Diabetes Treatment Center Employee Selected NMMC EOY - North ...

May 15, 2009
Volume 17
Number 10
Safety Heroes ......2
Perfect
Attenders ..............3
Steppin’ Out ..........4
Traffic Light ..........4
HealthWorks! ........5
ALERT....................6
Service Pins ..........7
Ideas For
Excellence ............8
Stars ......................8
inside
A
CHECKUP
PUBLICATION FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES
Diabetes Treatment Center
Employee Selected NMMC EOY
Chenelle Holiday, RN, diabetes
clinician for North Mississippi
Medical Center, has been
named 2008-2009 Employee of the
Year. She received the honor May 5
at NMMC’s annual Employee Recognition
Banquet.
Holiday, an NMMC employee since
2000, has been with the Diabetes
Treatment Center since 2006. She
previously worked on 6 South for five
years and in the float pool.
A resident of Fulton, Holiday is a
graduate of Itawamba Agricultural
High School and earned an associate’s
degree in nursing from Itawamba
Community College.
Coworkers said Holiday is a model
employee who
is good at her
job and in her
interactions
with patients
and fellow
employees.
“Chenelle is
honest in all of
her actions and
builds relationships
with her coworkers. She provides
the best service to all of her
Continued on page 2
NMMC Pediatrician Selected
For Golden Tongue Blade Honor
Skip Robertson, M.D., has been
selected as the recipient of
North Mississippi Medical
Center’s
2008-2009
Golden
Tongue
Blade
Award. Dr.
Robertson
received
the award
May 5 at
NMMC’s
Annual Employee Recognition
Banquet.
Dr. Robertson was nominated for
the award, which is given annually to
an NMMC physician by NMMC
employees, because of his outstanding
contributions to customer service,
teamwork, quality of care and leadership.
Dr. Robertson has been a pediatrician
at North Mississippi Pediatrics
for 22 years. He received his bachelor’s
degree from the University of
Mississippi and his medical training
from the University of Mississippi
School of Medicine. He completed a
residency in pediatrics at the
Continued on page 2

“Patient Safety Heroes” Program
Recognizes Good Patient Safety Habits
NMMC recently launched Patient Safety Heroes
to recognize those employees throughout the
organization who make the extra effort in
ensuring patient safety.
Leanne Presley, RN in the Critical Care Unit, was
recognized for paying close attention to restraint
guidelines and making sure that
they were only used when
deemed necessary. In addition,
Presley performs ongoing
patient assessments and
removes restraints as soon as
possible which complies with
CMS guidelines on restraint use
Leanne Presley
(only to be imposed to ensure
the immediate safety of the
patient and to be discontinued
at the earliest possible time).
Jana Smith, RN on 3 South, was recognized for
identifying discrepancies in a patient’s prescriptions
EOY Continued from page 1
patients and is always willing to learn new things,” a
coworker wrote in her nomination. “Her extensive job
knowledge and dedication to quality have allowed
Chenelle to become an oustanding diabetes educator.”
Holiday says the best part of her job is “to be used
by God to provide physical, emotional and spiritual
support to both patients and their family members.
“My belief is that we are here to be the mother to
the motherless, father to the fatherless, love those that
feel unloved and to lend a helping hand to those in
need,” she said. “If we are not here to serve others,
then what are we here for?”
Holiday’s family includes husband Shaune and chil-
Golden Tongue Blade Continued from page 1
University of Mississippi School of Medicine and then
went on to complete a pediatrics fellowship at Boston
Children’s Hospital.
He is a member of the American Medical
Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
He served as state treasurer for the Mississippi chapter
of the American Academy of Pediatrics from 2005-
2008.
Dr. Robertson served on the board of trustees for
Tupelo Public School District from 1995-2003, and
and the physician documentation at discharge. Smith
called the physician, clarified the orders and documented
the corrections, ensuring
accurate documentation and
medication reconciliation.
Karen Koch, director of the
Patient-Focused Improvement
Department, said the goal of
naming Patient Safety Heroes is
to keep safety in the forefront of
everyone’s mind. “We want to
reward those who do an excep- Jana Smith
tional job practicing patient safety
guidelines, as well as help others recognize good
safety practices,” Koch said.
Employees can submit names for Patient Safety
Heroes through the Stars On-Line Intranet site, and
the people chosen will be recognized regularly in
Checkup.
dren Khi, 6, Layth, 3, and Deshawn McGaughy, 17,
who the couple became legal guardians of in 2006.
The family attends New Chapel CME Church in
Fulton, where Holiday is the director of the Christian
Youth Fellowship.
Last October, Holiday, her husband and other partners
started an after-school tutoring program in
Itawamba County called A Way Out. The program,
which is free to students from third grade to high
school seniors, had tutored 174 students by the end
of the last school year. The Mississippi State House of
Representatives recognized the program as a model
for the state.
was president of the board for four of those years.
Dr. Robertson and his wife of more than 37 years,
Barbara, have three grown children, each of whom are
married and have children. His family includes Drs.
Charles and Elizabeth Robertson and their children
Nate and Cecilia; Dr. Peter Robertson and his wife
Kimberly, who is an attorney, and their children Anna
and Laura; and Drs. Mark and Adrianne Rawls, and
their son James. The family attends St. Luke United
Methodist Church.
May 15, 2009 Page 2

Perfect, Excellent Attenders Recognized
North Mississippi Health
Services recently held a
celebration in honor of
those who were perfect attenders
or excellent attenders.
For 2008, NMHS had 732 perfect
attenders and 314 excellent attenders.
NMHS employees missed an average
of 3.47 scheduled days.
Jimmy Williams of Facility
Operations was the big winner at
the attendance celebration. Mike
Dillard, director of Employment
Services, presents Williams with
a 22-inch high definition TV.
More Perfect Attenders photos on page 8
NMMC-Tupelo
Wellness Center
full-time hourly
employees
received the
small group
award. Of the 11
employees, the
average number
of days missed
was .82. Pictured
here are (from
left) Regina
Beyer, Ginger
Carson, Janie
Waldrip, Sallye
Wallace, Michelle
Bevill, Gillie Anne
Doty, Patty Burks,
Ramona Harmon,
Amy Phipps,
Terry Rutledge
and Sunnie
Parmer.
Page 3 May 15, 2009

Steppers Log 13,353,170 Steps
Employees from throughout
North Mississippi Medical
Center facilities logged
13,353,170 steps during the Steppin’
Out for a Lifetime National Walking
Challenge, April 20-26.
These 164 participants walked the
equivalent of 7,418 miles in seven
days. The average participant did
81,422 steps.
Top Five Steppers:
Diarra Gidden Wellness Center, Tupelo 179,500
George Stone Wellness Center, Tupelo 146,964
Helen Boerner HealthWorks! 144,575
Regina Beyer Wellness Center, Tupelo 140,196
Melinda Turner Neurosurgery 139,023
Door Prize Winners:
Emily Guyton HealthWorks! Manicure
Shasheka Collins Behavioral Health Center Massage
Terry Rutledge Wellness Center Massage
Sammy Steele Women’s Hospital Pharmacy Manicure
Triana Stephens NMMCI Clinical Outcomes Pedicure
Amanda Davis Baldwyn Medical Clinic Pedicure
Longtown Gets Much Needed Traffic Light
Patients, physicians and staff entering and
leaving Longtown Medical Park should
find the going a little easier when a traffic
light at the intersection of Madison Street
and Eason Boulevard soon becomes operational.
North Mississippi Medical Center is helping
the city of Tupelo pay for installation of the
traffic light, which has been much needed
since Longtown Medical Park opened in 1998.
NMMC requested a light from the city soon
after Longtown’s opening because of tremendous
concern about driving conditions there.
After an analysis, the city said the intersection
failed to meet the 10 criteria necessary for a signal.
Following a number of accidents and many
patient and staff complaints, NMMC submitted a
second request. In February, Ridgway was notified
that the request had been approved.
The light should become operational in the
next two to three weeks.
“Those working on this project have gone out
of their way to do a good and quick job,”
Ridgway said.
May 15, 2009 Page 4

Visit HealthWorks! For Free During June
During June, all North Mississippi
Medical Center employees can visit
HealthWorks!, the new interactive
children’s health center, for free.
NMMC badges must be presented for
the one-time free admission. Family
members may accompany employees
for the $4 general admission fee.
“We just want to make sure all employees
get to visit HealthWorks! and see what it’s all
about,” said Steven Blaylock of the Health
Care Foundation of North Mississippi. “It’s a
center geared toward children, but people of
all ages really enjoy the experience they have there.”
Spearheaded by the Health Care Foundation of
North Mississippi, HealthWorks! is a curriculumbased,
interactive health education center that
offers hands-on learning to area schoolchildren –
kindergarten through 8 th grade. Only the second
center of its kind in the United States, it replicates the
HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum created by Memorial
Health System in South Bend, Indiana. HealthWorks!
is filled with imaginative, interactive exhibits that
appeal to kids of all ages.
HealthWorks! is located at 219 S. Industrial Rd.
in Tupelo. It is open Monday through Friday from
8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Admission for anyone 2 and over is $4, and children
under 2 get in free. For more information, call (662)
377-KIDS (5437).
Checkout HealthWorks! Reed’s T-shirts
A special edition HealthWorks!
Reed’s T-shirt will be on
sale for $20 in June. The
funds raised from each
T-shirt sold will provide the
cost of admission to a child
who can’t afford to pay to visit
HealthWorks!. The T-shirts
will be available at
HealthWorks!.
Checks may be made
payable to HealthWorks!
and mailed to the Health
Care Foundation at 830 S.
Gloster St., Tupelo. Please
include with your check an
order including name, T-shirt size,
phone number, e-mail address and
department.
For more information, call 377-3613
or e-mail sablaylock@nmhs.net.
Page 5 May 15, 2009

ALERT Members Treated To Pizza Luncheon
The ALERT (Advanced Life-Saving Emergency
Response Team) Advisory Committee met
recently to review the process and outcomes
relative to the use of ALERT and determined that the
nursing staff of 3 West and 3 North had most appropriately
utilized the team since its implementation in
August 2008.
These units were recognized and treated to pizza.
The ALERT Advisory Committee meets quarterly, and
in May will recognize and reward other nursing units
based on appropriate utilization of ALERT. The committee
considers the size of the unit and acuity level
of the patients in making their decision.
ALERT is available for immediate support when
there is an acute change in a patient’s condition. The
team may be activated by calling *77. When ALERT
is activated, a nursing house supervisor and a respiratory
therapy supervisor respond and implement the
ALERT protocol. It is important to remember that the
team does not take the place of a physician. The team
may implement medical staff-approved protocols and
may transfer the patient to a higher level of care if
conditions warrant.
The ALERT Advisory Committee plans to continue
enhancing the ALERT process by providing additional
education on the use of the team, obtaining evaluations
on the team’s response, and providing more
support to the nursing staff to reduce the “unsure”
feeling of a patient’s condition.
For more information on ALERT, call Leila Philips,
nursing supervisor, at 377-3434, or Roy Price,
Respiratory Therapy supervisor, at 377-5174.
ALERT team members, (front row, from left) Donyelle Hester, Chasity Gwin, Leila Phillips, and
Rhoda Tucker, recently delivered pizza to 3 West and 3 North for outstanding use of the ALERT
team. Staff members of 3 West and 3 North pictured here are (back, from left) Judy Duncan,
Cynthia Camp, Judy Lancaster, Dr. Paul Farabaugh, Dena Doss, Samantha Bell, Shaunda Pitts,
Theresa Jenkins, Nichole Wilson, Gail Denton, Ann Gardner, and Kenya Gates.
May 15, 2009 Page 6

The following employees recently received
service pins in recognition of five-year service
milestones.
Five Years
NMMC-West Point
Petrino Eddie, Cindy White, Judy Wolanek
Clinics
Andrea Garrison, Jacqueline Randle, Tracey White
Home Health
Sonia Fuller, Lori Herring
NMMC-Iuka
Myra Bennett
NMMC-Hamilton
Chasity Galbreath, Melissa Weeks
NMHS
Shellie Burks
NMMC
Justin Alred, Mitch Brasfield, Stephen Burt,
Shanna Buse, Bridgette Floyd, Jennie Garmon,
Teresa Green, Donna Griffin, Timothy Harrell,
Monda Lamb, Pamela Mohler, Reshauna Morrow,
Ronald Moss, Debra Nelson, Tyson Taylor,
Sarah Terry, Derrick Thompson
NMMC-Pontotoc
Jessica Johnson
Ten Years
Baldwyn Nursing Facility
Loretta King
Clinics
Janice Glover, Rick Honan
Home Health
Susan Lomenick
NMHS
Margaret Sulek
Service Pins Awarded
NMMC
Nickey Graham, Claire Harrelson, Keri Senter
NMMC-Eupora
Diane Daniels
NMMC-West Point
Deborah Hargrove
Fifteen Years
NMMC-West Point
Susan Triplett
Clinics
Leslie Nash, Ronald Powell, Stacy Riley,
Andrzej Wartak
NMHS
Kristy Duke, Donna Morgan, Valerie West
NMMC
Heather Bacon, Greg Downs, Sue Hawkins,
Patricia Murphy, Stevie Shaw
Twenty Years
Home Health
Sherri Dulaney, Linda Watson
NMHS
Glenda Riley
NMMC
Dale Cummings, Sherry Donahue,
Cynthia Grissom, Anita Hunter, Debra Little,
Daniel Romig
Twenty-five Years
NMMC
Carol Sanders
Thirty Years
NMHS
Shirlene Cayson, Cheryl Stephens
NMMC
Judith Ramey, Annie Wise
Page 7 May 15, 2009

Ideas for Excellence of the Quarter
Rachel Crum, RN, was recently
rewarded for submitting the
Idea for Excellence of the
Quarter. Crum, who is a nurse on 4
South, the Joint Replacement Center,
was recognized for her idea of ensuring
the tuberculosis skin test documentation
follows patients if they are
transferred to another floor or department. This will
prevent re-testing, improving quality and financial
results.
Keith Houser, RN, with NMMC’s Surgical Services,
was recently rewarded with a $100 Wal-Mart gift card
ANorth Mississippi Medical Center employee
was recently recognized by Stars On-Line for
going above and beyond her duties.
Lana Burnett, a continuing education instructor,
was teaching a class when one of the participants
became ill. Burnett made arrangements for someone
else to lead her class and found a wheelchair and took
the person to the Emergency Department.
Burnett later went back to check on the person to
Perfect,
Excellent
Attenders
Recognized
NMMC-Iuka non-nursing
staff received the large
group award for attendance.
Of the 72 fulltime
hourly employees,
there were 41 perfect
attenders. They missed
an average of only .97
days.
for submitting an Idea of Excellence
for the Quarter.
Houser’s idea was for consolidating
respiratory orders, which saves the
hospital time and paper, improving
quality and financial results. Houser, of
Pontotoc, has been with NMMC for
Rachel Crum Keith Houser
three years.
Submit your ideas for ways NMMC can improve by
logging on to Ideas for Excellence on the Intranet site.
Each idea that is accepted nets a $5 gift card, and a
$100 gift card goes to the most outstanding suggestions
each quarter.
Stars On Line
make sure she was comfortable. “She made a difference
in an employee’s life that day by taking care of
her as a person as well as a class participant,” a
coworker said in her Stars On-Line nomination.
If you see an NMMC employee displaying extreme
acts of kindness, nominate him or her for Stars On-
Line. Nomination forms are available on the Intranet
or throughout the hospital.
May 15, 2009 Page 8