Page 33 - SFHN518pagesfinal.qxp_SFHN 0608 Friday 5.0

Salute to Nursing... Salute to Nursing... Salute to Nursing... Salute to Nursing... Salute to

COMMUNITY HEALTH OF SOUTH FLORIDA COUPET QUALITY CLINIC

Patricia Philippe, RN II, BSN, MSN Theona Jackson,
RN, BSN
Patricia Philippe, RN II, BSN, MSN, is the Director of Education and
Infection Prevention and Control at Community Health of South Theona Jackson has spent nearly a
Florida, Inc. (CHI) She was recently promoted to this position for her decade working as a bedside nurse
exemplary leadership in CHI’s Urgent Care Center. in a large publicly funded hospital
Philippe believes in always treating others as she would like to be system and another four years in
treated, regardless of their ethnicity, level of education and social class. Quality Management and Process
Early in her career she provided dental care to some of the neediest Improvement. Theona knows what
communities in Haiti and later focused on education, promotion and truly drives dialogues concerning
prevention of dental health among children and pregnant women in quality health care and positive
Canada. Philippe has a doctorate in Dental Medicine and a masters in patient outcomes. She states that
Community Dental Health and Preventative Dentistry. She also received “for the most part, it’s all about how
her bachelors in nursing from the University of Montreal College of well you connect with the individu-
Nursing in Canada. als and families that you are trying to help, and your ability to com-
municate your understanding of their concerns back to them”.
Rubis Vergara Ramirez, ARNP, Nurse III She received her Associates in Nursing from Broward
Community College in 2005, a Bachelor’s from Broward College in
2011, and a Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioner from Nova
Rubis Vergara Ramirez, ARNP, Nurse III, is the Site Manager/Clinical
Coordinator at Community Health of South Florida, Inc.’s South Miami University in April 2018 (boards pending). Additionally; she is a
Health Center. Her strong leadership and organizational skills allow this certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt holder and an active member
popular health center to run smoothly with multiple services at one of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
location including: primary care, pediatrics, dental, OB/GYN and She has recently joined Dr. Sidney Coupet in the quest of deliv-
behavioral health. Vergara Ramirez enjoys working with the under- ering high-value care using the Direct Primary Care Model.
served population and has fun working with pediatric patients. Her Collectively the duo is tackling and addressing issues concerning
connection to the underserved began in 2006 when she worked in uninsured and underinsured individuals. The DPC model ensures
Cartagena for two years with patients who desperately needed care. that everyone has access to affordable, high quality, primary and
Vergara Ramirez has a master’s degree from the University of Miami preventive healthcare. Patients engage in the “powerful manage-
Family Nurse Practitioner Program and has worked in multiple depart- ment” of their health not the complexity of health insurance plans.
ments including: Urgent Care, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and at CHI’s As a patient care coordinator, educator and advocate, Theona
School based health centers. She instills that same work ethic and value for compassionate care in her Jackson is indeed connecting with patients in our community.
two young daughters. Vergara Ramirez enjoys spending time with her family, reading and watching
movies.

MARTIN HEALTH SYSTEM

Stan Levandowski, BSN, CNOR

After becoming a nurse in his early 20s, Stan
Levandowski juggled nursing and construction work
until he knew he had to commit to one or the other.
Nursing won out.
Now, with 20 years invested in his nursing career,
Levandowski is employed with Martin Health System as
Director of Periop Services at Martin Hospital South in
Stuart. He continues to further his career and is pursuing
a master’s degree in nursing at Western Governors
University.
The majority of surgeries performed at Martin Hospital
South are orthopaedic in nature; Levandowski said he
and his team find this work very satisfying. “When a
patient has a total joint replacement, we know we’re having a significant impact on
their quality of life,” he said.
Levandowski was recently recognized as a Martin Health Leader of the Quarter for
his consistent demonstration of leadership, integrity, compassion and respect.

Carrie Coppola, MSN, RN-BC, ONC

When Carrie Coppola graduated from Indian River
State College with a nursing degree in 2005, she started
working on the orthopaedic unit at Martin Health System.
“Many orthopaedic nurses had taken me under their
wing,” Coppola said. “They were such a great team and I
knew pretty quickly that orthopaedics was where I want-
ed to work.”
As Coppola furthered her education, she was promoted
to Orthopaedic Service Line Coordinator at Martin
Hospital South in Stuart. Under her supervision,
orthopaedic services at Martin Health have been
enhanced to include comprehensive patient education on
joint replacement surgery and hip fracture prevention and care, as well as the further
development of the hip fracture program.
“I enjoy working with patients and helping to ensure they are receiving the best
care possible from our interdisciplinary team,” Coppola said.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com May 2018 33