This page is a collection of news, updates, and articles about activities at Dameron Hospital. Please be sure to check back often to find out what's going on at Dameron.

For media inquiries, please contact the Media Office at (209) 461-7547 or send an email to d.vigil@dameronhospital.org.

January 7th, 2010

Dameron Hospital Graduates Cohort #2 Versant RN Residency

Dameron Hospital Administration, Managers and family members joined together to congratulate Cohort graduates:  Amanda Aguirre, R.N., Chris Bendinelli, R.N., Jonathan Botta, R.N.,  Sarilda Chaffin, R.N., Trina Eagal, R.N., Tiffany Herron, R.N., Andrey Klimushkin, R.N., Joan McFadden, R.N., Genine Montelongo, R.N., Marianne Nanson, (Krassow), R.N., Daniel Navrotskiy, R.N., Anna Lisa Palileo, R.N., Melanie Payne, R.N., Irina Protasovitskaya, R.N., Cindy Skillsky, R.N..

Joan Rubinger-McFadden and Marianne Krassow spoke on behalf of their classmates by thanking Dameron Hospital for offering the Versant program. 

Janine Hawkins, CNO thanked the preceptors who gives of themselves to teach others the profession of nursing.  Lorna Rama, RN was awarded "Preceptor of the Year". 

The 3rd Cohort will being in March.

November 16, 2009

Nancy and Rick Paulsen Endow Elizabeth Enos Nursing Scholarship

Rick and Nancy Paulsen have endowed a scholarship in the name of Elizabeth Enos.

Beth was the mother of Nancy Paulsen, mother-in-law of Rick, who has been a part of the Dameron Hospital Foundation for 23 years.

Beth great up in Fremont, CA and received her nursing degree from San Jose State in 1950. She started her career in the neonatal unit at San Joaquin General Hospital. After her children were bor, Beth went to work for Eaton <medical Group in Tracy where she was a surgical nurse for over 29 years before her retirement in 1996.

She and her husband Bill raised 5 children and were married for 57 years. Beth passed away in September of 2008.

The Paulsen's are always looking for opportunities to give back to their community and their hospital. It is an honor they have chosen Dameron to endow the Elizabeth Enos Nurse Scholarship. Their children, Max and Grant were born at Dameron, Rick is the Golf Classic Chairman and Past President, as well as serving on the Board of Membership for Dameron Hospital. He and Nancy are part of our family and tonight it is my honor to announce to first recipient of this special scholarship.

Lucy Scott, Recipient of the First Scholarship

Pictured Susan Moe, Lucy Scott, Nancy and Rick Paulsen

November 16, 2009

Ed Surritt named 2009 Heart of Gold

The Dameron Hospital Foundation honored Ed Surritt as the 2009 Heart of Gold recipient at the Stockton Golf & Country Club.  Ed Surritt is a committed ambassador for Dameron Hospital. His close friend, Mike Hakeem introduced him to the Foundation over 15 years ago, since then Dameron Hospital has been an integral part of his life.  Surritt served as President in 1996.  In 2006 he volunteered to take on the position again. 

The only son of the late Frank and Gloria Surritt was born and raised locally, graduating from Stagg High School and Delta College.  He is a decorated platoon sergeant with the US army serving in Vietnam in 1971-72.  The recipient of the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart with Oakleaf Cluster..  Surritt proudly served his country before he was wounded and sent home to continue his studies at UOP.

Ed is well-known for taking one for the team.  He parachuted onto the fairway for the 10th Annual Dameron Golf & Tennis Classic. In 2008 he dressed as Klinger to join in on the MASH themed golf tournament. He was a staple at Hole 17, luring the golfer into a game of poker, raising more funds for Dameron.  Ed served as Chairman of An Evening Under the Stars, has rarely missed volunteering for Young Scrubs and helped chair the First Annual Crab Feed event.  In addition, Ed has been “Santa” by handing out candy canes to Dameron staff working on Christmas Day.  In addition Ed is “Mr. Dameron” on billboards throughout the community.

Surritt is a manager with Rexel, USA an electronic supply company. He is the proud father of Marissa Surritt and husband to Suzi. 

07/21/2009

Dameron Hospital Graduates Versant RN Residency Cohorts

Dameron Hospital is proud to announce the graduation of the first Versant Cohorts: Barinderpal Chohan, RN; Kellen Cody, RN; Jarrell Gilmore, RN; Kim Little, RN; Kyle Nunes, RN; Rachael Ramsey, RN; Kristie Reale, RN; Steve Tabin, RN; Gaye Valadez, RN., Erin Shelby, RN class speaker at the ceremony held on July 17th, 2009.

The Versant RN Residency Program is a comprehensive education and training system designed specifically to transition newly graduated register nurses from students to safe and competent professional practitioners.

Integrated into Dameron Hospital’s education structure the Versant RN Residency program includes guided clinical experience, instructor led core curriculum, led by Roberta Boshears, RN that includes a formal mentoring program, debriefing/self-care sessions and 360 degree evaluation.

“The next Versant RN Cohort beginning August 2009 received over 300 applicants from all over Northern California for the eight open positions. We are very proud of our first residency graduates and impressed with the caliber of new graduates applying,” stated Janine Hawkins, CNO.

Media inquiries should be directed to Diane Vigil @ d.vigil@dameronhospital.org

Beckman Coulter honors Dameron Hospital commitment to Excellence & Leadership in Laboratory Innovation and Automation.

Glenn Whipple, CIO; Albert Sui, MD; Richard Wong, Director; Bechman Coulter VP;

Nicholas Arismendi, COO

The Laboratory at Dameron Hospital is one of the first in the country to bring in an Automate 800 that enables the lab to provide hands free processing of laboratory specimens, from receipt into the lab, cetrifuglation, to loading of intrument specific racks.  In addition, the laboratory is the first in the country to receive and install a new integrated workstation, the DxC660i which enables them to process chemistry and immunossay samples from a single sample tube on a single workstation. Together with positive patient identification, this new intrumentation makes Dameron Hospital one of the most technologically advanced in the country.

To read the Bechman Coulter Ariticle about the Dameron Lab: B2009-10054 AutoMate CS v5

Dr. Joseph and Sylvia Spracher honored as the 2008 Heart of Gold Recipients at Stockton Golf & Country Club.

The Dameron Hospital Foundation was pleased to honor “Dr. Joe” and Sylvia Spracher for their lifetime devotion to Dameron Hospital. Dr. Spracher’s affiliation with Dameron Hospital stretches back to the 1940s when as a playful boy growing up on nearby Oak Street the nurses would shoo him off the hospital lawn.

Dr. Joseph Gordon Spracher began his practice in Stockton. A native of Idaho, he graduated from Stockton High School. “Joe” joined the Navy where he found his lifetime career by being assigned as a medic on the USS Ulman, which led to the Corps School Naval College of Health Sciences. Graduating at the top of his class, he was appointed as director of the lab. Attending night school at San Diego State he thought about becoming a pharmacist before his parents helped him to make the decision to go into medicine. He received his bachelor’s degree from College of the Pacific and his doctor of medicine degree from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1964.

Sylvia Weezner was born at Dameron Hospital where her mother Hazel graduated from Nursing School. Sylvia joined the Dameron Auxiliary in 1970. She is the “flower lady” preparing fresh bouquets every week for the hospital lobby and creating centerpieces for the Auxiliary luncheons. Sylvia followed in her mother’s footsteps by receiving the coveted “Connie Connolly” award in 1990.

Dr. Spracher served as hospital Chief of Staff (1992-1993) and continues to serve on physician committees. He served as team physician for Lincoln High School football for16 years. After leaving Lincoln, he joined the University of the Pacific as team physician for three years and was instrumental in the formation of the university’s sports medicine program. He has donated his time and skill to Su Salud and Kaiser Permanente’s Neighbors in Health.

Sylvia and Dr. Joe’s proudest accomplishments are their four Dameron born children, Kristen, Stacey, Suzanne, and Joe and seven grandchildren.

Picture Gallery:  dameron-awardsdinner_11708

Janine Hawkins, RN Appointed Chief Nursing Officer

Janine brings 25 years of progressive clinical and operational leadership experience to her role as Chief Nursing Officer. Her previous roles have encompassed Clinical Development Specialist, Flight Nurse, Trauma Coordinator, Neonatal Transport Coordinator, and Department Director in profit and not-for-profit healthcare organizations. In addition, she serves as Adjunct Faculty for the RN Program at San Joaquin Delta College. While serving as Director of Multi-Specialty Services at Doctors Hospital of Manteca, she received the Circle of Excellence Award for Leadership in 2003.  Her publication experience includes contribution to textbooks on the subject of Flight Nursing.

Janine has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Stanislaus, and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She is a member of American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and Sigma Theta Tau.

Married to Joe Hawkins, a Stockton Firefighter (retired). They have one son, Richard Hawkins, a freshman at Pacific Union College in Angwin, California.

 

Dameron Hospital - Moving forward

Patient Rooms

Dameron Hospital undertook a patient room-remodeling project that has taken nearly 18 months to complete.  The project included new flooring, paint, wallpaper, privacy curtains, beds, flat screen televisions, visitor’s chairs, and nurse call system.  The upgrades were made for aesthetics, but more importantly patient comfort and safety.  The Stryker med/surg bed offers a new level of security, intuitive operation and enhances mobility to assist the nurse in supporting varying types of patients efficiently and safely.  The updated nurse call system, now in the final stages of implementation, utilizes a paging system to ensure and rapid response by the nursing staff.

24- Hour Epidural Services Provided at Dameron Hospital

Women at Dameron Hospital can rest assured that no matter the hour they can receive an epidural to relieve labor pain.  Carolyn Sanders, RN, Director of MaternalChild Care, and Edward Cain, MD of Kaiser Permanente oversee the service.  The service has made difference in the comfort and stress level of patients, which in turn supports the nurse and physician in delivering the highest level of care. 

NICU Houses the “Giraffe” Incubator

Dameron Hospital recently purchased the most advance, user-friendly and developmentally supportive micro-environmental   incubator available today.  The GE “Giraffe” incubator combines state-of-the-art technology, innovative design and exceptional thermal performance to create a healing environment for intensively ill newborns.  The unique airflow pattern and active double wall design reduce radiant heat loss and maintain thermal integrity, even when the portholes or front door are open.  In “Patient Control” mode, the system’s microprocessor automatically makes small adjustments that help regulate the baby’s temperature gradually and gently. 

The incubators are also designed with features to minimize infant stimulation including portholes that open silently, noise control within the incubator and weight scale.  A mother of one of the units nursing staff provides covers for the incubators to keep light at a minimum.  Eight incubators and 4 “Giraffe” incubatorswere added to upgrade the NICU unit at Dameron.

530 West Acacia Building Services

The medical offices directly south of Dameron Hospital have been purchased to house an upgraded Lab, Administration, HR and Staff Development Departments.  The Central Utility Plant plan included a Pneumatic system to prepare for the Lab relocation.  The lab is currently located in the basement of the hospital under the direction of Richard Wong.

Systems, LTD.

New RIS/PACS System

Dameron Hospital Association has moved the Radiology Department into the future with the installation of the Radiology Information System (RIS), and Picture Archive Communication System (PACS). This new technology will change the way the hospital captures, views and distributes diagnostic images by using PC technology.
PACS images will be available electronically almost immediately after the exam is completed on most PCs throughout the hospital, on CDs that can be taken outside the hospital and in some cases over the Internet. This availability will improve the report turnaround time, increase the overall availability of the images, decrease the need for repeat studies and increase both patient and physician satisfaction.

New Emergency Department medical record

The Emergency Department is now using the PICIS ED PulseCheck® system. ED PulseCheck® is a comprehensive and integrated emergency department information system (EDIS) designed to help healthcare organizations improve productivity, operational efficiency and patient safety in emergency departments. ED PulseCheck
combines patient tracking, physician and nursing documentation, risk management, charge management and other unique features into a single, easy-to-use Web-based application.

   Dameron employees in the news

Stocton Record story about ER nurse Stacey Cline.

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Stockton Record story about the Guillen brothers.

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