Pulse

March 2008

'We serve America's heroes'

'We serve America's heroes'

Pulse editor

The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the largest integrated health care system in the nation o with 1,400 hospitals, clinics and nursing homes o and it's growing. Veterans returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan are swelling the VA's patient ranks, which illustrates the importance of caring for those who have served overseas.

"We are seeing increasing demand for our services from veterans. We believe it is because they have heard good things about us from our clients," said Sandy Leake, MSN, RN, associate director for nursing/patient services at the Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur ... more

EDITOR'S NOTES: Helping America's heroes to heal
Help Wanted

Help wanted

In a climate where a shortage of health care professionals is a critical reality, employers are constantly looking to fill positions. One of the best tools to match job-seekers with employers is a job fair.

"We don't do it for a pastime or because we're bored. We do it because we see success from them," said Sue Dunlap, employment manager at DeKalb Medical ... more

Legacy of caring

Legacy of caring

When he volunteered to serve the hungry on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in January, Kareem Johnson was surprised to find a demand for his nursing skills. Johnson, RN, CCRN-BC, has been a nurse for five years and works in the intensive care units at Atlanta Medical Center.

"A friend who volunteers at the Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless events encouraged my family to try it, so my mom, two cousins and I signed up to work on the MLK holiday," he said. "I thought I'd just be serving food, but because I was a nurse, they put me in the clinic." ... more