Pandemic underscores value of nursing and midwifery excellence

Sutter Health has announced its first-ever Nurse of the Year Award winners at a virtual Nursing Symposium attended by hundreds of nurses and midwives from across Northern California.

In addition to recognizing excellence in nursing and midwifery, celebrating the not-for-profit health system’s first Nurse of the Year award winners during the pandemic also serves to highlight the critical role of nurses and midwives who demonstrate nursing excellence, courage and compassion for patients and families and keep them safe during this challenging time, says Sutter Health’s Chief Nurse Officer Anna Kiger, DNP, DSc, RN.

The World Health Organization and the American Nurses Association designated the year 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

At the virtual event, Kiger announced three nurses and one nurse midwife out of nearly 300 nominees as the first winners of the awards. Each award winner was chosen for excelling in one of the four pillars of Sutter’s Nursing Philosophy of Care.

Sutter Nursing Philosophy of Care Pillars

• Unlimited Potential: Our nurses are curious, life-long learners, teachers, mentors and leaders.
• Unique Contribution: Our nurses honor the holistic needs of those in their care and find creative, evidence-based ways to promote health and healing.
• Force of Good: Our nurses take pride in advocating for what is right for our patients, families and the communities we serve.
• Humble Presence: Our nurses are a steady force for patients and their families during life’s most vulnerable moments.

“Each of these winners of Sutter’s first Nurse of the Year Award bring their best every day, living our organization’s values and the Sutter Nursing Philosophy pillars while making a profound difference for the patients and families they serve,” Dr. Kiger says. “They also stand out because their co-workers see them as leaders in our noble profession. We are truly blessed to have them as a part of our organization.”

John Fassett, CNM, Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, Unlimited Potential

Out of more than 20,000 certified midwives across the nation, only about 1% are male. John Fassett, a certified nurse midwife (CNM) at Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation demonstrated his pioneering spirit by becoming one of the first male midwives in San Francisco 26 years ago and has been a registered nurse for 40 years.

John Fassett, CNM

Patients and staff alike talk about how his ability to listen and his sense of humor keep them relaxed, even during the tense times that accompany pregnancy, labor and delivery. Fassett, a military veteran, has demonstrated his Unlimited Potential by showing leadership during his 8-year tenure with Sutter by chairing the Advanced Practice Committee and serving as a nurse reviewer for Nurse Midwife practice with the California’s Board of Registered Nursing.

Cara Phillips, RN, Pre-Admission Testing, Memorial Medical Center, Unique Contribution

Cara Phillips, RN

Cara Phillips, RN, started her nursing career at Sutter’s Memorial Medical Center in Modesto in 1979 as a nurse on the surgical unit. She transferred to the Preadmission Testing (PAT) Department 10 years later and became the PAT charge nurse/coordinator in 2008. She partnered with Dr. Tamim Wafa, chief of Anesthesia, to bring the evidence-based Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model to Memorial Medical Center in 2017.

The PSH is a patient-centered, team-based system of coordinated care that guides patients through the entire surgical experience. One year after Phillips helped implement PSH at Memorial, the hospital realized all eight quality goals set by the American Society of Anesthesiology. Through Cara’s Unique Contribution, more than 1,000 orthopedic, bariatric, vascular, and high-acuity patients have benefited from the enhanced care of PSH.

Deborah Swartz, RN, Education, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Community Health Resource Center, Force of Good

Deborah Swartz, RN

Deborah Swartz, RN, has been a calming Force of Good for patients and staff since 2006 as the nurse educator at Sutter’s Palo Alto Medical Foundation Community Health Resource Center (CHRC). She works with clinicians to develop educational lectures and videos intended to help patients make choices toward healthier lifestyles. Most recent, she developed a free online asthma management course that’s expected to be a Sutter systemwide class soon.

Since becoming a registered nurse in 1977, Swartz has served in emergency rooms, at the bedside, in clinical departments, and at the VA, but has spent most of her career at Sutter. The CHRC provides compassionate guidance to patients and families—educating them about various diseases, caregiving responsibilities and how to make informed treatment decisions.

Andrea Trimble, RN, Med/Surg, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Humble Presence

Andrea Trimble, RN

Andrea Trimble, RN, a charge nurse, demonstrates Humble Presence as a steady force in Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s medical/surgical unit in Berkeley. She reviews charts and researches patients to anticipate their needs and needs of their families. In nominating her, her colleagues said they appreciate her respectful way of leading and working with nurses. Nurses maintain their close bond with patients while Trimble supports them and guides them in the background.

Co-workers describe Trimble as calm, poised and interactive as she finds the balance of supporting both staff and patients with the daily goal of providing the best possible care.

Sutter’s Nursing Philosophy of Care

Sutter’s Nursing Philosophy of Care and the four pillars are the product of many interviews with Sutter Health nurses, who shared their stories, beliefs and experiences. The philosophy provides a framework to inspire nurses, remind them why they entered the profession and highlight their unique role in their patients’ healing process. It is designed to support nurses from their first entry into nursing through retirement.

Award Winners with a Common Purpose

In different ways, Sutter’s first Nurse of the Year Award winners serve patients and families as they help them navigate through the complexity of healthcare today. This year’s winners also partner closely with doctors and other healthcare professionals as they seek to provide patients with a quality, personalized experience, no matter where they enter Sutter’s integrated healthcare system.