Kristen Traficante, RN brings birthing center experience to the physician’s office

Source image does not exist. (/_resources/common/images/pagethumbs/March - Kristen Traficante.JPG)

OB/GYN Nurse Named Day Kimball Healthcare’s Employee of the Month

Day Kimball Healthcare is currently looking for qualified RNs like Kristen to join our team in a variety of settings across our integrated system. See the opportunities at daykimball.org/careers.

PUTNAM, CONN. –  After more than eight years of experience in birthing centers, Kristen Traficante, RN decided to join Day Kimball Medical Group’s (DKMG) obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) physicians’ practice in December 2012. She’s been a real resource to both patients and colleagues for the past three years, earning her Employee of the Month at Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) by her fellow employees. “She’s all about ‘tips and tricks’ for her team mates and her patients on how to make things easier plus she’s very loyal and compassionate,” said Donna Manni, Regional Director of Operations for DKMG.

Dr. Erica Kesselman added, “Her experience on labor and delivery gives her a breadth of knowledge that helps her understand what is going on with our patients. She is professional, takes pride in her work, and puts her heart into everything that she does.”

As a nurse in the Plainfield OB/GYN practice group, Traficante provides educational information and addresses patient questions and helps triage patients on behalf of the physicians and care team. She could be addressing questions related to anything from a pregnancy to menopause as well as how to navigate Day Kimball’s online patient portal, MY HEALTH. This past year Traficante became an authorized “super user” on the Athena platform DKMG uses for its electronic medical records (EMR) in the practices, which makes her the “go-to person” on how to use the system for both patients and coworkers.  

Medical Director of OB/GYN Elena Poloukhine, MD says, “Kristin is the lynch pin that keeps Plainfield together…she initiates things when she sees a problem… and gets things done right.”

Traficante’s experience includes starting out as a certified nursing assistant and later becoming a registered nurse in 2006 graduating from Rhode Island Community College. She worked for one year on the medical-surgical unit at Backus Hospital before transferring to the birthing center where she worked for five years. In 2012, she transitioned to working in a physician’s office when she joined DKMG as a per diem nurse and then joined the team full-time in 2013. She still keeps up with her labor and delivery skills working per diem at Windham Hospital. She is also currently certified in fetal monitoring by The National Certification Corporation; Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLA) by the American Heart Association; and Neonatal Resuscitation Program by American Academy of Pediatrics. 

At the Employee of the Month recognition event held on Tuesday, March 24 in the community room at Day Kimball Healthcare Center in Plainfield Trificante was honored by DKH Chairman of the Board Joseph Adiletta and President & CEO Robert Smanik, FACHE.

Above, top to bottom, (l to r) Robert Smanik, President & CEO; Kristen Trificante, RN; Joseph Adiletta, Chairman of the Board. Celebration included cake and healthy fruit for employees at the Day Kimball Healthcare Center.

“I am here on behalf of the Board of Directors; we greatly appreciate your contributions here in our Plainfield campus as well as how your efforts add to the greater good of Day Kimball Healthcare,” said Adiletta.

Smanik added, “It takes a team of individuals to provide patient care, and you serve as an example of excellence in how we do this.” He also commended Traficante’s “ability to reach beyond what is expected.”

Katey Lambert, Clinical Trainer for the EMR software, shared at the event, “Every time there is something new to share about EMR, you pave the way for others… and you’re a great walking buddy.”

Deb Leveque, OB/GYN Office Manager said, “She keeps things running smoothly and always comes through – every time.”

“She’s always helping the other nurses. Last week, she not only snaswered my question and explained the situation, she then offered to do it, because she understood that I was very busy at the time,” said Mary Ellen Snyder, RN.

Michelle Lumbra, RN simply said, “Keep up the good work” while her colleagues explained that she and Trificante work very closely and keep the physician’s office running smoothly – for the physicians and the patients.

Traficante was humbled by the honor saying, “I couldn’t do this without all of you. I thank you for being there for me. We’re a team, together.”

Traficante was born in Massachusetts, grew up in Burillville, RI and now lives in Plainfield with her husband Matthew and two daughters Emily and Katie.