Baystate Health

“I grew up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and being surrounded by wonderful nurses at Shriner’s Hospital inspired my career in nursing because I wanted to be just like them! I started my nursing career as a student nurse at Baystate Noble Hospital in the inpatient Psychiatric Unit to gain a better understanding of mental illness. After graduation, I transitioned to a floor nurse where I spent the next five years of my career rotating between charge nurse and medication nurse until I experienced nurse burnout. I then spent the next three years as a school nurse, working with kindergarten through 12 graders, providing care for them during school hours. I became interested in primary care through personal experiences with Laura, the medical assistant at Baystate Primary Care-Palmer. She was so sweet, kind, and welcoming, I thought this would be a great place to work and gain experience to advance my career in nursing! I am currently pregnant with my third child so here’s to new beginnings, in more ways than one.” - Stephanie Nay, Baystate Primary Care-Palmer Sara Kosnicki, Clinical Supervisor, added, "Stephanie has jumped into primary care with enthusiasm, an infectious smile, and has shown great clinical foundations." #MyBaystateStory #Nursing

Happy Fourth of July! As we celebrate this day of independence, we reflect on the freedoms and values that unite us all. We wish all our incredible patients, team members & community joyous and safe Independence Day celebrations.🇺🇸🎆

The smell of hospital hand soap isn’t something people normally think of when they reflect on nostalgic scents, but for Gregory St. John, it’s a memory he holds dear. Gregory's mom, Cindy St. John, is a Baystate Children’s Hospital NICU nurse. As a child, he would always recollect her distinct scent when she came home from each shift, smelling of hospital hand soap; a comforting smell to him. Today, Gregory followed in the footsteps of his mom working as an assistant nurse manager in the surgical trauma ICU at Baystate Medical Center. Gregory can’t help but think of his mom when he does something as simple as washing his hands at work. “Every time I perform hand hygiene, I think of my mom. Seeing her go to work every day was a huge staple in my life growing up. I’m really proud of her for advancing her career and honoring her passions." When Gregory was in high school and considering career options for his future, medical-based roles were at the top of his list. He attended a school-to-career program at a hospital during the summer he was 16. He chose surgery and spent six weeks shadowing a surgeon during a traditional workday, including going into the operating room. Now, years later, as assistant nurse manager of the surgical trauma ICU at Baystate Medical Center, Gregory supervises a team of 40 nurses. In Cindy’s role, she is primarily responsible for neonates, which can be an infant from 22 weeks to full/past-term infant. “We have the tiniest, most fragile humans in the hospital. We provide all the care you’d expect from the ICU, as well as educating parents on where their baby is at according to the gestational stage that they’ve been born at. We help the parents grow with their baby in a situation they’d have never expected. I can’t imagine working anywhere else,” she says. Cindy and Gregory share the unique bond of family and profession through the impact of their shared experiences. Gregory jokes, “we probably annoy my sister (Audrey, who works in Compliance at Baystate Health) and dad with the bonding piece of our relationship.” “I am extraordinarily proud of both of my children, and both are very serious about their craft,” says Cindy. “While working as a nurse alongside Gregory, I have seen him become a strong person, colleague, and caregiver. He is one of my favorite humans, and sometimes if I can, I love to look out the windows toward where his office is located and see if I can catch a glimpse of him.” #Nursing #MAHealthCareers

Forty-seven years ago in 1976, Deb Provost joined the team at Baystate Medical Center as a nurse in gynecological surgery, after graduating from the hospital's School of Nursing. Through the years, Deb provided care in many areas before coming to Baystate Franklin in 2017 as chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services. She has also served as chief administrative officer and Baystate Health’s chief regulatory officer since then. Deb retires today, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. We will miss her extensive healthcare leadership experience and regulatory insight. She has led many successful Joint Commission visits over the years and mentored, developed, and influenced so many Baystate team members. We wish her joy in retirement, spending time with family and as a New England Patriots season ticket holder for the past 50 years, watching her beloved Patriots. Deb recently told team members, "I have enjoyed my time with you immensely. We have had some difficult times and endured COVID together, and I believe it allowed us to become an even stronger team because we did it together." Ron Bryant, president Baystate Regional Hospitals, said, "This is a tough one. It has been incredible working with Deb. She brought a lot, but the one big thing she brought was love. And what she accomplished, the attitude and environment here because of her - it's amazing what she built. It has been pretty special up here. I am forever grateful to her." Several of her nurse managers said Deb has been the “best leader” they’ve ever had, as well as an “amazing mentor and person,” and that Baystate Franklin is a better place because of her. They all agree that she will be greatly missed. She is described as “supportive and an exceptional leader.” We will miss you, Deb! We wish you the very best of health and happiness in retirement.

"I am Nick Gilfoy, RN, and I am the assistant nurse manager of the ICU and Medical/Surgical/Telemetry units here at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. I have been in this position for just over a year, however, I have been at Baystate Franklin for the past 3.5 years. I initially started at Baystate Franklin as a per-diem house supervisor because I wanted to advance my career and join the leadership team. Then, I fell in love with the hospital and have been here since. I have, over the past seven years, worked at all Baystate Health hospitals. At one point, I worked simultaneously at Baystate Franklin, Baystate Wing Hospital, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Baystate Medical Center as a house supervisor and IV nurse. I love the ‘community feel’ that exists in our hospital, where everyone knows I love the ‘community feel’ that exists in our hospital, where everyone knows everyone and is always willing to jump in to help. My favorite part of being an assistant manager is that I get to advocate for both my team and my patients to improve care while also being a part of the decision making. There are challenges, and one is maneuvering through complex patient and team members situations that arise. I would say my spirits are always high, and I like to frequently round on each of my team members individually to make sure they are supported, even if it is just by simply chatting with them. I like to greet every person I meet throughout the day with a smile and a positive attitude, since that can be contagious. People often forget that when working in healthcare, you are dealing with human beings that have various needs. They are not tasks. We see people on their worst days, and it is our job to try and bring them back to their best. One of my favorite moments at Baystate Franklin was when one of our long-term dementia patients was having a bad day and my nurse manager took it upon herself to bring him to lunch with us. Then we took the patient to see team members for a ride around the hospital. The patient had a smile for the rest of the day. It made a difference while also serving as a reminder that making a difference for our patients, team members, and patients’ families is what drives us as nurse leaders." - Nick Gilfoy, RN, Assistant Nurse Manager ICU/Med/Surg/Tele, Baystate Franklin Medical Center #MyBaystateStory

Congratulations to Kevin Conway, Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer, recognized by Becker's Hospital Review as one of "133 CIOs to Know". Thank you Kevin for your innovative vision to support our mission of advancing care and enhancing lives. Read the Becker's Article: https://bit.ly/3VHFYft

Team members had a fun time at our Juneteenth celebration. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for delicious food, great times, and engaging conversations. Special thanks to our Black Employees Connecting Business Resource Group for organizing the fantastic game night and virtual discussion. We appreciate your commitment to celebrating diversity by elevating voices and working together to build an inclusive, collaborative workplace.

"I knew I made the right decision to be a nurse during nursing school when my grandmother, who was my best friend, was suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer. I knew I wanted to provide all my patients with exceptional care on some of their worst days, just as I wanted for my grandmother. I have been working at Baystate Wing Hospital in the Emergency Department for a year and a half. From our nursing team to our providers and support staff, which includes our environmental service colleagues, our team is the best! The best part of my day is simply making a positive difference, offering kindness and compassion, and building a rapport with my patients. I have a lot of great memories from the care I provide at Baystate Wing. We make such a big difference by not only caring for the big things but also small and meaningful things for our patients. In addition to tending to their medical needs, we offer a shoulder to cry on and a hug to our patients who need support, and we have even celebrated the birthday of a patient who was under our care. I recently joined a volunteer mission with Project C.U.R.E., and a small but mighty group, to Cote D'Ivoire in West Africa. While there, we provided free health care to the local population for a week. We were able to see over 750 patients, hitting record numbers for total patients seen in Cote. Our mission team screened 175 female patients for cervical cancer, and African physicians were trained and educated to have the ability to offer cervical cancer screening to women. Kits for Kids were provided to local families, and Days for Girls were provided to school-aged girls, along with support and education offered about menstrual cycles. Working with the people of Cote and seeing the appreciation for our efforts to improve healthcare in a third-world country was one of the most eye-opening and rewarding experiences. I am eager to go back!" - Caleena Welsh RN, BSN, Emergency Department , Baystate Wing Hospital #MyBaystateStory #Nursing

A warm congrats to Dr. Brooks, System Director of Advanced Practitioners, Baystate Health. Your outstanding work and advocacy for NP professionals is inspiring and valued. Well deserved recognition.

We are pleased to welcome Jodi B. Stack, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer/Chief Administrative Officer for Baystate Franklin Medical Center. Jodi has been serving as Chief Nursing Officer at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in Brattleboro, VT, 2018 and as Chief Operating Officer since 2022. Jodi brings with her more than 20 years of nursing excellence and 10 years of leadership experience. Prior to joining the BMH executive leadership team in 2018, she held Director positions in both Patient Experience and Community Initiatives. In these roles, Jodi led initiatives aimed at improving patient, family, and employee experience, and advancing the health of the community. Jodi began her career at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in 2000 as a Nursing Assistant at the Beacon Recovery Center and was a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department from 2004-2015. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from American International College in Springfield, Bachelor of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, and an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Greenfield Community College in Greenfield. We invite you to join us in welcoming Jodi back to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in her new role with Baystate Health.