New Hampshire - March 2021

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Page 10 • New Hampshire Nursing News March, April, May 2021 From the Bookshelf Podcasts, What is Everybody Talking About?? Anita Pavlidis, RN, MSN For those unfamiliar with the term; podcast is “a program (of music or talk) made available in digital format for automatic download over the Internet” and can be listened to on multiple devices (iphones, ipads, computer, etc.). Podcasts are a series of episodes, and refers to the program as a whole. Then, a podcast episode is just one recording from that entire Podcast. It's just like TV. A TV show is made up of a whole series of episodes. So, think of ‘NCIS’ as the series and “ Ziva Returns” as the episode. With a similar format to talk radio, podcasts usually include a host or hosts discussing all kinds of material, from news to cooking, interviewing special guests or each other, sharing stories, performing an audio play, or a combination of all of the above. The length of podcasts can vary with some of the shortest podcasts lasting just five minutes, while others for hours. And because they come in such a range of styles and subjects, you can tune in to keep your mind occupied while doing chores, prepping dinner, working out or commuting. Podcasts are now part of our culture and are beginning to win awards for their information. The American Life, a podcast of a popular news radio series won a Pultizer Prize. After reviewing a variety of sites on the internet, favorite podcasts of 2020 ranged from comedy to storytelling, cooking shows, true crime, music, and more. Podcasts seem to be everywhere and can be accessed (most of them for free!) from a variety of sources on the internet including Amazon, Google, iTunes, and Spotify to mention a few. Many health organizations such as the CDC, American Heart Association, and the American Diabetic Association publish free podcasts on a variety of topics. So choose your favorite topic of interest and enjoy listening! Anita Pavlidis, RN MSN was the former Director of Nursing at the NHTI, Concord’s Community College and Program Specialist at the New Hampshire Board of Nursing. • Inpatient Medical Surgical Unit • Charge RN- Emergency Room • Primary Care Office Nurse • ICU • Flex Pool RN • Maternal Child Health NURSES ON THE MOVE Tiffany Haynes-Hicks, MSN, has been named President of North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency. Tiffany, who most recently served as the organization’s Vice President of Operations, also served three years as Director of Hospice. Tiffany received her Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Health Care Administration in 2012 from Norwich University and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Anselm College in 2007. She also received her National Hospice and Palliative Care Certificate (CHPN) in 2018. Previous leadership roles including Clinical Supervisor, Charge Nurse, Educational Preceptor, Chair of Shared Governance and Infection Prevention Team Champion. Littleton-native K a i t l y n (Considine) Red Elk has joined the Oncology, Hematology, and Infusion Center at Littleton Regional Hospital as the new Oncology/Infusion She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Anselm College. Kaitlyn's nursing career began in 2010 at nearby Cottage Hospital in Woodsville. She then practiced at Catholic Medical Center and became a traveling nurse, working in hospitals throughout California. Answers to NCLEX Reconsidered from page 9 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. B-D-F-G
March, April, May 2021 New Hampshire Nursing News • Page 11 Extraordinary Nurse Honored In October, 2020 the Keene Sentinel honored the achievements of 10 local women, presenting them with Extraordinary Women awards. It was the The Sentinel’s eighth annual recognition of women who are making a difference in the Monadnock Region community. One of the recipients was Amy Matthews, the Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President for Patient Care Services at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene. A profile of her career was provided by Keene Sentinel reporter Olivia Belanger. When Amy Matthews decided to go to college for nursing, she had no idea what she was getting into. Today, with over 30 years of experience in the nursing field, she oversees the implementation of patient care at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health affiliate, and is constantly finding new ways to improve the experience for patients and nurses alike. A native of Portland, Maine, Matthews said she always loved science, and wanted to find a career that was centered around it. She was ultimately torn between forestry and health care, but said being able to help others drew her into nursing. “I can remember being 17, figuring out what I am supposed to go to school for and what I want to be,” the Peterborough resident said. “I had no idea really what nursing was when I was 17, and neither did my guidance counselor who advised me against it.” Before arriving in the Monadnock Region, Matthews practiced in 10 different locations across the country, as her husband and high-school sweetheart, Keith, was a military intelligence officer in the Army. She started her career in Atlanta as a medicalsurgical nurse, and from there held various nursing roles in several states, including as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit and emergency care, as well as administrative positions. “Through those experiences I found I loved two things: I loved the complexity of health care and I loved seeing all the different roles and how they come together,” she said. As the years went by and their family began to grow, Matthews said she and Keith had two criteria for their final destination: more snow, fewer people. This led them to Peterborough, where they raised their three now-grown children. Matthews has worked at Cheshire Medical ever since, starting 20 years ago as night shift emergency department nurse, and working her way to chief nursing officer two years ago. In addition to her post at the Keene hospital, Matthews is also actively involved in her community. She serves on the Monadnock Regional Healthcare Workforce Group, the N.H. Nurses Association and on the Monadnock United Way. She has previously volunteered with the American Red Cross, Girl Scouts and the N.H. Trauma Medical Review Board. Before dedicating her career to the hospital setting, Matthews said she wasn’t sure which avenue of nursing she wanted to pursue. She has four nursing degrees — an associate in nursing, a bachelor’s of nursing, a master’s in nursing education and a doctorate of nursing practice. “I took the phrase 'lifelong learning' seriously,” she joked. “The guy I married says four degrees is enough.” Matthews said when she first graduated with her bachelor’s degree, she thought she would work in hospice care for a few years before going back to school to teach. “It was a community hospital that changed my mind on that,” she said. “I was so impressed by the complexity of health care and also the knowledge and tenacity of keeping health care local and maintaining a presence in the local community.” While she did end up pursuing a teaching degree, it was her newfound love for community health care that kept her in the hospital. As to why she has stayed at Cheshire Medical for so long, Matthews said it comes down to its mission. “We serve our community, and that passion and notfor-profit tie to a community means a lot to me,” she said. “I think about how do I connect people and programs and resources in a way that helps serve our mission.” In her time at the Keene hospital, Matthews has worn many hats: emergency department nurse, trauma program coordinator, director of critical care and emergency services and senior director of patient care services. She also serves as the operations chief for Cheshire Medical's incident command team, which has overseen the hospital's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, from visitor limitations to how staff addressed the public health crisis. "We moved quickly to be ready, and as we are very fortunate that we didn't go steeply into a high peak [of COVID-19 cases], the decisions made in our area did help flatten that curve," Matthews said. One of her largest projects, while she was director of critical care and emergency services, was about eight years ago, when the hospital’s emergency department was renovated. The department used to be one large open room, with only curtains dividing the patients. To provide more privacy, the hospital initiated a five-phase construction process to create private rooms that were “much more efficient,” according to Matthews. Other small changes such as more natural lighting were intended to make patients more comfortable. Katherine Richardson – director of leadership giving at Cheshire Medical’s Health Foundation who nominated Matthews for the Extraordinary Women award – said Matthews was “instrumental” in making this renovation run smoothly. “Her goal was to involve all staff in the process — from physicians to receptionists – so they could proudly take ownership,” Richardson said in an email. Matthews said that involvement is what the job is all about. “I get to come to work every day surrounded by amazing people who are committed to making a difference,” she said. “I am pretty lucky to be part of that.” Reprinted with permission. NURSES APPOINTED TO BOARD Mary Bidgood-Wilson Pamlea DiNapoli The New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation appointed has appointed Mary Bidgood-Wilson and Pamela DiNapoli to their Board of Directors. The foundation is one of the leading private funders for children’s health in the state. Bidgood-Wilson is a nurse practitioner and principal of Meredith Bay Consulting. DiNapoli is the executive director of the New Hampshire Nurses Association and previously taught pediatric nursing as an Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire.
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New Hampshire - March 2021

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