Highlights of the week:
Celebrating National Wear Red Day
Thank you to everyone who participated in National Wear Red Day on Friday, Feb. 6, and to those who shared photos of their teams with us! Please continue to share photos with us as you raise awareness and celebrate National Heart Month throughout February.
Great job, everyone!
Stokes to Serve as Nurse Manager, DUH 6 East, Effective February 16, 2026
The Duke Heart & Vascular leadership team is pleased to announce that Jason Stokes, BSN, RN, CCRN, CN IV will become Nurse Manager Operations for Duke University Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Stepdown Unit 6 East effective February 16, 2026.
Stokes earned an ADN in 2009 and began his nursing career at Maria Parham Medical Center. He then joined the Duke Heart Team in 2012 on Unit 3100, the Cardiothoracic Stepdown Unit. In 2015, he moved to the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit. In 2021 he obtained his BSN from Winston Salem State University. He then transitioned into the leadership role of Clinical Lead/Assistant Nurse Manager/CN IV Leader.
During his time at Duke, Stokes advanced on the clinical ladder by becoming a CNIV and has held a variety of roles on 7 West including Preceptor, Charge Nurse, Bed Flow Charge Nurse, Duke Moves Champion, Healthy Work Environment Facilitator/Champion, and Research Committee Facilitator. He continued to grow his skills both clinically and professionally by joining the Patient Response Team.
As a leader, he has been heavily involved with safety and quality initiatives, including pressure injury prevention. In collaboration with an interdisciplinary team, he helped create a first-of-its-kind lifting technique to “levitate” patients with an open chest. He went on to publish outcomes based on this initiative.
Stokes has assisted on many priorities via the research committee, including efforts to prevent delirium in ICU patients; improve patient/family satisfaction within the ICU; and to improve patient mobility using Virtual Reality technologies.
In 2024, Stokes was the recipient of the Mary Ann & Robert H. Peter award for Excellence in Nursing Practice through Duke Friends of Nursing. He has encouraged team building using the framework from the AACN to promote a Healthy Work Environment using team recognition and, with the help of the 7West HWE committee, has hosted an annual softball tournament that includes units and departments from across Duke University Health System to raise money for the American Heart Association.
Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Jason to his new role!
DUHS Updates:
Masking for Duke Heart
After discussion with our infection prevention colleagues, the Heart Center has ceased mandatory masking in the inpatient and procedural areas as of Tuesday, Feb. 3. Staff continue to have the option of masking for personal preference or per recommendation of EOHW. We will continue to monitor respiratory illnesses and communicable illness in partnership with our IP colleagues.
Thank you for your support to keep our staff and patients safe.
Community Organizers Must Adhere to Visitation, Solicitation Policies
The important work you and your teams do every day is closely connected to maintaining a safe, respectful, and secure environment for everyone at our facilities.
This week, community organizers were observed onsite at Duke University Hospital approaching staff, distributing flyers, and asking questions related to employment. While team members have the right to support or oppose community activism, all individuals onsite must comply with DUHS visitation and access policies. As you know, Duke has a longstanding practice of not permitting third party solicitation on our property.
Given this recent activity, we want to remind everyone that if you encounter individuals who appear to be onsite with no business purpose – or if something does not feel right – we ask that you follow our guidance that if you see something, say something. Concerns should be escalated through your leadership.
Thank you for continuing to show up for your people and for helping ensure our environment remains safe and focused on patient care. We appreciate your leadership and partnership.
With gratitude, DUHS Leadership
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
February is Heart Month!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
Feb. 11: DHP Case Presentation with Jonathan Kusner. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Feb. 13: Nuclear Physics with Robert Reiman. Noon, Zoom only.
Feb 18: HF/Tx case with Krunal Amin. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
Feb. 20: EP Case Presentation with Dorothy Avoke and Marcus Threadcraft. Noon, Zoom only.
Feb. 25: EP Case Presentation with Tess Mischler and Jemi Galani. Noon, DMP 7E39 and via Zoom.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Feb. 12: Mitral Stenosis with Jon Mark
Feb. 19: LV Strain with Fawaz Alenezi
Feb. 26: Mitral Valve Pre-Interventional Imaging Screening with Fawaz Alenezi
Upcoming CME Activities:
2026 Duke Heart CMEs
The dates for the following 2026 Duke Heart symposia have been set. We will announce others as they are added.
- June 6: Duke Heart Failure Symposium — Course directors are Marat Fudim, Rob Mentz, Richa Agarwal, and Stephanie Barnes. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
- October 30: 18th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium – Course directors are Terry Fortin, Sudar Rajagopal, and Jimmy Ford. Location: Durham Convention Center, Durham, NC.
Please save the dates!
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart & Vascular at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our team. Please call me with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon on Wednesdays will be considered for weekend inclusion.
Duke Heart in the News:
January 30 — Stephen Greene
tctMD
Even With Optimized GDMT, HFrEF Prognosis Remains Dire
February 2 — Stephen Greene
HCP Live
Addressing the Limitations of Quadruple Therapy in HFrEF, With Stephen Greene, MD
February 3 — Jay Lusk (PI/Margolis Institute)
Medscape
CGRPs for Migraine Tied to ‘Modest’ Heart Risk
February 4 — Duke University Hospital (Heart Care)
WNCN-TV (Raleigh/Durham)
Duke University Hospital ranks in the top 50 hospitals in the entire country for heart care
February 6 — Robert Califf
STAT/First Opinion
