Happy National Nursing Week 2023

Written by Tammy Battle, RN
Boundless Statewide Nursing Director 

This year we celebrate National Nursing Week from May 6th to 12th. This holiday is always in conjunction with the same week as Florence Nightingale’s birthday. We recognize nurses for their care, dedication and for making a difference in the lives of people and families in all the communities across our nation. We at Boundless are fortunate to have 15 exceptional nurses employed across our company and serving our individuals day-in and day-out.

While our nursing duties differ within the organization all roles are critical to serving our individuals and ensuring we deliver quality care. I am honored to serve with these extraordinary nurses as the director of nursing. I am charged with the leadership and oversight of nursing services at Boundless. My greatest accomplishment thus far has been implementing psychiatry services across the state. Leadership is about investing in your team, serving them, and creating a positive work environment where they feel valued, respected, and motivated to achieve departmental goals.

The Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) nurses include Abby Gilbert- supervisor, Sarah David, Marcia Blankenship, Rebekah Cochran, Meredith Lawther, Tina Moy, Mikeyla Burrs, and Alex Dysert. These extraordinary nurses staff our facilities and focus on the daily health and medical needs of our most vulnerable individuals at our Intermediate Care Facilities. They ensure our individuals receive optimal care based on their treatment needs. Duties include examining the individuals daily, monitoring for changes in their health and mental status, reporting all findings to the doctor and family, monitoring medication compliance and updating medical records as needed. They also participate in the interdisciplinary team meetings, collaborating with families, case workers from the county board of DD, and all internal partners, to ensure we are meeting the needs of our individuals.

Our community nurse team includes Amanda Williams- supervisor, and Whitney Knowles. These outstanding nurses visit our individuals in the community at various locations. They travel to supported living homes, center-based services, adult habilitation services, respite homes including the Multi-System Youth (MSY), and in the doctor's office (primary care and psychiatry). Duties include examining the individuals, monitoring symptoms and progress towards treatment goals, providing nursing interventions per doctor's orders, reviewing medications and medication administration records for compliance. They also provide education and training to caregivers including delegation for medication, insulin, and G- tube.

Having a knowledgeable, well-trained staff is fundamental to delivering quality care to our individuals. Our outstanding nurse trainer, Paul Bujdoso, has trained more than 1,000 staff this past year. The classes include the required DODD medication certification levels l, ll, and lll. He also teaches CPR and first aid classes across Ohio. Delegation is a critical component for service delivery and along with the other nurses, Paul is leading the way.

The nursing contributions to our individuals do not end there. Our team also consists of two exceptional advanced practice nurses, serving our individuals as psychiatric nurse practitioners. Kristen Elliott, and Christopher Daugherty, provide psychiatric services to our individuals with a level of dedication and compassion that the nursing profession was built upon.

I also want to recognize Katherine Maietta, a nurse who works on the compliance team. Katie conducts monthly compliance reviews, gleaming data from the clinical record, and monitors reports based on outcome measures. She shares this data with the nursing team to ensure best practice standards and continuous quality improvement.

These nurses are vital to the success of our department but more importantly the fulfillment of our mission here at Boundless. There are many rewards for being a nurse at Boundless. We have a unique opportunity to help people of all ages and abilities to live their best life. We make a difference in the lives of individuals we serve by educating the staff and families who care for them. Nurses are not only a part of their care team but a part of their family and that is rewarding beyond words.

The challenge for nursing is the same everywhere- not enough nurses to complete all the tasks that we want to do. We complete all the necessary tasks, but rarely have down time to do extra tasks like reading a book, playing cards, or spending extra time with our individuals. We are always crafting creative plans to ensure that we are fulfilling the individuals and their caregivers needs.

“As a nurse we have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart, and body of our patients. They may forget your name but will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

In closing, I want to thank each of the nurses for going the extra mile, working hard, and making sacrifices that no one else knows about to meet the demands of our profession. The excellent work that you do without complaining makes an enormous difference in the lives of our individuals. On behalf of Boundless, our individuals, the care providers, and families, thank YOU for your service!