ExpressCare manager receives hospital’s first DAISY Nurse Leader Award
Kathryn Czaplinski
/ Categories: NEWS, 2024

ExpressCare manager receives hospital’s first DAISY Nurse Leader Award

BENNINGTON, VT—October 7, 2024—Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, recently honored a nurse manager for his outstanding leadership at the hospital’s ExpressCare clinic.

Bentley Munsell, BSN, RN, CEN, the Clinical Nurse Manager of SVMC’s ExpressCare, was awarded the first DAISY Nurse Leader Award at SVMC. The DAISY Award is an international recognition program honoring clinical excellence and outstanding compassionate care provided by nurses. The Nurse Leader Award, specifically, celebrates nurses who lead with compassion, mentor their teams, and foster an environment of compassionate care.

Munsell was nominated by his team at ExpressCare, who wrote that they unanimously agreed he was deserving of special recognition.

“He is incredibly approachable and empathetic and fosters a positive and inclusive work environment,” his nominators wrote. “He excels in communication, ensuring that all team members are informed and engaged. He truly cares about his patients and staff members. He goes above and beyond.”

Munsell became manager of ExpressCare last September, having previously worked in SVMC’s Emergency Department (ED), starting as an ED technician in 2015 and then working as a charge nurse from 2018-2023.

Munsell, who was surprised by the recognition, thanked his team for their dedication.

“This is a great place to be and I’m happy to call it my home,” he said. “Thank you for being my team. It’s an honor to work with you.”

Pamela Duchene, PhD, APRN, Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing and Quality Officer at SVMC, noted that Bentley is a previous recipient of the DAISY Award of Extraordinary Nurses. Duchene said the Leader Award is an opportunity to celebrate the work that many patients don’t see.

“Bentley’s work, behind the scenes, creates an environment where our clinical team and support staff can deliver the best possible care and outcomes to our patients,” Duchene said.  “He plays a critical role in many ways that patients may not see directly.”

Munsell continues to provide clinical support in both ExpressCare and the ED and also teaches and coordinates workplace violence prevention training and education for the SVMC community.

SVMC ExpressCare, located on the Bennington campus, is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., offering walk-in care for minor illnesses and injuries for patients of all ages.

About SVMC:

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.

 

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COVID-19 Vaccine for Those Pregnant or Nursing

Here are the facts you need to know to make a good decision about whether or not to recieve the COVID-19 vaccine: 

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic we found out that pregnant women with COVID-19 disease are more likely to get a very severe infection.  According to the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, they are three times more likely to have to go to an intensive care unit, two to three times more likely to need advanced life support and a breathing tube, and sadly, they have a small increased risk of death due to COVID-19. They may have worse pregnancy outcomes, such as pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and preterm birth. It is difficult to know yet whether COVID infection causes these outcomes or whether they happened at the same time by chance.
  • Similarly, COVID-19 can cause chronic inflammation, which could decrease fertility in both men and women.
  • The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has provided Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine. It is recommended for everyone over the age of 16 who has not had an allergic reaction to the ingredients in the vaccine. Research has shown that the COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 as soon as 28 days after the booster vaccine. These agencies directed all their effort to this work, day and night, which is how the vaccine was approved for use so quickly. No steps were skipped. 
  • It is not possible to get COVID infection from the vaccine. The virus is not in the vaccine.  It is like the flu shot, which exposes the body to something that looks like the part of the virus, so our bodies do the natural process of making antibodies to protect against disease. 
  • Many people have minor side effects, like tiredness, fever, muscle pain, headache, and pain where the shot was given. They could last a few days.  A few people feel very unwell. Having symptoms is a sign that the vaccine is working, and antibodies are being made.
  • Pregnant women were not allowed to be part of the research, which is very common for medical research trials. There were no reports of negative outcomes among the trial participants who became pregnant during the trial.
  • The vaccine does use a new technology called mRNA.  Two shots are required 3 weeks apart. Scientists believe that the mRNA can’t get into the placenta or the breast milk. The same kind of technology made vaccine against Ebola disease.  It has been given to pregnant and breastfeeding women.  No problems for mom or baby were found from this vaccine.
  • The vaccine does not cause birth defects or infertility. While the spike proteins on the virus and those found on the cells of the placenta are similar, they do not share enough amino acid sequences for the immune system to become confused.
  • The vaccine should also be offered to those who are breastfeeding/lactating. Like pregnant individuals, those who were breastfeeding were not included in the clinical trials for the vaccine. According to the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the very small safety concerns, and you do not have to stop breastfeeding because you get the vaccine.

Experts trusted by your providers recommend strongly that pregnant women be encouraged to get the vaccine.  We can’t tell you whether to get the shot, but we trust that you will make the right decision for you and your baby. Here are some points to consider as you decide:

  • How many people are getting sick with COVID-19 in your community?
  • What is your personal risk of getting COVID-19 based on your job or other exposures?
  • What is your risk of getting very sick with COVID-19, and what is the possible harm to your baby? What other medical conditions could increase this risk? Diabetes, being overweight, having lung, kidney, heart or immune illnesses or taking medicine that depresses immune function ( like chemotherapy, methotrexate, prednisone). 
  • Consider how well the vaccine is reported to work. These vaccines work exceedingly well!
  • What are the risks to other people in your household if you get sick, especially if you are living with people at risk for serious illness, like the elderly.
  • How do you feel about the lack of scientific evidence about the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness for pregnant women?
  • How do you feel you would manage the reported side effects of the vaccine?

If you do get the vaccine:

  • Pregnant women who experience fever, either as a result of COVID-19 infector or following vaccination, should take acetaminophen (Tylenol) to treat fever, since a very high fever can harm a baby. A fever is far more likely as a result of COVID-19 infection than it is from vaccination.
  • Your health professional will give you information about enrolling in the V-Safe After Vaccination Health Checker. You can provide feedback on how the vaccine experience went for up to a week following your vaccination and get help with any concerns that may arise.

If you have questions, please ask your OB/GYN.

Whatever you choose, be sure to continue with the important prevention steps like avoiding visits with those outside your household, masking and distancing when in public, and washing your hands frequently.

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