A helping hand for Servant's Heart of Indy

The cold, rainy weather didn't dampen the St. Francis Medical Group's community fundraiser for Servant's Heart of Indy Saturday, April 28.


Led by President Dr. Isaac J. Myers II, SFMG staffers and volunteers hosted a bake sale, farmers' market, bake sale, children's game and other activities at Beech Grove Family and Internal Medicine, 2030 Churchman Ave. An estimated $1,400 was collected in sales.


They also accepted donated bicycles, which will be reconditioned and distributed to needy families next December.


Franciscan St. Francis Health clinical staff also were on hand to provide free health screenings to the public.


Servant's Heart was established to help families in Beech Grove and the surrounding area by providing year-round support for those struggling to make ends meet.  

Drs. Paul Driscoll and Isaac J. Myers II prepare items for the garage sale.

SFMG HR Director Bruce Tisdale does a little curbside promotion.

Youngsters found face-painting more to their liking.

The four-hour event resulted in a respectable cash flow for Servant's Heart programs

Visitors took advantage of health screenings provided to the public.

Photos by Susie Bixler

Carmel welcomes a new model of health care

Our new hospital opened this morning to begin serving patients. 
Check out some images taken at last weekend's open house and the recent blessing and dedication ceremonies.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.415142615176268.99024.199482603408938&type=3


And see what WTHR-13 had to report about the opening of Franciscan St. Francis Health-Carmel at http://www.wthr.com/story/17901884/new-hospital-facility-brings-more-options-to-hamilton-county#.T5x2S_K5WHA.facebook

Franciscan St. Francis Health RN honored for work as parish nurse, low-income clinic

CHERYL HOWARD

Bone marrow transplant nurse manager also receives CARE Award


INDIANAPOLIS – Cheryl Howard, R.N., a long-time nurse and clinical educator at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville, is the recipient of the 2012 Salute to Nurses Community Outreach Award, presented by The Indianapolis Star.

Howard received those accolades Wednesday, April 25, at the 10^th annual Salute to Nurses banquet and ceremony at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. The program honors the dedication and impact of nursing professionals throughout Indiana. 

Howard was recognized for her work as clinical educator for intensive care, medical/surgery, orthopedics and emergency. She also has been an active volunteer fat St. Thomas More Clinic near Mooresville, a Franciscan St. Francis-sponsored facility serving low-income and the medically underserved.

“It’s so wonderful to help so many people without money being a concern,” Howard said. “We’re there because we want to volunteer our time – and there’s a peace and joy in that. It goes back to your nurses of why you became a nurse.”

She also works as a parish nurse at First United Methodist Church in Mooresville, where her duties range from health education and counseling to blood pressure checks.

“All my life I’ve believed that holistic medicine is where we need to be – you can’t separate out mind, body and spirit – if your spirit is hurting then your body hurts,” Howard said.

THERESA WEISENBACH

Another Franciscan St. Francis Health nurse was recognized at the Salute to Nurses program. Theresa Weisenbach, R.N., M.B.A., was among five nurses presented with CARE (Compassionate About Reaching Excellence) awards. She was nominated by hospital nursing leadership for her “constant desire to surpass ordinary standards – to go above and beyond the call of duty.”

Weisenbach, who has specialized in oncology for many years, is nurse manager of the bone marrow transplant unit at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis. She also serves as chair of the nursing professional development council.

This year wasn’t the first time were in the limelight for the Salute to Nurses program. In 2010, Mooresville Emergency Services Director Nathan Lowder was named Nurse of the Year and also was the recipient of the Community Outreach Award.

Franciscan St. Francis employs more than 1,400 nurses – more than 320 certified in clinical specialties – at its hospitals in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel.

To learn more about nursing at Franciscan St. Francis Health,  visit www.stfrancishospitals.org/nursing.

St. Francis Health Aspire classes inspire smokers to kick habit

MOORESVILLE, Ind.  – Significant lifestyle changes are never easy, but quitting tobacco is the most important change a person can ever make.

Aspire classes, offered by Franciscan St. Francis Health, will begin Wednesday, May 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Mooresville Obstetrics Classroom. The program cost is $50.

The program includes individual coaching sessions, group education meetings, medication and/or nicotine therapy discussions and follow-up support.

Participants must meet with the program coordinator before the first class. Contact Jodie Fisher, Aspire tobacco cessation coordinator at 317-528-7848 (QUIT) or Aspire@franciscanalliance.org.

Franciscan St. Francis Health nurses honored for care excellence

Joe Fenton

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan St. Francis Health has two nurses whose acts of professionalism and compassion has sewn seeds of gratitude among their patients and patients’ families.

And that’s why registered nurses Joe Fenton and Joan Mast have been named April’s recipients of the hospital’s DAISY Awards. The awards are part of The DAISY Foundation, a nationwide program recognizing extraordinary nurses.

Fenton works in the heart intensive care unit at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis; Mast cares for patients in the intensive care unit at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis.

Fenton’s nomination came from a patient’s sister, who wrote: “All the staff was great but Joe had a way about him that would calm the family down when the family would get very high with anxiety.” He has shown us love and compassion and is most worthy of receiving this outstanding award.”

The daughter of a patient of Mast recognized qualities in her that exemplify extraordinary service.

In nominating Mast, she wrote: “Joan took the time and effort with my mother that showed compassion and thoughtfulness. She has such a caring, compassionate and loving sense about her.”

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is a national program that honors the compassionate care and clinical excellence that our Franciscan St. Francis nurses bring to their patients every day.

The DAISY Award was established by the DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at 33 of an auto-immune disease. His family was so impressed by the clinical skills, caring and compassion of the nurses who cared for him that they created this national award to say “thank you” to nurses everywhere. For more information, go to www.daisyfoundation.org.

To learn more about nursing careers and programs at Franciscan St. Francis, go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/nursing.

Joan Mast