Office manager wins statewide award

Paulette Stevens honored for work at cancer center

Office manager Paulette Stevens smiled down at a young boy who just got out of his appointment in the pediatric division of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada.

"You're coming back here tomorrow?" she asked.

The boy told her yes, a huge grin on his face despite being in the presence of doctors and needles.

Creating an atmosphere where young patients feel comfortable despite their sometimes life-threatening illnesses is one of Stevens' top priorities as she runs the daily operations at Comprehensive Cancer Centers, she said.

"Kids get poked when they come here," she said. "We brighten the darkness for parents and children."

Stevens' philosophy for the medical office is one of the reasons she was honored as the Healthcare Professional of the Year at the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation's Profiles of Courage gala on Nov. 11.

The award was determined by recommendations from pediatric doctors, nurses and professionals. Nominations were based on those individuals who provided an impact on the lives of cancer patients and families.

"It was the most humbling surprise I've had in my life," Stevens said.

Stevens said she lobbied to implement several programs this year that helped enhance comfort and put the patients' and parents' minds at ease.

Stevens said she worked with the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation to create a network to pair parents of patients with social workers.

"It offers the ability for the families to rebuild their lives and have access to all of the support systems in the community," Stevens said.

Stevens said Comprehensive Cancer Centers has worked hard to set up payment plans for everyone.

"We've never turned away a patient," she said.

The big project of the past year for Stevens was the move from the facility's old location at 3059 Maryland Parkway to 3196 S. Maryland Parkway, next to Sunrise Hospital.

Instead of the usual alabaster walls of a medical space, patients were greeted in July with themed rooms decorated and painted by local artists. Stevens organized the painting of the new offices and found the artists.

The rooms vary, from a wombat room to a fairy room to a firehouse, complete with a Dalmatian. Stevens said the room they are proudest of is the infusion room, which has been transformed into an undersea shipwreck treasure trove. Children and their parents spend hours in the room, where chemotherapy administered.

"The kids have something to distract them while they are receiving treatment," she said.

Stevens said that sometimes Comprehensive Cancer Centers provides smaller services, like free tae kwon do classes for all patients, or lunch when a parent forgets to bring one for a long day of treatment.

Stevens also organizes holiday parties. The staff dressed as pirates for Halloween, for instance.

"It's another way to make them feel at home and keep it as unclinical as possible," she said.

Stevens said that by next year, she hopes to have a free pizza day once a week and a masseuse on hand to give massages to mothers. She said the only thing left is to find companies that will donate their products.

Diane Schaum has worked as the front office supervisor for five years. She said the environment created at Comprehensive Cancer Centers puts children at ease.

"It's a happy place. It's not a place where children are screaming. They are not at all fearful when they come in," Schaum said.

Schaum said Stevens has provided a lot of time and work to the various programs and projects at Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

"She's been able to get a lot of resources for the families," she said.

Dr. Nik F. Abdul Rashid said Stevens goes beyond what is expected of office managers in a medical office.

"She has managed to organize us and coordinate between the doctors and nurses. She makes sure everything runs smoothly," Rashid said.

Rashid said Stevens spends a lot of time with the patients.

"She does everything so well, it's hard to list everything," she said, adding that Stevens helps her stay on schedule.

Dr. Ron Kline said Stevens has helped the office through some stressful events, such as moving from one building to another.

"She has incredible level of energy," Kline said.

He said that in the year Stevens has worked at the Comprehensive Cancer Centers, she has been hard-working.

"We like to think of the office as family, not just an office," he said.

Stevens said the award is a reflection of the entire staff.

"Every employee who walks through this door is 100 percent for the kids," she said.