May 2021
7 Main
Oncology
7 Main Oncology
UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside Hospital
Erin Amendola BSN RN, Julia Barnett BSN RN, Erica Bednarowicz BSN RN, Bryonna Beeson HUC, Chandlar Benjamin PCT, Rachel Bergeron PCT, Tracy Billig RN, Emily Bolton BSN RN, Daja Boozer-Wells PCT, Ashley Brooks PCT, Jill Brown RN, Patricia Buck BSN RN, Brittany Burkhouse RN, Rose Collier BSN RN, Tiffany Dangerfield RN, Benjamin Debolt PCT, Pierce Drexler PCT, Mayjee Gasparovich BSN RN, Savanna Gongloff BSN RN, Shannon Grainy RN, Stephanie Greene BSN RN, Cassidy Handler PCT, Catherine Hunter PCT, Terna Ikper PCT, Ananda Jones PCT, Amber Kanoza HUC, Sarah Karabin PCT, Cheyenne Kinch PCT, Bailey Kriebel RN, Anna Maria Lang BSN RN, Megan Mann BSN RN, Jessica Medwick RN, Caitlyn Miller BSN RN, Chrystal Monticue PCT, Kelly Morgan BSN RN, Allison Mrkonja RN, Alexander Mueller BSN RN, Sandra Oliva PCT, Cairo Palmiere PCT, Lindsay Pegher MSN RN Unit Director, Megan Pietrusinski BSN RN, Destinee Retzer PCT, Dominic Richards RN, Meena Rocky RN, Jenna Rosenberg BSN RN, Serena Ruggiero PCT, Caitlin Ryan BSN RN, Mary Schaude BSN RN,
Katherine Spellman PCT, Jessica Thomas BSN RN, James Threatt PCT, Jacqueline Trahern BSN RN, Nicholas VanSickle RN, Frances Watkins-Jackson PCT, Anja Wendt HUC, Miranda Weston BSN RN, Allison Wingrove BSN RN
Katherine Spellman PCT, Jessica Thomas BSN RN, James Threatt PCT, Jacqueline Trahern BSN RN, Nicholas VanSickle RN, Frances Watkins-Jackson PCT, Anja Wendt HUC, Miranda Weston BSN RN, Allison Wingrove BSN RN
The 7 Main team works together for the well-being of each patient and their family.
Compassion, dedication, empathy, team-work. 7 Main is a 27-bed hematology unit with most of the population having leukemia diagnosis. Often, the first time we meet our patients is immediately after they receive that life-threatening news. In addition to immediate treatments, our patients require support, education, and extensive care. Caring for the oncology population has always been physically and emotionally challenging for the staff and 2020 proved to exponentially increase these challenges. The 7 Main team embraced those challenges and superseded patient and family expectations each and every day.
A patient's words described the team as "very friendly, caring, compassionate, and excellent in treating me physically and emotionally." Another notes "the nurses go the extra mile to do whatever they can for us patients." Yet another thanks the team for "shepherding me and my family through one of the biggest challenges in my life." While these are just a small snippet of patient comments that we received throughout year, these sentiments are echoed by many who have spent time on 7 Main.
While I wish I could acknowledge every effort by every individual, there is not enough words. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, while there were so many stressors for them, they wanted to make a difference in the community and raised $830 dollars for the Greater Pittsburgh Foodbank. This fall, the group helped to raise a total of $1,597 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The staff has and continues to endure two significant construction projects on 7 Main – even temporarily relocating some patients and their nurses to 3 Main for a few months. The staff took it all in stride and turned it into a team building adventure. I remember a long-time patient who had a bell to ring when her treatment was completed. She rang that bell enthusiastically before leaving the floor. The staff was very inspired. They then collaborated to get a bell hung on the unit for other patients who are at the end of their treatment and in remission. Each patient that has had the opportunity to ring the bell, does so with applause and happy tears from the staff.
As their leader, I am most impacted by the lasting impression this team has on patients and their families. Many times over the past year the staff received cards, snacks, and calls from patients in remission or from the families of patients we have lost. Countless times within 24 hours of a past patient's death the unit receives a call from the child/spouse to let the team know. At what could arguably be a families' worst time, they think of 7 Main. They want to share their loss, hear the team's words of comfort, and offer their thank-you’s.
Ultimately, the team award recognizes that while an idea to achieve better patient / family outcomes may start with one individual, it takes the entire group to meet those goals. The 7 Main team works together for the well-being of each patient and their family. They celebrate the victories, they comfort and listen during the hard times, they grieve and acknowledge the losses, all while caring and advocating for the other patients on the unit. Thank you.
A patient's words described the team as "very friendly, caring, compassionate, and excellent in treating me physically and emotionally." Another notes "the nurses go the extra mile to do whatever they can for us patients." Yet another thanks the team for "shepherding me and my family through one of the biggest challenges in my life." While these are just a small snippet of patient comments that we received throughout year, these sentiments are echoed by many who have spent time on 7 Main.
While I wish I could acknowledge every effort by every individual, there is not enough words. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, while there were so many stressors for them, they wanted to make a difference in the community and raised $830 dollars for the Greater Pittsburgh Foodbank. This fall, the group helped to raise a total of $1,597 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The staff has and continues to endure two significant construction projects on 7 Main – even temporarily relocating some patients and their nurses to 3 Main for a few months. The staff took it all in stride and turned it into a team building adventure. I remember a long-time patient who had a bell to ring when her treatment was completed. She rang that bell enthusiastically before leaving the floor. The staff was very inspired. They then collaborated to get a bell hung on the unit for other patients who are at the end of their treatment and in remission. Each patient that has had the opportunity to ring the bell, does so with applause and happy tears from the staff.
As their leader, I am most impacted by the lasting impression this team has on patients and their families. Many times over the past year the staff received cards, snacks, and calls from patients in remission or from the families of patients we have lost. Countless times within 24 hours of a past patient's death the unit receives a call from the child/spouse to let the team know. At what could arguably be a families' worst time, they think of 7 Main. They want to share their loss, hear the team's words of comfort, and offer their thank-you’s.
Ultimately, the team award recognizes that while an idea to achieve better patient / family outcomes may start with one individual, it takes the entire group to meet those goals. The 7 Main team works together for the well-being of each patient and their family. They celebrate the victories, they comfort and listen during the hard times, they grieve and acknowledge the losses, all while caring and advocating for the other patients on the unit. Thank you.