December 14, 2004
Tuesday

Ketchikan, Alaska - Janet Hanna, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, has been named Employee of the Month at Ketchikan General Hospital (KGH) by a committee of her peers.

Janet Hanna

Hanna began working for KGH in 1995 as a new graduate nurse on the night shift of the medical/surgical unit. Two years later the hospital, in need of someone with expertise in diabetes, sent her to Kenai for an intensive education course by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Shortly after that she helped to organize a Community Diabetes Meeting to assess community needs and the potential for a community based Diabetes Education Program. In June 1997 a Monthly Diabetes Support Group was started and has continued to meet monthly to this date. Hanna has continued to receive further training in diabetes each year, and accepted the position of Diabetes Educator at KGH in November 2000.

In her position she provides Diabetes Self-Management Education to outpatients and inpatients, through one-on-one and group classes. She offers instruction on insulin pump therapy and insulin adjustment. She educates KGH staff, participates in health fairs, and travels to Wrangell and Craig to do clinics. She has also helped to organize the all-volunteer First City Feet Clinic.

One of her clients described Janet impact on clients' lives: "Diabetes is an unbelievably complicated disease, and each diabetic reacts differently to food, to medication, to illness. Janet is a superlative detective, searching for clues that will enable her to help each individual lead as normal and healthy a life as possible. She always makes a person feel comfortable; she never chastises, or lectures, or preaches, but you come away feeling inspired to keep going, to keep trying to do better."

The award of Employee of the Month at KGH recognizes those who regularly go above and beyond what is required, to provide high quality service to patients, visitors and co-workers.

Source of News & Photograph:

Ketchikan General Hospital
Web Site

 

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