When babies are born, they are at risk of developing jaundice, which causes a yellow hue of the skin and can lead to serious issues. This is because their livers aren’t developed enough to break down bilirubin — a waste product from red blood cells — out of the body.

Historically, providers have treated many cases of neonatal jaundice pre-emptively because very high levels of bilirubin can be harmful to the brain. But not all babies need to undergo treatment, which can disrupt family bonding and breastfeeding, said Dr. Suzanne Mendez, St. Charles’ Medical Director of Pediatrics.

“There's a movement in medicine and pediatrics toward what we call ‘safely doing less’ or ‘choosing wisely,’ so that all the interventions and tests that we do on patients are warranted,” she said. “We don't want to unnecessarily burden patients with extra tests or treatments that they don't need, but we also want to be safe and make sure they are still getting the care they need.”

In 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics sought to shift jaundice treatment practices and sponsored a new quality improvement project called Learning and Implementing Guidelines for Hyperbilirubinemia, or LIGHT for short. (Hyperbilirubinemia is a big word for jaundice.) The goal of the LIGHT project is to limit treatment to newborns who are truly at risk of complications.

The typical treatment for jaundice is blue-light therapy (phototherapy), where newborns are placed in a crib flooded with blue light that can break down bilirubin in the skin, allowing the body to flush it out. In addition to phototherapy, providers may administer IVs and will run tests with blood draws. While the treatment itself is relatively painless and benign, it means newborns spend more time in cribs and less time being held by family.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has acknowledged how disruptive that can be to babies and families alike and it put together updated guidelines and criteria for providers to gauge when babies need treatment and when it’s safe to let the condition clear on its own. More than 100 health care sites nationally, including St. Charles, were tapped to receive training on the new guidelines.

“We were excited to be selected to participate,” Mendez said.

After learning about the new guidelines, providers spent the next year implementing them, then compared data on jaundice treatments from a year before and a year after the LIGHT project’s changes. St. Charles was recognized for its excellent work with two “HighLIGHT” awards: One for limiting necessary treatment to babies above a certain risk threshold, and another for not using unnecessary blood tests post-treatment for babies who received phototherapy.

Another way St. Charles excelled in jaundice treatment was by using a non-invasive screening tool, a skin meter that measures bilirubin. By using the tool, providers reduced the number of babies receiving jaundice-related blood work by 70%, Mendez said.

The Pediatrics Department will continue to integrate the new guidelines and is reviewing data through July 2024 to see how the project has been sustained.

“It's always a balance,” Mendez said. “We want to make sure we keep babies safe, but we don't want to subject every baby to phototherapy, if we can help it.”

Pictured above from left: Dana Bennet, Elliot Coughlin, Erin Olsen and Marian Morris-Evrin

St. Charles celebrates extraordinary nursing with DAISY Awards

Four nurses from St. Charles Health System recently were honored DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nurses, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day.

The nurses, who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville, were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The honorees are:

• Dana Bennett, a behavioral health nurse in Bend, who is known for rising to meet every challenge and her ability to serve every patient with compassion, dignity and respect;
   
• Elliot Coughlin, a medical services nurse in Redmond, who was honored by the family of a former patient for Coughlin’s ability to be understanding, while giving respect and compassion to help retain the patient’s dignity;
   
• Marian Morris-Evrin, a case management nurse in Madras, who is known for her strong advocacy for patients in her care, community connections and her desire to work tirelessly to provide what’s best for patients; and
   
• Erin Olsen, a medical services nurse in Redmond, who was honored for her compassionate care, critical thinking skills and extraordinary clinical excellence.

About the DAISY Awards:

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, La Pine and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,500 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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* NOTE: Attached is a photo of the honorees. Identification, from left to right: Kirsten Chavez, Hillary Dunbar, Labree Tolman, Samantha Martin.

St. Charles nurses honored with DAISY Award for outstanding, compassionate care

The following St. Charles Health System nurses have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day:

• Bend: Kirsten Chavez, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Madras: Labree Tolman, Emergency Department
• Prineville: Samantha Martin, Medical Services
• Redmond: Hillary Dunbar, Medical Services

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification.

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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Pictured above from left: Outstanding St. Charles nurses Kathryn Phillips, Susie Tuttle, Kate Goodling and Julie Rariden.DAISY Award winners honored for extraordinary nursing

The following St. Charles Health System nurses have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day:

• Bend: Kathryn Phillips, Medical Services
• Madras: Kate Goodling, Family Birthing Center
• Prineville: Julie Rariden, Emergency Department
• Redmond: Susie Tuttle, Emergency Department

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification. 

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

DAISY Award winners honored for extraordinary nursing

Four St. Charles Health System nurses have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day:

• Bend: Page Ogden, Lactation
• Madras: Emily O'Hearn, Family Birthing Center
• Prineville: Jennifer Lewis Welch, Float
• Redmond: Jessica Aragon, Medical Services

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification. 

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,500 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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St. Charles nurses honored with DAISY Award for outstanding, compassionate care

The following St. Charles Health System nurses have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day:

• Bend: Caitlin Reid, Critical Care
• Madras: Yvonne Sullivan, ED
• Prineville: Kaitlynn Thomasson, Medical Services
• Redmond: Melodin Trammel, Main OR

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification.

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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Four St. Charles nurses receive the DAISY Award to recognize their extraordinary, compassionate nursing care

BEND, Ore. – The following St. Charles Health System nurses have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, recognizing the outstanding, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day:

Top-left: Candy Peplin, RN/neonatal transport, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bend
Top-right: Karen Sagner, RN, float, Madras
Bottom-right: Ryan La, RN, Emergency Department, Prineville
Bottom-left: Elena Myers, RN, Medical Services, Redmond

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—which represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification. 

"Our nurses are exceptional and deserve to be formally recognized for their dedication, spirit and the quality of care they provide in the community," said Iman Simmons, St. Charles Health System’s chief operating officer. "We are excited to celebrate all the stories of compassionate care we hear every day."

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has recognized St. Charles as “Most Wired” in both the acute and ambulatory fields.

The CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively health care organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.

St. Charles earned the 2020 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired recognition in the acute and ambulatory fields for having deployed technologies and strategies (such as population health and cost-of-care analytics, as well as patient portals) to help analyze data and achieve meaningful clinical and efficiency outcomes.

A total of 30,091 organizations were represented in the 2020 Digital Health Most Wired program, which this year included four separate surveys: domestic, ambulatory, long-term care and international. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in health care organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading.

St. Charles recognizes four caregivers with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®

BEND, Ore. – St. Charles Health System nurses Sue Baker, Emily Lundborg, Marie Dominguez and Maggie Thurman have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®, recognizing the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. 

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—who represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification. 

"Our nurses are exceptional and deserve to be formally recognized for their dedication, spirit and the quality of care they provide in the community," said St. Charles Health System’s Chief Nursing Officer Pam Steinke. "We are excited to celebrate all the stories of compassionate care we hear every day."

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.)  The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession.  Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2019

BEND, Ore. – St. Charles recognizes nurses at its four hospitals with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®

St. Charles Health System nurses Loni Verzuh, Cindy Norgaard, Heather Crnich and Maria Gattey have been honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®, recognizing the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. 

Nominated by patients, families and colleagues, the award recipients were chosen by a committee at St. Charles.

The nurses—which represent all four St. Charles hospitals in Bend, Redmond, Madras and Prineville—were recognized with a ceremony on their respective units and presented with a certificate, a pin and a "healer's touch" sculpture by their hospital’s chief nursing officer. The DAISY honorees will also receive ongoing benefits, such as special rates for tuition and ANCC certification. 

"Our nurses are exceptional and deserve to be formally recognized for their dedication, spirit and the quality of care they provide in the community," said St. Charles Health System’s Chief Nursing Officer Pam Steinke. "We are excited to celebrate all the stories of compassionate care we hear every day."

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.)  The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Charles are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession.  Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and La Pine. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 4,200 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

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