During her final week of nursing orientation, Casara faced a moment that would define both skill and character. When a patient suddenly began choking during lunch, Casara immediately recognized the danger and sprang into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and saving the patient’s life.
Each quarter, the Information Security team pulls a report of all employees who reported a phishing email and picks a random winner to receive a $25 gift card of their choice. Our winner for Q1 2026 is Leslie Lehman (left), Administrative Coordinator with the Department of Radiology. Leslie received an email from a sender with the same name as a relative, but she thought the email looked odd. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was not from them, but was a phishing email.
I would like to recognize FP Christiansburg for staying calm under a very stressful situation and working as a TEAM during an emergency in the office.
The Wellness Wing at Melrose Plaza is home to several Healing Arts initiatives including a rotating art gallery that aims to celebrate the artistry of neighbors in NW Roanoke. This past March, we launched our third exhibit featuring the work of local artist Mohammad Kouchai titled "Displaced Artist: A Reflection".
Shout out to Lori Short, RN for strong patient advocacy and attentiveness in an outpatient orthopaedic setting! Lori noted a patient’s elevated blood pressure during a visit and took the time to encourage the patient to contact their PCP. That follow up ultimately led to the patient being hospitalized and receiving the care they needed. The patient specifically asked that Lori be thanked and shared how grateful she was for Lori’s concern and guidance. This is a great example of speaking up and truly caring for our patients making a meaningful difference.
It was a fun day at the office today. We celebrated Halloween with decorations, costumes, and reverse Trick or Treating. Our patients and providers enjoyed it too. Happy Halloween might have been an odd way to celebrate April Fool's Day, but we had a lot of fun!
Carilion Clinic OBGYN Jefferson and Highland.
Carilion Virtual Operations (Telemetry)
CAPS Quality and Patient Safety recognized Virtual Operations for proactive monitoring of virtual telemetry and observation patients. Your timely and consistent reporting supported the creation of a runner role and contributed to a measurable reduction in delays; this reflects a strong culture of vigilance, problem solving, and shared commitment to safer, more reliable care. Thank you for demonstrating how proactive action leads to meaningful system improvement.
Recently, we recognized an important Great Catch by members of our outstanding ED team: Rachel Kiefer, Stef Braford, and April Kirk.
While caring for a patient, the team identified that the IV pump library did not match the medication concentration available for administration. If this discrepancy had gone unnoticed, it could have resulted in patient harm.
Because of their vigilance, communication, and teamwork, the issue was identified as a system issue, and the pump library was updated to ensure safe medication delivery.
Each quarter, the Information Security team pulls a report of all employees who reported a phishing email and picks a random winner to receive a $25 gift card of their choice. Our winner for Q4 2025 is Nadine Cruz Vega, a nursing student working at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Thanks so much to Nadine for her diligence in reporting suspected phishing emails and helping keep Carilion's network and patient data safe!
On 2/16/2026, a patient called to schedule an appointment. During the conversation, the ALN, Emmanuella, recognized verbal cues indicating the patient might be experiencing suicidal thoughts. She allowed the patient to talk, provided appropriate information for obtaining care, and quickly determined that additional support was necessary. Emmanuella arranged for assistance without delay, and the patient received timely intervention and treatment.
