Grace Smith, RN, BSN, CGRN

Background

I have a really broad-based background. I graduated from Utica State Hospital School of Nursing and received my BSN at Alfred University. The majority of my career has been spent at Highland Hospital; even when I worked for the Infectious Disease Unit at Strong Memorial Hospital. I was assigned to Highland to collect data for a three-year NIH flu study. The purpose of the study was to track elderly patients who were hospitalized with the flu. Concurrently free flu shots were provided to the elderly during that three year period. The conclusion of the study showed that when the elderly were given flu shots, the incidence of them contracting the flu were decreased. These results ultimately lead to Medicare providing free flu shots to the elderly.

Time at Highland Hospital

One of my family members was a resident at Highland and recommended it. I was looking for a place that wasn't too big—one with a family environment—and that's what I found here. Everyone knows you by name. Twenty-seven years later, I'm still here. I guess that says it all. 

Career Path at Highland Hospital

I've worked in the SICU, MICU, Family Maternity Center, Medical/Surgical units, Medical Imaging and the Float Pool before coming to the HEC in 1988. In the HEC a variety of procedures are performed; however, the focus is on gastrointestinal procedures. Presently, I split my time as the nurse educator and providing patient care and procedures.  

My Dominant Personality Traits

Compassion for people is at the top on my list. Helping people isn't a job for me—it's simply part of who I am. I have high expectations when it comes to my job. I am very detail oriented, yet at the same time very patient. I think the educator position is a perfect fit for me because I can get along with anyone. It feels great when one of my peers tells me they feel comfortable coming to me for help—that I don't make them feel stupid and that I'm open and friendly. 

About the Ambulatory Procedure Center

I like to learn as well as teach and there's no shortage of opportunities for both here. You need a lot of knowledge to be a confident and self-assured endoscopy nurse. At the same time, educating our patients is also a top priority. Our patient education booklets and department web site provide an opportunity for patients to be well informed and prepared before their procedure. My job is very challenging and exciting because every day is something more to learn. 

We're constantly updating our technology both in GI and pulmonary. We have new Olympus processors and scopes that we use daily. Colon cancer screening with colonoscopy is the most common procedure that is done in our unit. Other endoscopic procedures such as gastroscopy (examination of the upper GI tract) and ERCP (examination of the biliary system) are also very common procedures that one would see in our unit. The newest technology with our endoscopes is narrow band imaging which allows the physicians to better visualize particular areas of interest. Cryotherapy is the newest therapeutic procedure that can be performed during bronchoscopy.

Training is a priority. We work closely with the sales reps whenever we get a new piece of equipment. Educational funds are provided to send staff for training and the Department of Education provides in-house training for hospital-wide needs. And, of course, there's my role as a nurse educator. We have to be aggressive about keeping our competencies current.

I thoroughly enjoy doing procedures. We work one-to-one with the physicians. They're all outstanding clinicians who also like to teach. "Slacker" isn't in our vocabulary. Everyone works together as a team and we're proactive about helping each other. If someone isn't busy, he or she asks how to help. No one sits back and waits. We just jump in. Everyone's on the same page. We're dedicated to providing safe care to all patients and respecting their privacy. 

I think the patient experience on our unit is very good. We do both inpatients and outpatients and we get great marks on patient satisfaction surveys from both populations.  We provide a lot of patient support throughout the entire procedure process. 

If I had to boil our unit's personality down to a couple of words, they’d be "friendly, fast-paced and efficient." We're proud of the goals we set for ourselves and our success in accomplishing them.

Lisa Fleming, RN, CGRN
Nurse Leader, ASPN III

Background

My nursing degree is from Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. I have specialized in Gastroenterology Nursing for 17 years and have pursued and received Gastroenterology Registered Nurse certification through the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA).

Time at Highland Hospital

I've been at Highland since 1988. I came here for its family atmosphere and have never been disappointed.

Career Path at Highland Hospital

I started on the W7—this was an Acute Medical Floor at that time. I stayed there for four years. I transferred to Endoscopy in 1991. Over the years, other opportunities both inside and outside of the hospital have come up. I've looked at them, but I love what I do in the HEC, so I've stayed.

My Dominant Personality Traits

I love meeting new people and taking care of them. I'm energetic, self-motivated, and highly organized, so a fast-paced environment with high technical skill requirements are a perfect fit for me.  

About the Ambulatory Procedure Center

We take care of inpatients as well as outpatients, so we see many people who are very sick and we frequently have to do more complicated procedures than a free-standing center that focuses solely on outpatients. Many of the procedures that we do are colonoscopy, gastroscopy, bronchoscopy, and ERCP. 

Staff in the Highland Endoscopy Center work Monday through Friday. Hours range between 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies. We are also on call for all holidays.

The work is fast-paced and there's a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm in the unit.  Patients comment that we're super friendly.  We're sensitive to their anxieties when they come in and do all we can to put them at ease and help them relax. We set high standards for ourselves for technical proficiency and caring.

I'm very lucky to have a great group of co-workers. We have a very cohesive team and everyone’s supportive of one another both professionally and personally. We have a great work ethic and take pride in our skills and professionalism.

The physicians are first class and we have excellent working relationships with them. We work in close quarters with the doctors and they get to know us and trust us. The longer you've worked here, the more they seek you out. We are all partners in patient care.

I'm a very seasoned nurse, but I'm never bored here. Technology is always changing so there's a lot more to learn and experience. A GI nurse has to be well versed in anatomy and physiology, have a thorough knowledge of the equipment and keep up with the latest in moderate sedation protocols. Patients come and go pretty fast in the unit, but there's still a lot of opportunity to interact with them. It's very rewarding to catch a problem early or teach a patient something that will help them prevent a problem from happening or, best yet, know that the procedure will help a very sick patient's doctor apply the right treatment to make them better.