Volume 11, Issue 22 October 24, 2003
In This Corner by Jon D. Smiley, C.E.O.
Please join me in saying thank you to the members of the community who provide oversight and leadership to our hospital by serving on the Board of Directors.
The Directors are holding their annual fall retreat in Sunnyside starting this evening (Friday). Most often board of this stature take a retreat away from work - but our board decided to "walk the talk" and retreat a few blocks away from the hospital to assist in efforts to control expenses.
And truth be told, it is not where you retreat, but what you do once you get there, that matters.
This board is currently led by Mr. Jim Sewell, the Grandview City Manager. I believe this to be one of the most efficient, effective and dedicated groups it has been my honor to serve with over my career in health care. These are difficult times for all hospitals. Still, this group maintains a solid commitment to the future of our hospital and the Valley we serve. Mr. Sewell and board members like Jim Trull and Dr. Jon Mercer are leaders in this community and we are fortunate to have them on our team.
The board also includes the professional expertise of individuals like Dave Ballinger from Lower Valley Credit Union, and Peggy Brewer from Kenyon Cold Storage in Grandview. Many of you know that Mary Ann Bliesner from Valley Processing in Sunnyside is a very active member of the board and supporter of the hospital. We are also very indebted to Olaf Elze and Joe Morin for their long term membership on the board and support of the hospital. Maxine VanDeGraff, Marla Krause, and Steve Winfree also provide dedicated support and leadership on our hospital board.
Medical Staff membership on the board includes Dr. Art Clevenger, Dr. David Swofford, Dr. Douglas Wrung, Dr. Coke Smith and Dr. John Allen. These physicians are both medical and community leaders who help the hospital so much.
Nursing Notes
Elise Adams, click for larger image
Elise Adams (above) Safety Coordinator from Washington Hospital Self-Insured Worker's Compensation Program, presented two days of training to nursing staff and other hospital workers on safe lifting and transporting of patients. The program, called "zero lift" is designed to put minimal stress on the patient and the staff members helping them move or be transported in the hospital.
Laura Martin, Vivian Geangan, Ruth Barry and Cathy Finlayson have successfully completed the Advanced Cardiac Life Support Class. Please congratulate them on their successful accomplishment of this important career development goal.
Med/Surg will be having some new faces and some old ones on different shifts. Barbara Martinez has moved from night shift to days. Cindy Crawford (our own celebrity) has moved from dayshift to night shift. Janet Gonzalez, a newly hired RN will be joining Cathy Brown on night shift. Kayla Collins will be a dayshift NAC.
The Family Birth Center has started a new program to provide hearing screenings for all newborns. Jennifer Vidaurri and Sandra Linde are among the staff members trained to conduct the test. The program is supported by Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle and the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing.
Sandra Linde, the hospital Childbirth Education Coordinator, has been tasked with supervision of the hearing screening program. “Our test if very safe and will not hurt any child,” Linde explained. “It is called Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions or EOAC. A soft rubber ear piece is placed in the baby’s outer ear and make a soft clicking sound. Healthy ears echo the click sound back to the ear piece in the baby’s ear.”
Linde went on to explain that most babies sleep right through the test. Family Birth Center staff members have been training on the new audio testing equipment for several weeks. “The purpose of the screening is to check each babies ability to hear and to help find those babies who need more hearing testing. We are screening for mild hearing loss or greater, “ Linde said.
Nationwide about three babies in every 1000 newborns will have permanent hearing loss. Our hospital delivers nearly 600 babies per calendar year in the Family Birth Center. “We hope we will never have a child with hearing loss,” Linde said. “But if there is a problem it is important that it be found early. The first two years of the babies life are the most important in learning speech and language.”
Shoe & Scrub Sale
in the Classroom
November 13th 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
November 14th 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Payroll Deduction available (over two pay periods)
Shoes by Taylor'D Footwear
Scrubs by Uniforms Northwest
Condolences
Our condolences go out to Mario Saenz who's mother passed away last week.
Cardiology Lecture next Week
Dr. David Waters, Chief of Cardiology, San Francisco General Hospital, will be the speaker at a educational lecture at the hospital Tuesday, October 28th at noon.
The lecture entitled "A Practical and Aggressive Approach to Managing Lipids" is for physicians and other health care professionals. It is presented at the hospital in cooperation with Pfizer Inc.
For more information contact Gabriella Barker.
Getting the Mail Out of the Hosp.
Business Office needs assistance from each of you in processing the mail. Please note the
following problem areas:
1. Clasp envelopes need to be sealed before being sent. The machine does not seal these
and many times they contain confidential material.
2. Envelopes containing more than 3 pieces of paper need to be taped shut. The contents
are spilling out.
3. Postage prepaid envelopes should be sealed. If they are run thru the machine in a
batch they may get postage assigned.
4. And finally, personal mail must have a stamp on it! We are glad to take it for you but it
must be stamped and sealed. The hospital will not subsidize your personal mail.
Help the Auxiliary
Poinsetta Sales of the Auxiliary are underway. Each holiday season starts with this festival way to support the efforts of the Auxiliary to raise money for healthcare scholarships and other important programs. Red, pink and white blooms are available. The cost is $8.50 per plant. Orders are due by November 12th, with delivery set for December 2nd. Contact Charlene Maling for more information.
The Auxiliary is also preparing for the Annual Festival of Trees Celebration November 21st in the Mini Mall. Be sure and mark the date on your calendar and plan on attending.
CUTE KITTENS, FREE TO GOOD HOME, CALL TINA AT 837-4485 FOR MORE INFORMATION