 |
|
As a young man, I never remember reading about so many natural disasters as we seem to experience as a country today. The most recent one - close to home - is the flooding of the Missouri River, which has displaced 500 Iowa hospital employees.
The Iowa Hospital Association, which Allen Hospital is a member of, announced that they have activated the Iowa Hospital Employee Disaster Relief Fund and have jumpstarted the relief efforts with a $25,000 contribution. Funds received will be used to provide assistance to those employees of Iowa hospitals who have been displaced by the flood.
Of course more help is needed. Bill Leaver, president and CEO of the Iowa Health System, and all of the affiliate hospital CEOs are working together to respond with assistance to this disaster. I plan to make a personal contribution to the fund. While I was not here a
|
few years ago when the Cedar Valley and Cedar Rapids areas suffered floods, I remember reading about the impact it had on so many area residents. I know that this fund was of assistance to both the Cedar Valley and Cedar Rapids residents at that time. No doubt experiencing such a disaster makes one sympathetic when it occurs elsewhere.
IHA welcomes your help, too. Donations by check should be made out to “Iowa Hospital Employee Disaster Relief Fund” and sent to: Iowa Hospital Association, 100 E. Grand, Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50309-1835. Contributions to the fund can also be made through PayPal. All donations made to the fund are tax-deductible. Deadline for donations will be September 6, 2011. Questions about the fund can be directed to Cindy Schultz at IHA. Updates on the progress of the emergency fund as well as whom it will be directly benefiting will be posted on the IHA blog.
|
| |
|
|
Allen Associate Picnic
Thursday, July 21
Starting at 11:30 am.
Your health matters to Allen, so Chef Matt will prepare a healthy picnic luncheon for us in July. In the meantime, we are interested in how you stay healthy.
How do you stay physically fit?
Do you have a workout buddy (or buddies) from Allen?
What do you do and how do they motivate you?
What activities do you engage in to maintain good health?
We are interested in hearing your story. In 150 words or less, tell us about your succcess, transformation or everyday health behaviors that have proven successful and motivate you to maintain good health/physical fitness. Of course, we'll want to snap individual or group shots to go along with the stories.
Click here to tell us your story. Deadline is July 18, and watch for some selections in the July 22 Friday Edition.
WE WANT YOU!
Five team captains are needed for the associate picnic games. Each team captain will be required to recruit three additional team members to compete in three events (one focused on strength, one focused on endurance, one focused on balance) from 11:30am - 12:15pm on Thursday, July 21 as part of our picnic. Please email Kristin Wentworth at LessorKL@ihs.org if you are interested.
|
Eight Over Eighty
Three hundred fifty people gathered to honor the Courier’s second annual Eight Over Eighty winners at Park Place in Cedar Falls on June 23. Barbara Adams, center left, is one of the 2011 honorees. Barbara stands surrounded by friends and colleagues from the Allen Auxiliary, which she has served for many years. You can read her story and the stories of all the other winners in upcoming editions of the Courier. Eight Over Eighty celebrates people who have made the Cedar Valley a better place through lifelong service to others. The 2011 honorees include Barbara Adams, Ken Albaugh, Bob Beach, Hovey Brom, Bob Brown, Helen Guernsey, Rev. Homer Larsen and Bob Molinaro.
 |
Our Commitment is to Improving Patient Satisfaction Every Day
Introduce Self – Manage up - Way Finding
In order to assist staff with the way finding commitment, tours are being offered to help staff increase their confidence in this area.
Please call the Volunteer Office (3692) to schedule a tour for you or your team. Tours will be scheduled to meet your needs.
|
To my Allen Family
Thank you for the incredible journey during my 43 years at Allen. I'm grateful for the love and support you've given me and I will treasure the friendships.
Thank you for the open house, flowers, gifts, cards and for the opportunity to share our memories. Your presence is sincerely appreciated.
Thank you, Allen, for a wonderful, rewarding professional career. Always know you will hold a special place in my heart.
Until we meet again, may you be richly blessed in your services to our patients & families.
Your colleague and friend, Sandi Thurm
Old Dump Truck Needs New Home
The hospital is selling our old dump truck to the highest bidder. For more information, contact Terry Flynn at FlynnTM@ihs.org.
Mock Stroke Alert Drill
A mock stroke alert drill took place on June 17, 2011 at 1:30 pm at Young Arena.
Dale Halupnik was taken from Young Arena, Waterloo, Iowa, via Waterloo Fire EMS to Allen Hospital Emergency Department for evaluation of possible stroke.
Dale, and his wife Marty, were walking laps at Young arena after a hearty lunch at a nearby café. At approximately 1pm, after walking 2 laps, Dale began to experience a ‘funny feeling’ in his right arm and right side of his face. He continued to walk, brushing off the symptoms and not saying anything to his wife, Marty. Nearing the end of his 3rd lap around the indoor ice arena, Dale stumbled, and caught himself with the railing next to him. Seeing Dale stumble in front of her, Marty asked him if he was okay. He told her “yes” and continued to walk, however, he then noted a spread of the ‘funny feeling’ from his face and arm go into his right leg. He looked at his wife and said “I think I’m having stroke”. Marty noted his speech to be slurred and she immediately called 911 from her cell phone and summoned help from a fellow walker who then contacted staff in the Young Arena business office with the details of what was occurring.
Within minutes Waterloo Fire EMS arrived at Young Arena. Paramedics, Jason and Bill attended to Dale. Assessment, including a quick neurological assessment, and vitals were obtained. Dale was transported to Allen Hospital ED calling ahead with a “Stroke Alert”.
The call-ahead notice led to immediate action by a team of stroke alert responders that included immediate room placement, RN and MD staff at the bedside, clearing of the Cat Scan table, lab draw, and a page out to the neurologist on call. The quick response by all lead to a decision to treat with a ‘clot buster’ drug called tissue plasminogen activator or t-PA with a door to needle time of 18 minutes. The “golden hour’ for door to needle/decision to treat is 60 minutes.
Of note is that Dale was an actual patient who was treated by one of Allen’s neurologist’s for his acute stroke symptoms in August 2010 and received t-PA with a successful outcome.
The purpose of this drill was to evaluate EMS response to a person experiencing stroke-like symptoms and the handoff to Allen Hospital Emergency Department staff and assessing the “Golden Hour” of “door to needle” time. EMS is a vital component in improving patient outcomes in acute stroke care. Community lay people need to act with a sense of urgency when someone appears to be experiencing stroke-like symptoms. There should be no hesitation to call 911 on the part of the patient, family, or bystanders, when someone is experiencing stroke-like symptoms. Time is brain. 2 million brain cells die every minute when there is a compromise in blood supply to a blood vessel in the brain. TIME IS BRAIN.
If you or someone you are with begins to experience stroke-like symptoms, remember, F.A.S.T.
| F=Face |
|
Is one side of the face droppy? Uneven smile? |
| A=Arm |
|
While holding both arms out in front, count to 5. Is the arm weak or number? Does one arm drift downward? |
| S=Speech |
|
Is speech slurred? Ask person to repeat a simple sentence. Can they repeat it back correctly? |
| T=Time |
|
If any ONE, OR MORE of the above symptoms is present, call 911 or get to a hospital immediately. |
STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY.
TIME IS BRAIN.
ACT FAST.
Thank you to all Participants:
Waterloo Fire EMS
Jason Hernandez, EMT-PS
Bill Beck, EMT-P
Young Arena
Joel
Allen Memorial Hospital ED
Ruchir Khurana, M.D.
Teri, RN
Robin, RN
Allen Radiology (ED CT Scan)
Chad
Allen Lab (ED)
JacQuinn
Allen Neurology Center
Islam Tafish, M.D.
Holly Gaede, MSN, FNP-BC, NP-C
Observers
Jen Westendorf, RN, BSN
Alicia ONeill, RN
Cindy Dinsdale, PFC
Teresa Gavin, CNS
Patients
Dale and Marty Halupnik
 |
|
|
Movie Saturday, July 30
Crossroads Theater
Doors open at 7:45 am and movie starts at 8:30 am.
Limit six tickets per associate. $2.50 per ticket. You must show your associate badge to purchase tickets.
Ticket sales at Crossroads Theater only! No sales at Allen Hospital.
|
Allen Gift Shop News
June 28
Masquerade $5.00 Jewelry Sale
Click here for more details.
.
|
Hope Blooms for Breast Cancer
Order your tulips and daffodils by August 19 for fall planting. Tulip sales support breast cancer services in the Cedar Valley.
Click here for more information. Click here for order form.
Sponsored by the Beyond Pink Team.
|
Cedar Falls Sturgis Days. Click here for detailed information.
