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Michael Schwartzberg, GBMC Media Relations Manager
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Greater Baltimore Medical Center Names New Nursing Leaders

BALTIMORE, Md. – June 6, 2006 - Greater Baltimore Medical Center has named four new members, who combined have more than 70 years of experience, to its nursing leadership team.

“Patient care will significantly benefit from the diverse experiences and extensive backgrounds these veteran nursing leaders bring to the GBMC team,” said Jody Porter, RN, BSN, MBA, CNOR, GBMC’s vice president of nursing and chief nurse executive.

Kim Bushnell, RN, BSN, MSN, of Ellicott City, Md. has been named administrative director of critical care and emergency services. Bushnell, the daughter of a nurse, wanted to be a nurse as early as elementary school and has been in the field for almost 26 years.   Bushnell was drawn to a career in nursing because of “the constant learning, interacting with a diverse group of patients and the ability to grow one’s career in many ways.”

Bushnell has been a staff nurse in both critical care and emergency medicine, was a faculty member in a master’s level nursing program at the University of Virginia and was a flight nurse in Washington, D.C.  She earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from George Mason University and a master of science in nursing from Catholic University.  Bushnell is a member of the Emergency Nurses Association, American Organization of Nurse Executives and Maryland Organization of Nurse Executives.

Luke Gabriel, RN, CNOR, CLNC, of Hanover, Pa. has been promoted to clinical nurse manager of the general operating room. Before being promoted to his new position, Gabriel, a GBMC employee for four years, was the perioperative care coordinator for GBMC’s Joint & Spine Center.   He has been a clinician in an operating room setting for 16 years – nine as a registered nurse and seven as a nursing technician. "I truly enjoy the diversity that a career in nursing offers,” said Gabriel. “The myriad of different opportunities is what makes nursing so attractive.”

Gabriel graduated from Catonsville Community College (CCC) in 1997 and is currently enrolled in the consortium at Towson University for his bachelor of arts in administration.  As a senior student @ CCC, he developed a nursing student mentoring program to assist junior students.  Gabriel is also a member of the  Association of periOperative Registered Nurses  and is a certified legal consultant.

Kate O’Toole, RN, BSN, MSMOB, CNOR of Parkton, Md. assumes the role of administrative director for perioperative and invasive services.  O'Toole previously served as the director of perioperative services and corporate laser safety officer at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare/Highland Park Hospital in Illinois.  O’Toole has 20 years of nursing experience and has worked in the perioperative area as a staff nurse, an educator, a nurse manager, and as a director implementing new surgical programs such as retina services and an open heart program.  She also worked previously as a product manager directing the development of operating room software solutions.

“Working in an operating room allows me to blend two of my passions, nursing and technology,” said O’Toole, an active member of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, where she holds the position of national treasurer for 2005 through 2007.  O’Toole earned bachelor’s degrees in education from Michigan State University and in nursing from the University of Illinois and has a masters in management and organizational behavior from Benedictine University.

Eileen M. Skaarer, RN of Forest Hill, Md. in Harford County has been a nurse for 11 years and is the new clinical manager of Unit 48 (Surgical Unit).  “I love to care for people and enjoy the personal reward of seeing how my ability to give patient care can positively impact a person’s life,” said Skaarer, who developed a comprehensive nursing background working in rural healthcare. Most recently, Skaarer spent 13 years in Colorado and was chief nursing officer with the Southeast Colorado Hospital District.

Skaarer earned her licensed practical nurse degree from Seward County Community College in Kansas and an associates degree in nursing from Lamar Community College, which was one of the first schools in the nation to pilot a nursing program offering classes on Friday evenings and weekends to accommodate the “working nurse.”

About GBMC

GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Hospice of Baltimore, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Community Health Center, which offers comprehensive health and family services to the residents of East Baltimore; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 300-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 50,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org

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