IU Health North Hospital

08/20/2025

IU Health North nationally recognized for commitment to high-quality stroke care—

IU Health North Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the fifth-highest cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“IU Health North Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” says Susanne Crotty, Stroke Clinical and Quality coordinator. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our service area around Carmel can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize IU Health North Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” says Steven Messe, MD, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates—a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

IU Health North also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.

The hospital has also met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center, featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. IU Health North has been certified as a primary stroke center since 2019.

Pictured from left to right: Kristi Curry, supervisor of Imaging Services; Manpreet Kaur, Emergency department registered nurse; Susanne Crotty, Stroke Clinical and Quality coordinator; Kaci Elliott, critical care registered nurse; Amber Hinton, critical care certified nurse specialist; Ashley Bridges, 5B unit co-manager; Sam Bonvillian, 5B unit co-manager; Lindsey Hardesty, Imaging Services specialist.

08/13/2025

Supporting patients through life’s most difficult moments -

Bethany Randle started her nursing career in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at IU Health West during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I worked COVID ICU as a brand-new graduate. It was incredibly challenging, and seeing the way people passed deeply impacted me,” she explains. “I wanted to be able to help them and their loved ones on a deeper level during that difficult time.”

That experience led her to a major career transition into hospice care, a specialized form of end-of-life care that provides comfort, support and medical assistance to patients and their families during the final stages of a terminal illness.

“I love hospice, but it’s a demanding career path, especially while I was trying to start a family,” Randle says. “I had a baby, and I was stressed. I tried to find what I could do to make sure I'm not burnt out, still can give good care to patients and still make a big impact. That’s when someone told me about the position that opened up for palliative care.”

Palliative care offers specialized care for patients with life-altering illnesses. It is available to anyone diagnosed with a serious condition and care can begin at any stage of the illness.

Now, Randle is a Palliative Care nurse navigator, working with patients at the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center in Carmel and at IU Health West in Avon.

“I do everything from rooming patients to making referrals to any agencies or specialties,” she explains. “To me, my most important role as a palliative nurse navigator is supporting our patients between appointments and being their biggest advocate. I help educate on symptom management, advanced care planning, goals of care and provide emotional support to patients and their families.”

For Randle, the most rewarding part of her job is knowing she is making an impact for her patients and their loved ones.

“I love being an advocate for patients and their loved ones when it comes to options and decisions about their care and their life-limiting illness,” she says. “Nothing is more rewarding to me than when a patient or family member looks you in the eye, knowing that they do not have to walk this healthcare journey alone. I always tell my patients that I am one phone call away.”

08/06/2025

Exploring new paths: A career across departments at IU Health North -

Lindsey Overstreet was hired at IU Health North as a cook in Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) in 2016. She worked for a catering company previously, and an associate gauged her interest in making the transition to a hospital setting. The idea intrigued her, and she made the change.

“It is really different,” she explains. “So, I loved the hospitality aspect of [catering]. You get to be a part of somebody's special occasion, like weddings and similar things. With healthcare, you're helping people get well and heal. It touched my heart differently.”
Healing through food

When Overstreet started, she focused on grab-and-go salads. Eventually, she became team lead. She then made the transition within FNS to focus on patient meals.

“It's kind of cool because you still get to meet with family members, and you get to see the patients’ progress. I felt like I was really contributing something, because if they don't eat, they don't get better,” she says.

She worked her way up to a supervisor role and eventually became a manager in FNS. Through her role, she met other hospital team members and leaders like Beth Rayfield, director of Sterile Processing and Central Supply. The department makes sure surgical instruments are cleaned and ready for use in the operating rooms.

“Beth and I knew each other, and we spoke to each other in passing. She knew I was interested in making a transition and trying something new,” Overstreet says. “I told her I didn’t know anything about Sterile Processing, and she said, ‘We’ll train you.’”
A new opportunity

Overstreet officially made the transition to Sterile Processing in 2022. She underwent the 12–18-week training required for the role. She began as a technician I. Her responsibilities included cleaning, wrapping, sterilizing, storing and distributing equipment, supplies and instruments used in patient care.
In 2024, she became a technician II, receiving an additional certification. She also began helping with training. After some time in the department, she began working closely with the supervisor at the time. When that position became available, Overstreet took on the role on an interim basis.

“Beth let me do the interim position for a little over a year,” Overstreet explains. “Being able to do that, I got to see how the team took me moving into another position. They were really, really supportive all three shifts. So, I got the certification to apply for it, and here I am.”

Embracing leadership

Overstreet has held the official supervisor position since May of this year. Now, she enjoys helping her team reach their full potential.

“For me, it’s watching the new team members grow and become confident and have ‘aha’ moments. I believe that if the team's happy, then they're going to treat everyone well. It's best for the patients if everyone's happy and excited about what they're doing,” she says.

In fact, the team culture is something she really values.

“The entire department, especially my second shift, it actually does feel like a family. A lot of people say that, but you spend more time with them than you do at home a lot of times. You get to know the people,” she says.

Looking back on her career at IU Health North, Overstreet couldn’t have expected where she would end up. However, she’s happy she was able to make connections, explore new opportunities and receive support along the way.

“Transitioning to other departments, it keeps your mind fresh, and it makes you appreciate something else about healthcare,” she says. “There's so many departments that people don't know about, and I feel fortunate that I found something I love.”

If you’re ready to explore new opportunities and grow your career, visit careers.iuhealth.org to find your path at IU Health.

07/31/2025

The ability to truly connect with patients, visitors and other team members is an exceptional skill to have. One team member at IU Health North, Josh Hicks (pictured left), is able to relate to others with ease.

A patient had stayed at IU Health North for a few days. While they met a lot of team members, Hicks stood out with a friendly face.

“Josh made sure I had everything I needed and went out of his way to make sure everything was within reach. He has an amazing heart full of kindness,” the patient says.

Hicks works within the Food and Nutrition Services department at the hospital, greeting others with a smile and good conversation.

“He is a very bright young man with a heart of gold,” says the patient.

Hicks’ attitude towards others ensured he was recently honored with a Lasting Impression Award. This award recognizes regional team members who are living out the IU Health values—purpose, excellence, compassion and team—as they work to support patients and
each other.

Another team member, Hannah Wischmeyer (pictured right), was able to gracefully connect with a patient and their family. Wischmeyer is a physical therapist working in Rehabilitation Services, helping patients get back to their healthiest self possible.

Wischmeyer helped a patient remain inspired, despite their mobility being limited by a degenerative disease.

“Hannah has a special way with people. While being aware of [the patient’s] limitations, she uses her knowledge and expertise to encourage and inspire them to reach beyond what they think they can do, again and again,” says the patient’s spouse.

Due to her inspiring care, Wischmeyer also received a Lasting Impression Award.

Tell us what you think of Hicks and Wischmeyer’s actions below.

07/31/2025

07/30/2025

Hannah Rush is a Child Life specialist at IU Health North Hospital. She attends to the psychosocial needs of young patients while they receive outpatient clinical care.

"Here at IU Health North specifically, we're a very close-knit team and we collaborate with each other all day every day to support patients and families through some of the hardest experiences of their lives," she says. "It's really joyful to see my patients on a weekly or monthly basis and be there during the tough moments, but also just getting to play and be there with them as a person... and just love them through it."

07/29/2025

Public Notice,
ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® Site Visit

Indiana University Health North Hospital was designated as a Magnet organization in 2015 and 2020 by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® and is now applying for redesignation.

To learn more about Magnet, click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijs1t86bJ24

07/28/2025

Excellent time management and determination are just two of the necessary skills to be both a sports medicine doctor and a professional cyclist.

07/23/2025

Team members make rehabilitation fun for kids -

Doctors’ appointments and hospital visits can sometimes be intimidating for young children. The Outpatient Rehabilitation department at IU Health North Hospital wants to change that by making pediatric appointments feel more like playtime.

Laura Hetz is an occupational therapist within the department. She has been at IU Health North since 2016. She and the rest of her team noticed a need for a new way to engage pediatric patients—and decided on decorating the unit with different themes each week.

“We wanted to make it fun for them and make activities engaging and have them just come in and enjoy their time here,” she explains.

Hetz and other rehabilitation therapists within the department work with a variety of pediatric conditions, helping to progress developmental skills. Sensory processing activities, fine motor skill development and other tasks are all part of the role.

So far, the unit has been decorated like a zoo, outer space, a fairy tale kingdom and more. Hetz says the different themes help children stay engaged in their activities.

“Obviously, we have to do a lot of the same types of activities with them and work on certain skills. Just introducing a new theme or idea helps it be a little bit more playful and patient centered,” she says.

The entire team has seen not only excitement on their end, but from patients and their families as well.

“Patients have been having so much fun with it, and so have we. I feel like it's giving our team a little bit more excitement for our job as well,” Hetz says.

07/16/2025

While out shopping, Leigh Ann Erickson, a senior development officer with the IU Health Foundation, couldn’t help but hear someone talking about their positive experience at IU Health North.

Erickson remembers the patient mentioning, “the nicest man who works the check-in desk in Radiology,” who has worked there for years and is always welcoming.

Almost immediately, Erickson knew the team member they were talking about—Kenny Hicks, registration specialist in Imaging Services (pictured left).

“I interjected and said I worked at IU Health North, and I asked if she was speaking about someone named Kenny, and she said yes,” Erickson recalls. “. I told her I would pass along her positive feedback. It just really left an impression on me (and clearly the patient) that Kenny impacted a patient's experience so much that she spoke about him publicly in the community.”

Because of Hicks’ positive impact on patients—both within and outside of hospital walls—he was recently honored with a Lasting Impression Award. This award recognizes regional team members who are living out the IU Health values—purpose, excellence, compassion and team—as they work to support patients and each other.

Along with Hicks, another team member in IU Health North’s Imaging department left a positive impact on a fellow team member.

Lizzie Fies (pictured right), an ultrasound technologist, is always ready to offer a hand, whether it be assisting with transporting a patient, answering any questions or helping with difficult scans.

“Lizzie is always read to assist. She has been especially helpful with assisting me with pediatric hip ultrasounds. I am lucky to have her as a team member,” a colleague says.

Because of Fies’ dedication to her team, she was also honored with a Lasting Impression Award.

Help us congratulate Hicks and Fies in the comment section.

07/14/2025

Gift shop employee brings cheer wherever he goes -

After 35 years working as a social worker at Riley Hospital for Children, Andy Harner was ready to retire. However, he wasn’t ready to retire from bringing joy to people just yet.

Harner now works at the Riley Cheer Guild gift shop inside the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center in Carmel. It provided him with an opportunity to keep helping patients and their families.

“When this opportunity came open to work at the gift shop, I thought it was a good way to segue into retirement. It wasn't as intense as being the manager of Social Work at a large children's hospital, but it was still a way of giving back to families because all our proceeds from the gift shops go to promoting programming for kids,” he explains.

Harner is the team lead at the gift shop, responsible for managing select product orders, cash balances and more. Anyone, from patients to visitors and staff, can buy items at the gift shop. Proceeds from the shop go back to the Riley Cheer Guild to raise money for opportunities that will benefit pediatric patients, supporting healing treatments and alleviating stress.

“[The Riley Cheer Guild] supports programs like Creative Art Therapies and The Toy Room. If some families didn't have the Cheer Guild, they wouldn't have the opportunity to take part in those. They're important programs for families and for kids that are going through trying times,” Harner says.

Working somewhere that gives back to patients and their families is one of Harner's favorite aspects of the job. Team members, kids, families and other visitors can all come in to have some retail therapy that goes to a good cause.

“That's what we're trying to create, a kind of environment where people feel welcomed and feel like they have somebody that they know is just going to listen to them for a moment,” Harner says.