05.14.2015

What is the artwork in the hospital café all about?

We are having a children’s art show celebrating exceptional care “always” at NMC as part of national healthcare weeks recognition! In May, we celebrate both National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week, along with a number of others!  With the wide diversity of specialties and important topics within healthcare, there are many “national weeks” and “month of” celebrations throughout the year to build awareness and share appreciation.   May seems to be a particularly popular month for these celebrations!

I am very proud of the caring and devotion of the entire team at Northwestern Medical Center and wish the entire NMC family a “Happy National Hospital Week.”  The theme for our celebration this year is “NMC’s true treasure is our people.”  That is so true.  Throughout the year, I have the opportunity to read and hear feedback from our patients and visitors on the exceptional care and support our team provides.  I see our individual employees making a difference in people’s lives each and every day.  They strive for always in their effort to deliver 5-star caring every time, for every patient.  It is so energizing to read the comments in our patient satisfaction surveys about the wonderful care being provided.  I am also proud of our staff’s willingness to listen and adapt when comments come back with suggestions for improvement.  Our people really are our treasure.

 

We are also celebrating National Nurses’ Week, highlighting very important members of our team who are interwoven in so many aspects of what we do.  Our nurses play vital roles in inpatient care, in care within provider practices and in the outpatient setting, in care coordination, in information technology, in education and organizational development, in quality improvement, in management and leadership, and more.  Their expertise and caring is integrated throughout our entire organization and in nearly everything we do.  As a nurse myself, I know how challenging their role is on a daily basis.  That makes me particularly proud of the work they do and their efforts to always provide exceptional care.  This year, elementary school children from Sheldon and Fairfield have created posters celebrating our nurses, providing a wonderful perspective on how much what our nurses do matters within our community.

Throughout the month, you will likely see other celebrations highlighted in the local media, online, and on social media.  On behalf of the entire NMC team, I would like to wish our colleagues at Northwestern Counseling & Support Services and our other community mental health providers and partners a happy “National Mental Health Month.”  The work they do in our community is so important.  We are fortunate to have strong local resources.  May also hosts National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) week – and we are equally fortunate to have such strong and lifesaving EMS crews helping care for our community.

May is also “National Bike Month.”  Given how cold our Spring was, May is a fitting month to celebrate bicycling this year.  Biking is a great way to bring some enjoyable physical activity into your life. We are very fortunate to have the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail and the Swanton Recreational Path where you can ride your bike safely removed from traffic.  It is exciting to see a number of biking related initiatives happening in our community: St. Albans City School has received a grant to purchase a quantity of mountain bikes; Swanton Elementary School just held a “bike safety rodeo”; and the Friends of Northern Lake Champlain are holding their annual “Bike For The Lake In June” in Grand Isle in June.  As you enjoy your bike, please, make sure you wear a helmet every time you ride – regardless of your age or how far or fast you ride. 

As May unfolds, I hope the other various celebrations catch your eye to raise awareness of important aspects of better health and local resources.  And, as we enter National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week, I would like to thank all of our patients on behalf of the entire NMC team.  We recognize that you have a choice for where to receive care and we deeply appreciate you entrusting your care to us.  Our goal never waivers from always providing exceptional care. It is our mission, it is our passion.  Thank you for choosing Northwestern Medical Center!

Stop by and check out the art while having lunch in our café as we celebrate many “special weeks” in May!

— Jill Berry Bowen, NMC’s Chief Executive Officer