Page 41 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS MAY 2021

Sponsored by the
Salute to Nursing...

MEMORIAL PRIMARY CARE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MIRAMAR

Cheryl Robinson, LPN Tzilla De Jesus, RN, MSN

Ordinarily a case manager for the Care Coordination While appreciating the fast-paced, ever-changing environ-
Program, Cheryl Robinson enjoyed the time she recently spent ment of the emergency room and the work she does as a clini-
helping at one of Memorial’s COVID-19 vaccination sites. “It cal manager, Tzilla De Jesus has an even more personal connec-
was a wonderful experience interacting directly with so many tion to Memorial Healthcare System. She credits doctors at Joe
in the community,” said Robinson. “People were excited about DiMaggio Children’s Hospital with saving her son’s life.
getting the vaccine and appreciated the efficiency of our Born with a congenital heart disease, Renzo, underwent
process. It was mind-blowing to see the joy among all the dif- open-heart surgery at the pediatric facility. The procedure was
ferent races, languages, and ethnicities.” successful and the child is now a healthy 14-year-old. “Dr.
When not on vaccine detail, Robinson is able to help patients overcome barriers that (Richard) Perryman and the cardiovascular team will always be part of our family for the
are often the social determinants of health. She connects her clients to resources both gift they’ve given us,” said De Jesus.
inside and outside Memorial Healthcare System that address issues that include unstable A native of the Philippines, De Jesus came to the U.S. in 2005 and joined Memorial
living arrangements, food insecurity, or a lack of transportation. “It’s our job to close the Healthcare System seven years later. While she worked in banking for five years in her
care gap and make sure our patients stay on the right track. Helping people is the most home country, she says nursing was always her first calling and today she enjoys sharing
important thing I do.” knowledge and mentoring the younger nurses on her team.

JOE DIMAGGIO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL MEMORIAL CANCER INSTITUTE

Cora Benson, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR Jen Leeser, RN, OCN

Now 45 years into her nursing career, Cora Benson is a Jen Leeser knows firsthand the emotions cancer patients
respected and experienced leader who serves her hospital as a face, feelings that include depression, anxiety, and fear. She
nurse manager. In that position, she oversees critical practices encourages those she cares for not to live in the past or fret
that support surgical services, including oversight of the Sterile about the future but to live in the present and keep pushing for-
Processing department. “It’s my role to foster innovation, pro- ward. “It’s important to treat the entire person and not just the
vide direction, mentor, challenge, and offer guidance on stan- disease they have,” said Leeser, who joined the Memorial
dards and regulatory compliance,” Benson said. Healthcare System in 2011 and has worked with both inpa-
That leadership was never more valuable than last year dur- tients and outpatients. “Individuals with cancer need extra
ing the busiest days of COVID-19. Benson partnered with compassion and should understand the disease doesn’t define
Memorial Healthcare System surgical and clinical leaders to guide the sterile processing who they are.” Leeser became a nurse at the age of 40, after a career in customer service.
effort that safely reprocessed N95 masks for emergency use. Prior to that, in 2019, she She has achieved her RN IV on the clinical ladder and is currently working on complet-
was instrumental in establishing the ambulatory surgical center at the Joe DiMaggio ing her BSN. “I’m amazed to be where I’m at. Becoming a nurse is the best thing I’ve done
Children’s Health Specialty Center in Wellington, procuring standardized instruments, in my life,” Leeser said.
supplies, and aligning policies and procedures to ensure adherence with Joint
Commission requirements for safety and quality. Natalia Villafranca, RN, BSN

Lea Crestodina, APRN CWOCN- An oncology nurse for the past 9 years, the last two within
AP CDCES the Memorial Healthcare System, Natalia Villafranca’s focus is
on individuals with blood cancers. It’s a patient population that
As the only wound care-certified specialist at Joe DiMaggio often requires special attention from caregivers. “They all have
Children’s Hospital, Lea Crestodina has made it her mission to compromised immune systems, so what might be a minor
prevent pressure ulcers and promote skin injury prevention. It’s issue for other patients could become a big problem for them,”
a role she embraces enthusiastically as co-chair of the Solutions said Villafranca.
for Patient Safety team that leads the ongoing surveillance of all Part of the cellular therapy program that combines
admitted patients. “Under Lea’s leadership, the hospital has Memorial’s resources with those from Moffitt Cancer Center,
increased awareness of skin injury prevention, heightened pre- Villafranca has expertise performing specialized procedures
ventative clinical preventive efforts, and augmented multi-dis- that include Hematopoietic Stem Cell Apheresis,
ciplinary partnerships to decrease injury from respiratory devices,” said Jineal Shinn, Extracorporeal Photopheresis, and Donor Lymphocyte infusions. She is also her unit’s
chief nursing officer at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. “Best of all, initiatives she has clinical manager, scheduling nurses and covering shifts, among other responsibilities.
led have decreased skin pressure injuries by nearly 50% since 2019.” “Everyone on our team is helpful and communicates with each other about what our
The prevention effort involves nurses, dieticians, physical and respiratory therapists, patient’s need. It’s exciting to be part of a journey that helps so many people.”
and others involved with patient care. Shinn says Crestodina is a humble but eager
teacher that is a respected leader in her field. “Memorial and its children’s hospital are
fortunate to have her on our clinical team promoting quality patient outcomes.” MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PEMBROKE

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MIRAMAR Jennifer Dunn, RN, MSN

Garfield Young, MSN-ED, RN COVID-19 has brought tremendous hardship to the nursing
community, but also opportunities to make a difference for
When it comes to patient care, Garfield Young’s mindset has those with the coronavirus. Such was the case for Jennifer
always been to do whatever is needed. It’s a philosophy that has Dunn and the team at Memorial Hospital Pembroke.
served him well during a 26-year nursing career that has As director of emergency services, Dunn was responsible for
included considerable time caring for the very sickest in the the startup and ongoing activity of Memorial Healthcare
ICU. System’s only monoclonal antibody infusion site. Given to
“Nursing is a gift and a calling,” said Young, who shares his patients in the early stages of a COVID infection, the treatment
passion for and knowledge of the profession as an adjunct pro- lessens the severity of symptoms and has been effective at pre-
fessor at Chamberlain University College of Nursing. “I’m just venting the virus from worsening. “We’ve infused more than
a humble servant.” 700 patients and all but 45 were able to recover at home. Even
Young was part of the original team of nurses that opened Memorial Hospital Miramar better, we’ve had no COVID-related deaths, even among our most vulnerable popula-
and has been honored as “Clinical Manager of the Year,” “Nurse of the Year,” and a tions,” said Dunn.
“Memorial Angel.” A self-described ‘adrenaline junkie,’ he has served in a wide variety of During the pandemic, Dunn was able to effectively and efficiently run two emergency
clinical and administrative positions and is active with the Broward chapter of the departments, one at Memorial Hospital Pembroke and another at its 24/7 Care Center,
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). in addition to the monoclonal site. She credits the resilience and pride of a team that was
able to overcome fatigue by staying focused on the positive impact they were able to have
for patients.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com May 2021 41