term care setting has increased. Licensed nurses provide skilled nursing care to residents and their families in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team that includes physicians, social workers, physical, occupational and speech therapists, activities staff , pharmacists, nurse prac-titioners, dietitians and hospice staff . Care conferences are con-ducted on a routine schedule and as needed, based on individual progress or concerns.

COURTESY PHOTO

The staff at Ravenwood Nursing and Rehab Center is committed to providing personalized service.

See RAVENWOOD, page A10

THE COURIERPAGE 6 SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012www.wcfcourier.com

CEDAR FALLS — “You’ll live better!”

It sums up the hard work and dedication of the caring staff at NewAldaya Lifescapes.

The nursing staff — the lead-ership and the care they provide — has 94 percent of patients and family members saying they recommend NewAldaya Lifescapes.

NewAldaya employs over 50 highly professional licensed nurses, including LPNs and RNs. The staff provides round-the-clock nursing care seven days a week. The nurses pro-vide highly skilled services such as medication admin-istration and monitoring, physical assessments, wound care, IV medication and fl uid administration and direct care staff supervision. Above and beyond these responsibilities come the nurses’ passion and concern for the people. They are carrying out NewAldaya’s Christian caring mission at its core.

On a campus where inno-vation is at an all-time high, NewAldaya continues to trail-blaze the way in the fi eld of long-term care in the Cedar Valley.

A new lifestyle center, Main Street, is putting the emphasis on wellness. With the support from grant funding, NewAl-daya has begun implementa-tion of the “Live better. Live well” program. The program has a two-fold focus: wellness and the reduction of hospital re-admissions.

“Health and wellness of residents, staff , family mem-bers and the community are of priority to NewAldaya Lif-escapes,” says Millisa Tierney, executive director. “Improved strength and resistance train-ing is critical to longevity and personal well-being.”

Classes are off ered target-ing the abilities and desires of staff , residents and everyone in between. With nearly 200 individuals utilizing the new Wellness Center each week, NewAldaya is trailblazing the

way for better living.As a premier skilled and

rehabilitation provider in the Cedar Valley, NewAldaya off ers INTERACT II —Inter-ventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers. The program helps to identify early warning signs that may prevent a person from needing to be re-admitted to the hospital. Staff receives reg-ular and ongoing professional development and training on the job. Nurses at NewAldaya Lifescapes are on the cusp of innovation with the transition to electronic record keeping. Additionally, NewAldaya will soon be announcing the open-ing of a state-of-the-art reha-bilitation center this summer.

The community of nurses at NewAldaya Lifescapes is broad and encompassing of all areas on campus. In addition to being leaders on the front-line, trained nurses also serve as members of the adminis-tration team, including direc-tors, managers and even the executive director. NewAlda-ya’s nurses are truly advocates, leaders and superior providers of care.

(319) 268-0401www.NewAldaya.org7511 University Avenue Cedar Falls, IA 50613

to all ourNurses for making every daya “New” day atNewAldaya Lifescapes!

to all ourNurses for making every day

Thank youThank you

SALUTE TO NURSES

Nurses: Advocating, leading, caring at NewAldaya Lifescapes

COURTESY PHOTO

NewAldaya Lifescapes nurses, from left, Marta Sulentic, Pam Andersen and Nikole Blackledge.

THE COURIER PAGE 7SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 www.wcfcourier.com

Nurse Practitioners, RNs, LPNs, Medical AssistantsSend resume to:Human Resource DepartmentP.O. Box 2758Waterloo, Iowa 50704319.235-5390FAX 319/287.9249

We specialize in you.

has openings for

LPNs and RNsapply in person or send resume to604 3rd St., S.W. TRIPOLI, IA 50676

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RNsPart-Time First and third Shift.Long term care experience required.

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APPLY IN PERSON.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREEN REQUIRED. EOE.

Denver Sunset Home235 North Mill Street, Denver, Iowa 50622

Invites applications for faculty positions for ourAssociate Degree Nursing program

The University is searching for highly motivated individuals, who identify student success and learning as top priorities, while using innovative teaching strategies. Valid Iowa License and MSN required.

Interested applicants should send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and three references with contact information to:

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY IN CEDAR FALLS

KAPLAN UNIVERSITYAttn: Faculty Search

7009 Nordic Drive, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

e-mai l to smeeks@kaplan.edu

Full TIme, Part Time and Casual Positions Open

Registered NurseLicensed Practical Nurse

Certifi ed Nursing Assitants

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Join our dynamic team with a caring work environment that provides Excellent Benefi ts and Bonus.

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To apply go to

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Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare

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Fax resume to: 847-741-1728Or call 877-429-7345 X 3426 with questions

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SALUTE TO NURSES

Olivia was born at Covenant on March 8 at 30 weeks gestation. She weighed just 3 pounds, 12 ounces and measured just over 16 inches long.

“Any questions we have, what they are doing, they are happy to explain it to you,” Brittany Flana-gan said.

When a monitor in Olivia’s room interrupts a quiet con-versation with a loud beep, Jef-fery doesn’t fl inch. Nurses have explained all the sounds, equip-ment and procedures. Nurses also dote on the parents and mark Olivia’s milestones in a memory book fashioned by Fleming.

All these little details are com-forting, especially when the Flanagans have to leave Olivia’s bedside for work and sleep.

“It’s nice to know we can call at any time,” Jeff ery Flanagan said.

Scott, who considers herself a ‘kid person,’ never expected to work in a NICU. The feelings of empathy that draw many of her colleagues to the profession initially caused her reservations.

“All I could think of is all those tiny, tiny preemies and how scary it was to take care of them,” Scott said.

An internship changed her mind.

“I was there one day and I called my mom and told her, ‘I don’t want to do anything else.’ I loved it,” Scott said.

Keeping emotions in balance when infants aren’t doing well is tough. Nurses are taught to be professional, and there are ave-nues for debriefi ng after a crisis, such as talking to a social worker.

“It can be a very intensive, dif-fi cult job,” Wagner said. “Our good days outnumber our bad days. When we have bad days in the NICU it can be devastating to the families.”

Nurses love the infants and families, but discharge days mean a job well done.

“The best day is the day the baby gets to go home. Everyone is so proud the baby’s made it through all their challenges and graduation from the NICU,” Wagner said.

NICUFrom page 2

THE COURIERPAGE 8 SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012www.wcfcourier.com

What do you get when you combine a caring personality, a commitment to satisfaction and a tireless passion for improving the lives of others? You get one of the Iowa Wheaton Outstand-ing Nurses for 2012. Wheaton is honoring eight standouts this year who were nominated by their peers.

Jewell Jones worked in busi-ness before deciding to pursue nursing. Now 11 years into it, she enjoys the camaraderie among her peers at the Covenant Medi-cal Center 5-general medical unit. She takes every opportunity to make her patients laugh and does all she can to ensure patients and their families are comfort-able while at the hospital.

The outpatient clinic at Sar-tori Memorial Hospital is where nurse Francene Folkerts fi nds her passion. She coordinates the staff in this unit and approaches patient care through education by explaining every aspect of care to the patient. The variety of procedures and her fellow nurses are what have kept Folkerts com-

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ing to work the last 27 years.The nursing profession has

changed a lot in the past 40 years, but one thing that hasn’t changed is Cecelia Deich’s love for working with people. She found her love for nursing while taking care of her ill grandmoth-er. The rest, as they say, is history. She still continues that labor of love at Covenant Medical Center at the 2-general cardiac unit. She says she has enjoyed seeing the changes in nursing and looks for opportunity in every challenge.

Bridget Kuennen is one nurse patients will likely see if they come to the hospital with a heart issue or undergo a heart proce-dure. She specializes in cardiac rehabilitation, providing educa-tion to patients about the heart, and also assists patients with the exercise portion of cardiac reha-bilitation at the Kimball Ridge Center. Each patient is very spe-cial to Kuennen and she works to ensure that each one feels spe-cial and welcome while under her care.

A nurse’s responsibilities are

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often extensive, but that doesn’t bother Traci Douglas; she always fi nds time to laugh with her patients, which helps put them at ease. The outpatient center at Covenant Medical Center con-ducts more than 200 diff erent procedures, and Douglas is one of the nurses who makes every patient feel welcome and com-fortable while in her care. She has wanted to help people through nursing since she was a young girl.

Amy Streittmatter of Mercy Hospital in Oelwein likes to get to know her patients before tend-ing to their needs on the medi-cal unit. She properly introduc-es herself to every patient and enjoys talking with each about personal interests, family mem-bers and anything else that helps build a positive rapport. She sin-cerely enjoys spending time with her patients and watching the progress as they heal.

A tragedy in Maggie Lee’s life turned into opportunity when a loved one was admitted to the acute medical and physical reha-

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bilitation unit at Covenant Medi-cal Center following a stroke. Lee says she was inspired so much by the outstanding care the other nurses and therapists provided that she joined the team. Now, Lee calls upon her personal expe-riences to help educate and com-fort families of stroke patients, adding a degree of personal compassion in her everyday responsibilities.

The enjoyment of everyday ■

work keeps Barb Grapp coming back to the 3-general medical unit at Covenant Medical Cen-ter. She enjoys the camaraderie of her fellow nurses and admires their caring personalities. Barb’s rule of thumb is to “treat people how you would want your family to be treated, then you never go wrong,” she said. Her co-workers say she will always go above and beyond for not just the patients, but their families too.

SALUTE TO NURSES

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare nurses making all the difference

COURTESY PHOTO

Iowa Wheaton Outstanding Nurses for 2012 are, front, from left, Jewell Jones, Maggie Lee, Cecelia Deich, Barb Grapp and Bridget Kuennen; and, back, from left, Amy Streittmatter, Francene Folkerts and Traci Douglas.

THE COURIER PAGE 9SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 www.wcfcourier.com

Trisha ArnoldKarie BensonJoan BlanchardDenise BrittJennifer BruceDixie BurkBarbara BurkleDiane CastlePatricia CayaChelsea CheeneyChelsea ChristensenKandis CiesielskiJon ClintonBrenda CooperScott DoyleDeAnn EilersLaura FooteSusan FrostJulie GleasonMelissa GroeneveldKari HaisletAshley Hall

Gale HennagerBarbara HershbergerAmber HinesJennifer HowellJordan InglesJacqueline JorgensenCarolyn JunkRenee KeningerShawna KuehlAllyson LandphairJennifer LaubePaul LovellNiki MaasKathleen MangrichTiffany McEwanKelli MeskimenLisa MoellerKem MulderMelanie NeffKathryn OgburnMary PattersonAnna Liza Persson

Lisa PhillipsKaren PlumAmanda RidderErin RobertsDiane RogersElizabeth RogersJeanne RothamelAbbie SchraderAbbie SchwarkCarrie ShepardJulie StarbeckBridget StarkBethany TraskSarah TullyNatasha VogelMelissa WalztoniAmy WeberKatrina WillemsSara Yoder

CVMS 2012 Nursing Staff

www.cedarvalleymedical.com

Merri BurgartMelissa GitchMandi KoenenToni LambertErica MartensRoberta MeyerVanessa Miranda-GrundyCari O’BrienAmy OhlJudy OwenKelly RourkeKoleen WeberKristina WhiteCasee Wilken

CVMS Medical Assistantsts

SALUTE TO NURSES

6 at Allen Health System named ‘Great Iowa Nurses’WATERLOO — For a second con-

secutive year, six Allen Health System nurses have been named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses. Allen has had a total of 34 nurses named Great Iowa Nurses since the 100 Great Iowa Nurses program started in 2005.

This year, two of the nurses are from Allen College, three are from Allen Hospital and one is from Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center. The Allen College nurses are Allen College Chancellor Jerry Dur-ham and assistant professor Mavis TeSlaa. The Allen Hos-pital nurses are Lois Bonefas, retired director of patient advo-cacy; Barb Burkle, Allen Diges-tive Health Center advanced registered nurse practitioner; and Alisha Engel, 2 Heart nurse manager. The Grundy County Memorial Hospital nurse on the list is Jennifer Havens, chief

clinical offi cer.The nurses were recognized at

the eighth annual celebration of Iowa’s Great Nurses on May 6 in Des Moines.

The University of Iowa Col-lege of Nursing, the Iowa Nurses

Association’s Iowa Nurses Foun-dation and the Iowa Hospital Association organize the Iowa’s Great Nurses celebration. Nurses selected for this honor repre-sent many sectors of health care including hospitals, long-term

care facilities and school and offi ce nurses.

Nurses named to the list must hold a current Iowa registered nurse license and have practiced nursing for a minimum of three years. Nominations are reviewed

by a panel of judges. Selections are based on the signifi cance of each nominee’s contribution to the profession of nursing. A list of all Great Iowa Nurses from 2005–2012 is available at www.greatnurses.org.

COURTESY PHOTO

Allen Health System nurses named to the 100 Great Iowa Nurses are, from left, Mavis TeSlaa, Barb Burkle, Jerry Durham, Alisha Engel, Jennifer Havens and Lois Bonefas. The nurses were recognized at the eighth annual celebration of Iowa’s Great Nurses for 2012.

THE COURIERPAGE 10 SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012www.wcfcourier.com

CEDAR FALLS — The people reg-istered nurse Sue Weber works with are not patients she sees only occasionally. Instead, in serving nearly the same group of older adults each day, she creates a bond with them that feels more like family.

That diff erence hooked Weber on a nursing career in long-term care 14 years ago after years working in a local hospital.

As the director of nursing at Western Home Communities’ Martin Health Center, Weber oversees a large team of RNs, LPNs, nurse assistants, aides, housekeepers, launderers, din-ing staff and others who create a home for 100 residents.

“We do everything possible to keep our residents comfortable and happy,” said Weber.

It is a team eff ort. Each per-son has a role, and each role has value, Weber says. Without each person doing his or her part the team can’t function the way it must for the benefi t of residents.

One valued team player is Jeri Nelson, a certifi ed nurse assis-tant who joined Western Home Communities more than 24 years ago. Nelson is known for doing the little extras that make resi-dents feel special, such as putting fresh fl owers in women’s hair and making sure the men are shaved and looking sharp each day.

“Jeri works here because she loves it and wants to be here,” Weber said. “She has a kind heart, gentle, skilled hands and always puts our residents and their families’ needs ahead of her own.”

Martin Health Center practices

a continuity of care philosophy that places caregivers with the same residents rather than rotat-ing them throughout the build-

ing. This allows caregivers to become familiar with the needs of those they serve and creates an environment where residents can choose when they wake up, what activities they participate in and how their day unfolds.

Weber credits her entire staff for their kindness, courtesy and knowledge, and says the culture that permeates Martin Health Center starts with the admin-istration. Compassion, integrity and empathy are core values of the organization, which serves nearly 800 residents from inde-pendent living to assisted living to nursing care.

“Our leaders guide us in a way that we all look forward to com-ing to work,” Weber said. “We often start meetings with prayer, and that sets the tone for an excellent working environment

where attention to the needs of others takes priority.”

Nursing in long-term care is unpredictable and often stress-ful for caregivers tending to the needs of those in frail health. Weber keeps a devotional book, “Grace for the Moment,” on her desk. She and other nurses read

from it daily to help prepare them for whatever situation may arise.

The reward comes from know-ing residents are happy and living their best lives possible.

“We all love what we do here,” noted Weber. “It shows through the tears and smiles we all share daily.”

www.WesternHomeCommunities.org

A century of... care

compassionkindness

helpservice

professionalismcompetence

empathyintegritysmiles love 

Thank you, nurses, for all you do for our residents!  

SALUTE TO NURSES

Long-term care nursing creates family relationships

Jeri Nelson, CNA, joined Western Home Communities in 1987 to care for nursing residents.

COURTESY PHOTOS

LPN Martha Rodriguez, left, of Martin Health Center, discusses a resident’s care with a physical therapist at Western Home Communities.

Ravenwood nursing staff is involved in charitable and benev-olent causes as well as education, which improves the quality of life for elderly residents within the community. Some of the events staff ers support by donation

and active participation include the American Heart Associa-tion Heartwalk, Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk and Older American’s Month Walk. Ravenwood is also a Partner in Education with Irving Elemen-tary School. Students from Allen College, Hawkeye Community College and Kaplan University are embraced and mentored by the nursing staff , which is dedi-

cated to nursing education.Innovations in medical care

to better resident outcomes are currently being piloted by Raven-wood nurses in conjunction with Allen Hospital. Through the con-gestive heart failure pilot pro-gram, eff orts are being made to prevent rehospitalization and complications by providing immediate attention to resident condition changes.

RAVENWOODFrom page 5

THE COURIER PAGE 11SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 www.wcfcourier.com SALUTE TO NURSES

Waverly woman lands a spot on 100 Great Iowa Nurses list

COURTESY PHOTO

Andrea Anhalt, a nurse at Waverly Health Center, was named one of the 100 Great Iowa Nurses.

WAVERLY — As a bedside nurse, Andrea Anhalt, BSN, RN-BC, is a great example of excellence at Waverly Health Center. She has been a part of the medical-surgi-cal team for more than six years.

Anhalt was chosen as WHC’s 2011 Excellence in Nursing Award winner and was recent-ly selected as one of 100 Great Iowa Nurses.

One of Anhalt’s nominators wrote, “Through her role as a bedside nurse, charge nurse, preceptor and council member she keeps the patient at the cen-ter of her work. She is an advo-cate for patients and their fami-lies. Andrea is dependable and can be counted on to support her team and meet the needs of our patients.”

Connecting with patients is simple for Andrea.

“I enjoy making patients happy and healthy on many lev-els through patient-centered care. I feel that everything I do is focused on giving better care to each of my patients. We always work to provide up-to-date and evidence-based care.”

Anhalt focuses on more than just the health needs of her patients.

“I try to focus not only the daily tasks needed to take care of patients, but also things that will make each patient’s care specifi c to them and support their best health status. Some of the little things I have found often make a big diff erence.”

Another one of Anhalt’s nomi-

nators noted, “Andrea’s greatest contribution to nursing is her commitment to patient-cen-tered care. She is the nurse you would want taking care of you or a loved one. She works with the whole health care team to meet the patient’s needs. As a bedside nurse, Andrea is a coach and role model to others.”

Providing patient-centered care is the cornerstone and mis-sion of Waverly Health Center. WHC has two of the newest 100 Great Iowa Nurses in Anhalt and Randy Wirtz, ARNP-BC, nurse practitioner in the Nashua Clin-ic and walk-in clinic. Since the 100 Great Iowa Nurses recogni-tion began in 2005, 10 nurses from WHC have been chosen for the honor.

We have great nurses.You get great care.

(L-R) Alisha Engel, Mavis TeSlaa, Dr. Jerry Durham, Lois Bonefas, Jennifer Havens, Barbara Burkle

Every year, nurses across the state select and honor 100 Great Iowa Nurses.This year, six more Allen nurses made the list. Thirty-four Allen Health System nurses

have been named Great Iowa Nurses since the program began in 2005. Our nurses have been caring for the Cedar Valley since 1925. Year after year,

Allen has great nurses. Year after year, you get great care.

allenhospital.org