Tag Archives: Gillette Nurses
Meet us Monday – Kari Kubiatowicz, R.N.
Meet us Monday
1. What is your position and role at Gillette? I am a Registered Nurse in the Neurosciences Unit.
2. Do you have a favorite story or memory from Gillette? Hosting prom on our unit for one of our patients.
3. What are some of your hobbies outside of work? I enjoy golfing, jogging, playing trumpet in a community band and spending time with my family and friends
4. Do you have any children or pets? Not yet, although my husband is campaigning for us to get a pug named Leon.
5. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Italy
6. What is one fun fact about you? I played trumpet with my now husband in the benchwarmerz for a summer in college (a small band that walks around and plays goofy and popular songs at Valleyfair).
Meet us Monday – Lance Reed, R.N.
- What are some of your hobbies outside work? I play drums, mostly for fun, occasionally for money.
One of my groups (Goodnight Ritual) is releasing an album in June! - Do you have any kids or pets?
I have one son; Eli, who is 21 years old. Also, I have two kitties: Lu and Corky, and a Ten month-old Puppy named Willie Nelson that we got from a rescue shelter in October, 2012.
Meet Us Monday - Lance Reed R.N.
- If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? If I could, I’d be flying all over.
- What is your favorite book? A tie between Lord of the Rings and The Music of Failure by the late, great Minnesota native Bill Holm
- What is your favorite food? The kind that is raised with respect, kindness and much thought.
- If you could travel anywhere where would you go? Touring through the pyramids of the world would be pretty sweet!
- Favorite subject in school? From grade school through college, I’ve always loved my science classes.
- Favorite musician/band/type of music?The cerebral part of me loves classical guitarist Andres’ Segovia, the rocker in me loves Led Zeppelin (particularly the drummer, John Bonham) Why choose, right?
- Who did you admire when you were a kid? My Mom and Dad.
- Do you have a favorite story/memory from Gillette? I remember a patient that was stable, but not happy at all. A surgery had been done that left the patient’s eyes swollen shut, and it seemed I could do nothing to help. When I DID NOT hear the patient crying, I became concerned and went to the room, only to find that the patient, finally happy, watching ‘Dora the Explorer’ with fingers physically prying open one eye!
- What do you enjoy most about your job at Gillette? I love developing long-term relationships with patients and their families. Soaring with them through the victories, helping to support them through tough times and long stays, while being invited into some of the most fulfilling conversations imaginable. I am also graced to have the best group of co-workers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.
From Patient Family to Gillette Nurse
At Gillette, we believe our staff members are something special. The compassion and care they provide to our patients is remarkable. In some cases, that compassion grows from a unique understanding of what our families are going through—because many of our employees are also patient families.
Take, for example, Eleesha Hruza, a Gillette nurse. In 2005, Eleesha gave birth to her son, Javier, in Bemidji, Minnesota. When Javier was a month old, he contracted a severe infection and was hospitalized for more than a month.
Eleesha and Javier
“Medical professionals told me his outlook was bleak,” says Eleesha. “Very few professionals believed Javier would even survive his first year of life.” He was eventually diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and at 18 months he was referred to Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare.
“I had never heard of Gillette, and didn’t know what to expect,” says Eleesha. “When we arrived for our first appointment, I was blown away. I was given a thorough education about Javier’s disability, and was told he would have a happy and healthy future. What a gift for someone to believe in him!”
Over the next year, Javier saw medical specialists at Gillette, and his health dramatically improved. His Gillette medical team took pride in his triumphs and never lost hope. Today Javier is a happy, healthy, 7-year-old first grader.
“The Gillette nurses who cared for Javier inspired me to become a nurse,” says Eleesha. “And now I work at Gillette as a full-time registered nurse, doing my best to help other children the way those nurses helped Javier.”
Eleesha adds, “I can say with great conviction that the people who work at Gillette are the most committed and caring group I have ever known. I hold myself to these standards because I want to give each patient and family the kind of care that Javier and I received. I’m asking people to support this wonderful hospital because I know on a very personal level the importance of the work we do.”
Meet Us Monday: Meet Allison Berg, R.N.
Q. How long have you worked at Gillette?
A. 11 years
Q. Why did you specialize in pediatrics?
A. I feel like kids are easy to relate to. It’s kind of my “comfort zone”.
Q. What drew you to Gillette?
A. The unique population that it serves. Out of Nursing School, I had no idea that a place like Gillette even existed. I think it is absolutely amazing. And it’s right here in St. Paul!
Q. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
A. To fly.
Q. What is your favorite musician/band/type of music?
A. Simon and Garfunkel/ Acoustic and Folk music
Q. Do you have a favorite story/memory from Gillette?
A. Not too long after I started at Gillette, another Nurse and I decided to pair up our two patients, who were similar ages and who’s families were not able to be there. I was dramatically acting out the words of a story as my friend/co-worker read aloud to our patients. This little boy, who had been so stoic and so sad, finally started to crack a smile. It was the best moment! After that we were all laughing. That was one of those moments that make me thankful to be able to do what I do.
Q. What do you enjoy most about your job at Gillette?
A. I love seeing patients when they come back to visit after surgery. When they come back to say “Hi” or give you a hug….. those are the BEST days! I have kept every card, every note, every picture a patient has ever given me. Sometimes you can get caught up in the day to day routines that I am sure come with any job. But, when you have a moment that makes you stop and think and see the bigger picture, you are able to realize what an amazing opportunity you have to be a small part of these special kids’ lives. I am so blessed and feel so lucky to able to be a Nurse at Gillette.
Meet Megan Cosgrove, Nurse at Gillette!
Meet Megan Cosgrove, Nurse at Gillette!
Q. What are some of your hobbies outside work?
A. I’m pretty boring, reading, gardening, I love to fish, playing with the grandkids and Twins games (well maybe not so much this year!)
Q. Do you have any children or pets?
A. I have 3 adults. 2 boys and a girl, and 2 grandkids. A girl and a boy.
Q. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
A. Xray vision. It would make my job in orthopaedics much faster!
Q. What is your favorite book and food?
A. I love Mexican food. I couldn’t possibly pick one book.
Q. If you could travel anywhere where would you go?
A. I would LOVE to go to Hawaii. I’m too afraid to leave the country.
Q. What was your favorite subject in school?
A. Math
Q. What is your favorite type of music or band?
A. Old R&B and funk
Q. Who did you admire as a child?
A. Grace Kelly and Barbara Streisand…the opposite of me.
Q. Do you have a favorite story or memory from Gillette?
A. Taking care of and getting close to the family of a girl who was here for a month in a hip spica. She now works at Gillette and we are great friends.
Q. What do you enjoy most about your job at Gillette?
A. Watching the kids grow up and being a positive influence in their lives. Seeing what amazing work our Dr. do! And of course all of the great coworkers I have known over the years.
Meet Sarah Gutknecht, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Gillette!
Whether they’re brightening a hospitalized child’s day, calming an anxious family before a surgery or helping to navigate a busy outpatient clinic appointment, nurses play an essential role in the work we do at Gillette.
It’s National Nurse Week and at Gillette we are thankful for all nurses do. We will be featuring a handful of nurses this week for you to meet. Today, meet Sarah Gutknecht, a pediatric nurse practitioner who was named 2011′s Distinguished Nurse of the Year by the March of Dime’s Nurse of the Year Awards.
Q. What are some of your hobbies outside work?
A. Volunteering (international medical missions, plus I sit on two national boards (Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners), travel, photography, music, sports: biking, skating, skiing (okay, anything outside!)
Meet Sarah Gutknecht, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare!
Q. As a child, which superhero did you admire? Or, if you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
A. I am intrigued by Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, I would love to have Dash’s speed from the Incredibles, but clearly the most beneficial skill would be the power to heal.
Q. What is your favorite book and food?
A. My favorite authors are Louise Erdrich and Barbara Kingsolve
B. I’m a foodie: I love all kinds of food. I enjoy going to the Farmer’s Market on the weekends. I’m no Andrew Zimmern, but I’ve had my share of unusual meals during my travels. We’re so lucky in the Twin Cities to have a plethora of amazing restaurants, from a locavore perspective to fabulous Southeast Asian restaurants. Vietnamese food is fabulous, for example, there is nothing like a good bowl of pho (noodle soup) on a rainy day.
Q. If you could travel anywhere where would you go?
A. I’m lucky, I have been to all seven continents, but there are still many places I desire to travel to, e.g., hike up Mount Kilimanjaro, swim with whale sharks in the South Pacific, and search for Blue Penguins in New Zealand.
Q. What was your favorite subject in school?
A. I love science, anthropology, and the arts.
Q. What is your favorite type of music or band?
A. I have eclectic musical interests, and I enjoy listening to our local public radio station, 89.3 The Current.
Q. Who did you admire as a child?
A. My parents, who always seemed bigger than life. In fact, they still do. I think parenting is one of the toughest roles in life, and to be able to raise children that are good citizens is a huge success. I admire all parents.
Q. Do you have a favorite story or memory from Gillette?
A. Too many to mention here. I enjoy caring for my patients and their families, and am honored they allow me to participate in their lives.
Q. What do you enjoy most about your job at Gillette?
A. Our kids and their families, my colleagues, an intra-disciplinary approach, and Gillette’s mission. Plus, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare not only delivers great patient care, but also has a commitment to education and research. Gillette recognizes the important role that nurses play in achieving the best possible patient outcomes, reflected in its American Nurses Credential Center Magnet Designation.
Gillette Nurses Honored for Excellence
A nurse wears many hats. Dedicated caregiver. Experienced clinician. And oftentimes, family confidante. In the many roles they play, one thing is clear: nurses are vital to the work we do at Gillette. It’s no surprise that patients and families consistently rank our nurses among the best parts of their hospital experience. And since many of our patients require care throughout childhood and into adulthood, nurses often become like a second family.
Outstanding nursing care is truly a team effort. That’s why, when the March of Dimes Minnesota Chapter named two Gillette nurses among its 13 Nurse of the Year Award winners, the honor reflected our entire nursing staff’s caring, dedication, and professionalism. Patrick Rivard, recognized for Ambulatory, Long Term & Rehabilitation Care, and Kim Marben, recognized for Leadership, are both longtime Gillette nurses with years of experience caring for kids with disabilities and special needs.
Congratulations to Patrick, Kim, and our entire nursing team! Click here for more on our Nurse of the Year Award winners.
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- Patrick Rivard, R.N.
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- Kim Marben, R.N.
