Bob S. Davis III has been named chief operating officer of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. For the past three years, Davis served as COO of Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding, Calif., responsible for the day-to-day operations of a 246-bed, for-profit hospital that was losing $14 million a year. Within 10 months of Davis’ arrival, Shasta Regional turned a $2 million profit. Davis also helped establish 14 new programs, including one for clinical excellence that was recognized among the top 10 percent of all hospitals in the United States for quality core measures, and began development of a 60,000-square-foot medical office building. Davis, who has more than 25 years of health care leadership experience, began his health care career at Normandy Hospitals in St. Louis, Mo., and continued in various administrative roles in six different hospitals across the country. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo., and an MBA from St. Louis University. A Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives, Davis has been past president of two state hospital associations and a health care credit union. He is a veteran in the U.S. Air Force and received the Meritorious Service Medal during his tenure.
Registered Nurse Mary Broussard, director of nursing for University Medical Center, received the Nightingale Award for Nurse Administrator of the Year from the Louisiana State Nurses Foundation and the Louisiana State Nurses Association. The award recognizes an outstanding registered nurse who administers the business and patient-care activities of a hospital and manages its personnel, demonstrating excellent managerial skills, leadership, mentorship, high standards of continuing education, and participation in professional associations. This prestigious award is determined by a panel of judges from throughout the country. Broussard began her association with the state hospital system as a teen volunteer in 1969 on the pediatric unit of Lafayette Charity Hospital, which would become UMC. With extensive experience in student nursing associations and activities, including serving on the Governor’s Statewide Planning Committee for Nursing and working on the revision of the Nurse Practice Act, she graduated from UL Lafayette in 1976 with a bachelor of science degree in nursing. While in school she worked each summer and into the fall semester of her senior year as a career trainee at LCH and upon graduation began there as a staff nurse. In 1979 she was promoted to head nurse, in 1987 to multi-area manager, in 1993 to associate director of nursing, and in 2005 to director of nursing. She is the UMC liaison with Hospice of Acadiana, Louisiana Organ Procurement Organization and the Office of Public Health. She received her master of science degree in community psychosocial nursing at Southeastern University in 1999. Additionally, UMC’s special project coordinator, RN Frances Weber, who has more than 50 years of experience in nursing, patient advocacy, nursing education, and nursing supervision, was nominated for the Nightingale Hall of Fame Award. The hospital itself was nominated for the Nightingale Award for Hospital of the Year, for a facility with 100 beds or more.
Registered Nurse Barbara Spencer-Morgan has been promoted to director of medical-surgical services at Lafayette General Medical Center, overseeing nursing operations for the postoperative, medical/surgical and oncology floors. Morgan was most recently unit manager on the medical/surgical floor and has been with the hospital for two years. She received a master of science degree in nursing from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge and a bachelor of science in nursing from UL Lafayette. Also at LGMC, RN Jude Fontenot has been promoted to director of critical care services. He is overseeing the operation of intensive care and respiratory therapy, as well as the cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular/thoracic units. Fontenot was most recently the nursing supervisor of ICU at LGMC and has been employed by the hospital for 14 years. He received an associate degree in nursing from LSUA.
The Acadiana Chapter of the Louisiana Medical Group Management Association has announced the appointment of its 2008 officers. Kristie Brasseaux, managed care coordinator of Hamilton Medical Group, will serve as president; Traci Thibodeaux, office manager of the New Iberia clinic of Cardiovascular Institute of the South, Secretary; and Camille Thibodeaux, office manager for Dr. Richard J. Piccione, treasurer. The LMGMA is a professional organization dedicated to the personal and professional development and the improvement of our members’ medical and dental practices. The Acadiana Chapter of LMGMA invites those in medical-related administrative or managerial positions to join its membership. The group meets monthly on the second Thursday of each month at á la Carte restaurant from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, please call (337) 988-8803.
Nurse practitioner advocate Gail Poirrier is a recipient of the prestigious American Academy of Nurse Practitioners State Awards for Excellence and will be honored at an awards ceremony and reception during the 23rd National Conference of the AANP in Washington, D.C., this summer. The awards were created in 1991 to recognize the efforts of individuals who have made a significant contribution toward increasing the awareness and acceptance of nurse practitioners. Poirrier, dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at UL Lafayette, has been an advocate for NPs in the state of Louisiana for many years. She has supported nurse practitioners in education and service as an educator and member of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. The AANP was founded in 1985 and is the oldest and largest full-service national professional organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties.