Kathryn Czaplinski
/ Categories: NEWS, 2024

SVMC nurses and technician honored for exceptional patient care

BENNINGTON, VT—August 8, 2024—Three Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) nurses and an emergency department technician were honored recently for going above and beyond for patient care.

Caraline Sprague, RN, Olivia Sandquist, RN and Laurie Darby, RN were each presented with DAISY Awards this summer. The DAISY Award is an international recognition program honoring clinical excellence and outstanding compassionate care provided by nurses. Ryan Rogge, a technician in the Kendall Emergency Department at SVMC, was recently honored with the hospital’s internal PETAL Award, given to staff who go above and beyond in their work.

Each recipient was nominated for these honors by patients or colleagues.

Olivia Sandquist, RN, the Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC

Sandquist was recognized by a patient’s spouse, who spoke to the compassion and expertise shown by the cancer center nurse during treatment. The nominator explained that Sandquist gave support outside of the cancer center as well, when the patient was rushed to another area of the hospital.

“This nurse walked into the room with a blanket and the biggest smile to see my wife,” the nominator wrote. “She gave my wife the blanket and spoke to her for several minutes as a friend, not as a nurse.”

Caraline Sprague, RN, SVMC Medical-Surgical unit

Sprague was recognized for working to identify and monitor a very ill patient. She worked closely with a physician team after noticing something was not right.

“It was this candidate’s excellent nursing assessment and skill that led the full assessment and work up of this patient who was then transferred to the ICU and then subsequently flown to a tertiary care center,” the nominator wrote.

“I am always in awe of this individual’s multifaceted talent as a Registered Nurse.”

Laurie Darby, RN, Kendall Emergency Department

Darby, assistant nursing director of the emergency department (ED), was recognized by a 90 year-old patient who began feeling weak after an appointment, as a result of not having eaten in the last several hours.

Darby noticed the patient sitting outside the ED and came to check on her, then brought her some food. Darby sat with her until she felt better.

“This nurse was my "guardian angel" and I learned from our conversation that she worked at SVMC for many years, and when said I was concerned that I was taking her away from her duties, she said "But that’s what I’m here for, to help people," her nominator wrote.

Ryan Rogge, ED Technician

Rogge was hailed by his nominator as “always dependable, pleasant, and trustworthy. He always has a smile on his face and is adored by staff and patients”

They also noted a particular incident where a patient had to be airlifted to another facility and needed a helmet for medical transport.

“This ED tech went and got his old Mt. Anthony lacrosse helmet and donated it to us to use,” the nominator wrote. “We placed it on the patient and they were able to be transferred. It was a very selfless act and helped to save the patient's life.”

Photo Caption: Pictured Left to right: Laurie Darby, RN, Caraline Sprague, RN, Ryan Rogge and Olivia Sandquist, RN.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVMC includes the Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC, the SVHC Foundation, as well as 25 primary and specialty care practices. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. SVMC provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.

SVMC Contact: Kathryn.Czaplinski@svhealthcare.org

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COVID and Kids

When I first heard the news about COVID-19, I was relieved as both a parent and pediatrician that it seemed unlikely to seriously affect children. However, more recently in both the literature and amongst colleagues, I began hearing about an uncommon but serious inflammatory disorder affecting some children with COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control are calling this “Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children” or MIS-C.

My goal in writing today is to dispel myths about this new manifestation of the illness, provide helpful steps families can take to protect their kids from COVID-19, and assure that medical providers are aware of this new subset of COVID-19 and taking appropriate steps to keep your children safe.

Symptoms of MIS-C include inflammation in the skin and eyes, irritability and sluggishness, along with fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and abdominal pain. The symptoms are similar to a rare childhood illness called Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of the blood vessels and primarily affects children under 5 years of age.

There is very little known about MIS-C due to the small number of cases around the country. However, the medical community is monitoring this new syndrome very closely to learn all they can about it. I would like to emphasize that this condition is very rare and occurs a few weeks after a child has already recovered from COVID-19 infection.

As we have throughout the pandemic, pediatricians are urging families to take precautions to prevent their exposure to COVID-19. This includes reducing close contact with others by staying home as much as possible and avoiding congregating in groups. Anyone over the age of two should wear a mask when outside of the home.

Wash your hands and your child’s with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and sanitize frequently touched surfaces at least twice per day. Avoid touching your face and teach children to cough and sneeze into a tissue or their elbow. Aim to wash and dry plush toys about once a week.

There are special precautions to take if someone in your household is ill. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html for details.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends creating a healthy routine for your children that includes balanced meals, learning at home, exercise, social connection (Facetime, videochat, and in person with household), and adequate rest. This will help your children remain both physically and mentally healthy during this stressful time. Continue to reassure your children that the medical community is working hard to keep them safe during this time. Be sure to monitor their media consumption, watch for signs of anxiety, and be a good role model in regards to COVID-19 safety measures.

Call your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your children’s health, including symptoms of COVID-19 or MIS-C listed above. There are still important reasons to bring your child physically into the office such as immunizations, developmental checks, and growth monitoring. We would like to reassure you that we are taking proper steps to allow your children to safely receive care at our offices.

More detailed information about keeping your child healthy is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children.html. For information about obtaining healthy food or other basic needs for your family, dial 2-1-1.

Dr. Meghan Gunn is the medical director of SVMC Pediatrics.

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