Staffer honored for her work to build and reform health care systems abroad
Salpy Akaragian, co-founder of the Armenian International Medical Fund (AIM Fund) and director of UCLA’s international nursing programs and nurse credentialing, was awarded the 2013 Giving Excellence Meaning (GEM) Award by Nurses.com. The organization recognizes exceptional nurses and selects five from a pool who “represent the best of the best in the profession.”
Of the award, Akaragian said, “It’s wonderful to be recognized for all the time and effort one has spent volunteering.”
Akaragian, co-founder of the Armenian International Medical Fund (AIM Fund) and director of UCLA’s international nursing programs and nurse credentialing, was awarded the 2013 Giving Excellence Meaning (GEM) Award by Nurses.com. The organization recognizes exceptional nurses and selects five from a pool who “represent the best of the best in the profession.”
Akaragian was given the award in the category of service and volunteerism for her work in Armenia and other countries to help build and reform health care systems. She began her work in other countries with a nurse’s exchange program in Japan, and shortly thereafter spent time in Armenia following the 1990 earthquake. Her time in the country spent aiding recovery led to a greater involvement in efforts to reform the Armenian health care system.
Akaragian said of her time working with health care professionals and nurses in other countries, “I’ve learned, from all these experiences, that number one, to help people, it has to be about their needs. When other countries are asking nurses for help, to do a [healthcare] project, I learned quickly to make sure to address their needs and not what I think they should focus on or improve.”
Another feature on Akaragian’s work can be found here.
Of the award, Akaragian said, “It’s wonderful to be recognized for all the time and effort one has spent volunteering.”
Akaragian, co-founder of the Armenian International Medical Fund (AIM Fund) and director of UCLA’s international nursing programs and nurse credentialing, was awarded the 2013 Giving Excellence Meaning (GEM) Award by Nurses.com. The organization recognizes exceptional nurses and selects five from a pool who “represent the best of the best in the profession.”
Akaragian was given the award in the category of service and volunteerism for her work in Armenia and other countries to help build and reform health care systems. She began her work in other countries with a nurse’s exchange program in Japan, and shortly thereafter spent time in Armenia following the 1990 earthquake. Her time in the country spent aiding recovery led to a greater involvement in efforts to reform the Armenian health care system.
Akaragian said of her time working with health care professionals and nurses in other countries, “I’ve learned, from all these experiences, that number one, to help people, it has to be about their needs. When other countries are asking nurses for help, to do a [healthcare] project, I learned quickly to make sure to address their needs and not what I think they should focus on or improve.”
Another feature on Akaragian’s work can be found here.
Learning specialist wins book award for poetry
Sabrina Youmans, a learning specialist in UCLA Athletics who supports student athletes, won the San Diego Book Award for best poetry anthology. She shares the award with three collaborators on the book, “Lantern Tree: Four Books of Poems” (City Works Press, 2012). The series of poems she contributed is entitled "Pacific Standard Time." Youman's poetic style explores form while hovering over loss and beauty.Both a writer and teacher of poetry, Youmans earned an M.F.A. in Poetry from San Diego State University in 1999. Originally she trained with Rae Armantrout, a founding member of the West Coast group of "language poets." Youman's work has been published in numerous literary journals.
Learn more about her work here.
Nurses take on perinatal and pediatric standardization
Nurses and unit directors Debbie Suda and Chai-Chi Huang will lead the coordination and standardization of care for perinatal patients and pediatric patients both at Santa Monica and Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centers. Both have extensive experience in implementing standardization and hope to ensure a uniform high quality and consistency of nursing care throughout UCLA's health system.
Debbie Suda (left) has been the unit director of perinatal services at Ronald Reagan since 1988. As unit director, some of her major accomplishments have included implementing California maternal quality care collaborative obstetric hemorrhage guidelines at both Ronald Reagan and Santa Monica, developing a new tool for assessment of obstetric falls risk, and achieving a 98th percentile ranking for patient satisfaction in childbirth. Suda is a registered nurse and earned her master's in nursing science.Chai Chi Huang served as the clinical nurse specialist for UCLA Pediatrics from 2004-2008, after which she accepted the position of unit director in 2009. Currently she is responsible for 183 employees in the 44-bed pediatric unit at Ronald Reagan. Huang has implemented a bug buster program that reduced blood stream infections by 50 percent, spearheaded the ventricular assist device program in acute care pediatrics, assisted UCLA's Santa Monica Medical Center pediatric leadership team in successfully initiating pediatric oncology services and created a Pediatric based volunteer program.
Huang is a registered nurse and earned her master's in nursing science from UCLA.
Luskin team raises $12,000-plus for United Way
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs organized a team for the United Way’s HomeWalk and raised more than $12,000 for the organization. This is the second consecutive year that UCLA’s Luskin team has topped all participating universities in fundraising, earning the same amount for the cause in last year’s race.
United Way’s HomeWalk is a 5K walk/run that raises money and awareness to end homelessness in Los Angeles. United Way seeks to alleviate homelessness and help to support those afflicted by it by providing permanent housing and pathways out of poverty. The event raised more than $450,000 for the cause.
Frank D. Gilliam, Jr., dean of the Luskin School, sponsored registration for 75 members of the team. Students from the school’s three departments helped to organize the UCLA Team Luskin.
