How Our Health Unit Coordinators (HUCs) Make Us Better

August 22 - 28 is National Health Unit Coordinators Week

Mary Ann Palmieri received the February 2021 Lily Award

"Customer service starts with me," says Mary Ann Palmieri.

Palmieri is a Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) on 2West, which takes care of Inpatient Surgery patients.

"From putting in work orders for broken equipment, to making sure all doctor orders are in the computer and correct, to being sure diets are correct and finding out where trays are and why delayed -- HUCs are jacks of all trades," says Palmieri.

And she should know. This veteran HUC has been at East Tennessee Children's Hospital for 15 years. It's a role she takes very seriously -- even seeking an advanced certification.

"I became a certified HUC because I wanted to improve my thoughts of what the job entailed," she says.

Palmieri has travelled to conferences near and far to improve her personal practice -- and her dedication and experience improves our whole organization.

"When she isn't here, there is a huge hole," says 2West Clinical Leader Haylee Walker, "because she does her job so well and you don't realize how much work she does until she's not here."

This week, we celebrate all of our HUCs who act as the backbone to our nursing units. Because of their efforts, Children's Hospital has offered 85 years of hope and healing to children in our community. And with them, we look forward to the next 85 years.