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Allen Announces New Tuition
Reimbursement Policy
We’re in a business where life-long learning is very important because the more we know, the better care we can provide our patients. This week the administrative team reassessed the provision of educational reimbursement and established a new policy which includes:
1. Tuition/Certification Reimbursement: Employees who have been employed for at least six months at half-time or greater are eligible for reimbursement of continuing education classes, certification and re-certification exams that are part of a recognized program, college credit courses specific to your position or degreed programs. The costs of courses that have been prior-approved are covered 100% up to $1,500 per calendar year for full-time employees and up to $1,000 for part-time employees.
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2. Tuition Grant: Employees and employee’s eligible spouse or dependent who have been accepted and enrolled at an Iowa Health System College and who are hired to work half-time or more can receive up to $5,250 per calendar year. Individuals must remain employed full-time for a period of one year for each school year (fall to summer) they are given a Tuition Grant.
My thanks to Steve Sesterhenn, who has put this policy together with input from the administrative team. You may access standard operating policy 1-T-30-2 on the intranet for more details. Contact Human Resources if you have any questions.
NURSING RECOGNITION WINNERS
The Nursing Recognition Award Banquet was held on Dec. 6, 2010 at Barrett Forum. A message was given by Butch Lewellin from spiritual care.
The award winners are as pictured: Back row: Mario Parecki, Cath Lab; Bob Quario, 3 Surgical; Amanda Wagner,OB; Christine Clarkson, ICU; Jody Schipper, Professional Developement and Tara Wait, Occupational Health. The middle row: Shawn Buhrow, UMP ACS; Barb Oldenburger, Home Health; Sandy Jorgenson, 4 Tower; Jane Schwartz, DDC; Janet Baker, Pediatrics; Aleshia Bloker, Cardiac Rebhab and Ron Schlatter, ED. The front row: Mindy Wilson, 3 Heart; Heather Hemann, Resource; Bobbie Masker, Ambulatory; Stephanie Chapman, 4 Ortho and Kathy Busching Surgery. Not pictured are: Leah Angel, Mental Health; Jenna Schneider, 3 Medical and Dennis Preuss, Infusion Services.
The grand prize winner of 4 days earned time was Kathy Busching.
Holiday Event - Two Pair of Tickets Available
A Christmas Carol
Sunday, December 19
Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Cedar Falls
7:00 p.m. curtain
Two pairs of tickets available
To qualify for the drawing(s), register online by clicking here. Simply click on the name of the event(s) that you wish to register for and fill in your name, email and associate ID number in the comments box. All registrations MUST be online – associates are free to use the computers in the café to register. E-mail and phoned registrations will not be eligible. Please be sure you will use any tickets you may win, and do not enter if you have won other tickets in 2010. We will draw two winners at noon on Thursday, December 16.
Holiday Meat Certificate Distribution Extended
Monday, December 13
6:30 – 7:30 am
2:30 – 3:30 pm
Thank you for your contributions to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank.
Please bring two canned food items when you pick up your coupon.
Distribution location: Volunteer Services Office, first floor by A elevator.
Unclaimed gift coupons will be converted to gift cards for three area charitable organizations to be used this holiday season. If you would like to donate your gift coupon to this effort, please let us know at the time of your food donation.
If special arrangements need to be made, you MUST contact Teri Ettelson by email ettelstt@ihs.org or phone 319.235.3845 by NOON Monday, December 13th.
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Hazmat Drill
The Allen ED and Plant Services staffs were on full alert at 8:05 a.m. Wednesday morning, December 8, with a Hazmat drill simulating a large-scale industrial ammonia spill. Responders to the Code Green were told to expect up to 15 people arriving within minutes with severe chemical burns. One of the first jobs was to erect the portable showers and suit up for
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decontamination in the ambulance garage, since victims could not be brought into the ED without thorough water wash downs first. Everyone knew the single-digit temperatures outside would be a problem for victims, but few realized what a problem heat would present to the decontamination team in the garage. The ambulance garage showers pump enormous volumes of hot water, and it took only a few minutes for the heat and humidity to build to the point that rescuers were working in a steam bath with zero visibility. Responders were thrown two more loops when an ED physician had a simulated collapse during the drill and when a relative who spoke no English breached the ED lockdown and contaminated the west half of the facility. The on-scene observer called the drill off at 9:16 a.m. when it became obvious we might start seeing the decontamination crew going down for real because of the heat inside their Hazmat suits.
Hazmat drills are exceptionally useful ways to identify and fix problems in our emergency response before we have a real event. We did many things right, and we have other things to improve. But at the end of the drill, everyone drew a deep breath, dried off and walked away smiling with no injuries. No one likes Code Greens, but when the next one happens and it’s real, we’ll be that much better prepared because of the hard work that went into this one.
Check out the pictures from drill .
Click here.
Are you a member of a council or commission where you live? If so, please let us know. Iowa Hospital Association is compiling a contact list of hospital employees who serve on city, county or state government boards in any capacity. Please contact Jim Waterbury at waterbjb@ihs.org or 235-5157. Thanks.
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Influenza News
The Influenza stations set out at all the patient entrances are very helpful in limiting the spread of disease. If you see that it is in need of restocking please call 3665 and Environmental services will attend to it.
If you have an alcohol dispenser on your unit and it is in need of service, please call 3665 as well.
Stay healthy this season! - Bill Farmer, Infection Control
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Only a few Associate forums left! Click here for schedule. If you have attended, please click on survey button above and take a minute to answer a short survey.
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Christmas SNEAKING Up on You?
Join us at the Allen Gift Shop for a Christmas Open House
Christmas Sale
Thursday, December 16
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
25% of ANY gift item - includes Christmas items - for each canned food item donated to the NE Iowa Food Bank.
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| Wee Care Tree
Allen Associates love our littlest patients! Please come to the Allen Gift Shop to purchase a plush animal to be added to our Wee Care Tree!
All donations will be delivered on December 22 to the Pediatric floor to be given to the children who are in the hospital over Christmas and throughout the New Year.
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Let’s share in the holiday spirit and put smiles on children’s faces this year!
Any questions, please contact Sara in the Gift Shop!
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Annual Allen Holiday Meal
UMP, Rosewood, PMP, DHC:
Wednesdsay, December 15
Allen Hospital:
Thursday, December 16
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- We will serve all three shifts.
- You must wear your name badge to be served.
- You must be here to participate. No rain checks if you miss the meal.
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Stop by
the
Open House
TODAY!
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When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri.
The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.
Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . . . . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . When you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . With faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food . . . . . And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . . . The things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . . . Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . You're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am. . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . Who love one another.
A young boy of Sixteen . . . . With wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . A lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . That I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons . . . . . Have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . . To see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . Shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . Young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . And nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . Where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . . . . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . Life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . . . . Gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . Open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . See ME!!
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. You know..... it could be a Crabby Old Woman, too.
We will all, one day, be there, too!
PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM, The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart. - Marty Colwell
