Nursing at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center

“Healthcare workers come to work to make a difference, so it’s important to always assume good intentions. It is my responsibility to create an environment where nurses practice safely and prevent harm.” — Tracy Gynther, CNO, West Georgia Medical Center

Nursing Mission

Wellstar Nursing: Caring Compassionately, Practicing Professionally

Nursing Vision

Wellstar nurses will be recognized as a national leader in the practice of nursing by promoting holistic patient and family-centered care, quality and innovation, education, evidence-based practice, and research.

Nursing Values

We serve with compassion. We pursue excellence. We honor every voice.

Wellstar Nursing Professional Practice Model

The Wellstar Nursing Professional Practice Model (PPM) is grounded in five practice sustaining elements that encircle nursing’s mission and values, those nurses care for, and how care is delivered.

The star, created by the continuous flow of the practice elements, represents exceptional care provided by exceptional caring, professional nurses.

The heart in the center represents how care is delivered across the continuum supporting Wellstar’s belief in a life well-lived.

Care Delivery Model

The Holistic Patient-and Family-Centered Care Delivery Model is at the center of the Nursing Professional Practice Model and addresses those nurses caring for the patient, the family and the community, and how care is provided. The heart represents Holistic Patient- and Family-Centered Care, encompassing the art and science of nursing. Holistic care recognizes the patient as a whole and acknowledges the interdependence among the body, mind and spirit’s role in health and well-being, and is inclusive of the patient’s social paradigms with family and community. The patient and family are active partners with nurses, as care is viewed as doing things with and not to or for the patient. We believe this level of participation in care leads to a higher level of patient engagement, happiness and recovery. The Wellstar Nursing Care Delivery Model is a contemporary model, not based on a nurse theorist, but rather grounded in the elements of Holistic nursing, principles of patient- and family-centered care, and professional nursing ethics.

Shared Leadership

Embracing Shared Leadership fosters a culture that is rooted in team member engagement, collaboration, and trust, resulting in an enriched work environment that promotes nursing excellence at all levels of practice. By adopting the principle tenets of equity, partnership, accountability and ownership, our nurses are empowered to influence their professional practice through our shared decision-making structure across the continuum of care.

Rising Star Nurse Residency Program

The Wellstar Nurse Residency Program (NRP) is a 12-month program designed to help new graduate RNs successfully transition from advanced beginners to become competent professionals. The NRP facilitates experiences and learning that contribute to the newly licensed RNs understanding and management of professional concepts such as role development, conflict resolution, delegation, quality outcomes, ethics, diversity, inclusion, and professional research.

Nurse Residency Program Objectives

Utilizing effective decision-making skills
Providing clinical nursing leadership at the point of care
Incorporating research-based evidence into practice
Strengthening professional commitment to nursing
Formulating an individual development plan

Preceptor Training

Wellstar recognizes the critical role nurse preceptors play in the education, socialization, and mentoring of our new team members. Nurse preceptors are provided the tools and evidence-based training to become effective preceptors.

Nursing Specialty Education Tracks

Nursing specialty education tracks are open to new nurses joining the WWGMC nursing team and for current nurses transitioning to a different nursing practice area. Education tracks are offered in the following nursing specialty practice areas:

Acute Care
Critical Care
Emergency Services
Perioperative
Cardiac Cath Lab
Maternal-Infant Services

University Partnerships

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center partners with universities in providing research and practical opportunities for students in nursing programs. These partnerships allow nursing majors to gain the experience they need, while allowing Wellstar to help mold and attract talented nurses back into the organization. Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center’s university partnerships include LaGrange College, Auburn University, University of West Georgia, Columbus State University, West Georgia Technical College, and Southern Union State Community College.

Sigma Mu Phi/Sigma Theta Tau

Sigma Mu Phi at-Large is a local professional nursing chapter which is part of the global nursing honor society, today known as Sigma. Sigma was founded as Sigma Theta Tau in 1922 by six nursing students at Indiana University. From those six founding members, our organization has grown to more than 135,000 active members, in more than 530 chapters in over 100 countries around the world. Sigma, at the global and local level, aims to foster high professional standards, recognize superior achievement and leadership qualities, encourage creative work, and strengthen commitment to the ideals and purpose of the profession. Sigma’s mission is to “Advance world health and celebrate nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.”

In 2019, Sigma Mu Phi at-Large was introduced as an innovative Sigma chapter combining the nursing power of Kennesaw State University and Wellstar Health System. This unique partnership harnesses the power of thousands of nurses in our region. In October of 2019, five Wellstar hospitals joined the Sigma Mu Phi at-Large chapter as practice settings. Globally, Mu Phi was just the 5th chapter to add practices settings and is the first and only chapter in Region 7 to include practice settings. Region 7 includes: South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Finally, Mu Phi is a close second to Nu Beta (Johns Hopkins) in regard to the number of practice settings. We’re global leaders rooted here at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center with our local community of nurses.

Clinical Excellence, Research and Commitment to Improvement

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center nurses contribute to new knowledge through conducting and participating in nursing research to advance clinical and professional practice. Presenting nursing evidence-based practice projects and outcomes via poster and podium presentations locally and nationally is supported and encouraged.

Nursing Research

As professionals, nurses contribute to creating new knowledge through research development and implementation of evidence-based care. Wellstar supports and encourages nurses to participate in evidence-based projects, including newly licensed RNs, experienced clinical nurses and nurse leaders.

Research Studies

Shared Governance Reform: Evaluating the State of Shared Decision Making at Wellstar (IPNG Study)
Further Validation of the Trustworthiness Indicator: Correlation with Hospital Unit or Clinic Level Measures
Effectiveness of Charge Nurse Training to Impact Leadership Style and Resiliency
Effectiveness of Nursing Leadership Training and Strength-Based Coaching to Impact Leadership Style, Capabilities, and Patient Outcomes
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Nursing Leadership Mentoring Pilot Program
The Effectiveness of an Outpatient, Nurse-led Heart Failure Education Program in Decreasing 30-Day Readmissions
Efficacy of Moral Distress Interventions during COVID-19 Pandemic

Resource Support

Wellstar Research Institute
Wellstar system-wide Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Electronic access to journals and books
Library resources to support literature reviews
Academic partners collaborative nursing research

Awards and Recognition

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Hospital Awards

Georgia Trend Magazine Top Large Hospital in the State (2016, 2017)
100 Great Community Hospitals by Becker’s Hospital Review (2016 – 2019)
Top 100 Hospitals, IBM Watson Health
Joint Commission Chest Pain and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Certification- 2020
Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award; Top 10% in the U.S. – 2020
Mission Lifeline STEMI – Silver Receiving Center (2020), Bronze Receiving Center (2019)
GHA Patient Safety & Quality Summit Awards (2019)
ED Studer Award for Emergency Department Throughput Metrics - 2019

Nursing Excellence Award Winners

Nurse Practice Star - Kaycee Croft, BSN, RN, RNC-OB - Clinical Nurse, Labor and Delivery
Nurse Practice Star - Kim Jones, RN - Case Manager, Hospice
Administrative Leadership Award - Misty Wolfe, BSN, RN - Nurse Manager, 5 South Medical-Surgical
Administrative Leadership Award - Eliza Loch, BSN, RN - Director of Nursing, Florence Hand Home
Nightingale Nurse - Andrea Garner, BSN, RN, RNC-OB - Clinical Nurse, Labor and Delivery
Nightingale Nurse - Veronica Fravola, RN - Case Manager, Home Health
Innovations in Nursing Practice - Raymond Malloy, RN - Charge Nurse, Florence Hand Home
Preceptor Award - Gemma Cain, BSN, RN - Clinical Nurse, Emergency Department
Preceptor Award - Shonda Knight, RN
Nurse in an Expanded Role - Shaina White, MSN, RN, NPD-BC - Nurse Residency, Professional Development, and Retention Specialist
Nurse in an Expanded Role - Jill Hutcheson, RN - Quality Assurance Coordinator, Home Health
Support Partner in Practice - Letitia Edwards, LPN - Florence Hand Home
Provider Partner in Practice - James Yancey, MSN, APRN, FNP-C - Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Department
Provider Partner in Practice - Olumuyiwa Adeboye, MD, MBA, FACP, FAAHPM - Palliative Medicine Specialist
Rising Star Nurse Resident Award - Chasity Boyd, RN - Clinical Nurse, 6 South Medical
Rising Star Nurse Resident Award - Ryan Casper, BSN, RN - Clinical Nurse, Emergency Department

Nurse Leader of the Year

Jessica Harrilson, MSN, RN, NE-BC
Nurse Manager, 6 South Medical Unit

Nurse of the Year

Lauren Atkins, BSN, RN
Patient Flow Coordinator, Emergency Department

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Daisy Awards 2022

Nannette Phillips, RN – 6 South Medical
Timothy Garnett, BSN, RN – 6 South Medical
Brooke Kemp, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC – 6 South Medical
Victoria Moushon, RN – 6 South Medical
Missy Caldwell, BSN, RN – Intensive Care Unit
Hayley Morris, BSN, RN – Intensive Care Unit
Tanya Maddox, RN – 3 South Mother/Baby

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Rose Awards 2022

Avius Boone – Secretary, Rehabilitation Services
Regina Moss – Care Partner, Intensive Care Unit
Keynosha Slaughter – Host, Food and Nutrition Services
Jada Satterwhite – Care Partner, 5 South Medical-Surgical
Chantris Woodard – Care Partner, 5 South Medical-Surgical
Elizabeth Casteel – Care Partner, 5 South Medical-Surgical
Cameron Grimes – ED Technician, Emergency Department

Our History

Established in 1937, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center (WGMC) began as City-County Hospital, a 65-bed facility funded by the city of LaGrange, Troup County, Callaway Foundation Inc., and U.S. federal funding through a Hill-Burton grant. Our founders' vision that a community could come together and commit to providing exceptional, compassionate, world-class healthcare locally, regardless of a patient's ability to pay, is what chartered our organization. As the facility expanded to provide cancer, cardiovascular and home health services, it was necessary to expand and become a larger regional medical center. In 1975, City-County Hospital changed its name to West Georgia Medical Center.

Through decades of growth, innovation and intelligent risk-taking, West Georgia Medical Center grew into West Georgia Health System, whose services included a full-service hospital with 276 licensed beds, two skilled nursing facilities with a shared total of 266 licensed beds, 16-bed inpatient hospice home, 92-apartment retirement community, the Enoch Callaway Cancer Treatment Center, Georgia Heart Clinic and a full suite of outpatient services including home health, home hospice, laboratory, occupational medicine, rehabilitation and wound care.

In June of 2010, West Georgia Health System opened a state-of-the-art south tower that housed an expanded intensive care and intermediate care unit, the West Georgia Heart Clinic, an expanded 34-bed emergency department with trauma bays and an observation unit, labor and delivery suites, and a level II newborn nursery. West Georgia Health System officially partnered with Wellstar Health System and the facility was renamed Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center in April of 2016. WGMC is one of 11 hospitals that are part of Wellstar Health System (WHS), an organization in the business of not only healthcare, but more importantly, PeopleCare.

Numerous programs and facilities have been piloted and pioneered through WGMC’s tenure, such as:

First to establish a retirement community in our region
First in the state of Georgia to offer hospital-affiliated home hospice
First U.S. hospital to launch the MEDITECH 6.0 electronic health record (EHR), placing WWG in the first five percent of U.S. hospitals to implement the EHR
First Georgia hospital to petition the state for the ability to provide cardiac intervention without surgical backup, as part of a successful five-year Johns Hopkins trial study

As a long-standing pillar of our community, WGMC's workforce of nearly 1,300 team members continues our generation-spanning healthcare story with a culture that is deep, sincere and unique as we deliver innovative, world-class healthcare locally to every patient, every time.