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B6 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 HEALTHCARE HEROES | 2024 Awards Going above and beyond in providing excellent quality care for our residents. I'm committed to reinforcing the importance of going back to the basics with our nursing staff, ensuring that every resident receives the compassionate care they deserve. By leading by example, I aim to inspire my team to consistently go above and beyond in their daily duties. Personal side: Residence: Torrington Favorite way to relax: At the beach with a book in hand! Hobbies: Being with my dogs, my German Shepard and my Labradoodle Favorite movie: "Wedding Crashers" Currently reading: "Never Lie," by Freida McFadden Favorite cause: Memory care units – I love our dementia residents. Winner Category | Nurse Lisa Balducci Athena Health Care Systems Regional Nurse L isa Balducci is Athena's regional nurse where she provides support to the nursing departments at the nine Athena-managed skilled nursing centers in Connecticut. She supports and trains new nursing leadership, assists in improving quality measures outcomes and helps implement policies and procedures. What have been your significant contributions to your organization? I have contributed to improving our organization's quality measures and resident care outcomes. At one of our Connecticut locations when I arrived as the director of nursing, the memory care unit and reporting on that unit was not where it needed to be. I spearheaded quality improvement meetings and unit renovations to create a homelike atmo- sphere, which enhanced patient comfort and satisfaction. rough staff training initiatives and a huge focus on quality measures I success- fully reduced fall rates, ensuring a safer environment for our residents. ese efforts elevated the facility's standards and positively impacted the well-being and experience of those under our care. What's your next major goal and/or challenge? Tell us about a challenge in your job that you were able to overcome. Ninety percent of patients with kidney disease do not know they have it and this can lead to challenges in their care. To overcome this barrier, I developed an educational toolkit for patients with kidney disease to learn more about their condition and ways they can participate in self-man- agement behaviors to protect their kidneys and play a role in their own health care. What's your next major goal? My next major goal is to develop more competency-based educational tools for nurse practitioner students to enhance their clinical skills, encourage evidence- based practice, translational research and increase their confidence in manag- ing complex cases, ultimately elevating the standard of care provided by nurse practitioners in the workforce. Winner Category | Nurse Elyssa Noce Ely Yale New Haven Hospital Nurse Practitioner, Nephrology E lyssa Ely is a nurse practitioner at Yale New Haven Hospital, where she provides care for patients across the spectrum of kidney disease. She also teaches in the primary care program and diabetes concentration at the Yale School of Nursing. Her roles enable her to live out her passions of clinical practice, leadership and education every day. What makes you a Healthcare Hero? As a nephrology nurse practitioner, I'm a Healthcare Hero because I have dedicated myself to initiatives that improve patient care for those who need it most. I routinely collaborate with other departments to make sure our patients are getting all they need to achieve and improve their renal health and quality of their lives. I lead educational initiatives for patients and staff to enhance their understanding of renal care. My commit- ment to optimizing patient outcomes and fostering a collaborative learning environment has significantly advanced our organization's mission of providing exceptional patient care. As a teacher, I encourage my students to challenge the status quo and effectively fight for changes in the healthcare arena where they are so desperately needed. Proud to salute our healthcare heroes. Today and every day. Yale New Haven Health honors all the frontline heroes who put the care of their patients first, every day. We are delighted to salute the 2024 Healthcare Heroes being recognized by the Hartford Business Journal, including our own. Bridgeport Hospital Fr. Adrian Budica, ThM, ACPE Director, Spiritual Care and Education Greenwich Hospital Athanassios Petrotos, MD Medical Director, Trauma Yale New Haven Hospital Pedro Hernandez, RN Medicine Services Elyssa Ely, APRN Nephrology