SALUTE: Eight health care awardees

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>has been a registered

nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for nine years and is currently

studying to be an adult nurse practitioner at Goldfarb School of

Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College. The compassion and concern for

others displayed by her mother as a nurse’s aide, Adams said,

prompted her to pursue a career in nursing. “My desire is to

encourage and teach communities of preventive care and health

promotion to ensure a better quality of life,” Adams said. She

serves on the member selection committee of Chi Eta Phi, a

professional nurses’ sorority, and is a health ministry

leader.

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>serves as a lead social

worker at SSM Behavioral Health Services at DePaul, a 99-bed

inpatient psychiatric hospital. In addition to scheduling 10 social

workers and five case managers, Peterson also has responsibilities

on the pre-adolescent psychiatric unit, where she has been

instrumental in developing and improving staff training for optimum

patient outcomes. Last year, Peterson was selected to participate

in SSM’s Emerging Leaders program.

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>has worked at Betty Jean

Kerr People’s Health Centers for 28 years, beginning as a

volunteer. Clinic founder and namesake Betty Jean Kerr encouraged

Scott to further her education, and she became a social worker. She

is known for motivating employees and always thinking of ways to

make PHC better for both patients and staff, such as implementing

new appointment procedures that doubled the number of patients able

to receive care in the same time. In addition, Scott participates

in and coordinates health fairs, food drives for patients and staff

events.

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>is a therapist in the

Transitional Care Department at SSM Behavioral Health Services at

St. Mary’s. Peers say Smith strives to make therapy groups fresh,

interesting and innovative while discussing symptoms, medication

management, coping skills and relapse prevention. SSM leadership

selected Smith to join a task force to redesign the curriculum. “As

a result of her efforts, the entire department has multiple

resources, which will allow them to deliver quality, interesting

and innovative groups to our clients,” her nominator

said.

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>is the health services

manager for the City of St. Louis Department of Health, having

started as a supervisor in the maternal child and family health

clinic in 1997. Stewart initiated automation of the managed-care

billing system, with a time and cost savings for the clinic. In

2000, she became an inspector in the Air Pollution Control Division

and was promoted to section chief. As such, she “completely

reorganized the asbestos inspection process, which eliminated

illegal asbestos abatement projects within the City of St. Louis,”

her nominator said. Stewart is also a part of the Missouri Public

Health Leadership Institute and collaborates with several community

organizations.

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>is director of surgical

services at Christian Hospital BJC HealthCare. She has been with

Christian Hospitals for 37 years, working first in the OB-GYN floor

with new mothers at the former Christian Northwest before helping

to open Christian Northeast. Trice moved through the ranks in

nursing to become a manager, then director. She supervises more

than 100 employees, including nurses, managers, technicians and

facilitators in inpatient and outpatient care. Trice says her scope

extends “from the time the patient comes into our doors, they are

worked up for the surgery, then we see them through the recovery

room.”

“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>is responsible for the

health needs of more than 1,100 students at Beaumont and Sumner

high schools and the Fresh Start alterative program in St. Louis

Public Schools. The school nurse is known as a healthy lifestyle

advocate for teens, young adults and all students. She is

particularly passionate about the health of teen mothers, having

worked at the Meda P. Washington Alternative School for

mothers-to-be. Wade-Wilson also oversees the athletic medical

department for high school games. Having worked for SLPS for the

past 16 years, her nominator said, “Debbie always puts the concerns

of the student first.”

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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>is a team leader for the

Procedure Center, Post Anesthesia Care Unit and Endoscopy at SSM

St. Clare Health Center. Her leadership was credited for a more

than 30 percent jump in patient satisfaction scores.