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Health Care Hero Finalists Nurse
By Holly Fisher
Special Projects Editor
Candy Gast
As a psychiatric nurse specialist, Candy Gast spends her days working with patients other health care providers often don’t want to treat.
At the Berkeley Community Mental Health Center in Moncks Corner, Gast assesses clients to determine if the center is the best fit. She’s also the emergency contact nurse, available to help those in crisis—people thinking of ending their life or someone else’s, or people who are facing overwhelming family or financial issues.
Previously an emergency room nurse, Gast has worked at the mental health center for seven years.
“I chose to take a huge pay cut to come here,” she said. “I felt I needed to work with people who are in poverty. I wanted to make sure people who had money or not would get the services they deserve. Seeing people get better and do well is what I’m about.”
At the mental health center, Gast has been instrumental in developing the hospital diversion program to deal with the shortage of beds in local hospitals. Through this program, patients spend their days at the center and nights at another facility.
Through solid teamwork, Gast said the program has grown to accommodate people who normally would be hospitalized.
“Physicians, counselors and I are aggressively working with patients to prevent their hospitalization,” she said. “Exactly what we are doing is what would happen in a hospital.”
Gast also works closely with the local detention center to assist any mentally ill prisoners.
While her work is challenging, Gast said it is very fulfilling.
“I don’t regret one minute. This is something that was given to me,” she said. “For whatever reason, I have been able to do well in this and I enjoy it. It’s a blessing there are people like us who enjoy it. The rewards are when I see people be able to be social and independent.”
Sheri Stewart
Over the last two years, registered nurse Sheri Stewart has implemented various programs that assist Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital patients and their families.
As pain management coordinator and palliative care coordinator, Stewart wrote and received a grant for a compassionate care library, which has books and other audio and visual resources for children who have a life-limiting illness. The resources also benefit family members and siblings. The books, which deal with death and dying, come in a variety of forms appropriate for various age levels and are in English and Spanish.
Stewart also received a small grant to start a massage therapy pilot study. So far the benefits of massage therapy are evident in the patients, and the medical team reports seeing a difference, she said. She’s seeking additional funding sources to continue the program.
Stewart is board certified in pain management and works with patients to complete a pain assessment, addressing the patient’s pain history and working with the medical team to make recommendations for a workable pain plan.
She’s creating a brief patient education video that will educate parents and children about how a patient’s pain is evaluated and how they can help manage pain. The video should help answer many of the common questions parents, in particular, have about their child’s treatment. Stewart said her goal is to market the video to other children’s hospitals.
One of the more emotionally draining aspects of her job is working with families whose children most likely won’t reach adulthood and helping parents through the loss of a child.
One of the new programs she started is a bereavement support group for parents.
“It has been rewarding for me. It’s very sad and very emotional, but the outcomes that we’re able to achieve make it all worthwhile,” Stewart said.
Diana Glupker
Since she was about 8 years old, Diana Glupker wanted to be a nurse. And since 1971, she has been assisting doctors and patients in the medical field.
A registered nurse, Glupker works three days a week at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital as the orthopedic specialty coordinator. She assists hand surgeons, prepares equipment for upcoming cases and works with sales representatives to secure equipment for the hospital.
Most often, Glupker works as a circulating nurse. She meets orthopedic patients in the
ambulatory surgery area to answer their questions. Once the patients are cleared for surgery, she walks with them to the operating room.
“I see the role of circulator as the patients’ advocate,” Glupker said.
She stays in the operating room, checking charts and medicines. She makes sure the patient is properly positioned and assists the anesthesiologist as needed. If the procedure lasts more than 40 minutes, Glupker gives family members hourly updates.
“Over the years, I’ve learned for (the patients) this is a crisis situation to them no matter how minor the procedure,” she said. “My words carry weight. They will remember the responses to their question. I try to be very careful and show care and be professional in answering their questions.”
As a child, Glupker thought she might combine her interest in nursing with travel, working in Third World countries. Today she lives out that desire through medical mission trips. She has worked in Zimbabwe, and has gone to Thailand, where she worked at an orphanage in a refugee camp.
Those trips have made Glupker, also a pastor’s wife, realize how fortunate she is.
“You just don’t take things for granted,” she said. “You’re much more appreciative of what we have and (aware of) not being wasteful.”
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