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Stepping up: Plano nurse one of 100 greatest in region
Photos courtesy Texas Health Presbyterian Plano - John Marchand is a charge nurse in the surgical step down unit at Texas Health Presbyterian Plano. The Army vet was recently named one of the Great 100 Nurses in the DFW region for going above and beyond the call of duty at the hospital.
By Kelley Chambers, kchambers@starlocalnews.com
Twelve years in the Army has taught registered nurse John Marchand one important life lesson -- where there is a need, find a way to fill it.
Thanks in part to this, the husband and father was one of two Texas Health Presbyterian Plano employees recently honored as one of the region's Great 100 Nurses.
The DFW Great 100 Nurses Inc. and its partnering organizations annually sponsor the "Great 100 Nurses," which honors registered nurses in the area who exemplify excellence in their career. Nurses are nominated by their peers, and may only be named to the list once in their career.
While Marchand was nominated by his wife, who also works in the hospital as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, all nominations are made anonymously, a fact that he said makes receiving the award all the more important.
"I'm very honored, it's a very unbiased determination," said Marchand, 51. "It's a selection process from the pinnacles within the nursing field in in the DFW area. The fact that I was one of those they picked based on my jobs and achievements is just awesome. That's what makes it a bigger honor, being chosen by a bunch of strangers who probably don't know me, but because of what I do in the community, they identified me as one of those people they wanted to recognize. It's an incredible honor."
Marchand started his medical career in 1982 when he joined the Army as a combat medic and did that for little more than year. At the time, the Army was in severe need for vocational nurses. So Marchand went through an Army training program to become a licensed practical nurse and continued serving in the military as an LPN for 12 years. At that point, Marchand said, the Army had a serious shortage of registered nurses. Once again, he stepped up to the challenge and became a registered nurse in 1994.
"The job title changed but what I was doing had not really changed," he said. "My first assignment for both was in a surgical intensive care unit."
Marchand retired from the Army in 1997 after 15 years of service, having served in the Gulf War as a ward master for an intensive care unit in Saudi Arabia. After retiring, Marchand decided to become an attorney in 2005. However, he said, the time served in the military has always been "a guiding focus" of his nursing career.
"It wasn't really satisfying," said Marchand of his private practice days. "Frankly, my legal profession was not as fun as my medical profession. You don't get that sense of fulfillment doing the legal side of things as you do nursing side. Here, you are surrounded by coworkers, so there is always someone there to support you. It's a team effort."
In addition to his duties as a charge nurse, Marchand is also proactively involved in several different programs in the hospital, and was recently certified as a para anesthesia nurse and a faith community nurse.
John also reaches out to other departments by offering classes for the hospital's cath lab, teaching them appropriate post anesthesia care for recovering patients.
"John really epitomizes what a nurse stands for, he's very patient focused," said Diana Lacombe, manager for the operating room and the hospital's post-anesthesia care unit. "He does very well at assuring the day-to-day operations run smoothly, that entails both staffing and taking patients themselves and assuring the patients are cared for.
Marchand is also dedicated to community involvement, as he offers his talents and time to the Wesley Rankin Community Center, a nonprofit in Dallas that provides services for the indigent, and mostly Hispanic, population. Having been involved with them for roughly three years, Marchand said he enjoys being a part of a faith-based organization that opens a door to people in need whom he may not have the opportunity to work with from his post in Plano.
"They are also strongly focused on providing educational opportunities for youth who otherwise do not get strong educational support, as most of them live in an area with a tremendous high school drop out rate," Marchand said. "They also provide food, clothing and services regardless of citizenship."
"Because of his time in the military, John obviously had the luxury of learning some strong leadership skills which his uses on daily basis," Lacombe said. "I don't have to worry if things are getting accomplished. It further exemplifies the fact that he's patient focused. He identifies a need and is willing to step up."
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
MatthewJ wrote on Nov 8, 2012 11:03 AM:
" It always feel good to be honored in such fashion, especially when you do such great work ya know. def makes your job that much better. i have a friend that i play airsoft with and he served and is now being honored locally for what he did and you can tell he is thrilled and excited for it. just a good feeling! "
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