May 2023
6A Detox Nurse Team
at UPMC Mercy
Detox
UPMC Mercy
Pittsburgh
,
PA
United States
Ian Cummins, MSN, RN-BC, CNL
Chris Schneider, BSN, CARN
Christina Gipperich, BSN, RN
David Zimmerman, RN
Gwen Brogan, RN
Diana Liston, RN
Lori Gongaware, RN
Mara Mooney, RN
Amy Risko, BSN, RN
Jason Garrity, BSN, RN
Leeanne Bracco, RN
Brandon Butler, RN
Nicole Grimes, RN
Melissa Dellaria, RN
Kelsey May, BSN, RN
Rachel Valentine, RN
Christina Guerriero, RN
Kelly Drummond, BSN, RN
Alysa Stephenson, RN
Emily Soldridge, BSN, RN
Julie Welles, RN
Alexis Little, RN
Shannon Cavacino-Stead, RN
Todd Harvey, BSN, RN, CARN
Sharon Gould, MSN, RN CARN
Jill Stefaniak, RN
Chris Schneider, BSN, CARN
Christina Gipperich, BSN, RN
David Zimmerman, RN
Gwen Brogan, RN
Diana Liston, RN
Lori Gongaware, RN
Mara Mooney, RN
Amy Risko, BSN, RN
Jason Garrity, BSN, RN
Leeanne Bracco, RN
Brandon Butler, RN
Nicole Grimes, RN
Melissa Dellaria, RN
Kelsey May, BSN, RN
Rachel Valentine, RN
Christina Guerriero, RN
Kelly Drummond, BSN, RN
Alysa Stephenson, RN
Emily Soldridge, BSN, RN
Julie Welles, RN
Alexis Little, RN
Shannon Cavacino-Stead, RN
Todd Harvey, BSN, RN, CARN
Sharon Gould, MSN, RN CARN
Jill Stefaniak, RN
At UPMC Mercy lies a small 18-bed unit staffed by a dedicated group of professionals who have their hearts set on one thing: helping those suffering from addiction. Since moving to UPMC Mercy Hospital in 2010, the individuals employed on this unit have committed their careers, education, and expertise to ensure patients suffering from addiction are treated with the utmost dignity and respect during their hospitalization. These staff have chosen to work with the population suffering from substance use disorders, understanding not only the challenges that occur but also the rewarding moments of seeing hope in eyes that previously held none. The 6A team is a close-knit, family-like group. This support permeates to the care provided to patients. Patients feel that when they have no place left to turn, in some cases even alienating themselves from family, they can find care, comfort, and hope from the staff of Mercy Addiction Medicine Unit. It is commonplace to have a patient have all staff respond to and check in on them, care for them, and listen to them. The staff and nurses never have a “someone else’s job” mentality. Many of the staff members are advocates for patients suffering from addiction both inside and outside of UPMC Mercy. Inside of UPMC Mercy, we have staff members on committees supporting Narcan and overdose prevention, Crisis Incident Stress Management (CISM), and Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM). These committees support patients and staff members to reduce staff and patient injuries. During their brief time on our unit, patients are encouraged to re-establish their own authentic sense of self-worth. This is accomplished from the moment the patient arrives on the floor and is given a tour of the unit to the moment of discharge when patients are presented by the staff with a “Mercy detox coin” that is engraved with the saying “You must decide what to do with the rest of your life.” This coin is presented by staff as a reminder of the patient's courageous choice to seek treatment and as a challenge to continue taking healthy and positive steps in their recovery.