On May 5, the Times Union honored 25 Capital Region nurses as shining examples of the profession in our area. As part of the ninth annual Salute to Nurses program, sponsored by St. Peter’s Health Partners, this year’s exceptional group of winning nurses and finalists were praised not only for their expert patient care and clinical skills, but for their compassion, their empathy, their ability to adapt and pivot on a dime, their dynamic leadership, and their unwavering dedication to their profession. Nouns such as “rockstar” and “change agent” and “legend” were used to describe this year’s winners. These individuals were rockstar patient advocates, change agents to better our society, and legends to inspire patients, families, and team members alike. You can watch this year’s event at https://bit.ly/3NWM758. Nominations are now open for the 2024 Salute to Nurses awards. Visit www.tusalutetonurses.com to nominate a stellar nurse today.
TOP 10 WINNING NURSES
NEXT 15 FINALIST NURSES
Rebecca Bloom, Eddy Visiting Nurse & Rehab Association
Tracey Considine, Albany Associates in Cardiology
Tracy Crandall, Eddy Visiting Nurse & Rehab Association
Debbie Doin, Schenectady ARC
Kara Gates, Glens Falls Hospital
Laurie Harris, St. Peter’s Diabetes and Endocrine Care
Andrea Hewitt, Teresian House
Bridgette Higgins-Havlicek, Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital
Donna Kirby, St. Peter’s Hospital
Trisha LaForge, Glens Falls Hospital
Cindy Pulver, TheWesley Community
Matthew Ramos, Albany Medical Center
Margaret Rodriguez, The Community Hospice
Diane Salisbury, Pulmonary Critical Care Services, Troy
Susan Wells, Glens Falls Hospital
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The Butt Stops Here – Spring into Action and Quit Smoking Today!
Spring is a time for new beginnings. A fresh start. This year, why not spring into action with a new commitment to your health and well-being? Quitting smoking is never easy. But research shows that support and medication can double or even triple a successful quit.
The Virtual Butt Stops Here (VBSH) is an award-winning smoking cessation program offered by St. Peter’s Health Partners. Groups are FREE, led by a trained facilitator, and meet one hour a week for seven-weeks.
The next session is set for May 17-June 28, so register here TODAY!
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Health Beat with Benita Zahn
Keeping your blood pressure in check is a key component of staying healthy and reducing your risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. To that end, the American Heart Association (AHA) launched the CHECK IT CHALLENGE.
The challenge encourages participants to check their blood pressure twice a month. This can be done at home, at a doctor’s office, or a remote testing site like a pharmacy. While the program started during Heart Awareness Month in February, it runs through May, which is Stroke Awareness Month.
The AHA numbers help tell the story for healthy blood pressure. It’s considered good when your pressure is below 120/80. 120-129 over 79 or lower is considered elevated. 130-139 over 80-89 is high blood pressure stage 1. 140 or higher over 90 or higher is high blood pressure stage 2. 180 and up over 120 and higher is considered hypertensive crisis and should be addressed immediately by a physician.
