2006 Inspired Comfort Award Grand Prize Winner — Advanced Practice Nurse Category

Nomination

Recipient:	Kerry M. Jeanice, RN, EMT-P 2006 Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award National Winner RN Category
Job Title:	Educator Emergency Room
Employer:	West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA
Nominated by:	Rosalind Albarado
Employer:	West Jefferson Medical Center
Title:	Clincal Manager of IV Team

Professional and team player- these words only begin to describe this individual. During Hurricane Katrina Kerry was a key player. We were one of the three hospitals in the New Orleans area that remained open during and following Katrina. He was one of the key point nurses that coordinated our activities with the Federal DMAT unit that was housed outside of our facility.
He organized and ran vaccination clinics on the street in tents and worked closely with the 82nd Airborne.

Kerry remained on duty for over 15 days assisting with coordinating the activities of the federal and state vaccine program as well as assisting with DMAT activities. He worked with pharmacy, multiple military and civilian volunteer groups with the end result of 40000 vaccines administered in our community and the surrounding area. Due to these efforts he received a personal visit from the Director of CDC — Dr. Julie Geberdeen .
Kerry served under martial law when the Jefferson Parish President requested that he take control of 60 elderly residents that were left behind in a retirement home without food and water for 3 days. He personally visited and coordinated the effort to have these individuals receive the needed care. He was able to have food, water, medications supplied to them until other resources arrived.

He along with the Parish President provided radio broadcasts to the community educating individuals on the need for vaccinations following the CDC guidelines. Kerry was placed on various state and parish hurricane preparedness committees following Katrina. Kerry is FEMA -NIMS and ICS instructor as well as having special training in Weapons of Mass Destruction.

In 2005 he was the Governor's appointee to the Emergency Medical Services for Children Council for La. He worked closely with the various institutions, EMS services and programs to better serve the children of our community.

Kerry in 2005 worked closely with the emergency preparedness team of our community to stage mock disaster drills. He lectured for numerous organizations as well as in our facility. He is a nurse who steps outside the hospital and impacts the community. He is a nurse that makes the difference.

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