Seven Nurses at Sisters of Charity Providence Hospitals Receive Prestigious Statewide Award

Seven nurses at Sisters of Charity Providence Hospitals have received statewide recognition as Palmetto Gold winners. Virginia Ard, Stephanie Baker, Karen Buchanan, Kara Jones-Schubart, Katherine Miller, Elizabeth Myslinski and Jodi Shelton have been recognized for excellence with a Palmetto Gold award from the South Carolina Nurses Foundation. Palmetto Gold winners are selected for epitomizing excellence in their profession.

Virginia (Jenny) Ard, RN – Ard has been a Providence Hospitals employee for more than 20 years. In addition to being a registered nurse, she is a certified diabetes instructor, aerobics instructor, advanced cardiac life support instructor and basic life support instructor.

Ard received her associate degree in nursing from Florence – Darlington Technical College. She is a member of the South Carolina Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Association, the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, an American Heart Association (AHA) Midlands Heart Walk team leader, an AHA Heart-to-Heart golf tournament organizer, and a Providence Heart & Vascular Institute Red Dress Ambassador.

Ard lives in Camden and is a member of Pisgah Baptist Church, where she teaches Sunday school, directs music and plays piano. In addition, she is an executive member of the Kershaw Baptist Association. She and her husband Buddy have three children: Jennifer, Kenny, and Matthew.

Laura Herbert, director of Cardiovascular Heart Services at Providence, nominated Ard for the award, saying, “Jenny takes the time to get to know all of her patients during their rehabilitation. Because rehabilitation can often take months, she develops healthy, nurturing relationships with patients and thinks of them as part of her extended family.”

Stephanie Baker, RN, BSN – Baker has been employed at Providence for more than 10 years. She is the clinical manager for the intermediate care unit (IMCU) at Providence and a member of the Association of Critical Care Nurses and Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of nursing.

Baker received her associate degree in nursing from Midlands Technical College and a bachelor’s degree in science from Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. She resides in southeast Columbia with her two children, Madison and Jack.

Baker was nominated by Kathy Miller, clinical manager of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery Recovery at Providence, who said, “Stephanie works collaboratively with education to meet the needs of her staff. She also mentors nursing students and has made a real difference during her time at Providence.”

Karen Buchanan, RN – Buchanan is a clinical educator in Providence Hospitals’ Organizational Development department. She is a member of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN).

Buchanan received a diploma of nursing from Watts School of Nursing in Durham, NC. In addition, she has completed prerequisite courses at University of North Carolina in Wilmington, for the bachelor’s degree she is currently pursuing.

Buchanan is an active member of Lugoff Friendship Baptist Church where she provides support in various ministries

She lives in Lugoff with her husband James, associate pastor at Lugoff Friendship Baptist Church, her son Hunter, and daughter Olivia.

Providence Clinical Educator Sheila Gatch nominated Buchanan, writing, “Karen is committed to patients, families and colleagues. She ensures that staff members are competent in providing patient care based on best practices.”

Kara Jones-Schubart, RN, MSN – A Providence employee for five years, Jones-Schubart is a clinical educator in the Providence Hospitals’ extern program. She is a member of the South Carolina Nursing Association (SCNA), the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), and Sigma Theta Tau; the international honor society of nursing.

Jones-Schubart, a resident of downtown Columbia, received her bachelor of science degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of South Carolina.

Forrest Fortier, director of Organizational Development at Providence, nominated Kara, writing, “Kara is committed to providing compassionate nursing care to her patients and families. As a role model to staff and nursing students, she promotes excellence in patient care through mentorship.”

Katherine (Kathy) Miller, RN, BSN, CCRN – Miller has been a Providence employee for five years and is currently the clinical manager for the Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery Recovery unit. She is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), and Sigma Theta Tau; the international honor society of nursing. Kathy is president of the South Carolina mid-state chapter of the AACN.

Miller received her bachelor of science in nursing from the University of South Carolina and her master’s degree in nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina. A Heathwood resident, Miller is a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and a sustaining member of Junior League.

Forrest Fortier, director of Organizational Development, nominated Miller, saying, “Kathy leads by example and never hesitates to lend a hand in the delivery of patient care.”

Elizabeth (Betty) Myslinski, RN, BSN – Myslinski is the clinical manager of 4 East at Providence where she has been employed for 15 years. She is currently enrolled in The Management Academy; a formal, yearlong leadership development program of the South Carolina Hospital Association.

Myslinski received her bachelor of science in nursing from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She lives in Irmo with her two daughters, Ellie and Rachel.

Myslinski was nominated by Providence Clinical Nurse Specialist Trina Vecchiolla who wrote, “Betty is an outstanding role model who displays a professional demeanor and a willingness to serve. She gently and calmly works with staff to develop their skills, judgment and compassion.”

Jodi Shelton, RN - Shelton has been a Providence employee for 21 years and currently serves as the clinical manager of the Mobile Cardiac Care Unit (MCCU), Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). She is a member of the South Carolina Organization of Nursing Leadership (SCONL), the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Shelton graduated from Trumbell Memorial Hospital Nursing School in Warren, OH. She lives in Forest Acres with her husband Jeff. They have one son, Troy.

Providence nurse Sylvia Southerland nominated Shelton, saying, “Jodi has been a positive force in the promotion and advancement of nursing. She is a motivating and inspiring leader who selects educational and organizational opportunities for her nurses based on individual needs to foster professional growth and development.”

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity Health System, Sisters of Charity Providence Hospitals is known statewide for its compassionate care. This non-profit organization is licensed for 304 beds and is comprised of four entities: Providence Hospital, Providence Heart & Vascular Institute, Providence Hospital Northeast and Providence Orthopaedic & Neuro Spine Institute. A faith-based health care facility in the Midlands area of South Carolina, Providence employs more than 1,900 caring individuals.

Providence Hospital, located in downtown Columbia, was founded by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Augustine in 1938. The facility is best known for the expertise in cardiac care it provides through Providence Heart & Vascular Institute, which is recognized statewide as a referral center for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Providence Hospital Northeast was established in 1999 and offers a range of medical services in surgery, emergency care, women’s and children’s services and rehabilitation. Providence Northeast is home to Providence Orthopaedic & Neuro Spine Institute, which provides medical and surgical treatment of diseases and injuries of the bones, joints and spine.