Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine marked LGBTQ+ History Month with a vibrant Pride event on Oct. 10, bringing together staff, leaders and community members in a show of unity and support for the LGBTQ+ community. Lynette Chappell Williams, vice president and chief diversity officer for the health system, opened the event by talking about Penn State Health’s progress toward health care equity for the LGBTQ+ community. Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and former professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine, delivered the keynote address. She discussed the importance of health equity for all, emphasizing the need to value everyone equally and eliminate health disparities. Leaders from Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine were recognized for their contributions in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality. Entertainment included performances by Lizzie Beaumont, a former Penn State Health nurse, and the Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus. “This Pride event was a powerful reminder of Penn State Health’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and a recognition of the rich history and ongoing contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to the health system,” Chappell Williams said.
Jennifer Erkinger, clinical specialist in Respiratory Therapy at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital was named Specialty Practitioner of the Year (SPOTY) for Neonatal/Pediatrics by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). SPOTY awards recognize a member from each AARC specialty section who earns special recognition through professional service, leadership and scholarship. There are eight recipients chosen from across the country each year. Erkinger’s manager, Ashley Grim, commented, “Jenn is a remarkable advocate for evidence-based practices that enhance patient outcomes. Her commitment to educating the entire care team is evident as she tirelessly serves as a clinical expert in neonatal and pediatric care at our Children’s Hospital. Her dedication to advancing the field of respiratory care is truly inspiring. Jenn has refined our standards of care to align with the latest evidence and collaborated with other children’s hospitals nationwide to share insights on challenges and successes. Her influence on practice improvement is unparalleled, and I feel honored to witness her incredible work ethic and the significant impact she makes every day.”
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center’s Neuroscience Critical Care Unit has been recognized with a gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The award recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with the association’s Healthy Work Environment Standards. The gold designation is the highest of the three Beacon Award levels a hospital unit can receive. This is the first time the Neuroscience Critical Care Unit has received a Beacon Award, making it one of only 11 neurocritical care units nationwide, and one of just three in Pennsylvania, to achieve gold-level distinction. Read more.
When Jeannette Reigel started volunteering at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center three years ago, she passed her free time between tasks by twisting brown paper bags to create small tree sculptures, which she then gave away to patients, visitors and staff. Today, a photo of Reigel holding one of her paper trees is among four dozen “Compassion Project” portraits displayed throughout the hospital. The Compassion Project is an interactive photography installation that honors St. Joseph Medical Center’s staff and volunteers—collectively the embodiment of compassion. Each participant was encouraged to bring someone or something to the photo shoot that signified compassion to them. For Reigel, she makes her paper trees to give to others. For Chelsea Robins, a nurse in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, it was her guitar. “My guitar centers me,” Robins said in the interactive portion of the exhibit, which features audio recordings of the participants explaining what compassion means to them and why they chose their items or people for their photographs. Music relaxes her, she explained and keeps her grounded outside her nurse role. “It’s helped me not get burned out, so I can give everything when I’m at the hospital.” Patients and visitors at St. Joseph Medical Center can take part in the Compassion Project by scanning QR codes near the photos. Read more.
When Kayla Bomgardner graduated from Annville-Cleona High School in 2019, she was uncertain about her future. Reluctant to invest in a four-year college without a clear career path, she considered working with children, leveraging her background as a competitive gymnast. Her grandmother, Dottie Hunt, one of the most influential people in Bomgardner’s life, was a nurse. They had discussed the profession multiple times, and it seemed like an intriguing possibility. Bomgardner, though, preferred to get some experience and make some money before she settled on a career. She learned HACC, central Pennsylvania’s community college, offered a nine-month course to become a certified medical assistant (CMA). This essential position combines administrative duties, such as updating medical forms and scheduling appointments, with clinical ones, including preparing patients for exams and collecting lab specimens. She could teach children’s gymnastics lessons part-time while attending medical assistant classes. “Once I got into the clinic setting and worked with patients hands-on, I found that I loved it,” said Bomgardner, who has worked for three years as a certified medical assistant at Cocoa Outpatient Clinic in Hershey. Read more by clicking the link.
Meet Elizabeth Kendall, a pharmacist who dedicated 33 years to Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center. From handwritten orders to advanced clinical services, Kendall has seen it all. "I’ve enjoyed the people I work with probably more than anything else," she says. She also loves the variety of her job. "One day I'm in the IV room, the next day I'm up on the floors. It keeps you well-rounded." One aspect of her job at Penn State Health Kendall values most is teamwork. "I sit and process orders from a nursing station, which really helps the interface between nurses and pharmacists," she said. This proximity fosters a collaborative environment, benefiting both healthcare providers and patients. Beyond her professional life, Kendall has enjoyed a work-life balance and indulged her love for travel, thanks to the flexibility of her job. "When my son was growing up, I worked four days a week as opposed to five," she said. This flexibility also allowed her to take trips to Iceland, Switzerland, and other countries with her family. Click to read more.
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has received the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) 2024 Lantern Award, recognizing the excellence of its caregivers in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation. Milton S. Hershey Medical Center earned Lantern Awards for its pediatric and adult emergency departments. The ENA Lantern Award recognizes exceptional and innovative leadership, clinical nursing practice, education, advocacy, and research performance in emergency departments across the U.S., and now includes the United Arab Emirates. It was named in honor of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, and referred to as the “Lady With the Lamp” for her round-the-clock care given to wounded soldiers. The award is granted for three years.
U.S. News & World Report has named three Penn State Health hospitals among the best in the nation. The magazine recognized Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center as #1 in the Harrisburg metro region and #4 in Pennsylvania. Holy Spirit Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center also received Best Hospitals rankings and ratings for 2024-2025. U.S. News ranks hospitals for excellent care in 15 adult specialties and evaluates their performance in certain surgical procedures and medical conditions. The Penn State Neuroscience Institute at Hershey Medical Center was ranked among the best in the nation for neurological and neurosurgical care. The Medical Center also ranked in two additional specialties: gastroenterology and GI surgery and ear, nose and throat. Hershey Medical Center is recognized as high-performing in six additional specialties: cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, geriatrics, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology. Holy Spirit and St. Joseph medical centers were rated as high-performing hospitals for their heart programs.
Three Penn State Health hospitals are among the first in Pennsylvania to offer patients a new technology for treating atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of heart arrhythmia. Penn State Health’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Holy Spirit Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center now offer pulsed field ablation technology to patients with intermittent AFib, which can come and go or occur in sudden episodes. These facilities also still offer radiofrequency and cryoablation.
Discover the vibrant and diverse world of scrub caps at Penn State Health! Each cap our staff wears tells a unique story, reflecting their personality and style. From the practical to the playful, these scrub caps do more than maintain a sterile environment—they express individuality and bring smiles to colleagues and patients. Dive into the tales behind these colorful caps and meet the incredible people who wear them. Learn more about how we celebrate individual expression and teamwork at Penn State Health. Join us and find out why every cap—and every team member—counts. Read the full story by clicking the link below.
