WNC VA Health Care System Update

Following the surge in positive cases across the Western part of the state and nationwide, health care system leadership took steps to safeguard patients and staff from the latest variant of COVID-19.

Under the new restrictions, no visitors of any age can enter inpatient areas.

There are instances where visitors can enter Health Care System facilities, but only when it’s necessary for providing medical care, supporting patient care activities, or visiting under urgent circumstances, such as grave illness or imminent death of a family member under care in the facility.

For outpatient Veterans one individual 18 or over may enter with a Veteran for outpatient care if they answer pre-screening questions and screen negative. This action is being taken as a precautionary measure considering the increased vulnerability of certain patient populations receiving care at the facility.

The only exceptions being made are for Hospice Patients, and some inpatients, which will be coordinated through Palliative Care.

Construction Update

If you’ve visited Charles George VA Medical Center lately, there’s a good chance you’ve literally heard the sounds of progress. 

The sounds coming from around the South Tower are that of concrete and brick being removed from the outside wall to prepare for the new steel structure for the Operating Room Suite Expansion.

The work is being done during normal daytime hours (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) so sleeping patients won’t be disturbed in the evenings.  Construction crews are working closely with the operating room schedule to accomplish as much work as possible without disturbing critical procedures. 

The work is expected to be on and off for the next 30 days.

HBPC/NIC Program Director Announcement

Primary Care Service is very pleased to announce that Shannon Peters, MSOT has assumed the duties of Program Director for our Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) and Non-Institutional Care (NIC) programs.

Peters served as an occupational therapist for 10 years in the HBPC program in Bath, New York.  In the 10 years since that time, she has held a series of leadership positions at the facility, VISN 2 and VACO level in Health Promotion, Quality Management and Process Improvement among other duties. 

Her previous position was with the Veterans Health Education and Information (VHEI) National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention office in Durham, North Carolina, which led the implementation of VHA’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

Peters applied for the Director of Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) and Non-Institutional Care (NIC) programs in Asheville because she said she desired to return to the work she found the most satisfying and enriched her career tract; namely, working in home-based care. 

There were multiple high-quality candidates who applied for the HBPC/NIC Director position, each with impressive accomplishments, attractive personal qualities and bright futures.  In selecting Ms. Peters in this important leadership role, we are confident in continuing our HBPC and NIC tradition of excellence.

New Acute Care Assistant Nurse Managers announcements

Stephanie Godfrey has been selected as Assistant Nurse Manager for Primary Care 3. She has been a nurse for 13 years, with nine years in progressive care and four years in primary care.

Godfrey graduated from McDowell Technical Community College in 2008 with an ADN and Lees McRae College in 2013 with my BSN.

“I have been married to my husband Mike for 26 years, we have two grown children (Sierra and Levi), two precious grandchildren (Kase and Francis), two dogs and two goats,” she said. “I love spending time with my family and friends, camping at the lake, hiking and riding ATVs.”

SWAT

Joshua Geiger has been selected as the Assistant Nurse Manager for the Specialized Work Assignment Team (SWAT).  Josh joined the VA in April 2019 as a member of SWAT.  He has nine years of nursing experience and is board certified as a Critical Care RN (CCRN).  He represents SWAT on the Informatics Council and represents the hospital on the National Nurse Practice Council. He has served on DEMPS deployment during the initial COVID surge and provided valuable assistant to a local long term care facility. Please join me in welcoming Josh to this new role.  

4 West

April McCurry has been selected as the Assistant Nurse Manager of 4 West Medicine/Cardiology. McCurry came to the VA in June 2019 as a staff nurse on 4 West. She has 17 years of nursing experience; providing both bedside care and being a nursing supervisor for nine years on an aggressive pulmonary progressive care.

April is board certified as a medical surgical nurse, and she currently represents 4 West on the development council.

SICU

Megan Shoop has accepted a position as Assistant Nurse Manager in the Surgical ICU.

Shoop, BSN, RN, CCRN, officially started as the Assistant Nurse Manager of the Surgical ICU on Dec. 19. She has more than 12 years of Nursing practice experience working in various care settings ranging from a long-term care/ rehab facility to Critical Care Units.

Shoop earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UNC Pembroke in 2009 where she also earned another bachelor’s degree in biology in 2007 and played on the University’s softball team. She has been at the Charles George VAMC and a member of the Surgical ICU team since February of 2017.

During her time as a member of the SICU Nursing Team, she has completed three DEMPS deployments, published an article in the “Safe Patient Handling and Mobility” newsletter, presented in a national Webinar on proning patients using a safe patient handling and mobility approach and was a guest on the COVID in 20 Podcast to discuss her experiences while on DEMPS deployments to COVID hotspots during the first year of the pandemic.

Her personal appreciation for the service of Veterans is heightened by her husband's time in the U.S. Army. She said she most enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two feisty Jack Russell Terriers.

MICU

Brian Martin has a new role as the Assistant Nurse Manager in MICU.  Martin is a Veteran who served in the Marines from 1995 to1999.  He joined the VA in November 2020 as a staff nurse in MICU and currently works as nursing coordinator.  

Martin obtained his master’s degree in Program Leadership and management and has more than 18 years of nursing experience working in direct patient care and in supervisory roles. 

Martin is a strong advocate for shared governance and improving patient outcomes.  He has vast critical care knowledge and leadership experience which will help him to excel in this role.

Vance Janes, Public Affairs Officer

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