Novant Health Inside Remarkable

Ashleigh Hargrave  00:05

Welcome to mosaic, your Novant Health podcast for diversity, inclusion and equity. You'll learn more about the mosaic of similarities and differences that make us stronger, and how health equity benefits us all. Piece by piece, we're telling the stories of the beautiful mosaic of Novant Health.

Becky Knight  00:24

Monday, Jan. 17, 2022 marked the 39th observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the US Federal holiday that celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. King. At Novant Health we follow Dr. King's vision in our commitment to do the right thing for our patients, communities and each other. In years past, we have celebrated this day together with events that honor Dr. King's many achievements. This year, as we continue through another COVID-19 surge, our recognition was a bit different. Our spiritual care team, business resource groups, and others curated a presentation of poetry, prayer, and this powerful keynote by Raki McGregor, Novant Health vice president of new business growth. We share it again in this format in hopes that it may inspire and encourage you to stand up for what is right. Quoting Dr. King, the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Raki McGregor  01:27

As we talk about a new day of hope. I reflect back on Dr. Martin Luther King, and the many examples of servant leadership that he's shown us. I look back on March 17 2020. And I think about how our lives were forever changed that day. How we work, how we engage one another, how we live, where it is that we work. And I think about our frontline teams, our clinical team, and how they will yet again, put to the test and have been put to the test before that day and certainly ever since. And I know that it's a time where we have gotten weary, all of us have gotten weary. And then I reflect back on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and I say to myself, who encouraged him? What was he thinking about? Before he gave the speeches that are forever ingrained in our mind? What challenges was he facing? Through all of that effort and adversity and being thrown for a loop and the unexpected? On the journey. He continued to step to the podium. He continued to rise to the occasion. I remember a quote where he specifically was viewing or looking at health care. You may know the quote, It goes something like this. Of all the forms of inequity, injustice and health care is the most shocking and inhumane. We think about the disproportionately impacted the communities that need us the most and how they were impacted the greatest during this pandemic. Those who have pre existing conditions. Those that were what, from the older populations, those that we're here to protect, needed. And we rose to that occasion. We stepped in the gap. We encourage them we encourage each other. We encourage their family during times of unprecedented pandemic and change. I think back on how we're actually living, the embodiment of Dr. Martin Luther King's vision as it pertains to health care. I think back on when he was assassinated, April 4 1968. And the challenge and the shock and the uncertainty that we all felt yet the seeds that he had sown outlived him. The dreams that he spoke about, had not yet been seen. but because of his advocacy, because of this life, because when he was uncertain, he still stepped to the podium. And he used his gifts and talents to encourage us to bring forth a new day of hope. So as we think through that, we should only hope that we can be as fortunate, as Dr. Martin Luther King, that our dreams outlive us so that our children and our children's children can reap the benefit of what we are all building, and healthcare. So it's not just what you do. But Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. also showed us it's important how you do it. It's the value system that we leverage to do it. It's compassion, ensuring that our families, our patients, they know that we're here to give them kindness, empathy, and respect. That from a diversity and inclusion standpoint, we recognize that all voices should have an opportunity to be heard.

Personal excellence bringing your best self to work. That has been a difficult task for us to do every day, during this pandemic journey. I would imagine, it was a difficult task for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But yet, he rose to the podium. And yet we have team members day in and day out that rise to the occasion that teamwork is necessary for us to make the impact on the commitment of our vision and our mission. What is our mission is simple. Our mission is to improve the health of our communities, one person at a time, our community, the underserved communities. That is our mission. And how do we do that? By being courageous, by standing up for what's right, by being present. And above all, doing it in a safe manner and ensuring that we first do no harm. And so I am thankful I am elated to be here to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy. And I want us all to keep fighting for solution and a new day of hope. Let's continue his legacy. Through all of us. Thank you

Ashleigh Hargrave  08:21

Thanks for listening to mosaic your podcast for diversity, inclusion and equity and Novant Health. Stay tuned for our next exciting episode.

Tune in to the final episode in a three-part series that explores the experiences of Novant Health nurses who have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode of Bedside Report, Michael and Daria speak with Paris Lawhorn, BSN, RN, Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Fallon Houk, BSN, RN, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, and Heather Blackburn, RN, Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center. All three talk about the contribution of emergency nurses in navigating the early days of COVID-19, and what they are seeing one year later.

In this episode, we speak with Brittany Samuels, a Novant Health nurse,  about the Novant Health Upward Mobility RN Scholarship Program. Your generous pledges through Giving. Serving. Together helped Brittany to fulfill her dream of becoming a registered nurse.

In this episode, we follow-up with Nikki Nissen, senior director and chief nursing officer, NHMG. In our episode Accidental Leadership, Nikki shared that she tried finding her high school mentor for years, but has never had any luck. We check back in with her after some Novant Health team members made a reunion possible.

In this episode, Kirsten Royster, president of Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center and Novant Health system chief patient experience officer, talks with John Linkous and Renae Caldwell, directors of patient experience, about how we bring the human experience to life at Novant Health.

One day, Bill Gavett, emergency services paramedic at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, found himself no longer in need of his Toyota Camry. His fellow team member, Johnisha Conner, had recently been in a car accident and could not afford another car. In an inspiring act of kindness, Bill decided to give his car to Johnisha. This story shows us our people credo in action and reminds us that one act of compassion can have a long-lasting impact on the life of a friend.

Stacy-Ann Whitton, early intervention specialist, has dedicated her career to helping children with developmental delays and disabilities. Her passion for her profession comes from her own experience watching her son struggle with serious illness as a baby. Hear her story and how she creates a remarkable experience for our youngest patients and their families. 

In this episode, we speak with the Lippard family about their lifelong ties to Novant Health.

Trang Vuong, MD, shares her story of how escaping communist Vietnam now impacts how she cares for her patients at Novant Health Primary Care Poplar Tent.

What could possibly go wrong? That's a question David Priest, MD, chief safety, quality and epidemiology officer, often asks — and he wants every Novant Health team member to ask themselves, too.  

Find out what Novant Health is doing to ensure every patient's experience is safe and remarkable and how you can use our safety behaviors to support our journey to First, Do No Harm.  

In this episode of Inside Remarkable, we speak with Julie Barfield, a Great 100 nurse, about the importance of taking chances and making a difference in the lives of our patients.

Today, we sit down with Tonya Robinson, a volunteer coordinator at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center. She always felt the calling to help others and knew that healthcare would be the best place to serve her community. Listen on to hear more about Tonya’s role at Novant Health and how she earned the honor of representing North Carolina as a Lung Force Hero at Congress in March 2020. 

Chief safety, quality and epidemiology officer David Priest, MD, discusses different safety and quality rating programs. In this episode he covers Leapfrog Group safety grades, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services five-star quality rating system and more. 

In this episode we hear from Kimberly “Kitty” Webb, Novant Health patient partnership specialist, about how she often felt vulnerable as a child growing up in foster care. Her understanding of what it means to be vulnerable now helps Kitty relate to patients, who can also feel vulnerable at times.

In this episode we hear from Jean Miller, outreach resource specialist at Novant Health Today’s Woman OB/GYN and recipient of the Mark, our team member recognition program. Jean works tirelessly to reduce infant mortality rates by connecting patients with resources that can positively impact their babies’ health, things like education, food, transportation, counseling and housing. Jean’s story of inspiring patients and going the extra mile reveals to us the secret to receiving the Mark.

In October, Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center celebrated its one year anniversary. In those 365 days, our team members have provided a remarkable patient experience for thousands of patients. Now, Joy Greear, the president and chief operating officer at Mint Hill, takes us on the hospital’s journey from planning the layout and breaking ground to caring for patients today.

In this episode, we speak with Chandra Swaim, a nurse at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center, about how a scary experience as a patient inspired her to become a nurse and the unexpected way she was reconnected with her past.

In this episode of Inside Remarkable, Nikki Nissen, senior director and chief nursing officer for the Novant Health Medical Group, details her journey of living in foster care, becoming a teenage mother and her "accidental" rise into nursing leadership. Find out who she credits all her success to.