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-19 Scams

Scams are almost as old as time. They always take advantage of our vulnerabilities and fears. So in times of mass panic, like has been caused by COVID-19, opportunities for scammers increase, said Southwestern Vermont Health Care's Information Technology Security Engineer Geoffrey Mazanec.

IT experts noted a 667 percent increase in malicious phishing e-mails as of the end of last month. Security firm Barracuda Networks identified 137 coronavirus-related phishing emails in January, 1,188 in February, and more than 9,000 in March. 

There are most likely several reasons for the increase.

  • First, many scams exploit our fears. As fear increases, so to opportunities for scammers. Many scams have been tweaked to include a reference to COVID-19, which may cause people to react more quickly and without thinking.
  • Scammers also exploit our desires to be good people—to pay our bills on time and follow directions—which could also be heightened during a crisis.
  • During COVID-19, everyone is conducting more business remotely. In the effort to keep all of our online activities straight, we may lose track of who is on the other end of the phone line or e-mail.
  • Mazanec notes that, with so many people out of work, scammers may have taken what had been a part-time swindling gig full time.

These startling statistics and our increased vulnerability make it a great time for a refresher about how scammers attack and how to avoid getting caught in a scheme.

Phishing. The most common way scammers operate is by phishing. They call or e-mail, usually posing to be a company or organization that you trust: the IRS, Medicare or Medicaid, or a company that you have done business with before. And they are crafty. They can even make it look as if they are calling from a business you recognize. They are counting on your thinking that they are the real thing.

"Lots of people, looking for protective equipment, for instance, are purchasing from companies that they have not dealt with in the past," Mazanec said. "Scammers want you to believe that you have purchased from them, when you have not."

They might send you an "invoice due" message with a .pdf attachment, or they might provide a link for you to click and log in. They want you to do one of two things: (1) Give up your personal information, either over the phone or by logging in to a fake sign-in page or (2) click on a .pdf or website that will infect your system.

So what can you do? Mazanec recommends not clicking. "If you don’t recognize it, don't open it. Instead, always question whether it is legitimate. And, no matter who it is, don't give anyone usernames or passwords."

Disconnect the call or delete the e-mail and call the company directly. If you don't have their number on hand, you can find it using a Google search. If you ask them whether they just called or e-mailed you, you will likely find that they have not. Congratulations. You’ve just avoided a scam.

Too good to be true. Some scammers are also selling fake products. For instance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued warnings to seven companies selling fraudulent products that claim to test for, prevent, or treat COVID-19. Some even claimed to be approved by the FDA! Other companies are taking personal information in exchange for being added to a fake list for early access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

There is no valid at-home test for COVID-19 and no viable at-home treatments, unless you count rest and plenty of fluids for mild cases. Consult with your local healthcare provider before taking any testing or treatment action, as some can be harmful or even deadly.

To avoid scams like this one, read, watch, and listen to reputable news sources. If there is a legitimate at-home test, treatment, or vaccine, you will hear reports about it from your state's department of health and other official organizations.

More information about scams related to COVID-19 can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/media/phishing.html and https://www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams-consumer-advice.

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