Mary Rathman

Nurse’s compassion leads to award
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills has awarded registered nurse Linda Willison, a surgical services nurse, with the DAISY Award for nursing excellence, for the month of April. A patient’s spouse nominated Willison for her compassion, professionalism, and soothing and caring demeanor. Willison has been with FHZ since 1997. She received a certificate and a replica of a statue called ‘A Healer’s Touch,’ which originated with the Shona Tribe in Africa.

 

 

 

Gulfside names new chief financial officer
Gulfside Hospice has named Allison Maughn as its chief financial officer. Maughn received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Stetson University and her master’s in Business Administration from Webster University.

Before joining Gulfside, she spent more than 14 years in the hospice and home-care industry with providers in Florida, New York and New Jersey. Her experience includes finance and information technology, operations and executive responsibility for hospital-based programs in both hospice and home care.

Access Health Care welcome Brent Squires
Access Health Care has appointed Brent E. Squires as a licensed pedorthist and orthotic fitter to its staff. Squires specializes in orthotics in footwear and orthotics for the feet. He is board certified in pendorthics.

Squires completed his training at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, and completed his internship in orthotics and prosthetics at Hangar Orthotics & Prosthetics in Sarasota.

He is a member of the Florida Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists, the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics and Pedorthics.

Squires is welcoming new patients ages 12 and older to his practice at 3502 Mariner Blvd., in Spring Hill.

New website for Lighthouse organization
The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind has a new, accessible, intuitive and responsive website for clients, families, donors and the general public. The site, LVIB.org, will help visitors using smartphones, tablets and desktops to easily find answers to questions about Lighthouse programs and services, and accessing them.

The site was designed and donated to Lighthouse by Ayantek LLC, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Ayantek is a digital strategy and solutions firm focused on delivering value through Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud (SMAC) technologies.

Regional Medical names volunteers of the year
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has announced its 2015 female and male Volunteer of the Year.
Joann VanAtta is a volunteer with a winning smile who greets patients as they arrive for bloodwork and other tests in the Laboratory Outpatient Services Department. VanAtta volunteers at least two days a week, and in a department that requires very early morning attendance to better serve patients and their physical needs. She often covers shifts of those who are absent, making sure the greeting station is always staffed. The staff can rely on VanAtta for her knowledge of the outpatient lab functions and assistance when needed.

Bill McKeon has shown excellent service and dedication at the hospital for almost 10 years and has more than 9,500 volunteer hours. McKeon volunteers as a courier on Friday mornings, is a team leader for the couriers on Saturday afternoons, and is the hospital’s mail courier on Friday afternoons. He supervises teens and is a wonderful example for the youth. McKeon is reliable and dependable, has substituted on numerous shifts, and goes out of his way to assist coworkers, patients and visitors.

New children’s grief center opens
HPH Hospice officially opened its new Children’s Grief Center, 12139 Majestic Blvd., in Hudson. The center will provide the community with grief support services, education and resources.

With the assistance of a professionally trained staff and volunteers, the grief center will assist youth ages 5 to 17 on their journey toward healing and hope. Young grievers will be encouraged to express feelings through creative interactions with children of similar ages, through art, games and dramatic play.

The staff members at the center will work closely with the school systems in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties to help students work with unresolved grief due to the death of someone significant in their lives. For information, call (727) 863-7971 or (800) 486-9794.

Hospital needs volunteers
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills needs volunteers to help its staff and doctors provide services. Volunteer positions cover a variety of disciplines, helping participants build unique skills and gain experience in a state-of-the-art health care facility.

Volunteer areas include clerical/administrative services escorting, kitchen duties, gift shop and patient services.

Time commitments begin at one four-hour shift per week, and volunteers must be 16 years of age and older.

Those interested can pick up an application at the hospital’s volunteer office or main desk, or go online to FloridaHospital.com/Zephyrhills/volunteer.

For information, call (813) 779-6256.