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 | Leadership
Kathy Bechtel, Director of Nursing-Critical Care & Dialysis
 It was a passion for delivering exceptional trauma care and being part of a team that would lead Regions (then St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center) to become a verified Level I Trauma Center that first brought me to this organization. This was in 1990. I am very fortunate to be part of an organization that leads (rather than follows) in implementing best practices, clinical innovations and technologies. I am proud of the work our nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, infection control practitioners and other specialists have done to significantly reduce infection rates (e.g. ventilator associated pneumonia, central catheter related blood stream infections) and improve glucose control in critical care patients. Equally impressive are our electronic medical records, rapid response teams, RN/dietician teams providing collaborative enteral feeding and tube management, and progressive care models. Collectively these new processes make a difference in creating a safer system of care and improved experiences for patients and families. At Regions, there is a wealth of opportunity to learn via both formal education offerings and experiential opportunities regardless of position and specialty. Our connectivity to the larger HealthPartners family increases those opportunities. I am humbled and honored to work in an environment that is committed to providing best care and best experience to every patient, every day.
Mike Cannon, Director of Cardiovascular Clinical Services
 I have been a member of the Regions Hospital nursing leadership team since 2004. In that time, I have had multiple and varied opportunities to engage in rewarding activities that include developing a quality improvement structure within the cardiology service line. This structure is both formal and informal in that we have learned to use the QI tools to improve care; formally in our committee, and informally at the unit level. We have changed our focus from monitoring data to acting on it for better patient outcomes. This has been fulfilling for me and for staff, who realize they are empowered to make measurable changes, and can be proud of the work they do. Another activity I have had the opportunity to focus on is development and mentoring of new managers. I enjoy taking the learning and tools I have picked up over the years, sharing them with others, and watching them grow in confidence, knowledge and ability to do their job. When managers succeed, their staff and the organization are successful as well - it just doesn't get much better than that!
Richelle Jader, Director of Emergency Services
 I joined Regions Hospital in September 2005 and feel privileged to be part of this dynamic health care system. The Emergency Department at Regions employs the best team of emergency personnel in the Twin Cities, with quality care, education and research representing the core of our vision. The focus of our leadership team is the patient and staff experience -- providing technically excellent care in a welcoming environment. We serve a very diverse patient population and are the only Level I Trauma Center in the east metro. Regions Emergency Department is where I advise my family and friends to go for emergency care. It is simply the best!
Deb Jorgensen, Director of Nursing-Medical/Surgical Services
 The focus on patient safety at Regions Hospital is near and dear to my heart. Both of my parents experienced medical errors out-of-state, so I realize the importance of providing a safe environment for our patients. Focusing on patient safety, we look at our systems and identify and remove factors that put our patients at risk. As we improve our systems we also enhance the nurses work environment. Nurses should feel they are providing safe care and their work environment supports this. As a director of nursing at Regions since March 2003, I find my role is that of facilitator. I provide the tools and supplies needed by our staff, facilitate improvement in processes and remove barriers. To accomplish this, I support nurses having a voice in the work that they do. It is our nurses at the bedside that are in the best position to determine what supports the safest environment for our patients. Shared Governance provides the vehicle for staff to have a voice in the nurses practice at the bedside. Through Shared Governance, nurses and other nursing department staff will create a safer environment for our patients.
My education has prepared me for being an instrument of change in nursing. With a Master of Science in Nursing (focused on nursing administration and a related field in ethics) from the University of Minnesota and a Master in Health Care Administration from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management, I am able to apply the tools that I have gained through my education to improving systems in patient care. Daily we have the opportunity to make a difference. Hospitalization is the most vulnerable time for our patients. We can make the patient experience here the safest and best that it can be during a most difficult time in their lives.
Stephanie Lach, Director of Patient Safety
 I received an associate degree in nursing from Rochester Community College and a bachelor's degree in nursing from Augsburg College. I also have Master of Nursing and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. I've had the benefit of working in a variety of settings both clinical and administrative, including ENT, plastics, the emergency department, heart cath lab, intensive care, gynecology, quality management, care management, utilization review, claims administration and most recently, patient safety. I've never entertained any other profession than nursing. My grandmother, although she never received any formal training, was the village nurse and midwife. It's evident I inherited my compassion, empathy and care-giving instincts from her. Regions Hospital is a wonderful place to work and we are committed to providing a safe environment for our patients, visitors and staff. We are heavily involved in a wide variety of initiatives designed to be timely, effective and efficient at providing the best care to our patients in an equitable patient-centered environment. Every staff person at Regions is dedicated to ensuring our patients have the best experience possible under our care, with patient safety being an essential component. Nurses plays a vital role in this effort and are central to developing a culture of patient safety.
Dana Langness, Director of Surgical Services
 My passion is to provide exceptional anesthesia and surgical care for our patients. In my role as director of surgical services I feel especially fortunate to be working with staff who share this commitment and, in my opinion, are some of the best. Learning is a lifelong process, and there is no better environment to support continuous learning than in surgical services. We combine state-of-the-art technical expertise with tremendous care and compassion for each of our patients. I am honored to be a part of surgical services and Regions Hospital.
Cathy McCallister, Chief Retention Officer
 It is my privilege to serve as chief retention officer of nursing at Regions Hospital. I believe this is the best place to work! The excitement, energy and passion to care for our patients are impressive and inspiring. Regions nurses have unbelievable talent and compassion. Our nurses are unlike those anywhere else in the metro. We are a diverse and dynamic group, dedicated to delivering the best care and the best experience to our patients. I came to Regions because of the cultural diversity of patients and the educational opportunities; I stay at Regions because this is truly a place to build a career.
Julibeth Petter, Director of Nursing Practice & Education
 As someone who is both a Clinical Nurse Specialist and holds a PhD in Adult Education, I have a great passion for, evidence-based best practice, nursing research, and education. I never dreamed I would find a single-role that would utilize each of these passions. I have found it! As Director of Nursing Practice and Education, I am excited to lead a staff of talented and experienced professional nurses to enact the vision of Best Care and Best Experience for our patients and families. Together we will make Regions the hospital of choice for patients by providing evidence-based collaborative interdisciplinary patient and family-centered care. Patients are at the center of what we do, every day.
Regions is the hospital of choice for our nursing staff who are empowered to practice autonomously through our Shared Governance structure, encouraged to develop professionally through seeking higher education degrees, attending, developing, and providing learner-centered education; conducting nursing and interdisciplinary research, and through leadership, mentorship, precepting opportunities. Its exciting to be a part of an institution that values nursing professional practice and patients as much as Regions.
Julie Thompson-Larson, Director of Nursing-The Birth Center
 Within weeks of starting a position in postpartum I fell in love with the complexity of the birthing experience for women of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds. I had found my calling! In 1980 I started at Regions Hospital as a nurse on the Postpartum/Newborn Nursery unit. Since that time I have enjoyed many roles in the Birth Center: Labor and Delivery staff RN, Clinical Educator for L&D, Nurse Manager for Postpartum/Newborn Nursery, Nurse Manager Birth Center, Program Manager Birth Center and as of December 2007, Director for the Birth Center. It has been a challenging journey and I am proud to lead a dedicated staff that strives to give Best Care Best Experience to all families. We serve both low and high risk pregnant families and their babies from culturally diverse populations and socioeconomic groups. We have an interdisciplinary approach to care, pairing with many providers, obstetricians, family medicine physicians, nd midwives to deliver care. Often our clients need interpreter services, social worker guidance and doula support and we work closely within the hospital system and our community to meet patient needs. We have a strong, supportive Prenatal Education program to address pregnancy needs before delivery and a strong Lactation Support Center for inpatient and outpatient needs.
I am extremely happy that my nursing journey has led me to maternity nursing and to Regions Hospital! It is a professionally supportive environment and has the best interest of all families as a focus. I am proud to be a member of the Regions Hospital team!
Wendy Waddell, Director of Nursing-Behavioral Health
 I came to Regions Hospital because of an intense need and desire to be closer to my family in Canada. I was inspired to work here because it was obvious to me, from the very first interview, that the leadership and staff of behavioral health share my passion to fight to continuously improve the care that we provide the mentally ill. As director of nursing of behavior health services, I have the opportunity and pleasure to work collaboratively with experienced registered nurses and with staff from multiple other disciplines toward the ultimate goal of providing the Best Care and Best Experience for our patients. I am honored to work with gifted and compassionate staff in behavioral health as well as the network of other health professionals in other departments at Regions Hospital.
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