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Alumni Newsletter Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing Page 1
Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing
Alumni Newsletter
A Publication for Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse Graduates • October 2007
A Message from the President
Greetings,
Summer was short this season and now fall is upon us. The vacations are over and school
is back in session. It’s a new start. This newsletter represents a new start for the Alumni. The
form of the newsletter has changed, with several new features, including articles from former
alumni and staff at Samaritan. The newsletter will be sent out twice a year (fall and spring). We
welcome any feedback or suggestions for future editions.
As you can see, the alumni board has been busy working to update the newsletter and at
some point in the near future, we will have a website. This site will include information on
scholarship applications that can be downloaded. We also look forward to hearing from all of
our alumni and finding out what they are up to these days.
I would like to thank Dan O’Connell, who has been working hard on the newsletter and in
keeping up with current addresses. Since our last newsletter and due to Dan’s efforts,
membership (paid) is up about 8%. If you have any address changes or would like to join the
association, please contact Dan.
I want to congratulate Kathy Hamel for being chosen as one of the first students for the
Sage College doctoral nursing program which will begin this year. Kathy currently is Chief of
Nursing at Saratoga Hospital. On a sad note, I wish to acknowledge the passing of James E.
Falzo at age 78. James for many years was the jeweler who made the sabers for our caps.
The November dinner meeting will have a change in venue. Once again, we will have Rachael
Donaldson, archivist of nursing history, presenting and giving a tour of the archive in Guilderland
(see dinner news). Rachael presented a wonderful program at the May meeting. We are all
excited and hope many can attend.
I hope this fall and the coming colder months find you all in good health. Happy Holidays!
Tamara Yankowski, President
Ad-Hoc Committee on Communications
The alumni board and the ad hoc committee formed to improve communication hope you
are pleased with the new format and content of the first edition of the updated Alumni Newsletter.
Thanks to those of you who gave us some great suggestions for the types of articles that
would meet your interests. We hope you will enjoy the new format and receive information that
is helpful in your nursing career.
A special thanks to those members of Northeast Health and Samaritan Hospital staff who
have agreed to provide articles of interest based on of your suggestions. As many of you
know, jobs in healthcare today are very busy and the time and effort taken by Theresa Pepe,
‘ 80, Director of Education - Acute Care Div. of Northeast Health (NEH), Susan Birkhead,
Director of the School of Nursing at Samaritan Hospital and Jon Nolan, Supervising Pharmacist
at Samaritan Hospital is greatly appreciated.
Also, a special thanks to my fellow alumni board members for their guidance, suggestions
and time taken to simply collate, stuff envelopes and mail the newsletter!
As always, your suggestions and comments are welcome. Now that the Phase II of the
Communication Development Plan has been completed, work will start on the last phase,
development of a website.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan O’Connell, Chair
Dedication
This issue is dedicated to Mary “Betsy” VanAlstine Finkel, ’46
for her many years of volunteering her services as Alumni Treasurer
and Chair of the Communications Committee.
Thank you Betsy for helping to keep the Alumni Association functioning and allowing the
graduates to maintain happy memories and the traditions experienced at the School of Nursing.
New School of Nursing
Director Appointed
Susan Birkhead has been appointed
Director of the school. Susan has been on
the faculty for 11 years, teaching Nursing II
the whole time. Nursing II is the med-surg
course which is taken by the students in
the second semester of their first year. So
that is twenty-two semesters of teaching
students to give injections (among many
other things)!
Susan graduated from Boston University
with her BSN in 1974. She worked at the
Boston Hospital for Women right after she
graduated, aiming to work in the Labor &
Delivery department. She did do that, and
her first evening as charge nurse, she
managed 13 deliveries! She moved to
University Hospital in 1977 to the medical
hematology oncology unit, where she
eventually became the nurse-manager.
Needing a change, Susan traveled to
Thailand in 1983 where she worked as a
volunteer in a small hospital which provided
health care to Laotian hill-tribe refugees and
local Thai people. After that, in 1985 she
obtained her MPH from the Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore. Her travels then led
her to the Vermont Department of Health
where she consulted on health planning,
and finally to the Centers for Disease
Control, where she worked as a nurse
epidemiologist. At the CDC she worked in
the Hospital Infections Program, evaluating
health care workers’ risk of developing HIV
infection after occupational mucus
membrane and percutaneous exposure to
the HIV retrovirus.
Susan moved to the Capital District in
1988. She worked for two years as weekend
supervisor at Albany Memorial Hospital.
Susan came to the Samaritan Hospital
School of Nursing in December, 1996. She
has truly loved teaching nursing and feels
that the School is her professional “home”.
Her vision for the School is to continue the
tradition of excellence in nursing education!
Susan is married, and lives in Delmar. She
has two daughters, both of whom are now
in college, so she has just become an
“empty nester”.
Susan would be pleased to hear from any
alumni, and of course, she always
welcomes visitors!

Page 2 Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Newsletter
Committee Reports (Scholarships & Assistance)
Belknap Committee
The Lenora E. Belknap Scholarship Fund
was created in 1991 through funds given to
the Samaritan Hospital SON Alumni Association,
Inc. to establish a lasting memorial
to Miss Belknap. The original donor stated
that the fund should be used “ as a scholarship
assistance for a Samaritan graduate of
the Registered Nursing Program of the Samaritan
Hospital SON who has matriculated
into a Masters level program in nursing.” (
Manual of the Samaritan Hospital School of
Nursing Alumni, Inc., revised: 1996).
The Alumni Board members determine
when the Belknap Funds are to be dispersed
annually to one sustaining alumni member.
This year’s recipient received $1000 and is
enrolled at SUNY IT at Utica NY in the
Master’s Nurse Practitioner program. We
extend our congratulations and wish her
good luck.
Alumni who wish to apply for next years
award may do so by requesting an application
form by addressing a letter to the Alumni
Association at Samaritan Hospital Attn:
Belknap Committee.
Mary Ellen (Varcasio) Dziarcak,
MS, RN ’76, Chair
Courtesy Committee
The Courtesy Committee maintains a
separate financial account within the Alumni.
Monies to finance the account are derived
from the annual dues. Therefore, the amount
available to the committee depends on the
Sustaining (dues paying) Membership or
donations made by alumni or other interested
persons.
Since January 1, 2007, 11 condolence
donations have been made to the Leora
Belknap Scholarship Fund in memory of
deceased alumni or members of their
immediate family.
The Infirmed List currently is comprised of
17 alumni. Cards are sent to these members
at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
If anyone has knowledge of an alumni who
should be placed on the Infirmed List or a
grad who is recently deceased and should
have a donation made to the Belknap Fund,
please notify Karen Henchey at (518) 283-
4967 or any other of the other following
committee members at the 518 area code:
Kathy Davis 273-4503 Donna Reed 674-
2569 Ellen Dunn 283-0431 Diane Dare 783-
8790
Karen Henchey,
Chair
District Liaison
The district committee acts as a liaison
between the Samaritan Alumni Association
and the Capital District #9 of the New York
State Nurses Association (NYSNA). All bills
proposed in the NYS Legislature and newly
enacted laws and other pertinent information
affecting the nursing profession is brought
to the attention of the alumni membership.
Current issues in committee are Mandatory
Overtime, Safe Staffing (nurse/patient ratios),
Education Advancement (requires RN’s to
attain a BS degree in nursing within 10 years
of the initial licensing) and Work Place
Violence. NYSNA was successful in having
support for nursing programs and nursing
faculty support included in the NYS Budget.
For further information, you can visit the
NYSNA.org/Legislative Advocacy website.
The committee currently consists of Karen
Henchey and Ellen Ladieu. We are looking
for another member. If anyone is interested
please contact me at (518) 283-4967.
Karen Henchey,
Chair
Mosley Committee
The Winifred A. Mosley Fund was created
in 1985 through monies left to the Alumni
Corporation by Winifred A. Mosley, ’26. The
Mosley Funds are used for communication
activities, to improve attendance and
participation in the membership meetings
and for charitable donations.
The committee holds two meeting a year
before the May and November Alumni
Meetings. We arrange for various guest
speakers to present information on current
nursing or medical topics such as; genetics,
women’s health care, electronic medical
record documentation and nursing historical
topics. The committee welcomes
suggestions for guest speakers and
restaurant locations for our dinner meetings.
New member participation on this committee
is also welcome.
Our next dinner meeting will be held on
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 6pm at the
Foundation of NYS Nurses located at 2113
Western Avenue, Guilderland, NY. A buffet
dinner will be available for $12.00 for
members and $20.00 for non-members.
Please see reservation form in this newsletter.
Joy Aloan,
Chair
Seber Committee
The Seber Scholarship Committee is
available to women who desire to become
Registered Nurses and to female and male
Registered Nurses who desire to do graduate
study in nursing. (the award from this fund
for people who wish to become an RN is
restricted to women only based on
stipulations in the donors Last Will and
Testament). Applicants are required to
document a need for financial assistance in
order to receive an award. Awards are
dispersed for Spring and Fall semesters.
Applicants must be Samaritan School of
Nursing (SON) graduates who are members
of the Alumni Inc. in good standing (dues
paying members) or female students in the
Registered Nurse program of the SON who
receive a recommendation from the Director
of the School of Nursing.
Applications may be obtained from any
Seber Committee member or by written
request to the committee chairperson % of
the Alumni Office, Samaritan Hospital, Troy,
NY 12180. The chairperson may also be
reached at (518) 326-9075.
Eleven scholarships totaling $1,650 were
awarded for the Fall ’07 semester.
Shirley DeCamp,
Chair
Sheldon Committee
The Doris Sheldon Fund was established
in 1986 by a gift from Doris Sheldon Collins
and her husband Robert to the Samaritan
Hospital School of Nursing (SON) Alumni
Association Charitable Foundation. The fund
was created to provide financial assistance
based on need to graduates of and others
associated with Samaritan Hospital SON in
their retired or mature years. “The intent is to
help those with limited resources enjoy a
fuller life, particularly when they no longer are
gainfully employed.” (Manual of Samaritan
Hospital SON Alumni Association Charitable
Foundation, revised: 1997).
Awards from the fund are given out
biannually. This year there were four $800
awards from the fund totaling $3,200. The
deadline for applications to receive benefits
from the fund is 10/31/07. The committee will
meet in November to review applications.
Please address letters to Samaritan Hospital
SON Alumni Association Charitable
Foundation Attn: Sheldon Fund.
Mary Ellen (Varcasio) Dziarcak,
MS, RN ’76, Chair

Alumni Newsletter Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing Page 3
Welsh Committee
The Welsh Fund was established in 1968
by the last will and testament of Blanche C.
Welsh. The purpose of the fund is to aid or
help sick and/or disabled nurses with their
medical expenses.
A maximum of $200 may be paid to a
member in a calendar year. An estimated
$1600 will be awarded this year. Applicants
must be in good standing (dues paying
members) with the Alumni Association
For more information regarding the Welsh
Fund or an application, please feel free to
contact the Welsh Committee Chairperson
at the Samaritan Hospital Alumni Association,
Troy, NY 12180 or at cyerdon@nycap.rr.com.
Christine Yerdon, Chair
Pharmacy Update: Medication
Reconciliation Working
Together to Improve Patient
Care
Medication Reconciliation is recognized
as one of the most important steps in
coordinating our patient’s healthcare. While
writing down a list of medications seems so
very simple, it isn’t until we follow a patient
through multiple transitions of care where
medications are changed, added, or deleted
by multiple caregivers that we realize how
easily mistakes can be made. If we add to
this outside influences such as therapeutic
substitutions due to drug formulary
restrictions, we can easily see why
reconciliation must occur at every change in
a patient’s level of care by trained
professionals in varied disciplines.
Computerization: Utilizing our clinical
software we have created routines and
menus to optimize work flow. This has
allowed Pharmacy and Nursing to work from
any computerized location to document and
update critical patient information such as
height, weight, allergies, adverse drug
reactions, specific medical information, and
current home medications including dose
and frequency of administration.
Interviews: Each patient interview is made
up of a three step process that includes
documentation, education, and verification.
A printed medication order form can be
provided for the physician to review and sign.
This process has been extremely successful
with our PAT (Prior Admission Testing) and
Emergency Room admissions. A medication
list for the patient can also be provided for
them to keep and update.
Information: Since the hospital’s focus is
to provide the Best Possible Medication
Continues on page 4
Bits & Pieces
Condolences:
Joan Sibley Gemmill, ‘68 on the loss of
her mother, Lois Sibley.
Roberta Nelson Fath, ’75, on the loss of
her husband, Joseph H. Fath.
Karen Del Giacco, ’97, on the loss of her
father, Frederick Anameier at age 97.
Alumni News:
Shirley Armitage Leer, ’47, of Vestal, N.Y.
Every September she tries to get together
with her class sisters. In September, 2006,
the following class members met: Joan
Hoffman Carroll, Beth Bromley Flatt and
Helen Filkins Hendry.
Florence Rotelli Page, ’48, has had knee
replacement surgery and will be having
shoulder replacement surgery. She is
keeping active at age 84.
Harlene O’Hara, ’55, and her husband
Gerald recently celebrated their 501h
wedding anniversary.
Frances Jastranski Meyers, ’56, of
Springfield, Illinois, is doing volunteer work
for her church and HIV/AIDS organizations.
She became a great-grandmother in July of
2006.
Jillian Rita Hughes Westbrook, ’60, of
Rome, N.Y., has her B. S. ED and M. S. ED
and currently is Educational Coordinator for
a local church, the Children’s Bible Institute.
She retired in 1995 as administrator of the
Children’s Psychiatric Program as Mohawk
Valley Psychiatric Center. Her first granddaughter
was bom on January 3, 2007, Lyne
Luella Lillian.
Carol Harens Woltemate,’60,of
Doylestown, Pa., continues to work in her
own business, Woltemate Associates. She
recently celebrated her 40th year of playing
violin with the Bucks County Symphony.
Margorie Stone Barrows, ’69, works as a
Nurse Practioner at the V.A. in Albany in Pain
Management and Women’ s Health. She is
also on the faculty for Excelsior College,
teaching Pain and Symptoms Management/
Palliative and End of Life Care.
Darlene LeFebvre, ’71, of Odessa, Fla.,
works at the Pedi Cardiac ICU at St. Joseph’s
Hospital in Tampa.
Doreen James Vidulich, ’74, recently
attended her husband’s family reunion in
Florida, visiting Disney World and then three
parks in one day. She states “I wish I had
had a Torino shoe.”
Diane Mertrude, ’75, of San Diego works
in the ICU at USCO.
Louise Cuay Brooks, ’76, of Dorwin,
Minnesota, saw her daughter, Leslie Anne,
get married in 2006.
Joy Rosso Aloan, ’77, is the Primary Care
Network Director at Northeast Health.
Daughter Erin was recently married and is
continuing her education at Michigan State.
Son Marc is stationed at Fort Gordon U. S.
Air Force Base.
Kathleen Somnitz Gallichio, “79, moved
back to the area with her husband and is
currently CNS for Cardiac Surgery and ICU
at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany.
Geraldine Jones Nabozny, ’79, in 2006
was awarded Academic Scholarships from
District #9 NYSNA and National Hospice
and Palliative Nurses Association.
Joan St. Leger Speziale, ’80, celebrated
her 25th anniversary in June, 2006; she and
her husband took a cruise for the first time,
visiting the Caribbean. Son Josh was
married in August, 2007; son Thomas
graduated from high school in June, 2007
and son Sam is in the sixth grade. Joan
has worked AMCH Pre-Op and Ambulatory
Surgery for 22 years. She is an active
member of the Temple Baptist Church in
Halfmoon
Tracy Wagner Ivory, ’81 (New Hartford,
N.Y.) received CRN I in infusion nursing and
graduated in February, 2007 from the BSN
program.
Susan Bunk Darnell, ’84 (Palmer, Alaska),
is a Lt. Col. in the USAF reserves working
at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. Her
civilian job is working as a part-time
cardiovascular nurse in Anchorage. She
had lunch with Maria Pendergast Mull, ’83,
at Christmas time.
Terry Dawson Bedard, ’91, received her
bachelor of science in management of
Health Care from Empire College in March,
2006 and currently works as Nurse
Manager of Ambulatory Surgery at
Saratoga Hospital.
Theresa McGraw Larson, ’96, is RN
Educator at Baptist Health Nursing and
Rehabilitation Center. She orients new
nurses and in-services staff.
Elizabeth Kownack Madigan, ’03, was
married on January 18, 2006 and works full
time in the Samaritan Hospital Emergency
Department. She is currently enrolled at
SUNY IT working toward a bachelor of
science degree.

Page 4 Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Newsletter
Pharmacy Update...Continued from page 3
History on a patient, we have expanded
further to include indications for each
medication. A statement appears indicating
why the patient states he or she takes the
medication. This statement educates us
about the patient’s home medications and
importance of each in their drug therapy
regimen. After a profile is reconciled, the
interviewer’s name, date, and statement of
confirmation are updated on the med list.
This enables hospital staff to recognize when
the patient’s home medication list was last
reviewed and by what caregiver.
Electronic Documentation: Nursing,
Pharmacy, and the Medical Staff can now
utilize our clinical computer system as the
central source for every patient’s Best
Possible Medication History. Each caregiver
is given access to review and update this
information in order to maintain as accurate
a record as possible.
Pharmacy Rounds: A custom report is
printed prior to pharmacy rounds. This report
identifies where and when the pharmacy last
reviewed the patient’s medication history and
allows the caregiver to quickly focus on
patients not yet reviewed by pharmacy.
Results: So what is our staff saying? “I
personally love it. It is an efficient well-working
interdisciplinary approach” (Pamela Barrall,
RN Samaritan Hospital Emergency Room)
“Its Fabulous! Its wonderful! The best
thing we have ever done.” (Ann Weber, RN
Samaritan Hospital Emergency Room)
With special thanks to Holly Dill, Pharm D,
Medication Reconciliation Coordinator who
assisted with the contents of this article.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jon Nolin, Supervising
Pharmacist, Samaritan Hospital
and Pharmacy Information
Systems Administrator,
Northeast Health
Education & Development
Hello fellow alumni,
I was delighted to be approached by the Alumni Board to provide an occasional update
from the Nursing Division of Samaritan Hospital. I continue to be fascinated with the scope
of nursing service and pace of change in health care. Nursing care in today’s hospital is
surely different from when I entered the profession in 1980!
There are so many topics worthy of discussion, and at this time I thought I’d overview a
major project undertaken by the nursing staff this past year:
The Electronic Medical Record - Computerized Nursing Documentation
Meditech was first introduced to Samaritan Hospital in August of 1990 and has been used
to manage systems in admission, billing, lab, pharmacy, radiology and the like. Nursing staff
have used these Meditech modules for order entry (remember all of the individual lab slips
that were manually completed prior to 08/90?) as well as information retrieval (results for
patient tests, transcribed reports, etc.). As we continue on the path of a fully electronic
medical record (EMR), the nursing division implemented a significant component of
computerized documentation in the first quarter of 2007. In the planning and development
stage for well over a year, this system went “live” at the Samaritan campus on Tuesday,
January 16th.
Under the direction of Nancy Braaten, Clinical Analyst for Nursing Informatics, a committee
of about 20 nursing staff from both Samaritan and Memorial Hospitals participated in the
design of the documentation system. These staff dedicated significant work hours to this
project and demonstrated excellence in teamwork by coordinating many “pieces” of
paperwork into a sleek electronic system.
The components of documentation that were transitioned to the electronic system, on
what we are calling “Phase I” of this project, are: the Admission Database; the Daily Nursing
Assessment (includes the Braden Skin Scale and the Falls Risk Assessment); Vitals Signs;
Intake and Output; Weights; Fingerstick Blood Sugars; and Progress Notes. All of this
documented data is accessible to physicians and other health care providers through
Meditech’s PCI (Patient Care Inquiry) from any hospital computer or remote (home, office)
workstation.
On this phase of the project, many units went “live” simultaneously. Included were: Medical/
Surgical Units (6, 5, 4 and PCU), Maternity (GYN population), Behavioral Health (Geropsych,
MHU, MICA Inpatient), ICU (Admission Database only) and PATs in the Surgical arena. We
used a huge number of resources to provide clinical support 24/7 (for about a week) and the
staff did a phenomenal job of adapting to the new system.
What’s next? The good news is that staff is constantly asking this question. They are
eager to continue to move toward a paperless environment. Now that Phase I is fully
implemented at both hospitals, the nursing informatics committee will stay active to look at
the next steps for EMR. Projects will include: evaluating other paper forms for the electronic
system; transitioning the documentation systems of other specialty units; and designing the
electronic medication administration record (MAR). It will continue to be an exciting year!
Wishing you health, happiness and lifelong learning,
Teresa (Tre) Arakelian Pepe, (‘80) MS, RN Director of Education
DINNER MEETING – Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007
Where: Foundation of NYS Nurses, 2113 Western Ave. Guilderland, NY. Take Western Ave. (Rt. 20) to intersection of Western Ave. and Rte.
155. Proceed through intersection, staying in right lane, (approx. .3 miles) to driveway for Veronica M. Driscoll Center for Nursing. (Driveway will
be marked by a green balloon)! Turn right into driveway. Parking available.
Program: 5:30 Gathering • 6:00 Buffet Dinner/Museum Tour • 7:30 Alumni Meeting • 8:00 Foundation Meeting
ANNUAL MEETING RESERVATION
Please return with $12.00 (member) or $20.00 (non-member) fee by Novemeber 7th payable to Joy Aloan, 12 Sharpe Road, Wynantskill, NY
12198. Buffet dinner will be catered by the Old Daly Inn. Guest Speaker/Guide: Rachel Donaldson, Archivist-Nursing History.
All reservations must be honored - Cancellations should be made by Nov. 7th to Joy Aloan at 283-1298.
Print Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Class: ________________________