September 2006
     

xpectant parents Yukari Abe and Ricardo Durand had planned to get married Friday, Aug. 11, before their child was born in late August. Then fate intervened.

Ms. Abe went into labor Aug. 8 and was admitted to Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center. The wedding appeared to be off.

But thanks to the ingenuity of Labor and Delivery nurse Marijke Collins and her co-workers, the couple was able to tie the knot before cutting the cord after all.

Marijke approached Rabbi Sara Berman, formerly of our Chaplaincy department, who agreed to marry the couple during a bedside ceremony in their L & D room later that day. Several nurses, the couple’s physician, Dr. Heather Kettenis, and the chaplain’s six-year-old daughter, Miriam, witnessed the ceremony.

L & D staff members created a makeshift bouquet for the bride out of blue and white tissue paper. Surgical technician Nori Gamewell was designated the ring bearer, while Central Service’s Kevin Roberson was recruited to be best man. There also was cake for the happy couple to enjoy following the ceremony. Charge nurse Barbara Abrams served as wedding photographer.

Neither Barbara nor Marijke could remember anything quite like it during their careers in maternity nursing. “It was a touching ceremony and we felt proud to stand in as their extended family,” Marijke said.

Ms. Abe continued in labor through the rest of the evening. At 8:19 a.m. the next day, she delivered a healthy baby girl, Natjedah, who weighed in at 6 pounds, 1 ounce. Mother, father and baby were honeymooning at home in Santa Monica by Friday afternoon.


Rabbi Sara Berman, third from left, marries the expectant couple as her daughter and Dr. Heather Kettenis look on.
Photo by Barbara Abrams

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he recent Wellness Fair at SM-UCLA was a huge success, with hundreds of employees taking part in the event. Kudos to Kelli Power and her colleagues in Human Resources who planned the festivities. Click on the file below to review the list of drawing winners and their prizes.


That's Social Services' Kristen Zaleski getting a massage at the Wellness Fair.
Photo by Daniel Wiese
 

Financial Update. SM-UCLA ended Fiscal Year 05-06 on an upswing by posting a gain of $1.57 million in June. For the year, our hospital was more than $9.5 million ahead of budget and approaching the breakeven point. Administration thanks all of you for your continued hard work in helping us achieve this financial turnaround.

Healthy Dose of Wellness. The UCLA Hospital System wants you to “live life well.” That’s why the system has designed a website just for you as part of the overall Wellness Initiative. Visit the site frequently at http://hr.healthcare.ucla.edu/wellness/index.html.

The site contains a wealth of resources to help you take better care of yourself while taking care of others. These resources include links to 1) programs offered under the Wellness umbrella; 2) calendar of wellness-related events; 3) articles on various wellness topics; 4) motivational tips and ideas to help you stay focused on achieving maximum health and wellness; and 5) contact information for these areas. UCLA Healthcare hopes you enjoy the website and find it an invaluable resource in achieving better health and balance in your work and personal lives. Comments and suggestions for the website can be directed to Wellness Initiative co-chairs Patti Oliver and Kety Duron.

80th-Anniversary Celebration. The excitement is building for our 80th-Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, Oct. 15, from noon to 4 p.m. Don’t miss the fun! 16th Street will be closed to accommodate a street festival, featuring musical entertainment, health screenings and information, mini-massages, kids’ activities, a fashion show, refreshments, souvenirs and participation by other community organizations. The Santa Monica High School Marching Band will perform, as will “Malpractice,” a band that includes SM-UCLA physicians David Baron and Richard Frieder. Several local restaurants and food companies, including Whole Foods, Costco, Jaipur of India, Edible Arrangements, First Class Vending and El Pollo Loco, will be donating food for the event to supplement the efforts of our Food Services department. Know someone born at the original Santa Monica Hospital in 1926 or 1927? Ask him or her to call us at (800) 516-5323 with contact information. We want these “babes of Santa Monica” to be part of the festivities. Mark your calendars today and plan on joining the celebration.

Paycheck Changes. Beginning in late September, Payroll representatives will no longer be at SM-UCLA on paydays to distribute paper checks. Consequently, all employees are encouraged to sign up for direct-deposit of their paychecks into a checking or savings account. Please note that the University Credit Union can help those employees without direct-deposit open a FREE checking or savings account. Click on the link below for more information about UCU. And remember that with the UCU ATM on site, you can do your banking at work! Questions? Email Kelli Power or call her at ext. 94846.
http://www.ucu.org/welcome.htm

Visitor Parking. Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 6, SM-UCLA will offer visitor parking in the Arizona Structure during evening and weekend hours as part of its overall Customer Service initiative. Visitors can stop at the Security desk to purchase a $5 access ticket, which allows entry to the structure at the times noted below:

Weekdays: 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Weekends: All day
Holidays: All day

Please help spread the word and remind visitors that failure to comply with the guidelines given by Security can result in parking citations. Questions can be emailed to Security Manager Vernon Goodwin.

It’s a Wash! And the winners of the first-ever “Battle of the Sexes Blood Drive” at SM-UCLA were… the men! Seven percent of our male employees donated blood at the July 24 event, versus 6.5 percent of female employees, making winners of team captains Dr. Mike Herbst and Vernon Goodwin. Their cars will be washed by female captains Shelean Antoine and Chelsi Glasemen, with additional elbow grease from SM-UCLA CAO Posie Carpenter and other members of the Administration team. The car wash is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m., near the main entrance. Thanks to all employees who donated for their respective teams. Overall, we collected 72 units, making patients the real winners in this friendly competition.

Where Are They Now? Cath Lab personnel and staff cardiologists are now sharing the recently remodeled Angiography suite with Radiology while renovation occurs on our existing Cath Lab. Please note that the Angiography suite is located in Room 4 of the Radiology department on 2 Tower. The Cath Lab’s telephone ext. remains 93300.

Numbers Game. Is 15 your lucky number? On Nov. 15, all Pavilion floors and rooms will be given new numbers as part of the MNP Renumbering Project. Transition plans call for new signage to be installed Nov. 1-14, with temporary stickers to note the existing room numbers. On Nov. 15, the stickers will be removed to unveil the new floor and room numbers. For more information, email Amy Wills in Transition Planning.

Walk Talk. Have you joined a team for the American Heart Association’s 5-K Heart Walk on Sept. 30? If not, see your department manager or click on the link below to review a list of SM-UCLA teams:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/teams/search GroupTeams.
asp ievent=149315&lis=1&kntae149315=
D8FD48A492D8480B8A47BB3FC152F3F0

The 5-kilometer walk will begin at 7 a.m. at Exposition Park near the Coliseum. As part of the Wellness Initiative, UCLA Healthcare is encouraging all employees to participate. All walkers will receive a t-shirt and can access shuttle service from either the Westwood or Santa Monica campuses. Proceeds will benefit the AHA’s mission of fighting heart disease and stroke.

Relay Report. Thanks to team captain Ishara Bailis and everyone who participated or donated to the SM-UCLA team, “Faith, Hope and Love,” for the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” event July 29-30 at Santa Monica College. More than $3,500 was raised to benefit ACS services for cancer patients and their families.

Massage Therapy. Move over, Burke-Williams, because SM-UCLA is now offering massages! The fully clothed, chair massages are provided by certified massage therapists and are priced at $15 per 20 minutes for staff members. Patients also can access the service in their rooms or Room 721 ($20 per 20 minutes). Payment must be made in advance at the Cashier’s Office on 1 Pavilion. Click on the attached file to print a payment coupon. To schedule a massage or for more information, call ext. 94544.

Shop Talk. Featured items in the SM-UCLA Gift Shop this month are “Early Santa Monica,” an illustrated book by Auxiliary member and historian Louise Gabriel that contains more than 200 special photographs of Santa Monica, and blue teddy bears sporting a SM-UCLA t-shirt. Stop by the Gift Shop today to check out these and many other nifty gift ideas.

Weeks at a Glance. September brings recognition to several categories of healthcare professionals. Please acknowledge your co-workers in these areas:

Sept. 10-16 Environmental Services
and Housekeeping Week
Sept. 15 Neonatal Nurses Day
Sept. 17-23 Rehabilitation Awareness Week
Sept. 17-23 Surgical Technologists Week

   

Friday, Sept. 15, 2006
“Prime Time Jam Party.”
7 p.m. Santa Monica Lodge, 1600 Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica. “Rockin” Dennis Rosa of 6 Pavilion invites all his co-workers to watch his band, “24-7,” perform at this local venue. Admission is free. Dennis’ band plays rock and Latin jazz.

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006
“Medicine Ethics and Human Values Seminar: Cultural Differences Related to Health, Sickness and Medical Care – the Hindu Perspective.”
Noon to 1:15 p.m. 7 Tower, Room 723. For reservations or more information, email Poonam Bhatla or call her at ext. 94189.

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006
“FITSCO (Fidelity Investments) Consultations.”
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tower Board Room. Casey Muldoon, a retirement-planning specialist with FITSCO, offers personal consultations to interested employees. For an appointment, call (866) 682-7787.

Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006
“American Heart Walk.”
7 a.m. Exposition Park near the Coliseum. Join a team participating in the American Heart Association’s 5-k Heart Walk. All walkers will receive t-shirts and can access shuttle service from the Westwood or Santa Monica campuses. Visit the Wellness Initiative website for more information.

Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006
“80th-Anniversary Celebration.”
Noon to 4 p.m. 16th Street outside SM-UCLA. Join the fun as SM-UCLA hosts a street festival to celebrate this special anniversary of service to the Westside community. Food and refreshments, musical entertainment, health screenings, mini-massages, kids’ activities and a fashion show. Mark your calendars and watch for further word!

Quotable
“Character is doing the right thing when no one is watching.”
— J.C. Watts

Update is published electronically by Marketing and Public Relations. Comments or suggestions for future issues can be emailed to Ted Braun.