You Make a Difference in Internal Medicine

The University of Iowa Health Care Making a Difference program is designed to recognize individuals who have performed in an exemplary manner, consistent with the goals of service excellence, and with a commitment to quality care.

Over the last few months, members of our department were nominated by colleagues, patients, and patient family members for a variety of actions that have had a major impact. (One member, as you will see below, has been nominated twice since our last post.) Recognizing others is fast and easy with the Making a Difference nomination form.

Christine Harlander, ARNP
Rebecca Tuetken (MSC Med Director), Staff Member

ARNP Harlander was consulted to provide a pain management plan for a frail elderly woman with wound from radiation therapy to treat anal cancer, and for whom wound care had become very painful. I will note 3 things that went beyond usual care:

1. I will quote a colleague: “…she added this patient on to her clinic after a same‐day request from Dr. B… out of the kindness in her heart. She ran late all afternoon because of the add‐on and didn’t leave clinic until almost 6 pm. On top of that, when she found out that NuCara pharmacy in Iowa City couldn’t compound the patient’s morphine‐silvadene cream, she personally delivered the prescription to the NuCara near her home in Cedar Rapids, so that the patient would have this topical pain medication for her wound cares that very night.”
2. A few days later, on her day off, she returned a call to care facility nurses to clarify instructions for wound and pain care for this patient.
3. Upon discovering that the patient’s care facility did not have UI Carelink to review patient notes, she assisted them in setting this up.

(I learned about this through my role as medical director of MSC where the clinic visit occurred). Keep up the excellent work!

Traci Parks, Clinical Research Nurse
Page Scovel, Staff Member

Traci is always willing to get things done! She is able to jump in & take care of business on the fly. She is a practical, wise & seasoned nurse. Today she went above & beyond to take care of a Research Participant having a procedure. We were short staffed and she did it without complaint, cheerfully, skillfully & gracefully. This is how she always handles things that could turn chaotic quickly. There are several moving parts—meeting with the representative / vendor, putting the Participant and their family at ease, communicating with the Procedure team, staff and providers involved, educating the Participant & family and recovery staff. This was not even her project but she stepped up for all involved! She is an integral part of our team. I am very grateful and appreciative of her get-it-done attitude, kindness, positivity and her expertise.

Poorani Sekar MD
S. J., Patient

I would like to THANK YOU for the extremely wonderful care and the great one-on-one conversations we have had on my continuous care. Dr Sekar has clarified my meds and treatment for the infection that I have, thank you!

Andrea Timmerman, ARNP
Kelly Preuninger, Staff Member

Andrea was monitoring stress tests when the patient developed 10/10 chest pain. It was an outpatient, so Andrea escorted them to the ER for further management. Given the ER’s staffing, they were not going to be able to return the patient to the stress lab for pictures to complete the stress test. Completing the stress test was essential in determining the cause of her chest pain. So Andrea took it upon her self to stay late and supervise transportation and monitoring of the patient during her stress test. Truly above and beyond her duty to do the best for her patients.

Sruti Prathivadhi Bhayankaram, Third-Year Resident
Erin Bock, Nurse Navigator, Staff Member

Sruti demonstrates exceptional communication skills. There was a challenging patient situation and she skillfullly addressed the patient/the situation directly, yet delicately. The outcome was the patient proceeded with discharge plan. Had it not been for her actions, it is likely there would have been unnecessary, avoidable days added to the patient’s stay. She is respectful of her peers and fosters a collaborative environment. Shout out to Sruti!! We need more of her 🙂