From looking great in their new #CarilionProud shirts, showing team spirit supporting their favorite sports teams, to being really good sports on Wacky Socks Day and Throwback Thursday, Wytheville RHC was "all in" for it!
Talk about commitment… Diane Eames took it to a whole new level this week. On her way into work, she actually hit a bear—yes, a bear—which caused four airbags in her car to deploy. That alone would’ve been enough for most people to call it a day.
But not Diane.
She still made it to work on time.
Diane consistently goes above and beyond every single day, but this really shows a whole different level of dedication and commitment. We’re so thankful to have someone like her on our team!
Congratulations to Valerie Renard, NP, principal investigator in the Department of Medicine and third-year PhD candidate at Vanderbilt University. Her application for a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) has been funded by the NIH -- the first of this type at Carilion! This highly competitive award supports emerging scientists whose health research projects are designed to improve patient outcomes and advance healthcare delivery.
There are moments when the work behind the scenes quietly speaks for itself.
This week, CMS released updated HCAHPS patient survey data reflecting patient experiences from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 — including hospital cleanliness ratings across the nation.
Out of hundreds of hospitals recognized with a 5-star cleanliness rating, we are proud to celebrate two hospitals from Carilion’s Western Region that made the list:
• Carilion Giles Community Hospital
• Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital
A big shout out to all the volunteers and members of the Nursing Recognition Council who came together to put on fun Nursing Carnival events in celebration of Nurse's Week! There were "dirty sodas", pickles, popcorn, rounding on nights with Meadow, and lots of fun as team members participated in our Spirit Week themes. Thanks all for making this a memorable event for our nursing teams.
Please join us in congratulating Theresa Palum, RN, of 4 West-Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU) on her retirement as of May 1st.
Theresa devoted 14 years of dedicated service to Carilion, making a lasting impact on both patients and colleagues. Throughout her career, she shared her talents in Home Health and the Ambulatory Surgery Unit, consistently demonstrating compassion, professionalism, and exceptional clinical skill.
After 35 years of dedicated service, we are excited to celebrate the remarkable career of Tammy Lawless as she begins her well-earned retirement!
Throughout her journey, Tammy has made a lasting impact across multiple departments, including the ED and ORS, bringing knowledge, leadership, and compassion to every role she has held. Most recently, her presence in the 4S PACU as CTL has been invaluable, and she will be deeply missed by her team and colleagues.
Congratulations to Emaleigh Habeck and Shelby Mueller, who were celebrated with Great Catch Awards for their exceptional awareness and commitment to safety. Their timely identification and reporting of safety concerns helped protect both our patients and staff.
Our PACU team had an incredible Nurses & CA Week celebration filled with food, fun, and well-deserved recognition! From themed spirit days and wellness events to daily treats and exciting giveaways, the week was all about celebrating the amazing RNs and CAs who keep our unit running with skill and compassion every day.
A huge thank you to the STEAM Team for planning such a meaningful week and to our PACU staff for bringing the energy, teamwork, and positivity that made it so special! 💙
On May 13th, members of the Transition to Practice team, alongside Resource Pool leadership and educators, presented Brandy Anderson, R.N. with the Outstanding Preceptor Award.
Brandy was nominated by a practicum student from Ferrum College. Some of the nomination reads: "During my clinical experience with my preceptor Brandy Anderson, I saw how she exemplifies the roles of protector, evaluator, educator/coach, and facilitator. She is honestly one of the best nurses I have ever met, and the way she cares for both patients and students made a big impact on me."
