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In observance of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, Jane Pizarro, a licensed practical nurse at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, and two other nurses, shared their career stories with the Reading Eagle newspaper about why they entered the profession and how the medical center supports nursing. Founded in 1873 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia as St. Joseph Hospital, the institution has always been committed to supporting the nursing profession. St. Joseph Medical Center joined Penn State Health in 2015 and now employs about 600 nurses. “We are so proud of our nurses and the entire nursing team at St. Joseph,” said Wendy Clayton, vice president and chief nursing officer. Originally from the Philippines before moving to Saudi Arabia for work, Raniel Avante is among the newer nurses at St. Joseph, starting in April 2023. St. Joseph Medical Center and Penn State Health offered a perfect fit as he searched for a U.S. hospital to begin his career. “When I found Penn State Health, I checked the website about its core values and looked at the facilities at St. Joseph and how the medical center supports and encourages nurses. That’s what motivated me to come here,” he said. Avante values how St. Joseph Medical Center provides hands-on training when new equipment is introduced and encourages its nurses to continue their education and assists with tuition.
Heather Stephens, a neonatal clinical nurse specialist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, is doing her part to establish more diversity among advanced practice providers (APP) to better serve the increasingly diverse patient population. “The majority of our neonatal patients are Caucasian, African American and Spanish, with a steady increase in the Nepalese population in recent years,” Stephens said. “However, most of our APPs are women and Caucasian, and there is limited diversity of other cultures and genders among APPs in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), both here at Penn State Health and at NICUs across the nation.” Penn State Health has taken remarkable steps to improve communication with patients in their languages and in ways that respect cultural practices, including offering interpreter services by phone and video through LanguageLine, a global interpretation company, to non-English-speaking families. It also provides in-person interpreters by appointment. While translation services are essential, Stephens said it’s also important to understand the nuances of different dialects so care teams can communicate with patients and share patient education effectively. Stephens and her team work closely with colleagues in social work to offer patients and families the resources they need after discharge. Click the link to learn more.
A trip to the emergency room is something no one wants to experience. People arrive by ambulance and by car, hurting and scared. Fast, quality care is essential—but so is a friendly face to comfort patients during their stay. At Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, the first people patients often see are Kathleen Price or Tracy Wallish. Part of the emergency department registration team, they greet patients and collect all the information needed for accurate registration, including their insurance coverage, eligibility and benefits. While managing the busy department, they also lend patients an empathetic ear. Wallish enjoys creating deep connections with patients. Her favorite part of the job is meeting many different people and helping them throughout each shift. “We’re not nurses or doctors, but anything we can do to make patients feel more comfortable—even for a minute—makes it worthwhile,” Wallish said. Read more.
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center was ranked third in Pennsylvania with a score of 89.08% in Newsweek’s annual America’s Best-In-State Hospitals listing. Results are based on four criteria: Peer recommendation Patient experience Hospital quality metrics Patient-recorded outcome measures implementation
Fred Gajewski has been working in health imaging for 32 years. He has worked across the U.S. and the world, including Oregon, Massachusetts, California and England. Recently, he started working at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center as the chief MRI technologist. He has found a balance between his work and personal life here. Since joining Penn State Health in February 2023, Gajewski has been managing a smaller department, which has helped him find more harmony between his work and home life. He is trying to do the same for his employees by implementing initiatives that simplify operations and offer scheduling flexibility. Elizabeth Robb, an MRI technologist who came to St. Joseph Medical Center from a Level I trauma center, says the changes are improving the department's level of care. She also appreciates the teamwork that has grown thanks to Gajewski’s leadership. “I love the flexibility we have here,” Robb said. “We all try to help each other as much as we can, even if it means adjusting our hours so someone can leave early for an appointment.” Gajewski is happy with his latest career move and says, “The culture is very friendly here, and I appreciate the support I get from the managerial team and physicians. This is truly a unique, comfortable work environment in a challenging healthcare world."
Madeline Feliciano-Weiser, a nurse manager at Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center, received a #NAHNStrong award from the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). She is one of eight recipients of the award in the country and the only one from Pennsylvania. The #NAHNStrong program recognizes NAHN members who treat others with dignity, respect, kindness, compassion and civility while working with or throughout their communities. Fellow NAHN members and supporters nominate honorees, who are selected by the NAHN Communications Committee. Feliciano-Weiser’s nomination noted her commitment to creating a culturally diverse workforce within her department. Prior to joining Lancaster Medical Center, she served as a clinical coordinator at Penn State Cancer Institute, where she advocated for patients and families with limited English proficiency. Her efforts helped to ensure adequate resources were available in their native languages, increasing their ability to understand their diagnosis, prognosis, treatment plan and side effects. “Feliciano-Weiser represents the true meaning of a diversity and inclusion champion and has made an impact on our organization,” said Lynette Chappell-Williams, Penn State Health vice president and chief diversity officer. “She is a model of how all employees can engage in the health system’s commitment to our RITE values and diversity and inclusion principles.”
