Making Clinical Center history: Alter elected to National Academy of Sciences
Dr. Harvey Alter, Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM), has become the first
Clinical Center scientist elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
Alter is one of 72 new members from 12 countries elected in recognition of distinguished
and continuing achievements in original research. The election was held on April
30 at the Academy's 139th annual meeting.
"This is such an honor," said Dr. Alter at an open house
held in his honor at the Clinical Center on May 15. "The research I conduct
is long term and has unpredictable payoffs. Only at NIH could I have had the
support necessary to achieve these outcomes."
NAS, which includes the National Research Council, the National
Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, was instituted to provide
Congress and the White House with independent advice on matters of science,
technology and medicine.
Acknowledging Dr. Alter's academy election, Clinical Center Director
Dr. John Gallin noted, "This is a vote of appreciation of Dr. Alter's work
by his peers. It is refreshing to see NAS recognize a terrific Clinical Center
investigator. I am delighted for him."
"This is a man whose work is outstanding and who is an outstanding
person," said Dr. Harvey Klein, chief, Department of Transfusion Medicine.
"This is a wonderful honor that is also well deserved."
In 2000, Dr. Alter received the prestigious Albert Lasker Medical
Research Award. He is chief of the infectious diseases section and associate
director of research in DTM. A native of New York City, Dr. Alter earned his
medical degree at the University of Rochester. He came to the NIH Clinical Center
as a senior investigator in 1969.
As a young research fellow, he co-discovered the Australia antigen,
a key to detecting hepatitis B virus. Later, Dr. Alter spearheaded a project
at the Clinical Center that created a storehouse of blood samples used to uncover
the causes and reduce the risk of transfusion-associated hepatitis. Because
of his work, the United States instituted blood and donor screening programs
that have served to increase the safety of the blood supply.
Dr. Alter used this repository of clinically linked blood samples
to identify another puzzling clinical problem. "Most transfusion-related
hepatitis was found to be due to a virus different from the two then-known hepatitis
agents, A and B,"
Dr. Alter said. He called this new form of hepatitis non-A, non-B
hepatitis and subsequently proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees
that it was due to a new agent. This eventually led to the discovery of the
hepatitis C virus.
The NAS not only honors scientists of distinction, but also addresses
important matters in science and assists the nation in addressing problems where
scientific insights are of central significance. It was incorporated in 1863
by an act of Congress to "investigate, examine, experiment, and report
upon any subject of science or art..." and eventually expanded to include
the National Research Council in 1916, the National Academy of Engineering in
1964, and the Institute of Medicine in 1970. Collectively these organizations
are called the National Academies.
Recent reports issued by the National Academies include advice
on approaches to protecting children from online pornography, an evaluation
of the environmental, chemical, and biological hazards of sending humans to
Mars, risks of closing chemical agent disposal facilities, and recommendations
on coping with natural disasters and managing natural resources.
-by Colleen Henrichsen
A celebration of nursing
Nurses at the Clinical Center were recognized on May 9 in "A Celebration
of Nursing" in honor of National Nurses Week. The festivities included
the announcement of Outstanding Nurse honorees, the unveiling of the new web
site for nursing and the presentation of a special award to the nursing chief.
Outstanding Nurses
Large full color posters displayed the names, units, photos and sentiments of
the nurses selected as the Outstanding Nurses of 2002. Their peers nominated
the nurses. The honorees are: 2-East Nursing Staff; Kim Klapec, 2-J Surgical
Intensive Care Unit; Leslie Wehrlen, 2-West; Amy Kamble, 2-West Bone Marrow
Transplant; 3-Outpatient (Dental) Nursing Staff; Celene Chua, 3-Outpatient;
Nancy Day, 3-East; Sergio Bauza, 3-West; Bernie Crago, 4-East; 4-Outpatient
Nursing Staff; Purita Villoso, 4-West; Jenny Boyd, 5-West; David Spero, 6-West;
Denise McLaughlin, 7-East; Noreen Giganti, 8-East; Margie Lloyd, 8-Outpatient;
Wilma Zendel, 8-West; Donna Hardwick, 9-East; Gerri Bickerton, 9-Outpatient;
9-West Day Hospital Nursing Staff; Judith Lowitz, 9-West; Reginald Claypool,
10-D Intensive Care Unit; 10-Outpatient Nursing Staff; Mary Leshko, 11-East;
Patricia Aldridge, 11-East Day Hospital; Michael Masey, 11-Outpatient; Marilyn
Mouer, 11-West; Val Fiorillo, 12-East; Peggy Shovlin, 12-Outpatient; Sophia
Grasmeder, 13-East/Outpatient Cancer Center; Alberta Aikin, 13-Outpatient; Elizabeth
Fenn, 13-West; Kay Anderson, Central Staffing Office; Diane Vollberg, Diagnostic
Labs; Kim House, Surgical Services; Elizabeth Fenn, 13-West; Kay Anderson, Central
Staffing Office; Diane Vollberg, Diagnostic Labs; and Kim House, Surgical Services.
Chief Nurse Award
"As our Nation celebrates National Nurses week, I want to take this opportunity
to thank you for your support of nurses and nursing. You have provided invaluable
support to nursing activities within and external to the United States Public
Health Service (PHS)." With those words Assistant Surgeon General Rear
Admiral Mary Pat Couig presented Clare Hastings, PhD, chief, Nursing and Patient
Care Services with the PHS' Chief Nurse Award. The Award acknowledges efforts
above and beyond one's duties for both PHS corps and civilian nurses and is
given at the discretion of the PHS Chief Nurse Officer, a role currently held
by Admiral Couig.
The Admiral recognized Dr. Hastings for her support of several endeavors that
required nursing involvement. One was Dr. Hastings' "exceptional work to
ensure that nurses were available to assist with the relief efforts after the
attacks on the World Trade Center, the anthrax attacks last October and the
deployment of nurses for the immunization mission in the District of Columbia."
The other instances focus on Dr. Hastings' "recognition of the importance
of leadership development and encouraging nurses to avail themselves of opportunitiesÓ
such as chairing the Nursing Professional Advisory Committee, serving in the
Office of the Chief Nurse and collaborating with nurses from other PHS agencies
and foreign countries."
In receiving the award, Dr. Hastings thanked Admiral Couig for her support.
She acknowledged the clinical and professional excellence she has seen in the
Clinical Center nursing staff, thanking them for the privilege of serving in
a leadership capacity.
Nursing at the NIH Clinical Center: a new web site
A new website was unveiled during "A Celebration of Nursing." Nursing
at the NIH Clinical Center is the name of the newly developed and designed Internet
web site. Content tells external users about who the nurses are, the roles and
practice settings, professional opportunities, nursing research, and professional
resources. The site will also serve as a marketing tool for Clinical Center
nursing. Visit www.nursing.cc.nih.gov
for a more in-depth introduction to the site and more coverage of "A Celebration
of Nursing."
-by Dianne Needham
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Listserv offers tips for parents
Finding the latest daycare information and parenting tips has
just become easier for NIH employees.
The Clinical Center Quality of Worklife Initiative (QWI)/Diversity
Council, along with the NIH Work and Family Life Center and the Office of Research
Services Worksite Enrichment Program, are sponsoring an interactive email list
for child care and parenting issues.
"This is an excellent source of information on childcare
resources," said Sue Fishbein, QWI Council co-facilitator. "By utilizing
the collective knowledge and experience of other NIH parents, users obtain information
in response to very situation-specific questions."
All employees can subscribe to the list by sending an email to
listserv@list.nih.gov with the following text in the body: subscribe parenting_your
first name, last name. Once subscribed, users can send and receive messages
from other subscribers.
"This has kept me abreast of area daycare facilities and
I've received recommendations for certain pediatricians in the area," said
Sandra Bolles, nurse manager on 4-East. Bolles has a 7-week old grandson. Since
subscribing to the listserv, Bolles said that she has found many interesting
tips that she can take back to her daughter.
The idea to provide a listserve for employees was born out of
several childcare seminars sponsored by the QWI/Diversity Council over the past
few years. The NIH child care specialist facilitated the seminars, providing
questions-and-answers to employee groups within the Clinical Center.
For more information, contact the Work and Family Life Center
at 301-435-1619 (TTY 301-480-0690).
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Friends, colleagues remember life of coworker
More than 75 people gathered in the 14th floor chapel last month to say goodbye
to a colleague and friend. John Holmes, an information technology specialist
with the Department of Networks and Applications, User Support Section, died
on April 30 following complications during surgery.
"I knew John for 15 years and he always found time to make people feel
comfortable and to make them feel loved. That's what we've come here to honor
today," said Richard Gordon, chief information officer of the Clinical
Center, during the memorial service. "When he saw me in the hallway he
would say, 'Mr. Gordon, I need to talk to you.' And I knew that I would be there
for a while. I'm going to miss that."
John was remembered for his long conversations, sense of humor, talents in
stage acting and singing, and his love of people. For 19 years, John performed
in the Bethesda Little Theatre and entertained audiences as a performer in community
musical theatre and barbershop quartets.
"I knew John ever since he came to NIH," said coworker Alice Smyth.
"He was one of the most loyal members of the theatre group. Whether he
was on or off stage, he was always there to help." Smyth added that John
would do anything to make the audience laugh, including dressing up like a chicken
or a sheep, even wearing a grass hula skirt.
"What impressed me most about John is that he was the same person wherever
he went," said Susan Harris, senior program support specialist, Department
of Clinical Research Informatics. "He had a sense of humor that wouldn't
quit."
John began his association with NIH in 1979 as a contractor with Technicon
Data Systems. In April 1987, he became a dedicated employee whose specialty
was resolving any MIS-related computer or printer problems on the nursing units.
He was also an active member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where
he sang in the male chorus and the Mariellen Loston Memorial Chorus.
"We are most grateful for the love you have extended to my brother,"
said Carroll Holmes, one of John's five younger brothers. "He was very
kind, he loved life and he did talk a lot, but that's what I will really miss.
I'm glad he had friends who loved him."
Recreational Therapy bids farewell to member
of family
The Recreational Therapy Department is losing a part of their
family. Malca Haberman has spent 17 years as a volunteer, teaching patients
how to knit, sew and crochet, and serving as a Hebrew interpreter when needed.
This month, she will end her years of commitment to the 14th floor
and move to Davis, Calif. to be close to her son and three grandchildren.
"Our son is the only family that we have, so we want to
be close to him," said Haberman. "But this has been a wonderful experience,
and I've met some wonderful, courageous people since I've been here."
Haberman is described as a dedicated volunteer who goes beyond
her normal duties of teaching crafts to patients, to creating an atmosphere
of family and home. Although she is fluent in both English and Hebrew, Haberman
wrote a crochet instruction manual in Spanish, to give to Hispanic patients
who wanted to learn the craft. "She will leave a big hole in the program,"
said Dr. Renee Stubbs, recreational therapist. "We always depended on her
to teach the patients. Sometimes the patients don't know what they want or how
to do it, but she always figures it out."
"She always has a sunny disposition," said Jane Millman,
recreational therapist. "And she always brings in cookies and azaleas.
I remember one time I told her that I liked pea soup, and the next week she
made some pea soup and brought it to me."
Haberman has spent more than 10,000 hours volunteering at the
Clinical Center. Her husband Sol has also spent the past 17 years volunteering
as a physics tutor at the University of Maryland College Park. Both said they
would continue to volunteer somewhere once they were settled in their new home
in California. "It will be an exciting time for them, but a sad time for
us," said George Patrick, chief, Recreation Therapy Section.
"It's sad because a part of the family is leaving. She has
always treated us like family," said Cindy White, recreational therapist.
"Once she was in a car accident, and I think half of the recreational therapy
staff moved in with her."
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Employees
honored for customer service excellence
As part of the ongoing customer service initiative, two employees
were honored this month for setting an example of excellence in customer service.
Michael Alexander and Officer Leonard Hamilton were presented
with plaques and cash awards by Clinical Center Director Dr. John Gallin as
part of an effort to demonstrate a leadership commitment to recognize and
honor employees who consistently exemplify superior customer service.
"We work hard as a hospital and as an institution to provide
good customer service," said Dr. Gallin. "We want to identify staff
that provide unparalleled customer service and to recognize them. Michael
and Leonard are great role models for all of us."
Both Alexander and Officer Hamilton were selected based on
feedback from co-workers who consistently and without solicitation, identified
them as outstanding examples during various customer service training sessions.
"We have trained more than 2,000 employees and supervisors. During many
of the sessions they were identified as providers of outstanding customer
service," said Deborah Gardner, chief of Planning and Organizational
Development. "We know that employees represent the caring side of the
Clinical Center mission. Recognizing these daily efforts is critical."
As a hospitality services coordinator, Alexander stations himself near the
South Lobby entrance and greets patients, visitors and employees. He also
escorts guests, offers directions and goes out of his way to make everyone
feel welcomed.
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"Often people just want someone to be nice to them,"
said Alexander, who credits his team of co-workers for his success. ÒI have
a really great job. It's a lot of work, but the best part is seeing someone
who is having a bad day, and being able to turn that into a good day."
Alexander said his joy comes from being able to respond to
the needs of the patients �? from escorting a lost and slightly disoriented
patient to a building on Old Georgetown Road, to assisting patients in getting
to a shuttle or taxi on time.
"They are unsung heroes," said Michael Daniel, chief
of Hospitality Services. "In terms of what they do and their daily responsibilities,
they go above and beyond the call of duty."
Officer Hamilton is usually the first smiling face a person
sees when entering the South Lobby. He is a contract security guard with Knight
Protective Services and is responsible for ensuring the security of the building
by checking identification badges, signing in visitors and inspecting packages.
"Being recognized with this award is an honor," said
Officer Hamilton. "People walk through these doors sick and feeling down,
and we just want to show them that we care. We can do law enforcement and
still be compassionate."
Hamilton said his motivation comes from the NIH police department
which encouraged him to work alongside with them as an officer. "When
we work together as a team and donÕt see one person as being better than the
other, then together we can achieve our goals."
The customer service initiative began last June and includes
a 4.5 hour training seminar for Clinical Center employees and a 6.5 hour training
seminar for supervisors. The training program will conclude this summer, with
a total of 2,200 employees completing the courses.
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Patient escorts serve as critical link
They are always seen, but hardly recognized. Yet, they are one
of the most essential groups of people in the Clinical Center.
"People need to know who we are and what we do, we work
very hard and take pride in our jobs," said Diane Jenifer, project manager
for the Patient Escort Service. "Many escorts feel we are sometimes overlooked,
but we are an important part of the Clinical Center team."
Patient escorts make tracks on each floor of the Clinical Center,
delivering, picking-up and transporting everything that deals with patient
care. "Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, we are transporting
patients, delivering specimens, charts, films, medications, finding wheelchairs,
delivering blood products, carrying and storing luggage, delivering envelopes,
and on occasion picking up menus for outpatient lunches," said Jenifer.
"In the evening we also deliver flowers to the patients after the Red
Cross volunteers go home, and return everything back to its original place
so we can start fresh again in the morning."
Wearing white shirts, dark blue pants and their most comfortable
shoes, patient escorts understand their worth and importance in and around
the hospital. "We are among the first groups of people that the patient
is going to meet in the Clinical Center," said Darlene Gibson, day-shift
supervisor. "We transport them from admissions and take them to their
daily appointments. If we do not meet the patient personally, then we are
transporting their specimens, charts or films."
With only 18 employees split between three shifts, the escort
service responds to about 525 calls daily, including at least one code blue,
medical emergency. Additionally, 13 times during the day, they make research
rounds and clinic rounds, in which one person goes onto each of the units
and to each clinic to collect specimens and route them to their proper destinations.
"I don't know how the Clinical Center would survive without
the patient escorts," said Joseph Alexander, who has been an escort for
six months.
Aretta Mitchell, an escort for 13 months, agrees and adds that
escorts must set the tone and stay upbeat. "The Clinical Center is family
oriented and I see each patient as my child, my mother or my grandmother and
I want them to be treated well," she said. "They are the backbone
of the Clinical Center," said Elizabeth Fenn R.N., B.S.N., 13-West Clinic.
"They handle specimens, they transport the patients and take them where
they need to go. They are just remarkable."
Simon Eng, supervisor, inpatient pharmacy division, relies so
heavily on the Patient Escort Service, that he has an escort assigned specifically
to his division. The escort is specially trained to understand the components
of the drugs being prepared, how they must be handled, the time they must
be delivered, and who receives them.
"These escorts are a very important link," said Eng.
"No matter how efficient we are in the pharmacy department, if the medication
can't reach the customer, then it's no good."
Each escort spends about 95 percent of the day on their feet,
taking more than 75,000 steps a day. "You learn to save your steps,"
said Alexander. "It takes a good two months for your legs and feet to
get used to all the walking, but it's the pain that helps you learn the quickest
routes."
Currently, patient escorts respond to calls for their assistance
without the aid of pagers, phones or any other communication devices that
help dispatch individuals. When an escort receives a list of requests, they
mark on a small index-sized card where they need to go, what they are going
to pick up and where they need to take it. They also mark the times they reach
and leave each destination. After the escort has completed the runs listed
on their card, they find a phone and call the main office to check to see
what other requests can be completed while they are out.
The Patient Escort Service is currently computerizing the office
to make dispatching and record keeping more accurate. Prior to installation
of the new system, all assignments were hand-written and at the end of the
day, one person was required to sort, tally and file all of the daysÕ assignments.
According to Jenifer, final steps have been instituted for the department
to receive 2-way pagers, which will alleviate the need for escorts to find
phones and make calls in order to get assignments.
The life of an escort is vigorous work, but attitude is what
each escort believes is most important. "It's challenging, but rewarding,"
said Mitchell. "You work hard and give 100 percent and at the end of
the day you know you did the best you could."
-by Tanya Brown
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A time to celebrate nurses
"A Celebration of Nursing" was held on May 9 in the Visitors Information
Center. Nurses from thoughout the Clinical Center were in attendance for the
National Nurses' Week gathering.
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Functional genomics symposium hailed as success
More than 400 leaders in critical care medicine from 10 countries attended
the two-day Functional Genomics of Critical Care Illness and Injury Symposium,
held at Masur Auditorium last month.
The symposium, sponsored by the Clinical Center, NIGMS, NIAMS, NHGRI, NHLBI,
and NIAlD, included 30 presentations given by leaders in the field. These included
epidemiology of critical illness and injury; biocomplexity; investigational
therapies; genome-wide expression profile studies in trauma and infection; functional
aspects of genetic variability in the intensive care unit; genomic studies of
host-pathogen interactions, applications for defense against bioterrorism; and
the future of computational genomics.
"It was a very unique and productive conference," said Dr. Robert
L. Danner, senior investigator and head of the Infectious Diseases Section,
Critical Care Medicine department. "Attendees uniformly hailed the conference
as a timely and seminal event. And, notably, several multi-institutional groups
initiating large-scale studies in critically ill patient populations attended
the meeting to collect information and establish collaborations."
Each year more than two million Americans are admitted to intensive care units
because of life-threatening illness, Danner explained.
"A major problem has always been establishing the correct diagnosis. A
second problem, especially in patients with infections or traumatic injury,
is modulating the body's inflammatory response so that the patient's infection
or injury is controlled and their vital organ function is not harmed,"
he said.
Supporting the symposium was the Foundation for NIH and four international
medical societies. Conference co-chairs were Robert Danner; M.D., Anthony F.
Suffredini, M.D., Critical Care Medicine, Clinical Center; and J. Perren Cobb,
M.D., Department of Surgery, Washington University.
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Primary care updates
Join the Clinical Center Nursing Department for its fourth primary care update
seminar on July 17, 3-4 p.m. in Lipsett Amphitheater. Cindy Compeggie, M.S.N.,
CRNP and Kathie Bronsen, M.S., CRNP will present the topic, "Update in
Asthma Management."
JCAHO mock survey
The Clinical Center will participate in a JCAHO mock survey July 9-11
in preparation for the actual Joint Commission survey scheduled for 2003.
The mock survey will provide staff with a real-time assessment of the quality
of the Clinical Center's clinical care and patient safety activities. A three-person
team will conduct the survey. For more information contact Laura Lee at 301-496-8025.
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Editor:
Tanya C. Brown
Contributing
writers: Colleen Henrichsen, Dianne Needham, John Iler
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Clinical
Center News, 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 3C01, MSC 7511, National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7511. Tel: 301-496-2563. Fax: 301-402-2984.
Published monthly for CC employees by the Office of Clinical Center
Communications, Colleen Henrichsen, chief. News, article ideas, calendar
events, letters, and photographs are welcome. Deadline for submissions
is the second Monday of each month.
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