Saving lives, one handbag at a time 

Tracy Stevens, M.D., (left) with actress/singer/author Vanessa Williams, at the launch for Handbags & Hearts in New York.

Tracy Stevens, M.D., shares expertise in new national women's heart health campaign - Handbags & Hearts

Saint Luke's cardiologist Tracy Stevens, M.D., is sharing her considerable clinical expertise in a national heart health awareness campaign that launched on May 7. The campaign features actress/singer/author Vanessa Williams, who lost two grandmothers to heart attacks at young ages.

The campaign, Handbags & Hearts, leverages the link between women and their handbags - the one item they do not leave home without - and urges women to take the Handbags & Hearts pledge to carry aspirin at all times to be prepared for a sudden heart attack. Being prepared by carrying aspirin, knowing the symptoms of heart attack, and not putting off calling 911 if a heart attack is suspected, can be the difference between life and death. Handbags & Hearts is a partnership with Bayer HealthCare, the makers of Bayer® Aspirin, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, and Williams.

Dr. Stevens is medical director of the Saint Luke's Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center and member of WomenHeart's national Scientific Advisory Council, WomenHeart's advisory group of the nation's leading experts on women's heart health. Dr. Stevens participated in a national media tour for the Handbags & Hearts kick-off this week.

Take the pledge

For every pledge to make over a handbag by adding potentially life-saving aspirin made on HandbagsAndHearts.com, Bayer HealthCare will make donations to WomenHeart to support its mission to serve the 42 million American women living with or at risk for heart disease. To learn more about Handbags & Hearts and to take the pledge, visit HandbagsAndHearts.com.

Employee Opinion Survey

SLHS project wins 2013 KCHP Research Award

A project in which Saint Luke's Health System achieved major reductions in drug costs was recognized as the Kansas Council of Health System Pharmacists (KCHP) 2013 Research Award winner at the KCHP Annual Meeting in Wichita, Kan., April 5 and 6. The project, "Evaluation of Intravenous Iron Sucrose Prescribing After Implementation of a Mandatory Order Set Across Four System Hospitals," was presented by Spencer Pummel, Pharm.D., and Scott Aldridge, Pharm.D., B.C.P.S. Co-collaborators on the project included Haseeb Ahmed, M.D., Shannon Lynn, R.N., Colleen Littrell, R.N., Janet McDaniel, R.N., the SLHS Blood Management Committee, and Saint Luke's Care.

The project assessed the impact of requiring the use of an evidence-based order set on IV iron utilization in the four metro Saint Luke's hospitals. Key findings included a 15.7 percent reduction in total IV iron dose per patient, a 46.2 percent reduction in the number of patients receiving IV iron, and a 28 percent increase in the number of patients meeting the evidence-based guidelines for IV iron use. It was estimated that these changes in usage patterns resulted in an annual cost savings of approximately $302,169.

Michelle Neville Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Family and friends established the Michelle Neville Memorial Nursing Scholarship at Saint Luke's College in 2002 to celebrate Neville's love of nursing and Saint Luke's.

Neville first came to Saint Luke's in 1976 as a student nurse and graduated in 1979. During these years, she met her future husband, Denis, who was also a Saint Luke's nursing student. After graduation, she worked as a staff nurse on North 3 and then as an assistant head nurse. In 1982, she joined the faculty of Saint Luke's Hospital School of Nursing as an assistant clinical instructor. Following a Master of Arts degree in Gerontology and Health Services Management, Neville became the director of the Learning Resource Center and an assistant professor on the faculty.

Neville was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, leiomyosarcoma, in August 1998. Her journey was challenging as she coped with many complications from her disease. Her undaunted spirit was a testimony to her strength and was shared with those who knew her at Saint Luke's.

The Michelle Neville Memorial Nursing Scholarship is awarded annually to an incoming senior nursing student who exhibits the caring spirit of nursing - sensitivity, creativity, intelligent understanding, sense of humor, and compassion meant so much to Neville.

Please nominate a Saint Luke's College nursing student who will graduate in December 2013. Click here to view the nomination form. Nominations can be submitted to Jan Whitlow at jwhitlow@saint-lukes.org. The application deadline is Friday, May 17. If you have any questions, please contact Whitlow at 816-932-6746.

Note of appreciation

Every day I am reminded about the incredible work of our nursing staff. But as we celebrate Nurses Week, I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to each of our nurses. Thank you for all you do for our patients and for each other. You are not only clinically excellent, but you deliver compassionate care that makes a true difference in the lives of your patients. As we celebrate you this week, please acknowledge and celebrate your individual and team accomplishments.

- Debbie White, SLH Chief Nursing Officer

March of Dimes fundraisers

Thank you to everyone who participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies Fundraiser "Up Close and Personal." This activity allowed employees to "purchase" an hour or two of their favorite HLG members' time to work in their areas! Look for leadership in various hospital departments during Hospital Week on May 12 - 18.

Let's share how we all contribute to the vision of making Saint Luke's the best place to get and give care! Keep your eyes open - you never know who you will spot!

Congratulations to the following "Rock Star Parking" winners:

• May - Susan Kramer
• June - Kristy Gibson
• July - Kristy Gibson

National Women's Health Week

Women often serve as primary caregivers for their families, putting the needs of loved ones before their own. So, as part of National Women's Health Week, we want you to take a little time for yourself. Visit the display table outside the Broadway Dining exit (near the Information Desk) from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on May 13 - 17.

You'll learn important health information from:

• Breast Center
• Dermatology/Plastic Surgery
• Maternal Fetal Medicine/Parent Education
• Women's Heart Center
• Rose Brooks Bridge Program

Clinical Excellence in Nursing Ceremony

NPD Council, Nursing Administration, and the SLH Foundation would like to invite SLH employees to the annual Clinical Excellence in Nursing Ceremony on May 9, at 4:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. This ceremony honors nursing staff that has gone above and beyond in caring for our patients. The afternoon is always inspirational and a cake and punch reception will follow.

Click here for more information.

Chef's Specialty Cuban Delight on May 15

Saint Luke's Hospice House call for photographers

If your photography is at "nearly professional" level, please consider submitting your work to be displayed at Saint Luke's Hospice House, which opens in July. The Hospice House team hopes to create a sophisticated art collection that complements their mission.

Photograph submission

Accomplished photographers may submit whatever you like. These can be rural scenes, urban scenes, gritty work, abstracted, figurative, thought provoking, or inspirational. Leopold Gallery and staff from Saint Luke's will review all photographic submissions.

Submission process

• Please submit 5-10 images in low-resolution JPGs, 72 DPI or lower.
• Each image must be titled.
• Please provide all necessary contact information.
• We will request high-resolution images of the photographers who are selected.
• Email photos to email@leopoldgallery.com
• Write "Saint Luke's Hospice House Art Program" in the subject line.
• If you have questions, please call Leopold Gallery at 816-333-3111.

Deadline

All submissions must be received by May 24.

Compensation

Unfortunately, the budget for this project does not allow for the payment of an honorarium. However, photographs will be professionally printed and framed with a title plaque next to each work.