Mercy Cedar Rapids

National Doctors’ Day is March 30. Please join us in thanking the physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners for their exceptional dedication to improving the health of our patients and for helping make Cedar Rapids one of the top cities in the U.S. for quality healthcare. Saying "thank you" is easy! Send a note of thanks to your favorite provider(s) at: https://lnkd.in/ghS35gNq. You may include your name or leave this field blank to remain anonymous. You are welcome to submit the form multiple times for multiple notes. All notes will be distributed to the providers throughout the year. Thank you for caring for your caregiver! Grateful Patient Giving through the Mercy Foundation is another way to show appreciation and recognize outstanding care. Whether you choose to honor a specific staff member or an entire department, your donation is a meaningful expression of gratitude. Your gift may support patient care in areas of greatest need (unrestricted), or in a department or service line of special meaning – it’s up to you. Notice of gifts made in this way are shared with the care providers and service areas involved. Learn more about Grateful Patient Giving at https://lnkd.in/gbFnTUw or donate now online at https://lnkd.in/ebr9v7Fj.

Mercy General Surgeon Sajida Ahad, MD, FACS, recently completed her 1,000th surgery utilizing the state-of-the-art da Vinci? robotic surgical system! Dr. Ahad specializes in general and bariatric surgeries, as well as gastrointestinal cancers. This significant achievement underscores her dedication to advancing surgical care and her commitment to patient-centered outcomes. The da Vinci? Surgical System represents a significant advancement in minimally invasive surgery by allowing surgeons to perform complex procedures with enhanced precision and control. The system’s robotic arms provide a greater range of motion than the human hand, and its 3D, high-definition vision system offers a magnified view of the surgical area. These features contribute to improved clinical outcomes, including reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stays and decreased postoperative discomfort. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gqQKJxyj Congratulations to Dr. Ahad and her team!

Returning to work after having a baby is a significant transition that requires both practical and emotional adjustments. Regardless of how long you’ve been on maternity leave, reentering the workforce can feel full of mixed emotions. For many new parents, this is a time to balance career ambitions, family responsibilities and personal well-being. Here are some key strategies to help make the return to work smoother and more fulfilling: https://lnkd.in/gRZr6k52

Recently, members of Mercy's Organizational Development team and Chief Nursing Officer, Molly, joined our President & CEO, Dr. Quinn, for the Iowa Hospital Association's Day on the Hill in Des Moines. Alongside staff from other hospitals across the state, the Mercy representatives advocated for legislation to protect hospital staff and nursing students from violence, in addition to discussing other important topics. The team spoke with one of our legislators and asked for his support to keep nurses and other staff members safe from violence at work. Thank you to this group and Dr. Quinn (not pictured here) for advocating on behalf of all healthcare workers!

Today, we celebrate Hospice volunteer Dennis! He turned 90 years old this month, and the team at Hospice made sure to celebrate their long-time helper. Dennis began volunteering with Hospice of Mercy in 1990 at the encouragement of his wife, Pat, who was one of the department's first volunteers. He still faithfully volunteers every week in her memory and now welcomes people visiting their loved ones at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. Happy belated birthday, Dennis! We appreciate all you do for our team and the families at Hospice House.

Please join us in welcoming Mallory Richardson, DNP, ARNP, BC, to MercyCare Internist Associates of Iowa. Mallory brings a wealth of nursing experience, with expertise in emergency medicine and telemetry. Learn more about her at: https://lnkd.in/gdwWWKx5 Welcome to the team, Mallory!

Congratulations to Mercy Pediatric Clinic's Meredith, RN, who recently received a Mercy Touch Award! "Meredith spent several weeks coordinating care and services for a young child in our clinic," her nominator wrote. "... [She] spent weeks making countless phone calls to specialists, schools, insurance companies and [more] all in order to prepare for [the child's] physical exam in clinic ... I was truly blown away by all her efforts and my heart was so full knowing that my coworker quite literally changed their lives!" Thank you, Meredith, for ensuring this family received the best care and exactly what they needed to help this child thrive!

Congratulations to Mercy House Supervisor Connie Ahrens on this well-deserved recognition of her volunteer work on behalf of local veterans! We appreciate all that you do not only for Mercy, but for our community, as well. Thank you for your service! https://lnkd.in/db6EsAvM

Mercy is pleased to announce that five of our nurses were selected among the 2025 Great Iowa Nurses (left to right): * Jamie, RN, BSN, CMSRN, Mercy Urology Clinic * Jacob, RN, MSN, Mercy Surgical Oncology Dept. * Hailey, RN, Mercy Emergency Dept. * Carri, RN, Mercy Acute Inpatient and Women’s & Children’s Services * Aimee, RN, Mercy Surgical Oncology Clinic The Great Iowa Nurses program honors Iowa nurses who routinely go above and beyond every day to ensure safe, compassionate care for patients. These great nurses share their experience and knowledge to improve the health of their communities. They also take on leadership and mentoring responsibilities, serving as role models, especially to those just entering the profession. They are nominated for this distinction by their peers and/or patients. Congratulations to these dedicated nurses on achieving this well-earned recognition! We appreciate all you do for Mercy, our patients, their families and your fellow caregivers!

Congratulations to Mercy Urology Clinic's Cathy, RN, who recently received a Mercy Touch award! Cathy’s nominator explained that a patient was in need of assistance, but unable to get to the clinic that day. Cathy made special arrangements to ensure the patient received the supplies the patient needed at home. Her nominator wrote, "Cathy, you were nominated for going out of your way to ensure the patient was taken care of and that is the Mercy Touch! Thank you for all you do at the Urology Clinic. Your dedication is appreciated by the providers, coworkers and patients." Thank you, Cathy, for making this extra effort!