Happy New Year!

Christmas came & went & I sincerely hope you enjoyed some quality time-off with friends & family!

Facing the next festivity & a new year, certainly lots of people have New Years Resolutions on their minds… I have never been known to set any goals but with today’s economy & our ever growing environmental issues, I finally researched recycling methods, centers & alternatives in my area to START getting involved asap & contribute to the change we need!

I started carrying totes for shopping (anything, not just groceries!) to avoid collecting plastic bags and I have been recycling cell phones, clothes (Goodwill) & even cars (Kars4kids.org, for example). I knew that the Wal-Mart by me has several recycling bins for papers & plastics but I was really interested to learn of light bulb & metal clothe hanger (cleaners!) recycling opportunities near me. Having bookmarked Earth911’s website, I pledge to buy eco-friendly containers – if I can’t recycle anything in my current possession - & start recycling my everyday household items like glass, paper, magazines, light bulbs IF I can’t buy without or BE without! In addition to recycling items I’ve bought, my other New Years Resolution is to buy less & rather re-cycle items I already own… Paint them, change them, re-decorate & re-arrange. A little color goes a long way, they say.

Wishing you & your loved ones a healthy, happy & prosperous New Year!

Fawcett launches PACS Network

In times where technology advances further & further into our lives, it is also vastly progressing into healthcare. Our 238-bed Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte recently launched its first picture archiving & communication system (PACS). These computers & networks are dedicated to the storage, retrieval, distribution & presentation of digital radiological images. This system allows fast access & sharing of patient information & will offer physicians secure online access to these records in the near future. Hopefully only a matter of time until our remaining facilities are equipped equally.

Northside received Organ Donation Medal

Since I have decided to become a donor myself, I was pleased to read about our 288-bed Northside Hospital & Tampa Bay Heart Institute’s latest recognition! Advance for Nurses writes in their No. 27 December issue that Northside was recognized earlier this month by the Department of Health and Human Services.

If you ever wondered about the Organ Donor Program in the State of Florida, you may obtain more information on www.myflorida.com. It’s a simple process of completing one form which has to be witnessed in order to SAVE lives! According to United Network For Organ Sharing, currently there are 100,839 people on the waiting list for donations - 20,951 transplantations took place between January & September 2008 - 10,610 donors registered between January & September this year alone! Educate yourself & become one of the registered donors we desperately need TODAY!

Join the conversation on our facebook page

We launched the Careers at HCA West Florida facebook page.  We’re there to connect with existing and future candidates about the ins and outs of our ever-changing culture. It’s never been easier to get to know members of our friendly and diverse team. And we’ll share the latest career news and job opportunities available.
Feel free [...]

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point Shares the Spirit of the Holidays

Each year for more than a decade, employees at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson, Fla. have conducted a “Family Christmas Baskets” event.
Local schools provide the hospital with the names of families who are not fortunate enough to celebrate the Christmas holiday due to financial hardship. This year, employees at Bayonet Point adopted 78 families and provided them with gifts including gift certificates to purchase a Christmas meal for each household.
CEO Steve Rector said, “Our entire cafeteria is filled with the humbling charitable giving that has resulted from the volunteer efforts of our employees. We estimate that our staff has donated more than $20,000 to this event. It is incredible and we are blessed! Also, this year the medical staff allocated an additional $3,000 to help more families so we were able to add another ‘basket day’ providing Christmas for an additional 10 families. I can’t say enough about our team and their incredible giving spirit. Happy Holidays!”

Happy Holidays

I wanted to let you all know that I am taking a break from blogging for the holidays.  So enjoy this time with your family and friends.  I am certainly looking forward to some much needed rest and relaxation along with a little cheer.  So be safe and have fun.  Wishing you all a very [...]

Holiday Office Party Politics

Last week my team mates and I enjoyed a nice holiday luncheon.  It was very laid back and relaxing with a silly gift exchange included.  However, the event made me think back on the holiday office parties I’ve attended over the years.  From casual lunches to four star formal events the same rules still apply to [...]

Back in the Saddle Again

I met a friend for lunch last week.  She is a former coworker of mine and is currently employed in the financial industry.  She was sharing with me the struggles that the employees in her company are facing.  Cuts in hours and pay.  And even worse, some layoffs.  We all know someone in this situation [...]

150th CyberKnife System Installed Worldwide

Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ:ARAY) , a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today that 150 CyberKnife(R) Robotic Radiosurgery Systems now have been installed worldwide. This milestone was achieved when Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), a leading healthcare services company, installed a CyberKnife System in collaboration with consultant clinician partners at The Harley Street Clinic in London. HCA’s addition of this CyberKnife System marks the installation of its seventh system companywide, including its first outside the United States.

To read the full story, please visit the following site: http://www.health-plan-news.com/health-plans/150th-cyberknife-system-installed-worldwide\.

School’s Out for Winter

With the year coming to an end, many college students are ending their studies and graduating as well.  I am often contacted by nursing students anxious to start a new endeavor as a working healthcare professional.  They are not sure where to begin.  The questions asked are … Where do I start?  What’s available?  So, [...]