InsideNational Standard for FetalGrowth Study expands 3

New Logistics Centerstreamlines supply chain 4

Nursing completes learningneeds assessment survey 6

Publishing, presentationsappointments, awards 8

Applications for nextACT session due Nov. 5 9

Remember to feed your retirement account 10

F O C U S

through the cap helps prevent braininjuries.

Christiana Care’s Neonatal IntensiveCare Unit (NICU) is the only facilitybetween Philadelphia and Baltimoreto offer head cooling. Mia’s dad, JeffLang, says he is grateful the NICUhad the expertly trained staff andequipment his daughter needed in acrucial situation.

“We are fortunate to have a hospital inour community that invests in the

Within minutes of birth on Feb. 2,baby Mia Lang was diagnosed

with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopa-thy (HIE), a condition in which notenough blood goes to the brain.

Untreated, HIE can permanently dam-age the brain, kidneys and liver.

Mia was only the fifth baby to betreated at Christiana Care by selectivehead cooling, a treatment in which aspecial cap is fitted on a newborn’shead. Cooled water circulating

Neonatal unit delivers advanced careand support to prevent brain injury

C O N T I N U E D , N E X T P A G E

From left, NICU Patient Care Coordinator Bonnie Chavez, RN, neonatologistDavid Paul, M.D., Jeff Lang, Maddy Lang, Mia Lang, Karyn Lang, and KarenTyczkowski, RN, NICU, celebrate Maddy Lang’s fundraising gift to Christiana Care.

transferred from other hospitals inDelaware, Pennsylvania, Marylandand New Jersey, says Fern Butler,MSN, RN, NICU nurse manager.

The notion ofinducedhypothermia fornewborns datesback to the 18thcentury, whenphysiciansdescribedimmersing

babies in cold water to stimulatebreathing. In recent years, controlledcooling has emerged as the standardof care for babies with HIE andasphyxia, a condition in which carbondioxide builds up in an organ thatisn’t receiving enough oxygen.

At Christiana Care, the head coolingunit was launched in May 2009, aftermore than a year of preparation andtraining. In the first year, the NICUteam treated eight babies with moder-

latest technology so it will be therewhen we need it,” Jeff Lang says.

“Beyond that, the day-to-day supportof Dr. David Paul, our neonatologist,and the nurses was tremendous.”

Big sister gives backMia’s big sister, 16-year old sister,Maddy Lang, raised $350 as her wayof saying thank you to the NICU. “Ithought I should give something backto the people who helped make mysister a healthy, happy baby,” she says.

Christiana Care’s NICU treats 1,100babies a year, including about 250

ate to severe HIE or asphyxia.

“The babies who benefit most are theones who have had moderateinjuries,” says Annette L. Rickolt,MSN, APN, RNC, clinical nurse spe-cialist and coordinator of the program.“Head cooling also offers the addition-al benefit of having few side effects.”

Although the technology has pro-duced impressive initial results, not allbabies avoid brain injury. Mia andother newborns who have been treat-ed will be followed until they are atleast 3 years old by doctors, nursesand therapists who will monitor theirdevelopment.

Typically, babies are treated within sixhours of birth. But head cooling also isused to help infants who developproblems well after birth, even atother hospitals.

Benefits whole community For example, the Christiana CareNICU team mobilized staff, equip-ment and expertise recently to help ababy who had undergone surgery atA.I. du Pont Hospital for Children inWilmington.

Within weeks of treatment, the babywas feeding from a bottle and headedhome.

Butler says the response was a trueteam effort that included the supportof Gary Ferguson, executive vice presi-dent and chief operating officer, aswell as individuals in the transporta-tion department.

“I am especially proud of my nurseswho volunteered without hesitation togo to A.I. to operate the head coolingequipment, our CNS who made surethat they were well supported and ourneonatologists who foster collabora-tion between and among the hospitalswho care for babies in both Kent andNew Castle counties every day,”Butler says.

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C O V E R S T O R Y, C O N T I N U E D

NICU can quickly mobilize special equipment and expertise

From left, Kim Schoeffler, Karen Mazei, Shawn Sperenkle and Annette Rickolt, with“Nita Newborn,” Christiana Care’s infant training mannikin, wearing the infanthead cooling device.

“We are fortunate to have a hospital inour community that invests in the latesttechnology so it will be there when weneed it.”

Jeff Lang, father of patient

“We talk to the patients when they arehaving their first trimester screening,”she says. “Very rarely do we get par-ents who are not interested in learningmore about their babies.”

As an incentive, expectant moms anddads receive a series of state-of-the-art4-D ultrasound images of their babiesin the womb.

“They get lots of really neat pictures oftheir fetuses, which would not other-wise be available during the course ofa normal pregnancy,” Dr. Sciscionesays. “We have found that parents geta lot of pleasure looking at theirbabies, especially with these advancedsonographic techniques.”

who are smaller than the norm fortheir gender and ethnicity could helpdoctors to pinpoint problems such asinfections and genetic abnormalities.

In phase one of the National Standardfor Normal Fetal Growth study,Christiana Care enrolled more than 200women, becoming the top recruiter inthe United States. Getting the word outto patients required a proactive, multi-pronged approach, says StephanieLynch, OB/GYN research manager andstudy coordinator.

The initiative included newsletters todoctors, distributing brochures at clin-ics and doctors’ offices, as well as face-to-face contact with moms-to-be.

National Standard for Fetal Growth Study expands

Christiana Care is the top recruiterof expectant mothers in the coun-

try in a landmark study on fetalgrowth throughout pregnancy.

In launching the second phase of theNational Standard for Normal FetalGrowth study, Christiana Care is againplaying a leading role, expanding theresearch to include twins.

“Our research will tell us if twinsgrow differently than singletons,” saysAnthony Sciscione, D.O., director,Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the prin-cipal investigator. “Or, if they don’tgrow the same, we can learn at whatpoint they develop differently.”

The first phase of the study focused onexpectant mothers age 18-40, who donot have such risk factors as smoking,substance abuse or obesity.

Phase two also will focus on healthymoms who do not have risk factorssuch as hypertension and diabetes,which can impact fetal growth.

Dr. Sciscione notes that ChristianaCare is ideally suited to the study,delivering more twins than any otherhospital in the Mid-Atlantic region,typically about 150 sets of twins eachyear.

The study is funded by a $1 milliongrant from the National Institutes ofHealth. The data gleaned from theresearch will allow doctors to betterinterpret the results of ultrasoundtests, as well as establish more accu-rate standards for fetal growth thattake into account the race and genderof the baby.

For example, babies of Asian ethnicitytend to be smaller. Boys are typicallylarger than girls. Identifying babies

Christiana Care is an ideal place to study the growth patterns of twins. Typically,about 150 sets are born here each year.

New logistics center facilitates efficient, effective patient carewarehouses” amounted to duplicationof effort and inefficient processes.“The center represents a significantstep in the transformation of our sup-ply chain services here at ChristianaCare.”

“Now, all deliveries come here andthen either sent on for delivery to endusers or placed into inventory,” saysLogistics Manager Dan Hangarasa.For Nursing, he says, “We providesupplies customized to what each unitneeds.” Everything arrives in oneplace, gets parceled out based on end-user locations and their needs, andthen sent on to those locations in cus-tomized totes.

Streamlines vendors jobs, too“This makes the process infinitely sim-pler than keeping track of numerousshipments, deliveries and trucks serv-icing multiple drop-off points,” saysHangarasa. Vendors now have theirwork streamlined as well, through theconsolidation of multiple orders intofewer, larger shipments, he adds.There is no longer any reason for thesame company to make more than onedelivery or use more than one driverand truck.

“We use our own vehicles now,”McDermott says, “making 12 to 15

daily round trips from the center tothe Christiana Hospital andSurgicenter and six or eight roundtrips each day to the WilmingtonHospital and Arsht Surgicenter.” As aresult, nursing units and clinicaldepartments have supply quantitieson hand that are much more balancedto their needs. Space for storage ofsupplies and time spent organizingand replenishing them is greatlyreduced.

“The expansion of the WilmingtonHospital was a key catalyst for thenew Logistics Center,” McDermottsays. “We had already outgrown theavailable square footage there.”Hangarasa adds that there were nearly100 items that had to be sent from theChristiana Hospital to the WilmingtonHospital every day, simply becausethere was no space to keep them onsite.

Better emergency preparednessBetter disaster preparedness is anotherimportant benefit of a centrally locatedwarehouse. Previously, materials werekept in trailers and small storeroomsin various locations, but the newLogistics Center, in addition to havingthe storage capacity for $1.6 millionworth of materials — enough to serv-ice the whole health system for 18days—keeps an additional $357,000 onhand in sequestered disaster supplies,which are rotated among overall stockto stay ahead of expiration dates.These supplies are now kept currentand can be dispatched quickly towherever they may be needed in anemergency or disaster situation with-out imposing undue demand on sup-plies needed for normal operations.

For every action there is a reaction.Thus, as Christiana Care physically

expands to take care of the communi-ties we serve, a logistical challengearises for those responsible for ensur-ing adequate supplies are on handwhen needed.

Christiana Care’s latest reaction to thecontinued growth of our health sys-tem is the opening of a new LogisticsCenter—a 43,000-square-foot facility inNew Castle.

Operating six days a week, with 29full-time employees, the new consoli-dates receiving and distributing of allmedical and other supplies into onelocation.

Centralizes warehousing “Previously, we had a little bit ofeverything everywhere,” MaterielManagement Director MarkMcDermott says. “We were using11,000 square feet downstairs inChristiana Hospital as a warehouseand about 3,000 square feet inWilmington Hospital,” he says, “alongwith smaller storage areas at manyother locations as well.”

“It’s difficult to operate efficientlythat way,” McDermott says, notingthat the time, energy and truck trafficinvolved in stocking so many “sub-

Materiel Management Director MarkMcDermott (Center, with scissors), joinedby dozens Christiana Care colleagues,cuts a ribbon to officially open the new,centralized, 43,000-square-foot LogisticsCenter in New Castle.

“Christiana Care was and continuesto be a pioneer in safe patient han-dling, first by establishing PEEPS backin 2000, and more recently by beingamong the first to provide ceilingmounted lifts throughout our facili-ties,” she continues. “For the dedica-tion and overall commitment to thesafety of all staff with patient handlingresponsibilities, we firmly believe thatChristiana Care deserves, and there-fore should pursue this importantrecognition.”

mandatory PEEPS education. All unitsthat achieve 95 percent staff comple-tion rate of the ANA ‘Leading the Wayin Safety’ Web Ed by Oct. 31 will be eli-gible for entry in a drawing with luckyunits winning a pizza party recogniz-ing their efforts.

Homepage launchesYet another resource available to staffis a special ANA ‘Leading the Way inSafety’ homepage. It answers frequent-ly asked questions about PEEPS,includes the Education Cart roundingschedule, provides a listing of clinicalareas with special PEEPS ambassadorsappointed for the site survey, and evenfeatures a copy of each hospital’s com-pleted application for staff review. Theheavily-relied-upon PEEPS homepagealso remains an important resource forinformation about safe patient han-dling practices and available equip-ment.

Pioneers in safe patient handling“Our hope is that everyone throughoutthe system recognizes the importanceof being prepared for the site survey,and that we’re not just going for ANAHandle with Care recognition simplyto win another award,” Collins says.

Roving education cart spreads safe patient handling lessons

Over the next several weeks, don’tbe surprised to see a team push-

ing a cart loaded with snacks and giftsthrough your unit hoping for amoment of your time to discuss theimportance of safe patient handling.

The team, headed by Michelle Collins,MSN, RN-BC, manager, Patient CareServices Education, and Carys Price,PT, MS, director of Employee InjuryPrevention/PEEPS© Program, willround on Nursing units and throughmany clinical areas each Monday andweekends through November to helpnurse managers and unit PEEPS edu-cators prepare staff for the upcomingsite visit for the ANA Handle withCare application process.

Both Christiana and Wilmington hos-pitals are preparing applications inanticipation of being first in the nationhonored with the prestigious recogni-tion for efforts in reducing lost timeinjuries through a decade of safepatient handling initiatives.

The cart approach to staff educationwas introduced last fall to help pre-pare nurses and other frontline stafffor the MagnetTM site survey. Similarly,the PEEPS cart is designed to help theeducation team engage clinical staff inconversation about the ANA’s SafePatient Handling Initiative, the historyof Christiana Care’s PEEPS program,and the wealth of equipment availableat both Christiana and Wilmingtonhospitals to help staff safely repositionand transfer patients.

Web Ed added to transcriptThe ANA site surveyors may ask anyemployee about Christiana Care’s safepatient handling program. To helpprepare staff for the possibility ofbeing approached by a surveyor, anew Web Ed is now posted on theeducation transcript for all employeeson units or departments that receive

Cheryl Muffley,BSN, RN, BC,Angela Parker, BSN,RN, BC, andSuzanne Heath,BSN, RN, BC, all of5A, gather aroundthe new PEEPS edu-cation cart to dis-cuss safe patienthandling practiceswith Richard Zock,MPT, CEAS,Employee InjuryPrevention/PEEPSeducator.

and products from Christiana Care.

If you are one of those who quit smok-ing then, we would like to hear yourstory to possibly share on the Portalsand in Focus.

Contact the editorial team in ExternalAffairs at corpcommfocusedit@chris-tianacare.org.

on site, in their units; 37 percent wouldrather be in a classroom, while 7 percentwould opt for the simulated settingoffered in the VEST lab.

n As for the length of sessions, nursesfavor shorter over longer classes. Mostprefer 30-minute classes, followed by onehour of instruction on the unit. Four-hoursessions outside the unit were the leastpopular.

So, what motivates nurses to take classes?The top reason is the subject matter of thecourse, followed by required educationand then the time the class is offered.

As a result of the survey, blended learn-

Department of Nursing staffwill continue to learn and

develop through education atChristiana Care, with an emphasison hands-on learning through sim-ulation, as well as classroom andweb instruction.

The format is a response to theresults of a Nursing LearningNeeds Assessment survey conduct-ed last spring. A committee of nurseeducators supported by PatientCare Services Development andEducation and the education coun-cil designed the survey, whichasked staff from all shifts how theywould like to learn—as well aswhere and when they preferred totake courses.

To gather input, the Committee casta wide net, allowing staff torespond to the survey via e-mail oran electronic link on the nursingportal. They sought responses fromRNs, LPNs, PCTs, SNEs, as well asMHAs, EMTs, APNs, home healthstaff, nurse leaders and nurse edu-cators. About 50 percent of nursingstaff completed the survey.

Here is some of what they had tosay:

n Nurses prefer hands-on educa-tion in a simulated setting, followedby classroom lectures by an instruc-tor. Web-based lessons were next inpopularity, followed by a combina-tion of classroom and online learn-ing.

n Most nurses want to take classesduring their shifts. Educationoffered before shifts was the nextmost desirable time, followed byinstruction after a shift ends.

n Nearly half—42 percent—ofnurses are in favor of taking classes

Survey gauges learning needs for Nursing staff

ing classes consisting of classroom,web lessons, simulation will beincreased.

In order to make classes more acces-sible, the Diabetes workshop andCPR courses are now being offeredon Saturdays and more will beadded in the near future. Nurses alsowill receive additional electronicreminders for classes.

The Department of Nursing staff willhave the opportunity to keep provid-ing input. The survey will be con-ducted annually and will be offeredagain in early 2011.

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Forces of Magnetism

No. 2: Organizational Structure

No. 9: Autonomy

No. 14: The health care organization values and supports the personal and professional growth and development of staff

This November marks the fifthanniversary of Christiana Care

officially going smoke-free on all cam-puses, indoors and out.

On that day – Nov. 17, 2005, the GreatAmerican Smokeout – a number ofemployees started on the journey toquit smoking. Many did so with thehelp of tobacco cessation counselors

Quit Smoking? Tell Us Your Story

B rian Sarter, M.D.,has been appoint-

ed medical director ofChristiana Care’s Heart& Vascular Intervent-ional Services (HVIS).

As medical director, Dr.Sarter is the recognizedauthority on issuesinvolving HVIS services.He is responsible for:

n Establishing protocol.

n Helping ensure opencommunication across

services and departments.

n Consulting with the administrative director andbusiness manager to optimize financial manage-ment of HVIS Services.

Paul Imber, D.O., has been appointed chief of the Section ofOtolaryngologic-Head and Neck Surgery.

A graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine,Dr. Imber joined the Christiana CareMedical-Dental Staff in 1990.

He is a member of Ear, Nose, Throat, &Allergy Associates, LLC. He also hasbeen an active member of the Depart-mental Credentials Committee.

Dr. Imber replaces Jay Luft, M.D., whoserved as section chief from 2006-2010.

"On behalf of the Department of Surgeryat Christiana Care, I am pleased to wel-come Dr. Imber into his new positionand express my gratitude to Dr. Luft forhis outstanding leadership,” saysMichael Rhodes, M.D., chair, ChristianaCare Department of Surgery.

Christiana Care CIO presents ‘meaningful use’ pilot

Brian Sarter, M.D., named HVIS medical director

Paul Imber, D.O., appointed Chief ofOtolaryngologic-Head and Neck Surgery

Paul Imber, D.O.

Brian Sarter, M.D.

At the New Jersey/Delaware Valley chapter of HealthcareInformation and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

annual fall event, Randy Gaboriault, CIO of Christiana Care,gave a keynote presentation about Christiana Care’s unique“meaningful use” pilot program for community physicians.

The pilot program will train and support community physi-cians to adopt electronic health records in accord withDepartment of Health and Human Services’ “meaningful use”regulations – guidelines that physicians and hospitals will haveto follow to earn incentives for moving from paper to electronicmedical files.

Kathleen Sebelius, HHS secretary, praised Christiana Care’spilot program in an editorial in Kaiser Health News this pastAugust.

Gaboriault’s presentation included remarks from Sachin Jain,the Special Assistant for the Office of National Coordinator ofHealth IT.

Randy Gaboriault, CIO of Christiana Care, deliverskeynote address about pilot program at Christiana Careto accelerate adoption of electronic health records.

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Publishing, Presenting, Appointments, Awards

Publishing

Presenting

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Consistent with our strategies for engaging staff in continuous improvement and best practices, we regularlyreview important topics in Focus to help reinforce safe-practice behaviors.These tips reinforce information andenable staff to better articulate our safety practices during an unannounced survey.

Food and Drug InteractionsQ. Where can I find the list of food and drug interactions?

A. Food and Drug interactions can be found by searching the portals for Pharmacy Policies. Click on “Policy andProcedures Pharmacy,” then Food and Drug Interactions.

Q. What information do I need to tell my patients regarding food/drug interaction?A. Patients need to understand any significant food interactions of the medications they are taking. This includeshow to schedule their medications in relation to their meal times and what modifications, if any, are needed to theirdiet.

Q. Where will I find the food/drug information to give to my patient?A. Nurses can provide this information to their patient by obtaining patient information instructions in the hospital formulary monograph (for formulary drugs), FYI sheets or Micromedex Aftercare Instruction for non-formularydrugs.

Well-informed caregivers and patients are the vital link in the safety chain to prevent errors

Applications, due by November 5,2010, are available through theAcademic Affairs Medical EducationResearch & Outcomes Office,Christiana Hospital, MAP 2, Suite2114, or by e-mailing Theresa Fields,administrative assistant, tfields@chris-tianacare.org.

Classes convene Jan. 5, 2011 throughMarch 30, 2011. Classes are onWednesday evenings* from 4-7:30p.m. Enrollment is limited to 35.

Course Description

ACT includes modules on perform-ance improvement; quality improve-ment; patient safety; measurement andoutcomes analysis in quality improve-

ment; interdisciplinary team conceptsand skills; U.S. health care system,brief history and comparison withother models; health care economicsand legislation; and change theory.

Benefits

Attendees—Certificates, ContinuingEducation Contact Hours (38.5) for eli-gible nurses, CME Credits (38.5) forattending physicians, and participantscan add this course to theirResume/CVs as additional education.

* There is no class March 23, unlessneeded for a make-up session due to aweather-related cancellation.

For more information, call 302-623-4487.

ACT course enrollment applications due Nov. 5

Focus on Excellence - Best Practice Review

The deadline to register for the nextAchieving Competency Today

(ACT) course: Issues in Health CareQuality, Cost, Systems, and Safety, isNov. 5.

This graduate-level course, offered byChristiana Care’s Department ofAcademic Affairs, Medical Education,Research & Outcomes and by theOffice of Quality and Patient Safety, isfor attending and resident physicians,nurses, pharmacists, and allied healthprofessionals.

The curriculum provides a solid intro-ductory education for systems-basedpractice, practice-based learning andimprovement, patient safety and qual-ity, and teamwork.

What do Carlo Foust, medicaltechnologist in the General

Laboratory at Christiana Hospital,and Roy Halladay, Phillies pitchingace, have in common?

They each have hurled perfectgames this year.

Foust bowled his second perfect 300Sept. 21 for the Christiana Carebowling league. He has led theleague in high average for fourstraight.

His magic night included games of248, 238, and 300, for a series total of786.

For the last frame of his perfectgame, the bowling alley was in totalsilence, with bowlers from all theother leagues watching.

Congratulations to Carlo!

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Are you getting the most from yourretirement plan? Are you even in

the plan?

Christiana Care Health Services offersemployees a generous 403(b) SavingsPlan with a matching contribution of50 percent for every dollar contributed,up to 6 percent of salary.

Here’s why you should participate andmaximize your 403(b) Savings Plan:

n You get free money! With the match-ing contribution, if you save $10 perbiweekly pay, Christiana Care con-tributes $5. Your account gets $15.

n It’s simple and convenient. Youchoose the amount and it’s automati-cally deducted from your paycheck.

n It’s easy to enroll; fill out the enroll-ment form, choose your investmentoption and send in the form.

n Your savings will always be yourmoney – 100 percent. After three fullyears of service, you own the companymatch as well, plus any investmentearning; even if you leave ChristianaCare.

n It offers you a tax incentive. By put-ting some of your pay into a 403(b) tax-deferred saving plan, you are able tolower your current tax obligation andsave money.

n You don’t want to work forever. Youwill want to maintain your lifestyleand have enough money saved to pro-vide the same standard of living.

Still not convinced? Consider this: Thelonger you wait to save, the less timeyou will have to save for retirement.

That means: The longer you wait tosave, the longer you may have to waitto retire.

Make plans now to attend animportant planning session.

Money is free with your 403(b)

Don’t let savings opportunity slip away

Carlo Foust

This November marks thefifth anniversary of

Christiana Care officially goingsmoke-free on all campuses,indoors and out.

On that day—Nov. 17, 2005,the Great AmericanSmokeout—a number ofemployees started on the jour-ney to quit smoking. Many didso with the help of tobacco ces-sation counselors and productsfrom Christiana Care.

If you are one of those whoquit smoking then, we wouldlike to hear your story to possi-bly share on the Portals and inFocus. Contact the editorialteam in External Affairs at cor-pcommfocusedit@chris-tianacare.org.

Take two healthy 30-year-old men. The only differ-

ence between them is that oneguy smokes cigarettes and theother fellow doesn’t.

The smoker can expect to liveanother 35 years to the age of65. The non-smoker will likelylive for 53 more years to age83, according to a study by theadvocacy group Action onSmoking and Health. That’s adifference of 18 years.

A cigarette = 11 minutes of lifeIt takes about five minutes tosmoke a cigarette. Yet a studyby the University of Californiaat Berkeley reports that foreach cigarette, 11 minutes oflife go up in smoke. Each car-ton of cigarettes translates intoa day and a half of lost life.

Cigarettes kill people in anumber of painful ways. Lungcancer. Emphysema. Heart dis-ease. Second-hand smoke alsoharms non-smokers.

There are a number of interac-tive tools on the Internet youcan use to calculate tobacco’s toll onyour life, based on how long and howmuch you have smoked. To find one,just go to Google and enter the termssmoking, life span and calculator.

But don’t let the results scare you.

Instead, harness that knowledge intoaction. Use it as a launch pad, theinspiration that will motivate you toquit so that you can enjoy more timedoing the things you love—especiallysharing time with the people you love.

The younger you quit, the betterA person who kicks the habit at age 30or younger can expect to live as longas someone who has never smoked,

according to a British study of long-termsmoking. A smoker who quits at 50 canexpect to regain six years of life expectancy.

Imagine six more years of fishing with yourson. Six more years of traveling with yourhusband. Six more years to watch yourgrandchildren grow.

Great reasons to quit smoking, all.

Christiana Care has been smoke free, insideand out, since 2005. As part of that commit-ment, we are dedicated to helping employ-ees who smoke through the difficult processof quitting. Employee Health will providefree prescription medication to smokers andtheir dependants over age 18, as well ascompassionate, face-to-face counseling.

People live longer without cigarettes

C A R I N G F O R Y O U R S E L F

A decision to quit smoking brings potential forlonger life, giving the ex-smoker years’ more time toenjoy retirement leisures with loved ones and otherfulfilling activities and pleasures. GET HELP

A New, Approved PneumococcalVaccination Indicated for Children

Therapeutic notes

*A single supplemental dose of PCV13 is recommended for all healthy children 14 to 59 months of age despite fullimmunization with PCV7 and children at high risk for IPD 14 through 71 months of age. However, no active recall of patients

is necessary and the supplemental dose can be given at the next medical visit.

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Upcoming events

For the seventh consecutive year,Christiana Care won top honors in

the 2010 Blood Bank of Delmarva’sSummer Blood Challenge with thehighest overall number of blood dona-tions. We also took top place in theExtra Large Employer category.

We did it by recruiting 599 blooddonors and 174 new Blood Bank mem-bers.

The challenge is a competition amongemployers to recruit the most BloodBank members and donors during thesummer. It helps raise awareness ofthe need for blood at a time whenvacations and outdoor activities oftencontribute to shortages in many areasof the country.

This year, the Blood Bank honoredWendy Felts, a nurse practitioner inthe NICU, for the most individualblood donations. Felts, who donatedevery two weeks, has been a topdonor in the challenge three of the lastfour years. Since becoming a BloodBank member in 1986, she has

Christiana Care again wins Delmarva Summer Blood Challenge

donated 19 gallons ofblood.

“I never really con-sider a reason todonate,” she says.“It's just a need I canhelp fill. I always askmy colleagues when-ever we order bloodon an infant if theyare willing to donate,for it is not some-thing that can bemade or bought, andit is only availablethrough the generosi-ty of so many peoplewho are willing totake the time to donate.”

One hundred and seventy-one localemployers participated, resulting in7,150 blood donations and 1,980 newBlood Bank members. That's a blooddonation increase of 17 percent overlast year's competition.

Last year Christiana Care received43,134 blood products from the BloodBank of Delmarva. That includes25,279 units of packed red blood cells,9,000 units of fresh frozen plasma andnearly 6,000 units of platelets.

Tammy Holdren, technologist, Nuclear Medicine

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The Rev. George Billings, Pastoral Services

Teresa Cathell, assistant to COOGary Ferguson

Welcome, Yes U Can™Christiana Care’s Exercise Serivices Team at the Eugene duPont Preventive Medicine and Rehabilitation Institute cele-brated a new partnership with Yes U Can, to offer exercisehelp for people with disability or limited mobility, includingstaff-assisted weight training and programs for people withall levels of disabilities.

For information call 302-661-3300

Use of electronic devices when driving is dangerous

Did you know that national research shows thatdrivers using cell phones are four times more likely

to get into crashes that are serious enough to causeinjury? According to the Network of Employers forTraffic Safety (NETS) focused driving is keeping youreyes on the road ahead, your hands on the wheel andyour mind on your driving. Sound easy? It is, if you fol-low these simple tips:n Turn off your phone when you are driving. Simplyavoid the temptation to talk. Turn it off while you aredriving.n Texting and driving don’t mix. There is no way tosafely drive while texting. n Be in control. Preset the climate control, radio, CDplayer, and GPS before you leave.n Manage your technology. Use a call blocking applica-tion to let callers know you are driving and to queuecalls and texts until you are safely pulled over.n Fine tune your tunes. Using an iPod or MP3? Preset adriving playlist to provide continuous tunes without theneed for adjustment.

n Look at the big picture. Take a moment to focus on thosewho are counting on you to get home safely every daybefore you make a choice to divert your full attention fromthe road.Need one more reason to put all electronic devices on hold? Beginning January 2011, drivers in Delaware will no longerbe allowed to use hand-held devices while driving. Ifcaught, you could face a fine and other penalties reaching$200. Be Alert. Arrive Alive DE.Story courtesy of www.ohs.delaware.gov.

Forces of Magnetism

No. 10: Community and the health care organization building strong relationships

T H I N K F I R S T !

Christiana Care’s longstanding commitment toWilmington has taken many forms since our origi-

nal hospital opened in the city in 1888. The $210 mil-lion transformation project on the Wilmington campusis just the latest example of our commitment.

But we’re also dedicated to the health of ourWilmington neighbors at a grassroots level. One gor-geous Saturday last month, more than a dozenChristiana Care departments and more than 2,500 cityresidents participated in the 11th annual WilmingtonWellness Day in downtown Wilmington, sharing infor-mation about how to live longer, happier and healthierlives.

Christiana Care employees provided free screenings tomore than 100 people, looking for potential problemswith blood pressure, cholesterol, nutrition, body fat,osteoporosis and depression. The event helps manylow-income residents of Wilmington gain informationabout preventing disease and staying healthy withservices they might not otherwise find or be able toafford.

Visit Christiana Care's Flickr site for more photos anddetails about the 2010 Wilmington Wellness Day.

Wilmington Wellness Day: An annual grassroots event

Virginia Corrigan, RN, MSN, injury prevention coordinator, (right)shares some potentially lifesaving information with visitors at theTrauma Program’s exhibit at Wilmington Wellness Day.