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Currents To Medical Center Employees: The week of May 6 - 12 was National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week.  This is a time to reflect upon our patient care, teaching and research mission and to celebrate our accomplishments.  We have been called upon to do more with less while continuing to provide excellent patient care.  Medical Center employees have done an exceptional job in meeting the challenge and we should all be proud.  As a small token of appreciation, employees are being given a coupon valued at $4 for meals within the Medical Center cafeteria.  Employees on the Authority payroll will receive their coupons in their May 30 or 31 paychecks, and coupons will be issued directly to others not on the Authority payroll itself (Crothall, Marriott, Ambulatory Care and CMH). Thank you very much for all that you do in making MUSC an exemplary place to be. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center   Medical Center presents Affirmative Action Program  Under its standing as a “new” legal entity, the Medical University Hospital Authority (Medical Center) has prepared an affirmative action program for minorities and women that complies with requirements of the S.C. State Human Affairs Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor. “It has been, and will continue to be, the policy of the Medical University Hospital Authority to recruit, hire, train and promote into all job levels the most qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability or veteran status,” said Susan Carullo, manager of Medical Center Employment, Compensation and Employee Relations. Carullo emphasized that affirmative action deals not only with hiring, but also with all personnel-related decisions. Carullo reminded managers to document each hiring decision, following the employment policy guidelines. She said the Medical Center Human Resources office will be offering training sessions for managers—dates to be announced. Copies of the affirmative action plan were issued to all Medical Center managers. The Medical Center's affirmative action policy statement, which underscores our commitment to equal employment opportunity, is disseminated through numerous sources including the HR office, the HR policy manual and bulletin board postings.  For more information, contact the Medical Center HR Equal Employment Opportunity coordinator, Mary Brigman at 792-0856. Dean of Graduate Studies urges support of 2001 YES Campaign Perry Halushka, dean for Graduate Studies and chair of the 2001 Yes Campaign, encouraged MUSC employees to make a tax-deductible contribution to the campaign. “This is a unique opportunity for us as a family of employees to give back to the community in a way that has such a positive impact on the lives and health of our friends and neighbors,” Halushka said. The YES Campaign is an internal fundraising drive that allows employees to make donations to more than 300 funds throughout the Medical University. The donations provide scholarships, patient counseling services and community outreach programs, along with funding of important research projects. The goal of the 2001 campaign is to raise $235,000. Lisa Montgomery, administrator, Finance and Support Services, detailed three new categories where employees can direct contributions: capital equipment, staff development and training, and clinical psychiatry. Medical Center focuses on fire safety, life safety readiness Mary Allen, coordinator, Environment of Care, Safety, Security and Volunteer Services, urged managers to make sure their departments are in compliance with fire and life safety regulations. She said surveyors can choose to inspect MUSC at any time to assure that all citations noted during the recent DHEC, Joint Commission and HCFA Medicare Validation surveys have been resolved. She commended Rutledge Tower for its 100 percent compliance on matters of life safety and fire safety readiness and urged all areas to follow the lead. “The key words are continued readiness,” she said. “Fire exits must be clearly marked and doorways cannot be blocked or wedged at any time. It is critical that the management team supports ongoing compliance with standards of care and services at the Medical Center.” Allen asked managers to review their areas utilizing the Environment of Care/Infection Control check list which can be viewed on the MUSC Intranet by going to the MUSC home page, then click on Patient Care, click on Intranet, click on JCAHO, click on EOC/IC Checklist. For more information, contact Allen at 792-5176. New staff attorney named Lisa Montgomery, administrator, Financial and Support Services, welcomed Annette Drachman as the new attorney for the Medical Center Hospital Authority (Medical Center). Drachman has 10 years experience in health care. She received her undergraduate degree at University of North Carolina, her jurisprudence at University of South Carolina and a master of health care administration degree from MUSC. Nurses of the year announced In celebration of Nursing Excellence for 2001 the announcement of the MUSC Nurses of the Year was made by Peggy Simmons, director of Therapeutic Services, on behalf of Clinical Services Administrator, Marilyn Schaffner.  Each department has the opportunity to select a nurse as their representative in the divisional contest for nurse of the year. The MUSC Nurse of the Year is chosen by a committee from the divisional winners. This year two nurses were named to represent MUSC as Nurse of the Year. These nurses, Greg Swant, Critical Care and Emergency Services, and Mary Johnson, Therapeutic Services, were honored at the Charleston Organization of Nurse Executives Nurse of the Year Awards Ceremony on May 9 at the Governor Thomas Bennett House. Nurses are selected for the award based on their ability to provide excellent nursing care, the degree to which they avail themselves to families and other professionals, their community involvement and professional affiliations and activities. “This award goes to nurses who go well beyond the call of duty,” Simmons said. Unit Nurses of the Year 2001 included: Ambulatory Care—Cindy Kick-lighter Cardiovascular Services—Christine Mancine Children’s Services  NNICU—Leslie Schall 7A—Vicki Williams 7B—Nicole Dean 7C—Laurie Hipwell PICU—Jennifer Larkins 8D—Sheri Gravois GCRC—Lori Bishop Critical Care and Emergency Services MICU—Greg Swant ER - Peds—Linda Young Burn—Luc Gagne 8 West—Tiffany Jones 10 East—Elaine Sola Hospital Options Pool—Terri Hamilton Institute of Psychiatry—Karen McHugh Surgery, Women’s & Infants PACU – Debra Hillman Ambulatory Surgery – Jean Windham Endoscopy – Cindy Ferguson Newborn Nursery – Judy Bain 5E – Mary Ann Bates Labor and Delivery—Myrtle Edwards Therapeutic Services 10 West—Mary Johnson 7 East—David Strickland 8 East—Bonnie Foulois 7 West—Chris Nelson 6 West—Michelle LeBleu The following nurses received the Nurse of the Year award for their division: Ambulatory Care—Cindy Kicklighter; Cardiovascular Services—  Christine Mancine; Children’s Services —Leslie Schall; Critical Care and Emergency Services—Greg Swant; Hospital Options Pool—Terri Hamilton; Institute of Psychiatry— Karen McHugh; Surgery, Women’s and Infants’ Services—Debra Hillman; and Therapeutic Services— Mary Johnson.