The unit has a three-room endoscopy suite and performs an average of 250-300 procedures a month. In addition to traditional endoscopy procedures, the staff members perform capsule endoscopy, liver biopsies, paracentesis, Humira and Cimzia injections for patients with Crohn's disease, and TEEs (transesophageal echocardiograms).
They also do bronchoscopies, thoracentesis procedures and endoscopic bronchial ultrasound.
Yasmine Pennington, RN, said, “Nurses are no different than anyone else; we all have personal issues. Yet when we step through the GI unit doors we are all one and work together professionally. We realize teamwork is important for our organization’s viability and is essential for safe, successful, quality patient care.
"We are RNs, which stands for 'real and nice,' this is what we are," she joked.
The GI unit employs experienced RNs and LPNs and with this experience comes knowledge, maturity and professionalism. For the team to function at this level, mutual respect is necessary.
That's why the team has monthly meetings to discuss departmental and personal issues, Pennington said.
