May 3, 2013 - Baptist Memorial Online

Baptist Tipton Home Care physical therapist travels the extra mile for patientsJanet Rosta, system director of Baptist TiptonHome Care and Hospice, presents Brad Cook,Brad Cook, physical therapistwith Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton Home Care, is known forgoing the extra mile for patients.He recently encountered apatient with severe mobility limitationsrelated to his medicalproblems. The patient was aVietnam veteran who attemptedto obtain his VA benefits in thepast but ran into barriers andgave up. He was on a fixedincome and needed assistance.His family was unable to managehis care.physical therapist, with the OutstandingCook worked diligently withHomecare Direct Service Provider Award forthe patient to increase his2013.mobility and self-confidence. Heprovided physical therapy, training and assurance to advance the patient’smobility.To qualify for VA benefits, the patient had to travel from Covington,Sharon Keys named 2013 topMississippi dietetic educatorThe Mississippi Academy of Nutrition andDietetics recently named Sharon Keys, OutstandingDietetic Educator for 2013. Keys is director of Foodand Nutrition Services at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.She was recognized for her achievement and dedicationin excellence in dietetic education, specificallySharon Keysher work in training dietetic interns from MississippiState University who rotate through the hospital’s Food and Nutritiondepartment.She was nominated by the MSU Department of Food Science, Nutritionand Health Promotion and the Northeast District of the MississippiAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Keys has also volunteered for more than 10 years with the NationalAcademy of Nutrition and Dietetics, serving as a site visitor for theAccreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. In thatrole, she participates in site visits and reviews both undergraduate andinternship dietetic education programs.Keys began working at Baptist Golden Triangle as director of Food andNutrition Services in 2006.Keys received a bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition from theUniversity of Nebraska and a master’s degree in Nutrition from CaseWestern Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.“We congratulate Sharon on this award. She has done an excellent jobtraining these interns from MSU,” said Baptist Golden Triangle administratorand CEO Paul Cade.Tenn., to Memphis and spend almost an entire day there for his initialassessment. He had just about given up and told Cook that he wouldn’t beable to make the appointment.Cook took the time to travel to the VA to see where they would have topark and how far the patient would have to walk. On the day of theappointment, Cook went to the patient’s home and assisted him withpersonal care for his appointment. He followed the patient 50 miles in hiscar to the VA appointment and made sure he got around in a wheelchair.“Because of Brad, the patient was able to begin receiving his VA benefits,”wrote coworker Leigh Huffman, registered nurse. “Brad’s care ofthis patient was ‘above and beyond’ and demonstrates how our home careteam cares, performs, and delivers the best patient care.”The Tennessee Association for Home Care Members recently awardedCook the Outstanding Homecare Direct Service Provider Award for 2013.Huffman wrote the nomination and described the sentiment of many oftheir coworkers.“It is an honor to work with Brad. He is the best patient advocate I haveever known,” she said.We salute Cook for his commitment to providing the best patient care.Perrigin wins state nursing awardSusan PerriginSusan Perrigin, registered nurse, director of thetrauma program at Baptist Memorial Hospital-GoldenTriangle and Mississippi North Trauma Care Regionaldirector was recently named ‘Nurse in Non-Traditional Setting of the Year’ at the MississippiNurses Association and Mississippi NursesFoundation Nightingale Awards gala March 4 inJackson.The award honors a nurse licensed in Mississippi who best exemplifiesthe art and science of nursing in a non-traditional employment setting.She was nominated for the award by Lisa Bailey, registered nurse, directorof inpatient nursing at Baptist Golden Triangle.Perrigin began working at Baptist Golden Triangle in 1998 as a nurse inthe critical care unit. She worked in several other areas of the hospital,including the heart catheterization lab, cardiac rehab, outpatient surgeryand pediatrics before transferring to case management and becoming thehospital’s part-time trauma nurse coordinator in 2004. The part-timeposition quickly grew, and she was named the full-time trauma managerin 2006. She was named the hospital’s trauma director and appointeddirector of the 18-county North Trauma Care Region in 2007.Upon receiving the award, Perrigin said, “I am honored to have beenchosen to represent not only Baptist Golden Triangle for this award, butalso the participating hospitals and EMS providers located in the northtrauma care region. This award is a tribute to everyone’s hard work anddedication to improve trauma care across our region.”“We are extremely proud of Susan. She does an outstanding jobdirecting the trauma program at Baptist Golden Triangle and for the northtrauma care region. She certainly deserves to be recognized for her hardwork,” said Paul Cade, administrator at Baptist Golden Triangle.Page 4