PMVC’s Special Education Volunteers
The Transitional Learning Center (TLC) in conjunction with Brighton School District 27J, has a program for special needs students ages 18 – 21. The purpose of the program is to give young adults the opportunity to individualize education services beyond their high school career. The students volunteer for nine weeks at a job site learning the duties and skills needed for that particular job.
There are currently four students at Platte Valley Medical Center: Juan Casillas, Sam Gaston-Salzer, Diana Garcia and Stephen Ybarra. Students are supervised by a job coach. These students have worked all over the hospital concentrating mainly in the Cafeteria and Conference Rooms. They do a great job and are learning valuable custodial skills as well as social skills. In fact, one of the students made a comment that she’s cleaning her home exactly the way she does the hospital and her Mother really appreciates it.
The TLC would like to thank Platte Valley Medical Center for offering our students this great opportunity.
TLC Staff includes: Ryan Shaw, Teacher and job coaches Kathie Croteau, Roxie Halfpap, Daniel Montoya, and Valerie Torres. There are currently 16 students enrolled in the TLC Program this year.
Foundation Annual Event A Grand Success
The PVMC Foundation hosted the 5th annual Faces of Our Future Concert on March 2, 1012. A crowd of over 200 danced the night away to the Eagles classics performed by “The Long Run,” Colorado’s Tribute to The Eagles. The Event raised over $ 32,000 in support of programs and services at PVMC!
Marcie Demchuk
PVMC Represented On The National Medical Response Team
On January 24, 2012, I had the opportunity to work with the National Medical Response Team at the State of the Union Address in Washington DC. The Objectives for the National Medical Response Team were to:
1) Provide standby decontamination and medical support for the duration of the State of the Union Address under the control of the US Capitol Police and Office of the Attending Physician.
2) Maintain situational awareness, coordination and communication with Health and Human Services, Capitol Police, DC Fire and EMS, US Marine Corps and any other agencies.
3) In the event of an actual incident, provide rapid mass decontamination for ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients as well as medical care.
My position was Liaison between Health and Human Services and the US Capitol Police. I was stationed within the Incident Command Post on the Circle with Capitol Police, DC Fire, DC EMS and the US Marine Corps. The Incident Command Post monitored all activity within the Capitol and immediate area surrounding the Capitol as it related to Police, Fire, EMS, etc. I was in constant contact with the National Medical Response Team in the event of an actual incident, I could relay to the National Medical Response Team they would be receiving patients.
Though no actual incident happened, this was a wonderful experience and I learned things that I could bring back to PVMC’s Emergency Management Program.
Wendy Colon, Emergency Management – PVMC
Employee Appointed to State Board of Nursing
Wendy Colon (Clinical Coordinator, Trauma/Emergency Management) was recently appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to the Colorado State Board of Nursing, an 11 member Board that is the governing body of nursing for the State of Colorado.
The Nursing Board has many duties including:
1) Oversight of the nursing licensure exam
2) Oversight of all nursing licensure
3) Approval of all of the nursing educational programs within the State, which includes monitoring these programs and making sure they maintain their approved curriculum for preparing a student for the nursing profession
4) Adopting and revising rules and regulations regarding qualifications for the nursing profession within Colorado
5) The investigation and conducting of hearings when there are nursing disciplinary concerns
This is a great opportunity for PVMC to have representation on the Nursing Board and to keep up-to-date on the changes within nursing in the state. It will also allow Wendy to share new opportunities in improving care by increasing her awareness of nursing practice.
Congratulations Wendy! All of us are honored by the recognition you have received and by your appointment to the State Board of Nursing!
Student Nurses Continue Rotations at PVMC
For some years now, Denver School of Nursing which offers an Associate Nursing, a Bachelor of Nursing and General Education degrees, has been sending their students to Platte Valley Medical Center for their Medical-Surgical clinical rotations. This opportunity has offered these students a wonderful and caring experience with PVMC’s patients and staff for which the School of Nursing is most appreciative.
City Matters
A Night At The Armory
If you’d like to take your family out to see a play, as families do on occasion, The Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in Denver is the place to go. It’s the only place that has theater productions of the highest quality … right? …Wrong! Perhaps it’s time to look right here in our “own back yard.”
This past weekend my family and I had tickets to go and see the production of “The Music Man.” Actors and Actresses from the Brighton area took center stage for a wonderful evening of theater. Minus a small glitch in the microphones, you might have thought you were sitting at the Buell Theater in Denver or the famed Winter Garden Theater in New York City.
What we saw and enjoyed was a high quality theater production, an evening of entertainment, costing our family of four $24. The same price at The Performing Arts Center in Denver for the same play would have cost around $200 plus an additional amount for transportation and parking.
So if you’re wondering what to do on a Saturday night, why not go and see a play at Brighton’s own performing arts center, the Armory. You will not be disappointed … nor will your pocket book.
Joe Samson
Nutritional Services
In Appreciation
To ALL of the Platte Valley Medical Center Family,
I do not have the words to say thank you for all everyone has done for me. It is all so overwhelming how wonderful and giving everyone has been. I am so very thankful to work with so many wonderful people.
With the bake sale/silent auction, PTO donation, wig, lap cover, positive words of encouragement, working with my schedule and everone’s prayers. Thank You!
With All My Heart,
Thank You!
Debbie Windholz
New Interim Director for Med/Surg/Peds
A very special welcome to Gentry Mansur, the new interim director for the hospital’s Med/Surg/Peds unit. Many of you are already familiar with Gentry. As you know, she is a strong clinician, an organized problem-solver, and a wonderful patient advocate. She has worked closely with our former director, Sheila Sherman as charge nurse and clinical coordinator over the past several years and brings a deep understanding of an incredibly diverse unit, its staff, and its needs. Her education, background, and skill level are certain to be a real asset to the unit.
Kurt Gensert
Relay For Life Events
Brighton’s Relay-For-Life event is scheduled for June 22. Your PVMC RFL team the “Cancer Crushers” has been very busy planning the remaining events. Here’s an update on what’s happening! Look through the list below and call or email with any questions. THANK YOU!
Mark Baros (303.498.1480)
Anytime through June 10th
“Paws-For-Life”
Special pictures taken of you and your pet. Donation suggested: $45
April – May (TBD)
“Skate-For-Life”
Two events at Brighton Skate Park. Call Lydia Thompson (3604) for details
April 20th
The Urban Assault Vehicle “The Party Bus” Trip to Blackhawk
A fun-filled trip up the hill in the “Urban Assault” vehicle from the 1981 Bill Murray movie “Stripes.”
April 27th
The Spring Fling Craft Fair & Second Hand Rose Sale
Call Kathie Young at extension 1580 or see Phyllis in The Bistro.
May 6th
Bowling For Life
From 2 – 4:00 p.m., at the Fat Cats Fun Center located at 10685 Westminster Blvd ($20 per person) Call Nora (3605) or Mark (1480)
May 11th
PVMC Car Wash #1
A complete car wash ($15), Friday, May 11th and Friday, June 8th. Call Mark at 1480 or mbaros@pvmc.org
May 18 – 25
The PVMC Relay-For-Life Silent Auction
May 18th through May 25th. Call Tanya ASAP at (303) 594-2596.
June 7th
“Swim-For-Life” at The Brighton Oasis Aquatic Park.
A private event Thursday, June 7th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ($8,00 each). Contact Mark at extension 1480 or any other Cancer Crusher team member.
June 8th
PVMC Car Wash #2
Second car wash. Call Mark at 1480 for details.
A Moment In Time
The Me That I Am
By Daryl L. Meyers
Life is an amazing adventure with all sorts of opportunities along the way. Unfortunately many of us get so caught up in family expectations or messages from our society, that we end up contributing far less to life then we could. Feelings of inadequacy or inferiority instilled in childhood or later in life overshadow our gifts and abilities and make us smaller than who we really are.
Rather than coming from a place of self-confidence, we often turn to an “if only” approach. If only I had been born under different circumstances, had a different family, a better environment. If only opportunities had come my way like my brother or that person over there.
If only …
And on and on it goes, but it doesn’t get us very far. No matter how sincere our desires, life rarely falls into line with our wishes or demands. We don’t shape life. Life shapes us. Fair or not, life comes to us as it comes. Our place is to make choices, respond to what we are given, make the best of conditions or situations that come our way whether they’re desirable or not.
Very few if any of us came into this world under ideal circumstances. To some extent we’re all limited. All of us face situations that are difficult to deal with. At times we’re amazed at how far we’ve come, all we’ve done, how successful we’ve been, but there are other times when we don’t do as well as we’d like. We falter, we fail, we fall. We end up on detours, heading in directions we never intended to go, doing things, experiencing things we never wanted to experience.
Perhaps we need to take another look, wake up, open our eyes and see things in ways we haven’t before. Maybe its time we moved past the illusions that have imprisoned us and embrace a new reality. The truth is, we don’t need to be enslaved by what others think or say. Each new day gives us choices and within those choices the freedom to be ourselves to continue to grow. We can be … and are all we need to be … for today.
American Heart Association Annual Heart Walk
Did you know?
- 1 in 3 Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease.
- Heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined.
- 36,000 babies are born with heart defects each year.
Hi, my name is Alicia Hinds, I work on the MSP Unit and Cardiac Rehab Wellness Group. I walk, because I am a Survivor! I was born with Congenital Heart Defects (Pulmonary Stenosis, Ventricular Septal Defect and Double Outlet Right Ventricle.) I walk, because if it weren’t for the donations and the advancements in Medical Technology, I probably wouldn’t be here today!
Join me on Saturday, June 2 from 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Denver Performing Arts Complex for the Annual Heart Walk to help raise awareness. Don’t have the time to walk, but you or someone you know, would like to help raise funds and make a difference in our community, that is fine too! All donations are tax deductible! Please Contact me: Alicia Hinds at ahinds@pvmc.org, ext. 2000, or visit the American Heart Association website at: http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=482016 and Register to join team Platte Valley Medical Center Cardiac Rehab. Together, we can change these statistics! Together we can make a difference for others! Thank you, in advance, for your participation and your donations.
Alicia Hinds
Fifty Years and Counting
Cecelia Garrett, one of our hospital volunteers, has recently reached a significant milestone in her life. She and her husband, Garlyn (Bart), just celebrated their 50th anniversary.
They first met in 1959 when Cecelia, a senior in high school at the time, was working at the Colonnade in Longmont as a carhop, and Bart was on leave from the U.S. Navy. Well, one thing led to another and they were married at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on March 3, 1962.
They have two daughters, Shelley Davis and Cinnamon Garrett, three grandchildren and two great Grandchildren with number three on the way.
Whenever you see Cecelia (usually at our lobby information desk) please be sure and congratulate her.
A Planetree Celebration
Kathleen Bogacz was the center of a celebration recently in ICU. She was awarded a Planetree Token of Kindness. “These tokens were created to celebrate the power of individual acts, big and small, recognizing those who make a difference in the lives of patients, families and staff, and how collectively these individual acts create a community that is transforming healthcare.” Kathleen also received flowers and a lovely cake decorated with a tree.
An ER Nurse’s Special Birthday Celebration
Can you guess how old Mary McKenna is? The Emergency Department helped celebrate her 70th birthday the 29th of March. Mary is a true inspiration to everyone. She embraced the new electronic documentation system implemented in the ED with the love hate relationship that comes with a huge transition. She has demonstrated outstanding assessment skills while caring for her patients. Mary is a true inspiration for change which she never shuns and always embraces. She continues to bless us with her knowledge and skills as well as her generous spirit and customer service focus. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mary from your beloved ED team!
Mary H. Feeney
Shannon and Owen Leave ER
The Emergency Department would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Owen McKeough & Shannon Haskin for their recent opportunity to move to PVMC EMS. Although they will be missed in the Emergency Department they will remain part of the PVMC family.
Owen came to us in February 2009. Our first correspondence with Owen was via email after an EMT position was posted on line. Owen was in Iraq serving our country when he emailed us to please wait to decide on our decision until he came back; “It means a lot to me” were his words. We interviewed Owen and knew immediately that we had a star! Owen quickly became an integral member of our team, as time went on he wanted more challenge and so he completed and passed his paramedic program. Owen will now move on to riding the rigs and taking with him his enthusiasm and great customer service! He will be missed with his cheerful disposition and his continual thirst for knowledge.
Shannon came to us in February 2010 when she arrived in Colorado. She brought 15 plus years of paramedic experience in Florida to our emergency department. She absolutely shines with her knowledge base and her work ethic. She has become an integral member of the team and is constantly challenging her knowledge with the providers and nurses in the department. Shannon has taken on teaching the basic EKG classes for staff development and continues to search for additional challenges and duties.
While we rejoice with them in their opportunity for growth we are also saddened by the loss of two such stellar employees. We send you off with best wishes for many happy satisfying years in your new endeavor!
Mary Feeney & Jeanette Nelson
Gifts for the Newborn Center
PVMC President John Hicks, along with Kathie Young, director of Volunteer Services, accepts with appreciation some special gifts for the Newborn Center from Pastor Perry Bell. The baby items were provided by the Women’s Ministries of the Destination Church that Rev. Bell pastors.
The Spotlight Featuring: Human Resources
The Human Resources Department is located on the third floor in the “fish” area of the hospital. You are our customers! We assist you with your benefits, support you with employee relations guidance when requested, provide you with fun at hospital social events, and help ensure that PVMC is in compliance with Federal and State laws. There are over a hundred Federal and state laws that affect the administration of Human Resources. In fact, there are many requirements, and that is why each one of us in Human Resources is kind of a specialist in our area of expertise and why we may refer you to another one of us when one of you has a question. Altogether, we have 82 years of HR experience.
Jackie Dunkin is the Director, with 29 years of experience in HR, all at PVMC. She oversees the administration of the department, and specializes in benefits, policies, compensation, and employee relations.
Mary Shuman is an accredited HR Generalist and a Senior Human Resources Professional. She has 33 years of HR experience, with 10 of them at PVMC. Although Mary has a broad range of knowledge in the HR field, assisting HR employees when they have questions, she specializes in recruitment and hiring and leads out in major projects.
Karen Southard specializes in benefits, which is probably 50% of what a HR department does. This includes such things as the health plans, pension plan, and Workers’ Compensation. She can help you with all those nitty-gritty details. Karen has been at PVMC for 22 years, 13 of which have been in HR.
Krista Payne is an HR Assistant II. She is able to answer many of your questions. Her specialty is Flexible Spending Accounts, leaves of absence, tuition reimbursement, and social events. She has 12 years HR experience, two of which have been at PVMC.
Mai Yang is an HR Assistant I with 5 years of HR experience, all at PVMC. She also assists you with many of your questions. Her specialties are managing HR records and overseeing the employee badge program. She also tracks licensure and certification requirements and completes employment verifications.
Our HR staff are here to help answer your questions and address your concerns, and if you don’t have either … you’re welcome to just drop by and say hello anytime.
Every 15 Minutes
“Every 15 Minutes” is a two-day program focusing on high school juniors and seniors, designed to challenge these young people to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, and others.
Through the years, PVMC’s Emergency Department has been involved in this program by allowing a simulated ER film production of an unsuccessful resuscitation of a teenager brought in from a crash involving a drunk teen driver. This year we have agreed to participate in four of these productions as part of our trauma outreach program. Filming has already been completed for Bennett, Prairie View, and Weld Central High Schools with Commerce City High School scheduled towards the end of this month.
Over the years all of these programs warning young people about drinking and driving have been presented just before Prom night and have had a significant impact on young people at a number of high schools. It is hoped once again that the message presented in these “Every 15 Minutes” productions will serve to keep our teens alert, aware and safe.
EAF Campaign Appreciation
A very big “THANK YOU” to all of you who recently signed up as contributors to our Employee Assistance Fund during our recent campaign. We appreciate each and every one of you for your generosity and support – those of you who are new to the program and those who have been supporters through the years. (At present we have about 30% of our employees involved). Without you there would be no program.
Since the EAF program began in 1998, we have distributed over $143,000 to our own hospital employees who, with limited resources during emergency situations, have needed some additional financial assistance.
Once again, please know how much we appreciate all you have done and continue to do in keeping this program “alive and well.”
If you have not signed up yet for a tax deductible payroll contribution to the EAF and would like to do so, please let us know (Daryl Meyers: Ext. 1590). Thanks.
Stroke Presentation at PVMC
Staff put on a special power point program for the Hudson and Keenesburg Chambers on the signs to look for when someone is having a stroke.
PMVC – Top Performer
Employees, patients and the community at large can be proud of PVMC’s recognition by the Joint Commission as being one of the top performing hospitals in the country (among the top 14%) on key quality measures involving heart attack, pneumonia and surgical patient outcomes.
Planetree Retreats
Planetree retreats for Employees continue with good attendance and participation.
