March 2018
Lori
Kuss
,
RN
Out Patient Infusion Center
Piedmont Fayette Hospital
Fayetteville
,
GA
United States
Lori, as an outpatient infusion nurse, cares for patients requiring intermittent infusions of various medication regimes including chemotherapy. Lori cares for her patients in a holistic manner, focusing on healing the whole person, body, mind, and spirit, which includes their environment. In addition to nursing, Lori is an avid gardener and understands the positive impact nature has on wellbeing. She wanted to bring nature closer to her patients and create a habitat for pollinators, and she knew the perfect spot to do so, the garden area located within the Cole Family Plaza. Patients and visitors walk by the garden area on their way into the Outpatient Infusion Center and can view the garden from the treatment area. Lori approached Dr. Frank Cole at the Cancer Survivor's BBQ this past summer about her idea of creating a pollinator habitat in the garden area. Dr. Cole and the PFH leadership team approved her idea; so, in late fall of 2017, Lori's idea to enhance the patient care environment became a reality. Working with Art of Landscape from Fayetteville, Lori worked with a group of individuals to clear the garden and then plant (425) various flowers and shrubs that will bloom into a certified pollinator habitat. Through her work, Lori is making a positive difference in the lives of her patients and in our environment by creating a habitat that provides food, shelter, and water for pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Thank you, Lori!