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W@D May.09
The May 2009 issue of Working@Duke, a publication for faculty and staff of Du...
From Pgram
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REMEMBERINGRAY COFER
Ray "Wiley" Cofer,a master steamfitterin Facilities at Duke,was known for hisquick-wit and expertcraftsmanship.
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SUSTAINABLE DUKE
Duke University Pressis one example of adepartment workingto leave a lighterenvironmentalfootprint.
NEWS YOU CAN USE :: Volume 3, Issue 5 :: June/July 2008
This paper consists of 30% recycledpost-consumer fiber. Please recycle after reading.2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing2007 Bronze Medal, Print Internal Audience Tabloids/Newsletters
SIREN SYSTEM
An Outdoor WarningSystem is beinginstalled on campus tobroadcast alertsduring life-threateningemergencies.
BornToRN
$5,000 REFERRAL BONUS NETS NURSES FOR DUKE’S HOSPITALS
Duke nurse Carolyn Juettner reads to her son, Jack, while sitting on a cozy window seat built with bonus money Juettner received for referring another nurse to Duke University Hospital.
W
hen Carolyn Juettner and her husband bought a 96-year-oldfarmhouse in 2005, it required renovation, but progress was slow with a tight budget and birth of their first child. Then, Juettnerreceived the first half of a $5,000 bonus from Duke, and constructionpicked up.The money was enough to refinish hardwood floors and construct atoy box that doubles as a window seat. Now Juettner enjoys curling up onthe cozy seat in her Chapel Hill home to read about animals to her 2-year-old son, Jack.The remodeling was possible because Juettner, a clinical nurse in theIntensive Care Nursery at Duke Hospital, simply referred a fellow nurseand friend, Simone Christiano, to work at the hospital.“I wanted to bring good, experienced staff here,” said Juettner, 39, whohas worked as a nurse for 18 years. “If you’re in nursing, and you’re workingnext to someone, you want them to be reliable.”Eight years ago, Duke University Health System created the NurseReferral Program. It encourages nurses like Juettner to recruit othernurses – who are in critically short supply across the country – to work at Duke Hospital. The program has expanded, and today, any Dukeemployee can cash-in on $5,000 by referring a qualified nurse who joinsone of Duke’s three hospitals, including Durham Regional Hospital andDuke Raleigh Hospital.“We knew word-of-mouth was the best recruitment mechanism, andDuke nurses can sell the organization,” said Mary Ann Fuchs, chief nursingand patient care officer for the Health System.The program is an important recruitment tool that also improvesretention by paying the bonus in two installments – half when the new nurse completes a 90-day orientation period and half after completing thefirst year. Recruitment and retention are increasingly important in light of a national nursing shortage, Fuchs said. Hospitals are short about 116,000registered nurses nationally, resulting in a national vacancy rate of 8.1percent, according to a report released by the American Hospital Association in July 2007.Duke University Health System often uses higher cost temporary staff to fill nursing vacancies, which are slightly higher at Duke than the nationalaverage. Fuchs said she hopes the referral program will help reduce the needfor temporary staff by increasing the number of permanent Duke nurses.“We’re actually very lucky because due to our reputation, we receive a lotof applicants,” Fuchs said. “We hire about 500 nurses a year, some of whomare returning to Duke after taking time to pursue advanced nursing degrees. We’re also growing as an institution and need more nurses for that expansion.”
Return on Investment
Although the $5,000 is an enticing benefit, Duke nurses like Juettnersaid making a referral is about more than just money.“Simone and I worked together in New Jersey years ago, and I knew she was a good nurse,” Juettner said.That personal accountability makes the Nurse Referral Program work,said Sylvia Alston, associate chief nursing officer for Recruitment andHospital Administrative Systems.“The nurse who is referred also feels some accountability becausethey don’t want to disappoint the person who referred them,” Alston said.“Both people’s reputations are tied to it.” Alston said it’s become tougher to find experienced nurses, likeSimone Christiano, for many reasons, including increased demandnationally, an aging workforce, and because nurses are moving on tosecond careers. But, recruitment numbers are up at Duke, and Alston
Sylvia Alston
The nurse who is referredalso feels someaccountability because they don’twant to disappoint the person whoreferred them. Both people’sreputations are tied to it.”
— Sylvia Alston,Associate Chief Nursing Officer/ Recruitment and Hospital Administrative Systems
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>> See
BORN TO RN
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WORKING
@
DUKE
LOOKING
AHEAD
@
DUKE
For more events, check theuniversity’s online calendarat http://calendar.duke.edu
News
briefs
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Working@Duke wins national award
Working@Duke received the Grand Prize for Best Newsletterin the annual Ragan Recognition Awards for 2008. The award waspresented in May by Chicago-based Lawrence Ragan Communications,a preeminent professional association for corporate, internal andemployee communications. Working@Duke also received honorablemention for Best HR Story for “Opening Doors to Higher Education,”a cover article about Duke’s dependent tuition benefit, and anotherhonorable mention forBest Non-ProfitNewsletter.Developed by Duke’s Office of Communication Services,Working@Duke was among 401 total entries in various categoriesfrom business, industry and higher education. Award winners in othercategories this year included BB&T, H&R Block, SAS Institute Inc.,among others.
Calling mother natureDuke Gardens offers cell phone audio tours
Visitors to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens usually turn off cell phonesto enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. But mobile phones are an integralpart of the Gardens’ new Guide by Phone audio tours.By dialing (919) 595-1109, visitors can listen to descriptions ofvarious areas in the Gardens. Along with information about specificplants, the tours offer recommended growing conditions and other tips.Signs in designated areas have a number that visitors can dial tohear a recorded description of thatarea. They may listen to as manydescriptions as desired, in anyorder, by simply pressing thecorresponding numbers. The Guideby Phone tours are free, otherthan the cost of minutes fromcell providers.The Gardens also offerssummer workshops and weekendcourses. For information, visit
www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens
.
Duke using reclaimed water to irrigate
A water truck with a Green Devil logo will begin rolling acrosscampus this summer, providing an alternative to irrigating withdrinking water. Instead of using potable water to irrigate certain areas,Duke will use reclaimed, or non-potable, water from the city ofDurham. Reclaimed water is treated water that meets state waterquality standards.The reclaimed water will be used on select plants and athleticfields for maintenance to enhance player safety. “Using reclaimed wateris another way to help us conserve drinking water,” said John Noonan,associate vice president for Facilities at Duke. “We’re determined tocontinue conserving as much water as possible.”Duke joins about 40 water consumers enrolled in the city’sreclaimed water program. The athletic fields that will be watered atDuke are Wallace Wade Stadium, Jack Coombs Field (baseball field) onWest Campus, Field 4 on West Campus, Field 5 on Cameron Boulevard(751), football practice field on West Campus and Koskinen Stadium.Although the use of reclaimed water is new in Durham, manyareas of the country such as Florida and Arizona have relied onreclaimed water for decades.
Duke Continuing Studies offers employee discounts
Want to learn Spanish or hone your management skills?Duke Continuing Studies offers classes ranging from professionaldevelopment programs for employees and personal enrichmentclasses for retirees to academic summer camps for sixth gradersand test prep courses for college-bound students.Each semester, Continuing Studies offers Duke employeediscounts on various courses. Savings range from about 10 percentto 20 percent off each course. Discounts for courses starting inSeptember include several professional certification programs suchas human resources management, along with evening and weekendcourses on topics ranging from foreign languages and literature tohistory and philosophy.RegistrationisnowunderwayforsummerclassesandinAugustforfallcourses.MostclassesareheldintheBishop’sHouseonEastCampus.For more information about Continuing Studies’ employeediscounts, registration deadlines and course descriptions, visit
www.learnmore.duke.edu
or call (919) 684-6259. To request theemployee rate when registering online, add the code “Employee”to the form.
JUNE 14
: :
12th annual Susan G.Komen Race for the Cure; join DukeRaleigh Hospital and help raise fundsto support the fight against breastcancer through the Komen for theCure foundation; Duke Medicine isthe presenting sponsor of this year’srace; 7 a.m., Meredith College, 3800Hillsborough St., Raleigh. Registerat
www.komennctriangle.org
.
JUNE 19
: :
“Too tired to ask –everything you wanted to knowabout sleep disorders,” sponsoredby Duke Prospective Health andDuke Integrative Medicine; free;call (919) 416-DUKE to register.
JUNE 22
: :
Investment seminar,learn about retirement optionsthrough Duke Human Resources,1 p.m., Conference Room 03, 705Broad St.; free; registration requiredat
www.hr.duke.edu/benefits
.
B
y the start of the academic year, a new outdoor warning system will be installed on campus as partof the DukeAlert emergency notification system.The state-of-the-art system will feature sevenstrategically placed, pole-mounted sirens with speakersthat blast warning tones and recorded or live voicemessages to instantly alert students,faculty, staff and visitors during life-threatening emergencies.“This is part of a multi-layerednotification system designed to addressone audience – people outdoors – sothey can take immediate action,” said Aaron Graves, associate vice presidentfor Campus Safety and Security. “Theoutdoor warning system will besupplemented with e-mail alerts, textmessaging and police runners.”Designed by Federal Signal Corp.in Illinois, Duke’s outdoor warningsystem may be tested occasionally inthe coming months to help familiarizepeople with tones that will be usedduring actual emergencies such as a tornado sightingor an armed and dangerous person on campus.“We will use the system to give you rapid instructionto go inside, take shelter in a secure location or take someother action for your safety,” Graves said.Federal Signal, has provided systems for more than25 colleges and universities, including UNC - Chapel Hill.Over the summer at Duke, concrete foundations will bepoured to erect 40-feet-tall galvanized steel poles on West,Central and East campuses, as well as near the Sarah P.Duke Gardens and the medical campus. The system willbe installed in accordance with Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines.In a emergency, or test, people will hear a tonefollowed by a voice message that can travel up to one-half mile from each pole. The system is part of a broademergency notification strategy designed to reach peopleoutdoors, where other information methods such ase-mail are ineffective.“People in most buildings will nothear the outdoor sirens, but we canreach them in other ways,” Gravessaid. “Duke’s approach is to buildredundancy into rapid notification andoffer a multi-pronged approach usinga combination of voice, Web and e-mail to reach as many people aspossible.”For example, a new text messagingsystem is in the works. Students,faculty and staff will have the optionthis fall of subscribing to emergency alerts through a service that sendsmessages to mobile devices. Details will be available soon.Since the shootings at VirginiaTech last year, Duke has adopted a formal crisiscommunications and management plan and developed amass DukeAlert e-mail and emergency Web site with blogupdates, RSS feeds and more.“Duke has enhanced its emergency communicationsplanning in many ways over the past year,” said David Jarmul,associatevicepresidentforNewsandCommunications.“These new systems are the most obvious sign of this but,behind the scenes, a lot of work has also been done tostrengthen our protocols and make sure we’re ready to alert people quickly and effectively.”
— By Leanora Minai Editor,Working@Duke
Outdoor siren system to blast warning tones,messages
Letters to the Editor must include name and contact information. E-mail letters to working@duke.edu or mail them to Working@Duke Editor,Box 90496, Durham, NC 27708. Fax letters to (919) 681-7926. Please keep length to no more than 200 words.
We will use thesystem to give yourapid instruction to go inside,take shelter in a securelocation or take some otheraction for your safety.”
— Aaron Graves,Associate Vice President for CampusSafety and Security
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Duke’s Outdoor Warning Systemis part of a broad emergencynotification strategy designed toreach people outdoors. People willhear a tone followed by a voicemessage that can travel up to one-half mile from each siren. The aboveis an example of a pole-mountedsiren at another institution.
WWW.EMERGENCY.DUKE.EDU
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R
ay Cofer was a whiz steamfitter.He would stand in front of a building, size up its angle and pitch, and with a few taps ona calculator, determine how much pipe to run.“He could go from ground level to the top of the roof,” said Eric Terry, 57, a licensed masterplumber in the Facilities Management Department (FMD) at Duke. “The man – my God – wasamazing in my book. Very smart in the pipefitting field. He taught me quite a bit.”Cofer, 63, a Duke Meritorious Service Award winner, died May 14 when a steam line rupturedin the Levine Science Research Center (LSRC) on Research Drive. A master steamfitter with FMDfor nearly eight years, Cofer was working in the basement when the accident occurred.“The loss of Ray Cofer, an outstanding member of the Duke family, reminds us all of how precious and valued our employees are,” said Clint Davidson, vice president for Duke HumanResources. “We are deeply saddened whenever tragedy strikes one of our own, and our thoughtsand prayers are with Ray’s family during this difficult time.”Flags flew at half-staff on Duke’s campus May 15 as staff members reminisced about a colleaguethey described as funny, generous and an expert at his skilled craft. Cofer, known to friends andrelatives as “Wiley”, was quick with a wink or trademark thumbs up sign.Erma Gray, a staff specialist with facilities, ate lunch almost daily with Cofer and otherfacilities employees in the Smith Warehouse plumbing shop.“There were times he would make everyone laugh so hard that our stomachs would hurt,”Gray said. “We’re going to miss him at the lunch table. It won’t be nearly as fun without him.”Cofer, who lived in Franklinton with his wife, Suzanne, a member of the Rolesville Chamberof Commerce’s board of directors, loved NASCAR, his dogs and fishing for bass on his new boaton Kerr Lake.Before joining Duke in 2001, Cofer worked at Quate Industrial Services, a Durham-basedcontractor that fabricates and installs commercial and industrial piping systems.“He was a multi-talented individual, an extremely hard worker, very intelligent and hada great sense of humor,” said Rusty Quate, co-owner of Quate. At Duke, Cofer received many accolades from his department and university. He was honored with the 2003 Meritorious Service Award, a top employee honor at Duke.In the nomination, Timothy Dunlap, a plumbing and steam fitting Facilities supervisor,described Cofer’s involvement in developing improvements to the university’s steam system,resulting in financial savings and efficiency. It also noted that Cofer was responsible for respondingto all steam-related emergencies. “Rayford is one of the hardest working people at Duke University,”Dunlap wrote. “His drive to excel and make improvements is second to none.”Claude Stubblefield, a friend and Facilities supervisor, said Cofer’s devotion to his church wasevident in his daily actions. They recently worked on a community service project at the DurhamRescue Mission’s Good Samaritan Inn, a shelter for women and children. They renovated a room,installing bathroom tile, building closets and painting walls.“Ray put so much effort and love into that room,” Stubblefield said.Terry, the master plumber in Duke facilities, knew Cofer for 10 years and worked with himon many campus projects. More than anything, Terry said, Cofer’s legacy will be his generosity and open heart.During an ice storm several years ago, Cofer opened his house to Terry, who had lost power athis own home.“My home is your home,” Cofer told him. “I love you, brother. You’re family to me.”
— By Leanora Minai, Missy Baxter, Jill Jenkinsand Elizabeth Michalka,Working@Duke
A Generous Friend and Master Craftsman
The loss of Ray Cofer,an outstanding memberof the Duke family, reminds us allof how precious and valued ouremployees are.”
— Clint Davidson,Vice President for Duke Human Resources
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Remembering
Ray Cofer
Master Steamfitter Ray Cofer, right, conferswith Facilities Supervisor Gary Teeter at work this past August.Eric Terry, left, a licensed master plumber in Facilities, knew Coferfor 10 years. Of Cofer, right, he said, ““The man – my God – wasamazing in my book. Very smart in the pipefitting field. He taughtme quite a bit.”
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Working@Duke - June/July, 2008
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| Upload Date: | 07/14/2009 |
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