Local WWII veteran salutes excellent nursing care at Beebe

Longtime resident and former South Bethany mayor, 93-year-old Harry Woodruff, recently recognized the excellent nursing care he received from Beebe Healthcare. A former World War II bomber pilot, Harry knows what it is to serve and be devoted to one’s job.

Harry’s daughter Cindy was visiting from Alexandria, Va., last December when Harry had a mild heart attack. Cindy decided to take a leave of absence from her teaching job as a school librarian to care for her dad.

Harry’s health was progressing well until September 2018, when he and Cindy were at Walgreens taking his blood pressure, because they were told the readings were more accurate than their digital monitor at home. Harry started feeling short of breath and disoriented, and he told Cindy, “I just don’t feel right.”

Cindy called for an ambulance, and first responders stabilized Harry and took him to Beebe’s Emergency Department. Harry was admitted and kept overnight for observation.

“I had the best room on the fifth floor – right behind the nurses’ station,” Harry said. “I had very thorough tests. The nurses were so efficient, friendly, and were there for me all the time. My personal nurse, Jennifer Cheadle, was excellent. She is a darn good nurse!”

Cindy said the nurses who cared for her father were very responsive to the questions she and her brother Chuck had. “We never felt like we were intruding or interrupting Jen,” Cindy said. “She and her staff had a great sense of humor and always got answers for us.”

After being discharged from the hospital, Harry received 60 days of follow-up care from Beebe Home Care Services. Monica Banks was the nurse assigned to his home care, one to two visits per week for two months. She would check his vitals: blood pressure, oxygen, and diabetes numbers, and report on his progress.

Cindy said, “Monica was incredibly funny and cheerful. She really knew how to handle my father. Monica said I could call her anytime. She was a great support system person for me.”

As part of Beebe’s Home Care Services program, Harry was also visited by an occupational therapist, physical therapist, and social worker. Mara, the physical therapist, remarked when she arrived at Harry’s home that she remembered taking care of his wife there four years earlier.

Beebe’s technology also played an important part in Harry’s home care. Beebe TeleHealth, a wireless system, was connected to a tablet in Harry’s home to monitor his oxygen and blood pressure.

Beebe Home Care Services was recently named a 2018 HomeCare Elite Top Agency. Dana Warrington, Beebe Home Care Services director, said, “The 2018 HomeCare Elite designation is the compilation of the most successful home care providers in the United States. This market-leading review names the top 25 percent of agencies based on performance reviews. This year, those measures include quality of care, quality improvement, patient experience, best practices implementation and financial management.” Beebe Healthcare's Home Care Services has received the HomeCare Elite Top Agency title for seven consecutive years.

“The goal of Beebe Home Care is to keep you out of the hospital,” said Cindy. “As a caregiver, it’s good to know that you have a support system to help you. With my father’s mobility issues, it was great that they came to us rather than having us go to them.”

Harry smiled and added, “We appreciate all they did for us!”

The Woodruff Family shared this story and made a gift to Beebe Medical Foundation in honor of Jennifer Cheadle and Monica Banks. Beebe is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities it serves. For more information about Beebe’s Celebrate Excellent Care program and how you can honor a Beebe team member and support Beebe Healthcare, our local nonprofit community healthcare system, go to www.beebemedicalfoundation.org/cec.