Lee Health presents Commitment to Nursing Excellence Awards

For those who choose it, nursing is a vocation that requires a sincere dedication to patients, fellow nurses and other clinicians. To honor those who go above and beyond in this calling, Lee Health has presented 19 nurses with its 2019 Commitment to Nursing Excellence Award.

The Commitment to Nursing Excellence Award recognizes registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide exceptional care, and who excel in practice, research, education and leadership. Nurses are nominated for this high honor starting during Nurses Week in May.

“Nurses are the main point of contact for many patients in their clinical care, providing compassionate treatment and support day in and day out,” said Lisa Sgarlata, DNP, MSN, MS, FACHE, chief patient care officer and chief nurse executive at Lee Health. “This award recognizes and celebrates those nurses who make a difference for our patients every day.”

The 2019 Commitment to Nursing Excellence Award winners include: Tasha Baer, BSN, RN, Gulf Coast Medical Center; Maria Galfano, RN, BSN, The Rehabilitation Hospital; Susan George, RN, BSN, CMSRN, Gulf Coast Medical Center; Colleen Hinton, BSN, RN, CEN, Lee Health Coconut Point; Marie Littrell, BSN, RN, Lee Physician Group; Jessica Maguire, RN, CCRN, Lee Memorial Hospital; Susan McBride, RN, Outpatient Surgery Center; Charlene Oliveri, RN, MSN, COC-C, Home Health; Marie Oslebo, BSN, RN, Lee Memorial Hospital; Shirley Rimmer, LPN, HealthPark Care & Rehabilitation Center; Tanairy Rivera, BSN, RN, Cape Coral Hospital; Donna Seilberger, RN, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida; Benjamin Sprosty, RN, CCRN, Lee Memorial Hospital; Guy Thompson, BSN, RN, CCRN, HealthPark Medical Center; Diane Tingelhoff, LPN, Lee Physician Group Patient Outreach; Rachel Toa, RN, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida; Empris White, BSN, RN, Lee Memorial Hospital; Patricia Willson, BSN, RN, CCRN, Cape Coral Hospital; and Stephanie Zavala, ASN, BS, CNOR. HealthPark Medical Center.

Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care provider in Southwest Florida. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. It features conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.

Area Agency on Aging offering Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention

The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida is offering a free health and wellness program, Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention. The eight-week workshop starts Aug. 1 and continues twice weekly through Oct. 1. The program is designed to help older adults manage relieve arthritis pain and stiffness and improve balance and movement.

Class size is limited and advance registration is required. Workshops will be presented on Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the community room at Hope Cape Coral, 2430 Diplomat Parkway, E.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries among seniors. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, one in four seniors fall each year. High fall rates among older adults are the result of physiological changes, including a loss of balance, muscle strength and stability issues. Data from the Florida Department of Health indicates that falls accounted for 2.6% of senior deaths in Southwest Florida in 2016.

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention is a basic beginner falls prevention workshop consisting of 12 Tai Chi movements. Funding for Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention is provided through the Older Americans Act title III-D and administrated through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

For more information or to register for the eight-week Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention workshop, call Sherry Young at 866-413-5337 or email sherry.young@ aaaswfl.org.

Florida Skin Center’s Andrews awarded Diplomate status by SDPA

Florida Skin Center Board-certified physician assistant Cindy Andrews has been awarded Diplomate status by the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional organization.

This comes after Andrews completed 22 online, didactic Diplomate Fellowship modules – a training program for dermatology PAs that includes dermatology basics, surgery, neoplasms, dermoscopy, acne, vascular disorders and much more. These modules are a form of section or presentation-based training and equal over 65 hours of American Academy of Dermatology-approved continuing medical education credits. The standardized program was built by the SDPA, testing industry experts and dermatology professionals.

As a Diplomate Fellow, Andrews must maintain her SDPA Fellow membership and complete all necessary CME credit exams offered online by the Journal of the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants.

Stationed at Florida Skin Center’s Cape Coral and Punta Gorda offices, Andrews earned a master of medical science degree in physician assistant studies from Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, and today she performs intralesional injections, laser procedures, excisions, cryotherapy, biopsies, dermal fillers, BOTOX cosmetic injections and more.

Florida Skin Center opened its doors in 2001. Currently with offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres and Punta Gorda, Florida Skin Center focuses on patient care, with same-day, early-morning and walk-in appointments readily available. Call 239-561-3376. Online at FloridaSkinCenter.com.