Research Medical Center

🐝 Congratulations to our newest BEE Award winner 🐝, Gustavo Pineda, a PCT from Renal Transplant! Standing for “Beyond Exceptional Expectations,” the BEE Award is given to a colleague who showcases teamwork and amazing patient care. One of our patients who nominated Gustavo said: “He has a heart of gold! The morning I woke up in my room, I was in a lot of pain. He held my hand and asked if I was okay, not once, but multiple times. His calming voice helped me a lot. Every time he came into my room, he relaxed me with his presence and smile. I will never forget this man. He touched my inner soul more than anyone has in the past in my health journey." Thank you for all you do Gustavo!

We are pleased to announce that our Assistant Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Garcia has been nominated and accepted as a member of the Executive Development Program Class of 2025! The Executive Development Program (EDP) is a year-long program for top management talent who aspire to step into C-Suite positions in the future. The Executive Development Program is part of HCA Healthcare’s Leadership Institute, which has graduated more than 16,850 colleagues since its inception in 2014. Congratulations!

Join us in congratulating our May Employee of Month, Patricia Lunn! Her nomination reads, "Pat exemplifies what I think of when I am imagining teammates that I would like to work with. She arrives on time with a smile and a positive word for each person. Her exuberant personality is infectious to the team. She is the first to volunteer for anything and always willing to help. She is recognized for the excellent care she provides by patients and providers frequently. She readily hands out support to teammates that need it whether it be a hug or lending an ear. She is an amazing part of the nephrology team!" Congratulations, Patricia! Thank you for your commitment to ensuring our patients receive high-quality, compassionate care.

Nearly 50 children of Research Medical Center staff turned out for the hospital’s annual Take Your Child to Work Day to get a glimpse of what it’s like to work in healthcare. The kids, ages 8-13, received tours of the rehabilitation, laboratory, surgery, pharmacy, radiology, infection control and emergency medicine departments. Among the many hands-on learning activities they enjoyed were using a surgical robot to grasp items, counting and packaging medication (aka candy), identifying items in an X-ray, viewing blood samples with a microscope, tasting thickening agents and trying out adaptive equipment used with therapy patients, exploring first responders’ vehicles and seeing equipment used in emergencies. The kids also enjoyed lunch with their family members and created thank you notes for staff and patients. We hope to welcome them back in the future as Research Medical Center employees!

This week we’re giving high fives all around to RMC’s 7East Neuro Nursing Unit, who went 365 days without their patients experiencing any hospital acquired infections (HAIs). While medical devices like IVs, Foley catheters, and central lines are critical components of patient care, there’s also a risk associated with these devices of patients experiencing an infection. But thanks to the 7East Neuro Nursing Unit team’s diligence in following safety protocols and quality guidelines, HAIs were avoided for an entire year. “This is an incredible achievement and they’ve certainly set the standard for other hospital teams to emulate,” said Sophia Solomon, RMC’s vice president of Quality, Risk, Safety, and Infection Prevention. “Going 365 days without an HAI is a perfect example of this team’s commitment to excellence and illustrates how we show up for our patients every day.” #WeShowUp #CareLikeFamily

🎉🎉 Thank you to Carolyn Bethel, LPN, for serving patients, visitors and colleagues for 55 dedicated years! Carolyn is a compassionate hard-working LPN who will be missed by many at Research Medical Center and HCA Midwest Health. Congratulations on your retirement! #WeShowUp

At HCA Healthcare, we are dedicated to promoting an inclusive culture for our patients, colleagues and the communities we serve. Each May, Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Heritage Month commemorates the vital contributions of Asian and Pacific Islanders to the American story. As a part of HCA Healthcare, Research Medical Center celebrates by uplifting the unique experiences of and recognizing the diverse histories, cultures and languages that exist within the API community. #PositiveImpact #APIHeritageMonth

As we wrap up National Donate Life Month, we’re recognizing Dr. Anthony Harrington, Research Medical Center’s Stroke and Neurology Medical Director, who recently received an Excellence in Donation Award from the Midwest Transplant Network (MTN). In bestowing the award, MTN representatives noted Dr. Harrington’s dedication to providing compassionate care and work in updating RMC’s Brain Death Policy based on new guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology. “I'm very humbled and honored to receive this award. I feel fortunate to be a small part in helping family members with end-of life-care and further to aid in the sharing of life,” said Dr. Harrington. “Our hospital deals with a very high level of acuity every day, and our relationship with organizations like MTN helps foster a stewardship for organ donation and further save lives within our community.” Research Medical Center has been a longtime partner with MTN and was proud to help facilitate the first organ donor at its Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit, when the seven-bed ICU opened in 2022. Thanks to Dr. Harrington and MTN for providing support and compassion to patients and their families – and for their continued efforts to provide the gift of life to those in our community.

This week we’re shining a light on our Research Psychiatric Center’s Music Therapy Program and the various ways in which it benefits inpatients. Since launching the program in 2021, music therapist Grace, has led more than 1,280 group therapy sessions with patients, ranging in age from adolescents to seniors, to work on such goals as regulating their moods, improving communication, learning coping mechanisms and tapping into creative expression. “Music touches everyone, and you can always find a way to connect through music,” Grace says, who uses activities like playlist creation, music-based games, lyric analysis, songwriting and playing instruments (ukuleles and drums) to connect with patients. “Music helps me quickly get to know patients, understand what they’re going through and determine how best to help them reach their goals.” #WorldMusicTherapyWeek

A huge shout out to Kristin France, oncology nurse with Sarah Cannon Cancer Center, for her incredible acts of kindness. On one of her days off, she brightened the day of a long-term oncology patient who was craving non-hospital food by bringing her one of her favorite meals. She also provided support to a patient suffering from PTSD from another unit. “Kristin was just wonderful – she is so awesome! She went out of her way to connect us with a friend of hers who is about my son’s age that recently went through issues with addiction. The fact that she was willing to do this is so thoughtful and above and beyond.” These acts truly embody the kindness and compassion that our nurses demonstrate every day. It’s the little things like this that make the biggest difference in our patients’ lives. Thank you, Kristin, for your unwavering commitment to the well-being our patients! #ProudToBeRMC #WeShowUp #CareLikeFamily