Shawnee Mission picks Leader of the Year

Shawnee Mission Medical Center recently presented the Leader of the Year award to Linda Beal, director of nursing succession planning initiative for Shawnee Mission Medical Center.

Beal joined the medical center in 2001 as a nurse manager for a 56-bed Progressive Care Unit. Before joining Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Beal served as a college nursing instructor. Beal’s teaching expertise enabled some of her fellow associates to obtain leadership positions at the center.

In her current role, Beal provides support and mentoring to new nurse managers as they transition into a leadership role.

Beal said she felt honored to be choosen as Leader of the Year.

“I was very moved by receiving the award,” Beal said. “There are a lot of great nurse managers here and I felt honored to be chosen. I know how hard the managers worked this year and I am humbled that I was even considered.”

Kansas offers help to smokers

Tobacco users could have additional motivation to quit with the rise in the price of cigarettes and other tobacco products due to an increase in the federal tax on these products.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment will help tobacco users quit with the free Kansas Tobacco Quitline, (866) 526-7867.

The federal tax on cigarettes, small cigars and roll-your-own tobacco increased to $1.01 per pack on April 1. The federal tax was 39 cents per pack of cigarettes, 37 cents per pack of small cigars and 45 cents per pack of roll-your-own tobacco. Many tobacco manufacturers have also raised the retail price of products.

“Quitting tobacco use or never starting to use tobacco are among the best things you can do for your health,” KDHE Secretary Roderick Bremby said. “Each year, nearly 3,900 adult Kansans die from cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory disease from smoking. In addition to the substantial health benefits, quitting tobacco use will save you money. Studies show that increases in the price of tobacco products reduce tobacco use, reduce the number of new tobacco users and increase the number of people who quit.”

American Cancer Society quit coaches at the Kansas Tobacco Quitline will work with callers during one-on-one telephone counseling sessions to develop a plan to quit. Kansans can call anytime day or night to start the process. Once enrolled in the free service, callers will work with a personal quit coach who will set up sessions that fit the caller’s schedule. During the sessions, callers will discuss reasons they want to quit and find ways to handle challenges and barriers. Studies have found that using a tobacco Quitline can more than double a person’s chances of successfully quitting tobacco use.

The Kansas Tobacco Use Prevention Program manages the Kansas Tobacco Quitline. For more information about the program, visit www.kdheks.gov/tobacco.