It takes a lot to shake up an emergency room (ER) nurse.  But for Ronda Johnson, who works at Trinity Bettendorf’s ER and volunteered to go to Haiti shortly after that country’s devastating January earthquake, the concept of “trauma” will never be the same.

“You can’t go somewhere like this and not have it change you,” said Johnson, who has been in nursing for 18 years.  “CNN and all of the other images you see on TV don’t do it justice.  They don’t even come close.”

Johnson traveled with fellow Trinity Bettendorf ER nurse Catherine Jones to Port-au-Prince in the weeks following the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12.  Johnson and Jones were two of 12 from across the country who provided aid as part of a group coordinated by international relief organization Project Helping Hands.  Johnson had heard the group’s founder, Jeff Solheim, speak at a medical conference a few years ago and was impressed with their outreach efforts in third world countries.

“I contacted him afterward and told him, ‘If you ever need help, let me know if you have a need greater than the response,’” Johnson said.  “Immediately following the earthquake there was an urgent call put out; the need was that great.”

That’s an understatement.  After paying their own way to the impoverished island and bringing only the medical supplies they could carry with them, the nurses were inserted into an area with an 80 percent mortality rate.

While there, they witnessed lines of people waiting for hours in the sweltering heat for food and care.  They encountered survivors with tuberculosis begging for a job because their starving family needed food more than they needed medical attention.  And they were overcome by the smell of 60 decaying infant bodies, crushed in the rubble near an orphanage.

Johnson shares more details in a series of video interviews posted by the hospital.

Jennie Love
Infection Control Practitioner, RN
Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Mason City

Traffic was unusually heavy and stop lights showed no mercy when Jennie Love headed home later than usual one summer evening.  Almost home but stopped once again, she was suddenly jolted by a car slamming into her vehicle’s rear bumper. 

The stoplight turned green just then, so she pulled around the corner and stopped by the curb.  As the young man driving the other car pulled passed Jennie’s car, Jennie saw he seemed more than a little upset, even though there was little damage to either vehicle.  When she approached his car to talk things over, Jennie discovered the young driver was not able to speak much more than an incomprehensible mumble and was having trouble breathing.

That’s when years of nurse’s training and practice kicked in.  Jennie asked him if he was choking and he nodded yes. As she helped him out of the car, his breathing stopped completely, so she performed the Heimlich maneuver as she yelled to a bystander to call 911.  Fortunately, Jennie was able to dislodge the food that was obstructing the young man’s airway.  In a few moments, he was breathing and then talking when paramedics arrived.

Now Jennie learned this was no accident. About a block before the accident, the other driver began choking on a piece of food.  In desperation, he purposely drove into Jennie’s car to get her attention.

“I believe that it was God’s plan that I was delayed that evening at work and that the stoplight turned red just before I got to it,” Jennie says,  “I also believe that with all of the traffic right then that God led this young man to hit my car, someone who had been trained in what to do.”

Jennie has since learned from the young man’s mother that he is enrolled in college – to become a nurse.

Laura Gray
Registered Nurse
Keokuk Area Hospital

As a veteran registered nurse, Laura Gray is known not only for her technical competence, but for her leadership and professionalism as well. Her nursing career has been distinguished and admirable, but perhaps a recent event captured the scope and meaning of what it means to be a hero better than anything else.

It was a typical winter evening in Iowa, with sleet and blowing snow.  For veteran nurse Joyce Aldridge, it was a good night to just stay in. While tending to household chores, she experienced some pressure in her chest that just wouldn’t go away.  Joyce decided to call her husband, Darrell, who was miles away.  Darrell suggested Joyce call her long-time friend, Laura Gray. 

Joyce and Laura had worked together as nurses at Keokuk Area Hospital (KAH) for 20 years.  Knowing that Laura keeps busy at home with her family, Joyce didn’t want to bother her.  Darrell heard the concern in Joyce’s voice and took it upon himself to make the call to Laura.  Immediately, Laura understood the severity of the situation and with her husband James, they arrived at Joyce’s house and witnessed the intense pain her friend was in; Laura insisted they go to the emergency room as fast as road conditions would allow. 

Arriving at KAH, Joyce was able to walk into the trauma room, but within minutes was in a full code situation.  While the physicians and emergency room staff were responding to this crisis, it was Laura who insisted on doing CPR and carrying out her promise to Joyce that she would not leave her. 

Today, Joyce is doing great and is back to work.  She credits many individuals for her happy ending, but had it not been for the persistence and life-saving work of her friend, Laura, she knows things might have turned out quite differently.

Among more than 71,000 employees, Iowa hospitals have countless examples of amazing people doing outstanding work.  Each year, IHA honors some of those employees as Iowa Hospital Heroes.  In the coming weeks, IHA will share the stories of our 2009 Iowa Hospital Heroes.  Below is our Hero for this week: 

Edra Fouts
Stoddard Care Coordinator
Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines

At the John Stoddard Cancer Center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Registered nurse Edra Fouts makes a difference in the lives of her patients and their families on a daily basis. From the first day she arrived at Stoddard, Edra did everything possible to make sure her breast cancer patients received the best care possible.  She cares for each and every one of them with her whole heart.

Recently, Edra spent several hours at the end of her day with a dying patient to help write cards to the patient’s three children and mother for special events (birthdays, Mother’s Day, graduations). Edra didn’t think twice about spending countless hours with the patient to make sure the cards were finished.

Somehow, Edra still finds time to dedicate herself to a number of other projects, including Pink Saturdays, a free mammogram screening partnership; serving on the Polk Metro Breast Cancer Committee; traveling to Washington, D.C. to lobby for breast cancer implants for her patients; serving as a Komen for the Cure board member for one year; facilitating a multidisciplinary breast cancer conference; and mentoring new Stoddard Care Coordinators. Edra has also made herself available for countless presentation requests on breast cancer, traveling to area businesses, churches and leadership groups to share her knowledge.

Edra is a Hospital Hero because of her endless dedication to her patients and in the fight against breast cancer. Watching patients who have become friends pass away from the disease is not an easy thing to do. But Edra strives to do everything possible to make sure her patients are receiving the best care and support they need to fight cancer. She never thinks twice about giving of herself and is truly an amazing nurse, friend and hero.

Among more than 71,000 employees, Iowa hospitals have countless examples of amazing people doing outstanding work.  Each year, IHA honors some of those employees as Iowa Hospital Heroes.  In the coming weeks, IHA will share the stories of our 2009 Iowa Hospital Heroes.  Below is our Hero for this week: 

Sharon Ferguson
Registered Nurse
Mahaska Health Partnership, Oskaloosa 

Sharon Ferguson has been employed at Mahaska Health Partnership (MHP) in Oskaloosa for a little more than a year, but she has already made a tremendous impact.  Sharon has been a nurse for 36 years, working in many different arenas before landing her current position as Diabetes Educator for MHP Community Health.

Sharon spent many hours of her own time learning everything she could about the diabetes disease process. In a short amount of time, she has established great partnerships with many professionals and her relationship building efforts have allowed her to offer free blood glucose screenings at the local Hy-Vee pharmacy on two different occasions, screening more than 150 people and providing valuable information regarding diabetes maintenance and follow-up care.

Sharon started a free monthly diabetes support group in January and already has an average of 20 people attending. She organized and offered Diabetes Wellness in

Self-Management Education (WISE) classes, which currently boasts 39 participates completing the 10-hour classes. Thanks to her leadership and persistence, the Diabetes WISE program recently received certification from the American Diabetes Association.

Many patients and community members have benefited from Sharon’s wealth of knowledge and the compassionate care she gives to every individual, treating each person like family. Sharon has integrity, always placing her patients’ needs first.  Recently, she heard about a co-worker’s elderly neighbor who was traveling 30 miles to receive free diabetes supplies and offered to make a home visit to see how she could assist him.

Sharon whole heartedly deserves this award for exemplifying honesty, integrity, humanity, courage and commitment. She has worked through many obstacles throughout her endeavors and continues to persevere in her personal mission to educate the community about diabetes and help prevent some of the devastating complications it can cause when left unchecked. She has used her talents and expertise to improve our organization and the health and well being of our community. She truly is a living hero.