St. Francis-Mooresville ER nurse earns top honor as ‘Nurse of the Year’

INDIANAPOLIS – Growing up on a cattle farm in Morgan County prepared Nathan K. Lowder well for caring for humans wherever he might go in life.

The path he took was to a multi-layered career in nursing, beginning at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in 1997. Today, he manages the hospital system’s emergency department at Mooresville, working side by side with other professionals who often are on the frontlines of myriad physical, mental and emotional trauma.

“My parents brought me up to respect and to help others,” said Lowder. “If another farmer needed help, we were always there to lend a hand any way we could. This has stuck with me into my nursing career because I give100 percent in my job of taking care of patients and their families.”

It is this attitude and his top-notch professionalism that earned Lowder the Nurse of the Year Award from the Indianapolis Star-sponsored 2010 Salute to Nurses program. Lowder was feted by hundreds of his colleagues throughout the state today (April 28) during a luncheon and ceremony at the Indiana Convention Center.

More than 962 nominations – 72 of whom were St. Francis nurses – were submitted for this year’s program, now in its eighth year.

Lowder says he has had many role models in nursing, but one person truly stands out.

“The one nurse who has made the greatest impact on me has to be my wife, Melissa, who is a clinical nurse specialist at our Mooresville hospital,” he said. “She’s my real inspiration because I see first-hand what she does for patients.”

The Salute to Nurses Program states: “Every day in the Star, we share stories of people who serve as an inspiration to others. Salute to Nurses celebrates the nursing professionals who are truly an inspiration to all. In this time of staffing shortages and increasing demands, our honorees have found ways to go above and beyond in providing care and comfort to their patients and their patients' families.”

Indeed, going “above and beyond” is an understatement when you take a sweeping look at Lowder’s career. A certified ER nurse, he holds active memberships in several professional organizations; serves on various emergency response and nurse teams and committees at St. Francis and in Morgan County; has worked as an emergency flight nurse; continuously served as a mentor and preceptor to fledgling nurses; and is a volunteer firefighter and medic.

And by the way – Lowder spends his “free time” raising 350 head of beef cattle on the family farm in Morgan County. When you’re caring for that many creatures, it’s a seven-day-a-week job.

But he has no beef with that responsibility.
“I’ve been doing this all my life, and I handle all the medical care for the animals,” he said, adding that it’s also an opportunity to get his 5-year-old daughter heading in the right direction. “I want her to be as well-rounded as possible so that she can handle any situation that arises later in life.”

There are 1,450 nurses at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers. Visitors to a newly launched Web site (www.stfrancishospitals.org/nursing) can learn what nursing is like, and what opportunities exist, at its hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

In fact, several nurses, including Melissa Lowder, share their stories in a special video section on the site, which showcases their work experiences.

St. Francis-Mooresville ER nurse earns top honor as ‘Nurse of the Year’

INDIANAPOLIS – Growing up on a cattle farm in Morgan County prepared Nathan K. Lowder well for caring for humans wherever he might go in life.

The path he took was to a multi-layered career in nursing, beginning at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in 1997. Today, he manages the hospital system’s emergency department at Mooresville, working side by side with other professionals who often are on the frontlines of myriad physical, mental and emotional trauma.

Nathan Lowder was escorted to the front when learning he was the recipient of Community Outreach Award. Then moments later, he was announced as the Nurse of the Year winner.

“My parents brought me up to respect and to help others,” said Lowder. “If another farmer needed help, we were always there to lend a hand any way we could. This has stuck with me into my nursing career because I give100 percent in my job of taking of patients and their families.”

It is this attitude and his top-notch professionalism that earned Lowder the Nurse of the Year Award from the Indianapolis Star-sponsored 2010 Salute to Nurses program. Lowder was feted by hundreds of his colleagues throughout the state today (April 28) during a luncheon and ceremony at the Indiana Convention Center.

More than 962 nominations – 72 of whom were St. Francis nurses – were submitted for this year’s program, now in its eighth year.

Lowder says he has had many role models in nursing, but one person truly stands out.



“The one nurse who has made the greatest impact on me has to be my wife, Melissa, who is a clinical nurse specialist at our Mooresville hospital,” he said. “She’s my real inspiration because I see first-hand what she does for patients.”



The Salute to Nurses Program states: “Every day in the Star, we share stories of people who serve as an inspiration to others. Salute to Nurses celebrates the nursing professionals who are truly an inspiration to all. In this time of staffing shortages and increasing demands, our honorees have found ways to go above and beyond in providing care and comfort to their patients and their patients' families.”



Indeed, going “above and beyond” is an understatement when you take a sweeping look at Lowder’s career. A certified ER nurse, he holds active memberships in several professional organizations; serves on various emergency response and nurse teams and committees at St. Francis and in Morgan County; has worked as an emergency flight nurse; continuously served as a mentor and preceptor to fledgling nurses; and is a volunteer firefighter and medic.



And by the way – Lowder spends his “free time” raising 350 head of beef cattle on the family farm in Morgan County. When you’re caring for that many creatures, it’s a seven-day-a-week job.



But he has no beef with that responsibility.



“I’ve been doing this all my life, and I handle all the medical care for the animals,” he said, adding that it’s also an opportunity to get his 5-year-old daughter heading in the right direction. “I want her to be as well-rounded as possible so that she can handle any situation that arises later in life.”



There are 1,450 nurses at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers. Visitors to a newly launched Web site (www.stfrancishospitals.org/nursing) can learn what nursing is like, and what opportunities exist, at its hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

In fact, several nurses, including Melissa Lowder, share their stories in a special video section on the site, which showcases their work experiences.

Golf outing takes swing in support of St. Francis Healthcare Foundation projects

FRANKLIN, Ind. – The rolling fairways and sprawling greens of The Legends of Indiana Golf Course again will be the setting of the 2010 Golf Outing sponsored by the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation.

The event, now in its 24th year, brings together board members, Indianapolis-area civic and business leaders, and St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers physicians and staff for a full day of golf, fellowship and fun with the goal of raising funds for various foundation projects.

The outing gets under way 8 a.m. Thursday, June 24 with a shotgun start with afternoon golfers teeing it up at 1:30 p.m. Participants also will be offered breakfast and a joint luncheon.

Throughout the day, various products and services – generously donated by local individuals and businesses – will be auctioned.

Co-chairs of this year’s event are foundation board members Travis Tucker of BremnerDuke Healthcare Real Estate, and Christopher “Topper” Doehring, M.D., associate director of the St. Francis Family Residency Medical Program.

Proceeds from the outing support the foundation’s funding mission and priorities in areas such as care for the dying, underserved and those in spiritual need, and the professional development of staff.

For more information about the 2010 Golf Outing, contact Caitlin Leahy at Caitlin.leahy@ssfhs.org

The St. Francis Healthcare Foundation was established in 1995 as a separate corporation to help advance the mission of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, specifically the service area of St. Francis Hospital & Heath Centers.

More information about the foundation is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Foundation.

South side family physicians now members of St. Francis Medical Group

INDIANAPOLIS – Four physicians at Southeast Family Medicine have joined the St. Francis Medical Group, which has grown to more than 120 doctors.

They are Eileen Thomason, M.D., Jason Rieser, M.D., Richard Rejer, M.D., and Brian Miles, M.D. All are active faculty members for the St. Francis Family Medicine Residency Program and board-certified in family medicine.

The four physicians all completed their residencies at St. Francis and all earned their medical degrees at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Southeast Family Medicine, located at 5136 E. Stop 11 Road, Suite 30, offers a full spectrum of care for children, adults and seniors. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To make an appointment, call 317-887-1060.

From left, Drs. Rejer, Thomason, Miles and Rieser.

St. Francis doctor honored for professionalism, compassionate care

Dr. Max Runkle is surrounded by his colleagues and staff at Gray Road Family Medicine after receiving St. Francis' first Healing Hands Award.

INDIANAPOLIS – A physician whose career has been affiliated with St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers for more than three decades is the first recipient of the hospital’s Healing Hands Award.

Max Runkle, M.D., was recognized by St. Francis leadership April 26 at his Gray Road Family Medicine office on the city’s south side. A member of St. Francis Medical Group, Runkle has been affiliated with St. Francis since 1979.

“St. Francis is blessed to have some many wonderful people on its professional staff, and certainly Dr. Runkle is one who has dedicated his career to his patients,” said Alan Gillespie, M.D., chief medical officer and vice president. “His clinical service and the compassionate care he gives are in keeping with the highest values of St. Francis Hospital.”

With his office staff and colleagues looking on, Runkle was presented with a personally engraved crystal award and plaques, the latter of which will be on display at St. Francis’ hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

Also attending the ceremony was Glenn Loomis, M.D., president of St. Francis Medical Group.

Runkle, who completed his residency at St. Francis in 1979, earned his medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a member of the American Association of Family Medicine and the Indiana State Medical Association.

The Healing Hands Award, which will be awarded quarterly, was established earlier this year. Its goal is to recognize St. Francis physicians for excellence in clinical skills,
patient relations, research, stewardship and their reflection of the hospital’s health-care ministry, values and mission.