Baystate Health

Congratulations to our latest Baystate Wing Hospital DASIY Award winner, Christine Pollock! Christine was nominated by a co-worker, who shared in the award nomination: "Chris was outside when a patient parked his car and got out to ask for help. The man spoke Spanish, so Chris called for Yanira, a fellow nurse to help translate, but he was not able to state where he was going. Chris helped him get to the Emergency Department because he seemed confused and she was concerned for his wellbeing. It turns out he was 70 miles from home and in need of care, he was admitted and his family was grateful that he was safe. It was Chris’s quick thinking and noticing something was not right that led to the patient being brought to safety." Congratulations, Chris and thank you for your quick response to make sure this patient was properly cared for!

Madison Quinn, current nurse resident at Baystate Children's Hospital, has always had an altruistic soul. When she was 13 years old, she stumbled across an Instagram video of a child with cancer and immediately made the decision to help in any way she could. She started out small by sending care packages of toys directly to children with cancer, but knew she wanted to do more. In 2014, Madison founded Strong Little Souls, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization intended to help ease the financial burden on the families of childhood cancer patients and help bring some light and hope to the patients themselves. Since its inception, Strong Little Souls has raised tens of thousands of dollars to help support families’ bills, sent over 1,000 care packages to children, and granted over 100 wishes. Through the creation of her nonprofit, Madison established a strong connection with Scholastic who donated thousands of books to her cause. In April 2023, when she was a ANP on Wesson 2, Madison began brainstorming how to get these books directly into the hands of the children in the hospital. Due to infection control issues, books generally cannot be shared amongst patients, and that is where the Book Vending Machine idea came into play. She researched different options and contacted a company that predominantly makes book vending machines for schools. They were thrilled to hear of the use of their technology in a Children’s Hospital! Funded by Strong Little Souls, the vending machine was a labor of love, and was finally implemented after nine months of strategizing between Madison, BMC’s Facilities department, and CHAD leadership. The Book Vending Machine is stocked with titles in both English and Spanish, ranging from board books for the littlest patients to chapter books for more advanced readers. Children receive “tokens” to spend at the vending machine as prizes, incentives to ambulate, or just because they like to read. During the very first shift Madison worked after the vending machine was installed, one of her patients was given a token by another staff member. The next thing she knew, he was running down the hall with his book, so excited to show her what he had! The patient and his mom were able to read a brand-new bedtime story that night, which is what the Book Vending Machine is all about: providing a sense of normalcy and comfort to patients and families. Great work, Madison!

The competitive job market of today presents an advantageous opportunity for candidates to find a work environment that aligns with their career goals and personal life. Here's why we believe Baystate Health stands out: - Your well-being is our priority. We're committed to creating a fulfilling and supportive work environment where everyone feels valued, excited to come to work, and able to enjoy their time outside of work. - Stimulating academic environment. We offer a fellowship program and opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration in cancer care. - Competitive compensation and benefits. We offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including support for J1 visa candidates. Feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions. Our Open Positions: - Breast Oncologist [https://lnkd.in/ejVpi4SB] - Malignant Hematology (2 openings) [https://lnkd.in/evn_RAAy]

During the 2023 spring semester UMass student John “JJ” Wilson was assigned a 144-hour preceptorship with Erica Schlosstein, BSN, RN, CPN in the Pediatric Emergency Department. After graduation, JJ was offered a nurse resident position in the same department. “My preceptorship really helped bridge the gap between nursing school and being a nurse. It was an opportunity for me to gain confidence in my nursing skills. The progression of my preceptorship offered me the ability to grow. As a student I was given the opportunity to see high and low acuity patients, administer medication through different routes, and interact with every member of the healthcare team to advocate for patients. Nurses from all over the unit helped me learn different procedures and about different signs that patients were exhibiting in real time. I looked forward to coming to my internship every day, and I now come in every day excited for the challenges that I will face, eager to learn all that I can to provide the best care and education to the smallest members of our community and their families. Because of my experience during my preceptorship, my transition to nurse resident was seamless. I became familiar with the way the unit functioned, where resources were, and how I could include evidence-based practices into my everyday nursing care. I was able to see the clinical manifestation that I learned about in class, which really helped to cement concepts. So much of nursing revolves around human interaction and observation skills. Simulation can only do so much, especially in pediatrics. There’s so much to learn in nursing school, so having the opportunity to be exposed to specialized practice areas like my preceptorship in the Sadowsky Pediatric Emergency Department helped to develop the skills and knowledge to thrive in that same environment as a nurse resident.” Learn more about our nursing opportunities: https://lnkd.in/e6JpUfaE #MyBaystateStory #Nursing

“I grew up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and being surrounded by wonderful nurses at Shriner’s Hospital inspired my career in nursing because I wanted to be just like them! I started my nursing career as a student nurse at Baystate Noble Hospital in the inpatient Psychiatric Unit to gain a better understanding of mental illness. After graduation, I transitioned to a floor nurse where I spent the next five years of my career rotating between charge nurse and medication nurse until I experienced nurse burnout. I then spent the next three years as a school nurse, working with kindergarten through 12 graders, providing care for them during school hours. I became interested in primary care through personal experiences with Laura, the medical assistant at Baystate Primary Care-Palmer. She was so sweet, kind, and welcoming, I thought this would be a great place to work and gain experience to advance my career in nursing! I am currently pregnant with my third child so here’s to new beginnings, in more ways than one.” - Stephanie Nay, Baystate Primary Care-Palmer Sara Kosnicki, Clinical Supervisor, added, "Stephanie has jumped into primary care with enthusiasm, an infectious smile, and has shown great clinical foundations." #MyBaystateStory #Nursing

Happy Fourth of July! As we celebrate this day of independence, we reflect on the freedoms and values that unite us all. We wish all our incredible patients, team members & community joyous and safe Independence Day celebrations.🇺🇸🎆

The smell of hospital hand soap isn’t something people normally think of when they reflect on nostalgic scents, but for Gregory St. John, it’s a memory he holds dear. Gregory's mom, Cindy St. John, is a Baystate Children’s Hospital NICU nurse. As a child, he would always recollect her distinct scent when she came home from each shift, smelling of hospital hand soap; a comforting smell to him. Today, Gregory followed in the footsteps of his mom working as an assistant nurse manager in the surgical trauma ICU at Baystate Medical Center. Gregory can’t help but think of his mom when he does something as simple as washing his hands at work. “Every time I perform hand hygiene, I think of my mom. Seeing her go to work every day was a huge staple in my life growing up. I’m really proud of her for advancing her career and honoring her passions." When Gregory was in high school and considering career options for his future, medical-based roles were at the top of his list. He attended a school-to-career program at a hospital during the summer he was 16. He chose surgery and spent six weeks shadowing a surgeon during a traditional workday, including going into the operating room. Now, years later, as assistant nurse manager of the surgical trauma ICU at Baystate Medical Center, Gregory supervises a team of 40 nurses. In Cindy’s role, she is primarily responsible for neonates, which can be an infant from 22 weeks to full/past-term infant. “We have the tiniest, most fragile humans in the hospital. We provide all the care you’d expect from the ICU, as well as educating parents on where their baby is at according to the gestational stage that they’ve been born at. We help the parents grow with their baby in a situation they’d have never expected. I can’t imagine working anywhere else,” she says. Cindy and Gregory share the unique bond of family and profession through the impact of their shared experiences. Gregory jokes, “we probably annoy my sister (Audrey, who works in Compliance at Baystate Health) and dad with the bonding piece of our relationship.” “I am extraordinarily proud of both of my children, and both are very serious about their craft,” says Cindy. “While working as a nurse alongside Gregory, I have seen him become a strong person, colleague, and caregiver. He is one of my favorite humans, and sometimes if I can, I love to look out the windows toward where his office is located and see if I can catch a glimpse of him.” #Nursing #MAHealthCareers

Forty-seven years ago in 1976, Deb Provost joined the team at Baystate Medical Center as a nurse in gynecological surgery, after graduating from the hospital's School of Nursing. Through the years, Deb provided care in many areas before coming to Baystate Franklin in 2017 as chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services. She has also served as chief administrative officer and Baystate Health’s chief regulatory officer since then. Deb retires today, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. We will miss her extensive healthcare leadership experience and regulatory insight. She has led many successful Joint Commission visits over the years and mentored, developed, and influenced so many Baystate team members. We wish her joy in retirement, spending time with family and as a New England Patriots season ticket holder for the past 50 years, watching her beloved Patriots. Deb recently told team members, "I have enjoyed my time with you immensely. We have had some difficult times and endured COVID together, and I believe it allowed us to become an even stronger team because we did it together." Ron Bryant, president Baystate Regional Hospitals, said, "This is a tough one. It has been incredible working with Deb. She brought a lot, but the one big thing she brought was love. And what she accomplished, the attitude and environment here because of her - it's amazing what she built. It has been pretty special up here. I am forever grateful to her." Several of her nurse managers said Deb has been the “best leader” they’ve ever had, as well as an “amazing mentor and person,” and that Baystate Franklin is a better place because of her. They all agree that she will be greatly missed. She is described as “supportive and an exceptional leader.” We will miss you, Deb! We wish you the very best of health and happiness in retirement.

"I am Nick Gilfoy, RN, and I am the assistant nurse manager of the ICU and Medical/Surgical/Telemetry units here at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. I have been in this position for just over a year, however, I have been at Baystate Franklin for the past 3.5 years. I initially started at Baystate Franklin as a per-diem house supervisor because I wanted to advance my career and join the leadership team. Then, I fell in love with the hospital and have been here since. I have, over the past seven years, worked at all Baystate Health hospitals. At one point, I worked simultaneously at Baystate Franklin, Baystate Wing Hospital, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Baystate Medical Center as a house supervisor and IV nurse. I love the ‘community feel’ that exists in our hospital, where everyone knows I love the ‘community feel’ that exists in our hospital, where everyone knows everyone and is always willing to jump in to help. My favorite part of being an assistant manager is that I get to advocate for both my team and my patients to improve care while also being a part of the decision making. There are challenges, and one is maneuvering through complex patient and team members situations that arise. I would say my spirits are always high, and I like to frequently round on each of my team members individually to make sure they are supported, even if it is just by simply chatting with them. I like to greet every person I meet throughout the day with a smile and a positive attitude, since that can be contagious. People often forget that when working in healthcare, you are dealing with human beings that have various needs. They are not tasks. We see people on their worst days, and it is our job to try and bring them back to their best. One of my favorite moments at Baystate Franklin was when one of our long-term dementia patients was having a bad day and my nurse manager took it upon herself to bring him to lunch with us. Then we took the patient to see team members for a ride around the hospital. The patient had a smile for the rest of the day. It made a difference while also serving as a reminder that making a difference for our patients, team members, and patients’ families is what drives us as nurse leaders." - Nick Gilfoy, RN, Assistant Nurse Manager ICU/Med/Surg/Tele, Baystate Franklin Medical Center #MyBaystateStory

Congratulations to Kevin Conway, Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer, recognized by Becker's Hospital Review as one of "133 CIOs to Know". Thank you Kevin for your innovative vision to support our mission of advancing care and enhancing lives. Read the Becker's Article: https://bit.ly/3VHFYft