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Alexandra Brown’s passion for teaching has opened new opportunities to bring hand-on nutrition education to community events. Alexandra Brown is extremely busy. As Director of Food and Nutrition at Sturgis […]
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Caregivers at Monument Health are woven into the fabric of our communities. They are neighbors, friends and family – sometimes all three. In the Black Hills, nearly everyone knows someone […]
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Behind every medical procedure is a complex coding process. Crystal Watters’ expertise ensures accurate documentation that helps patients and providers navigate insurance requirements. When you are treated at a hospital, […]
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Director of APP Professional Practice, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Certified Family & Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital Since starting at Monument Health in November 2022, Christine Duerksen has […]
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Ashley Walton, RN, Float Pool at Rapid City Hospital, transitioned from environmental chemistry to nursing, driven by a desire to help people in her newfound community and to honor her […]
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Sydney Underhill never expected to find her calling on Oct. 25, 2023, shaken and terrified from a serious car accident. But as paramedics and nurses at Monument Health Spearfish Hospital […]
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Amber Allen had already lived many different lives before she arrived at Monument Health Foundation. “I have a wide variety of interests and experience,” she said. This is a bit […]
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With eyes ever fixed to the horizon, outgoing Monument Health Foundation Chairperson Sharon Lee never fails to see promise in each new dawn. You might find it odd to be […]
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Advanced Practice Providers demonstrate that patients at Monument Health benefit from a team approach to care. There’s an old cliche that states that the word “team” stands for “together, everyone […]
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Megan Winter, RN, discovers her ideal role at Monument Health through helping patients. There’s a reason that when someone discovers a place of thriving it’s called a sweet spot. That […]
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As a Community Relations Specialist and former Miss South Dakota, Anna Whetham has a passion for bringing groups together. Her awareness of community needs and a harrowing medical experience provided […]
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Patient Relations Advocates help patients navigate the sometimes complicated world of health care. This special role takes a special person, and Shary Haag brings the perfect combination of emotional intelligence […]
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For 20 years, Lynnett Rotert, BSRT, CBDT, was a bone density technologist at Monument Health’s Spearfish Clinic and worked in a clinical area called densitometry. She served the patients of […]
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Nurses regularly deal with death in their work, but often their own passing goes unrecognized. A new organization hopes to change that. For 42 years, Shirley Struble was a nurse […]
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Nursing Assistants provide vital support that plays an important role in the patient experience. CNAs like Bennett Smith are devoted allies for those in their care. When you treat everyone […]
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Patients of Monument Health’s Heart and Vascular Unit (HVU) can be at any stage in their health care journey, but they all deserve the best quality care. Nurses like Theresa […]
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Frontline Ambassadors As frontline ambassadors, these professionals orchestrate schedules, insurance, billing, gathering demographic information and more to make sure the symphony of medical practice and procedure is carried out efficiently […]
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Spend time with Monument Health’s caregivers and physicians, and it’s obvious that there are plenty of gifted individuals throughout the organization. The skills and abilities they use to help patients […]
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For Grace, serving as a triage call nurse is a family affair. Growing up in Colorado, her mother set an example as a triage call nurse, and although Grace didn’t […]
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Shawn Powers doesn’t treat pediatric patients at Monument Health, but his work impacts their lives each and every day — not through clinical care, but through his role as the […]
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My role As Director of Anesthesia services, I serve as a leader of change and advocate of quality care. Strategic thinking and teamwork are essential components to managing anesthesia services […]
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When did you first learn the truth about Santa Claus? No, not that truth. The one about Santa’s network of helpers around the world who help him make holiday wishes […]
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One way to get to know people is to learn what they love. Some love nature and the wild, others love books and warm mugs of tea. Nurses are a […]
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Rapid City Hospital is home to two specialty coffee cafes: Market Coffee and crEATe. Each serves Starbucks drinks, breakfast and lunch to caregivers, patients and visitors. The team behind the […]
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Caregiver Jordan Hanley, RN, discovered that a supportive environment is crucial to finding your next level. Jordan Hanley, RN, always knew — even when she was a little girl growing […]
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In our spring 2021 issue, we introduced you to Katie Young, a young woman who was celebrating her college graduation at a bowling alley when her heart stopped beating. You […]
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From the outside looking in, it may look like Radiologic Technologist Robert Schroeder and his fellow caregivers have a straightforward job — creating high-quality X-ray images for physicians and their […]
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For Lito and Lucita Casilang and their daughter Sandra Gruenig, Rapid City is very different from their native Philippines 7,500 miles away. The food, the culture, the weather — especially […]
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In the early 1990s, two health care challenges were emerging in western South Dakota. First, the number of new family physicians practicing medicine in rural areas was not keeping up […]
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For parents, those opportunities are fleeting and bittersweet, as one day those moments will be gone. But that’s not the case for the child care aides at the Monument Health […]
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My Role As the Real Estate Manager for Monument Health, I provide support for all things involving Real Estate to ensure we are meeting the ever-growing needs of our system […]
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My Role I take care of patients. I am there to take vital signs and walk with them. Sometimes we assist with their eating and hygiene needs, and we make […]
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My Role I am a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in the Endocrinology Department. Diabetes educators provide the knowledge and tools to help patients with diabetes live well and […]
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“Death is very difficult to talk about. I recognized that very early in my grief,” said Bri Edwards, a Physician Assistant in General Surgery at Monument Health. “People don’t know […]
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As the Hippocratic Oath states, “There is art to medicine as well as science.” This oath sworn by many physicians goes on to state that, “Warmth, sympathy and understanding may […]
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What is the Monument Health Veterans Group? We are a group of 322 veterans who are also physicians and caregivers working at Monument Health. We make up a volunteer group […]
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What is your role at Monument Health? I am a Certified Pharmacy Technician at Lead-Deadwood Hospital. Who do you volunteer with, and why? I help several local charities by organizing […]
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When Holly Perli, RN, was in high school, she knew that she wanted to work in health care. Like a lot of teenagers, however, she didn’t know all the paths […]
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Bobbi Jean is one of Monument Health’s most active volunteers. On top of her full-time role with Information Technology she also has volunteered more than 260 hours of her time […]
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Combating homelessness among women veterans is a tough battle. one of the most effective — albeit unexpected — weapons in this fight might just be an evening gown. Homelessness is […]
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More than two decades after getting involved in health care in the community where she grew up, Registered Nurse Barb Irwin is still as passionate as ever about working to […]
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When Dayna Swanson, RN, took an assignment at Monument Health, she didn’t know how long she would stay. After less than a year in the Black Hills, she started calling […]
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Along with maintaining the grounds at all Monument Health locations in Rapid City, the grounds team works closely with contractors to coordinate projects and repairs. My Role As grounds lead […]
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LiveWell by Monument Health is a voluntary well-being initiative offering support, resources and rewards to physicians and caregivers. Theresa Ferdinand joined Monument Health 32 years ago and Stephanie Iverson started […]
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Kim has seen many changes in her 22 years within the laundry department — from new buildings to updated technology — but the one constant is Kim’s cheerful disposition, as […]
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Paige Whitacre, Manager, Communications Center and Security Dispatch Center. The Communications Center is a 24/7, 365-day operation and plays a crucial role in keeping everyone connected and informed of emergency […]
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My Role I am currently in the Human Resources Department as an HR Business Partner, supporting the Northern Hills Market. This includes all hospitals and clinics in the Lead-Deadwood, Sturgis, […]
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Sandra Gruenig, Registered Nurse and Clinical Coordinator at Rapid City Hospital, didn’t plan to enter the nursing profession. Sandra originally completed her degree in engineering while she was living in […]
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Put simply, health care in this region is better because of Julie Raymond, M.D. Her work, particularly in breast health, elevated the level of care that is available to the […]
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Ty White’s infection prevention and control team touches every person at Monument Health, from patients and visitors to caregivers and contractors. The Infection Control team is responsible for the development, […]
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Settling in at Monument Health — and in the Black Hills — is different for each new physician. Regardless of what assistance they need, Carla is here to help. In […]
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Caregiver, Nicole Shiffrar, literally wrote the book on the Black Hills’ historic hospital. The Black Hills of South Dakota are steeped in equal parts history and legend. Prospectors and outlaws […]
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Chris Barrozo, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Monument Health Orthopedics & Specialty Hospital. A surgical APP, like Chris, often see patients before, during and after surgery. These visits provide the surgeon with […]
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My Space: Danny Morris, Valet Supervisor, Rapid City Hospital. Rapid City Guest Services offers free valet services to Rapid City Hospital patients and their families at both the Cancer Care […]
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Software engineer Michael Paulson is among the thousands of gamers involved with Extra Life, raising money for children’s hospitals by doing something that they love: playing video games. Video games, […]
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There’s one thing that’s true of these three Monument Health caregivers and graduates of Project SEARCH — they each take their roles very seriously. JP, Berkley and Cody all have […]
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James Woodhead, BSN, Director of Nursing in Custer, went to college in Arizona on a basketball scholarship. He didn’t start school knowing he wanted to be in nursing, but two […]
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Paramedics and EMTs are emergency responders, but they also provide training and first aid in their communities. For Joy Wilczynski, caring for her neighbors in the Lead-Deadwood area has been […]
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Since moving to the area in 1992, Sue has been actively involved with many organizations including Meals on Wheels, Lutheran Quilting Ladies and the school library, connecting to the community […]
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Doris Ann served on the Monument Health Custer Advisory Board from 2013-2019, helping to present the community’s needs to Monument Health and establishing trust between the two. Since then, she […]
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Health isn’t just a physical trait — mental health plays a significant role in people’s lives. Despite this, some people are hesitant to seek help. Luckily McKenzie Grim is ready […]
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My Role As the Safety Services Director I wear many hats. I oversee policy, procedures and caregivers covering Life Safety, Emergency Management and Workplace Violence. My job is to support […]
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Black Hills Works is a person-centered agency that helps individuals with disabilities set goals and provides education, experience and support as they work hard to achieve them. Monument Health is […]
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Information Technology plays a crucial role in keeping Monument Health capable of providing the best possible care. That’s why Krishna Blair, Senior Desktop Analyst, does his best to keep technology […]
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Larry Mills, Jose Huertas and Pattie Paulsen touch every aspect of Monument Health’s printed communication, running a full-service print shop within Monument Health. Monument Health’s print shop has been operating […]
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After 32 years in a number of roles at the VA, Betty had more than earned retirement. But in the face of a pandemic, she returned to take on the […]
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The Monument Health Foundation supports worthy causes connected to Monument Health, and their reach often goes further than most realize. The Monument Health Foundation provides a link between Monument Health […]