| Sources |
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 28 Oct 2007.
Holt to assume Director of Nursing role at BHCC
By: Duay O'Neil
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
10-28-2007
NEWPORT - Debra Lynnette Gorrell Holt, RN, has been named Director of Nursing at Baptist Hospital of Cocke County and will assume her new duties Monday, October 29.
Holt's promotion to this position was jointly announced Wednesday by Dianne Haas, PhD, RN, Vice-President and Chief Nursing Officer of Baptist Health System, and Dr. Patti Ketterman, BHCC Administrator.
In announcing Holt's promotion to Director of Nursing, Ketterman said, "I am very pleased with Debbie's promotion. She has displayed strong nursing leadership skills and is a true patient advocate. On a personal level, she is an extremely high caliber person who uses the "Golden Rule" as her daily guiding principle."
Ketterman continued, "I think she recognized long ago the importance of building trust by developing good relationships with others. Debbie has a good rapport with our staff and physicians. She is also known in nursing circles throughout the area by the high quality of work she produces in the area of continuous quality improvement."
Holt is a Cocke County native, daughter of Rev. Gene and Debbie Gorrell and O. L. and Annette Suggs, all of Newport.
"I've known since eighth grade at Newport Grammar School that I wanted to enter nursing where I could minister to and help other people," Holt said Thursday.
Holt also credits her mother's dream of becoming a nurse as part of what influenced her to enter the medical field.
"In fact, Mom attended LPN school while I was finishing my work for my RN," said Holt. Her mother, now retired, later earned her RN degree also.
Holt graduated from Cocke County High School in 1975, a year prior to the opening of Ben W. Hooper Vocational School and its Health Occupations program. "I was a member of Future Nurses of America," Holt recalls, "and I planned all my high school classes around becoming a nurse."
Her first nursing experience in a local hospital came through her work as a candystriper while in high school.
After finishing her degree at Walters State, Holt worked as a primary care nurse in the orthopedic unit at Cocke County Convalescent Center, from September, 1977 until June, 1978, when she accepted a job as night charge nurse at Fort Sanders Presbyterian Hospital in Knoxville.
From July 1979 until January 1980, she was a staff nurse at Morristown-Hamblen Hospital, then returned to Cocke County as a PRN Home Health Nurse at then Cocke County Baptist Hospital.
After a short stint with UpJohn Home Health, a Knoxville-based firm, Holt returned to Baptist Convalescent Center in May 1981 and remained there until August 1997, when she moved across the street to Baptist Hospital of Cocke County.
Her work experience over the past 27 years has taken Holt into virtually every aspect of the local hospital's operations. "I feel like this has prepared me for my new job," said Holt.
In her new administrative position, Holt will be responsible for all nursing departments, respiratory therapy department, and physical therapy department. She will also oversee the financial side of patient care and serve as a liaison between the doctors and the nurses.
"I'll also serve on various committees," added Holt, "and oversee the staff education department."
"I'm excited about the opportunity to be able to stay in Cocke County and advance in my work, while continuing to serve our hospital and community," said Holt. "We have excellent patient care here and I consider it an honor to continue working with the hospital staff in this new role."
Holt praised Ketterman, who recently was elevated to the post of hospital administrator. "Dr Ketterman is a good leader and has been very supportive of me," Holt said.
When not at the hospital, Holt is an active member of Bybee United Methodist Church, where she works in the children's ministry and does flowers for the church.
She has two children: Jennifer, 23, a recent Walters State Community College graduate with a double degree in culinary arts and hotel/motel management, and Adam, 18, a Tennessee Tech freshmen.
Holt to assume Director of Nursing role at BHCC
|
Search | Advanced Search
