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MEMORIAL PHYSICIAN’S GROUP MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MIRAMAR

Angela Savage, BSN Juana Mejia, MSN, RN, CCRN, CMC

For Angela Savage, patient care begins with a thorough evalu- Juana Mejia has been a nurse for nearly 30 years, but she’s
ation that takes numerous factors influencing health into consid- never experienced anything like the last few months.
eration. An individual’s symptoms, medical history, medications, Shortly after taking over as nurse manager, the unit she leads
and the severity of their current issue are part of the initial con- was turned into a COVID-19 ICU. It was a challenge she wel-
sult and go a long way toward determining what’s next for those comed. “Caring for critical care patients is a passion,” said Mejia.
with chronic issues like HIV and Hepatitis C. In Savage’s patient “It’s our calling to help others heal and grateful patients and fam-
coordinator role, she also reviews antibiotics, lab results, and ilies let us know we’re making a difference.”
drug interactions that impact her evolving assessment, diagno- Mejia has spent more than two decades within the Memorial
sis, and education. “My job is different every day. There are Healthcare System and while she still provides bedside care, it’s
always new medications to consider and things to learn. I also like that we’re able to build the teaching aspect of the nurse manager’s position she enjoys
relationships with patients, sometimes over the course of several years.” A nurse for 24 most. A ‘professor’ to newer staff, Mejia has been impressed with their excitement to learn
years, Savage has spent the last 11 within the Memorial Healthcare System. how to care for coronavirus patients. “We do what we do to have positive patient outcomes
in the ICU.”
Cheryl Minick, APRN-BC, CNRN
l MEMORIAL REGIONAL HOSPITAL
From the time she was in the 4th grade, Cheryl Minick knew
she wanted to be a nurse. At that time, her mother was attending
nursing school and the then nine-year-old would tag along to Jason Thomas, RN, BSN
class. Minick also had ongoing issues with asthma that would
often result in her being treated at Joe DiMaggio Children’s An interest in critical care nursing and the opportunity to be
Hospital, the same facility where she now works with epilepsy part of a healthcare organization that always puts patients first is
patients. Back at the office, Minick sees a variety of pediatric neu- what attracted Jason Thomas to Memorial Healthcare System.
rology cases, including epilepsy, ADHD, headaches and Thomas joined the organization late in 2018 and immediately
migraines, cerebral palsy, and development delays. She’s always took part in Memorial’s nursing residency program.
been involved in neuroscience and has a passion for kids. “My focus is getting them to per- “I could see right away there was support for nurses from the
form to the best of their abilities. Helping a child overcome seizures or seeing someone walk top of the organization on down,” said Thomas, a graduate of the
who couldn’t do that before is very satisfying.” Part of the Memorial Healthcare System for Chamberlain University College of Nursing. “Even now, with all
more than 10 years, Minick says it’s her co-workers that she most appreciates. that’s going on with COVID-19, our CEO and CNO are constant-
ly checking in on us and making sure we have all we need.”
Thomas has always had an interest in the complexities of medicine and comes from a
MEMORIAL PRIMARY CARE family of nurses and practitioners. He’s volunteered to be part of coronavirus units and is
excited to take on something so new and challenging.
Annie Lunger, LPN CM
Victoria Pain, RN, LPN
As a case manager at the Pembroke Road location of Memorial
Primary Care, Annie Lunger is on the front lines of the organiza- It was a little slice of humanity in the most inhumane of situ-
tion’s approach to population health. Working directly with ations. Victoria Pain noticed a couple married 64 years were
patients to facilitate active participation in their healthcare jour- both patients in her COVID-19 unit. So, she arranged to have
ney, Lunger sees education as one of the most important tools beds moved, reuniting them, connected the couple’s children
MPC can offer. “Our patients are most often dealing with dia- with their parents through video technology, and facilitated what
betes and hypertension, issues that can be managed if the indi- would be the last opportunities for them to hold hands and say
vidual understands how their diet, exercise, and medications ‘I love you.’
impact their long-term health,” said Lunger. “It’s wonderful The couple recently died within hours of each other.
when they experience breakthroughs after putting our recommendations into their daily “I consider it a blessing to have cared for them,” Pain said.
lives.” Lunger says the primary care team is a close one where everyone has each other’s “They were lonely, isolated, and scared, and I was privileged to
back and openly communicates. “We listen and hear, understand, put into practice, and be able to go the extra mile.”
then we celebrate victories together. I love that we’re able to make a difference.” Pain has been part of the Memorial Healthcare System for nearly two years and while she
admits work on a coronavirus unit can be arduous, she is grateful and humbled to be in a
Tammy Scott Reese, BSN, MBA position to do something special for another person. Or, in this case, two other people.

With two kids of her own before she finished high school, Yanick Jacob, RN, DNP, MSN, CCRN
Tammy Scott Reese looked to nursing as a way not to be a bur-
den on society. On her path to what is currently a director posi- A healthcare professional since 1990 and former “Nurse of the
tion within Memorial’s population heath initiative, she learned Year,” Yanick Jacob has cared for patients through the H1N1,
it also enabled her to give back to others. “I can relate to those Ebola, and West Nile viruses.
struggling personally or financially, since I’ve been there too,” “It takes a special person to do this job,” said Yanick, an ICU
said Reese. “Those experiences help me be a resource within our nurse that is now taking care of COVID-19 patients. “Some of the
system. I love being a mentor and giving people the keys to best nurses I’ve worked with are compassionate, caring, and
unlock whatever success in their life may be.” Reese says her empathetic towards the patient and his or her family. That’s even
reward is seeing people flourish or hearing that her story inspired them. Her work with more important during a time when there are no visitors allowed
Memorial Primary Care -- where her team identifies barriers keeping patients from moving in the hospital.”
forward, removes them, and provides opportunities to get to a healthier state -- pays similar While there is usually less time at the bedside of coronavirus
dividends. patients and the personal protective equipment creates an additional barrier, Yanick says
the nurse’s assessments are more important than ever, since COVID patients are at risk of
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MIRAMAR multi-organ failure. “When the first patient left after a month in our care, there was great
satisfaction in that outcome. It felt great, like we had really done something special.”
Christina Roman, RN Jacob most enjoys the fellow professionals she works with, specifically mentioning Nurse
Manager Phyllis McCall, and how the Memorial culture prioritizes teamwork.

The unit Christina Roman manages as nurse manager is well
acquainted with the tough medical assignments, whether it be
COPD, CHF, or, now, COVID-19 cases. “The nurses in this unit
face challenges and rise to the occasion. I feel I’m walking
amongst heroes. They’re willing to do whatever is right, or best,
for the patient, no matter what.” Roman has been at Memorial
Hospital Miramar for the past three years, after spending the first E-mail Your Editorial Submissions to
ten years of her career at Memorial Hospital West. She sees her-
self as the unit’s “mini CEO” and enjoys seeing the potential in editorial@southfloridahospitalnews.com
fellow nurses and inspiring them to do and be more. “I’m proud
to be a nurse at this moment,” Roman said. “These are difficult times with patients and
we’ve all had to make adjustments. But we’re still doing great things and I’m impressed with
the attitudes of our nurses. They make you want to come in each day.”

38 May 2020 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News