Page 38 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS MAY 2021

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CLEVELAND CLINIC WESTON HOSPITAL
Donna Buckmire, RN, BSN
Donna Buckmire has always loved to help others.
Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, her home was one the
neighbors gravitated to because they knew they’d be taken care
of there.
“I just love people, making sure they’re fine,” Donna said.
When her husband’s job transferred him to Florida and her
kids were old enough to be in school full time, Donna looked for
work. She saw numerous advertisements for nursing and felt that
the need for nurses and her penchant for caring for others was a
perfect match.
She started at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital right out of school and 15 years later she and observational unit at Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital.
is still there, working in the medical surgical unit.
“I just love helping,” she said. “When I used to work with oncology patients, we were a nurse is all I’ve ever wanted to be.”
there from their first diagnosis to the end of their treatment. It was an awesome feeling to
know you helped them get through it.”
Thai Elmer, RN, BSN, CCRN
Thai Elmer has always been a caregiver, even if she didn’t
always recognize the trait in herself. The oldest of five children,
it was her mother who encouraged her to go into nursing.
“I think she saw something in me, maybe something I didn’t
even know about myself, that I was always taking care of others,”
Thai said.
A nurse for nine years, the Aruba native now serves as nurse
manager of the Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital medical ICU,
intermediate care and dialysis units. In that role she continues to
provide care but to a different audience.
“I love caring for patients, but when I started in leadership my focus shifted to caring for plishment. There is an art in nursing and I want to help show them that.”
caregivers,” she said. “I think I have the best job because of the impact I’m able to have on
the people who care for patients.”
38 May 2021
CLEVELAND CLINIC MARTIN HEALTH
Missy Gazdacko, RN
As a young child, Missy Gazdacko watched doctors and nurses
take care of her father through severe health issues. It made an
impression that has lasted a lifetime.
“I saw that and said, ‘I can do that, I can make a difference,’” she
said. “I am a nurse because I like taking care of someone and
working with them. You see people coming in that are so sick.
When they’re discharged, you see the improvement and you know
you were part of that care team that helped them get better.”
Missy started with Cleveland Clinic Martin Health as a patient
care technician in 2010. Six years later she earned a nursing
degree. Today, Missy serves as assistant nurse manager on the medical surgical, orthopedic
“Being a PCT before I became a nurse helped me be a better nurse,” she said. “And being
Claudine Napoleon, RN
As a child growing up in Haiti, Claudine Napoleon wanted to
be a pediatrician. When she came to the United States, however,
she entered the nursing field and quickly fell in love with the
work. “I don’t think I could’ve been anything else,” she said.
“The compassion that we have, the amount of time we spend
with the patients, it is extraordinary. I love it.”
Claudine has been a nurse for two decades, the last seven at
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health. Working in the clinical decision
and observation unit at Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital,
she now serves as a mentor for new nurses.
“It is satisfying to see the nurses I’ve trained, who I’ve showed the ropes, when they are
progressing and they’re doing it right and they enjoy it,” she said. “That’s my biggest accom-
CLEVELAND CLINIC INDIAN RIVER HOSPITAL
Jessica “Red” Claassen, RN
Jessica “Red” Claassen, R.N., has been a registered nurse with
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital since 2017, as a member
of the nurse float pool and most recently the Intermediate
Cardiac Care unit. Red is a seasoned nurse, and while her ICU
and emergency department experiences have helped her develop
clinical strengths, perhaps her greatest asset is the empathy with
which she practices, day after day, patient after patient.
Through her compassionate care, Red is able to quickly estab-
lish a rapport with her patients and their families, and it is this
connection that allows her to provide them emotional support when needed most. One
patient described Red as “a pillar of peace, strength and love shown to my mom and I dur-
ing her passing.”
Michael Dipardo, RN
Mike Dipardo has been with Cleveland Clinic Indian River
Hospital for nearly a decade. He had worked in the capacity of
unit clerk and patient care tech, before becoming a nurse in
2015. Mike started his nursing career in the intensive care unit,
moving in 2020 to the emergency department. Known for his
positive attitude, quick wit and willingness to help any team
member with any task, he is well-liked by his patients and
respected by his peers. Mike’s quick nursing judgment and
instincts serve his patients well on a daily basis. Recently, his fast
actions helped save the life of a young child, exemplifying the traits that make him such an
incredible nurse. His willingness to go above and beyond for patients, their families and
coworkers are a testament to his character and professionalism.
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