I N S I D E R J U N E 2 0 1 3

Kris J. for completing her graduate program! She graduated from the University of

Nebraska Medical Center with a Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies in May with a

4.0 GPA! Kris currently works as a PA for KCCHSD.

Joyce W. for successfully completing the Colby Community College Practical Nurse

program! Joyce is now eligible to take her Colorado State Board of Nursing Licensed

Practical Nurse Boards. Joyce currently works as a C.N.A. and Ward Clerk for

KCCHSD.

Victoria H. for successfully completing the Colby Community College Associates

Degree Nursing program! Victoria is now eligible to taker her Colorado State Board

of Nursing Registered Nurse Boards. Victoria currently works as an LPN for

KCCHSD.

Bobbi Jo W. for successfully completing the Colby Community College Associates

Degree Nursing program! Bobbi Jo is now eligible to taker her Colorado State Board

of Nursing Registered Nurse Boards. Bobbi Jo currently

works as an LPN KCCHSD.

Congratulations!

Page 2 I N S I D E R

B i r t h d a y s & A n n i v e r s a r i e s ! Happy Birthday Anniversaries

Sara C. 4 yrs.

Victoria H. 2 yrs.

Jennifer D. 2 yrs.

Sharlet H. 6 yrs.

Malaree J. 1 yr.

Pam M. 9 yr.

Sheryl G. 8 yr.

Stephanie C. 1 yr.

Lisa S. 13 yrs.

Sylvia T. 7 yrs.

Ramona R. 3 yrs.

Valerie B. 15 yrs.

Jenny S. June 2nd

Ardis K. June 11th

LaDonna B. June 19th

Valerie B. June 20th

Ana S. June 23rd

Tamara R. June 28th

Terra W. June 29th

K C C H S D w i l l b e C e l e b r a t i n g B i r t h d a y s o n

T u e s d a y , J u n e 1 1 t h

Congratulations to Imaging!

Our Imaging Department received accreditation from the American College of Radiology for our mammography unit until 2016.

Page 3 New Employees

Name: Cydney

Department: Parke Health Center

Favorite Snack: Sunflower Seeds

Music Preference: Country

Hobbies or Interests: Fishing, being outside, being

with family and baseball

Name: Brittney

Department: Nursing/Home Health Hospice—CNA

Favorite Color: Purple

Music Preference: Country and Rock

Hobbies or Interests: Reading, camping and sports

Name: Terri

Department: Environmental Services

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Snack: Ice Cream

Hobbies or Interests: Horse back riding & walking

Page 4 I N S I D E R

2013 Hospital BBQ and Golden Wheat Award!

Don with Mr. & Mrs. Hinkhouse.

Billie Hinkhouse was the 2013 Golden

Wheat Award winner!

Mr. & Mrs. Hinkhouse with the

past Golden Wheat Award

Winners.

Back Row: Judy, Tony, Glenda,

Martha, Gary & Shelley

Staff enjoying food prepared by Camp

Cook Concessions!

Page 5 I N S I D E R

KCCHSD gave a helmet to

each first grader in Kit Carson

County during their bike

rodeos! The students enjoyed

their new helmets and learned

about bike safety!

Page 6 I N S I D E R

Employee Comments The Employee Comment form was created to replace the “Great Catch program” and “FFF

Ideas”. The Employee Comment form is available on the employee intranet and is a way

for staff members to express concerns or ideas. Administration will address each Employee

Comment as they come in, and it is their goal to share the Comments with the rest of the

staff on a monthly basis.

*Administration will address Comments that mention staff members or individuals in a

private manner and will not share these Comments with the entire staff.

1.) It would be very helpful if there were an overhead page code or more efficient means

of notifying employees of downtime of Prognosis, internet, etc… If you are doing patient

care, email is not readily available or efficient in notifying all staff.

FEEDBACK: We would rather not page overhead every time we have an outage of

application, or internet connectivity, since this may raise concerns in any patients that

may be in the facility. If there are unexpected outages, or IT needs users log out of an

application immediately, IT currently calls the departments individually and asks whoever

answers to “spread the word”. If this is the case, IT will call the departments back to

inform them that it is alright to resume their tasks, in addition to sending an email to make

sure all users can be made aware.

2.) In light of the current financial climate, could we allow employees to take time off

without pay? Perhaps put a limit per month, without effecting our benefits.

FEEDBACK: This has been done at other facilities that we are familiar with and has

worked, so we can discuss this further to see if it is possible for us to do it here. Everyone

would need to understand that taking time off by an employee is always a decision made

by management based upon workload, etc.

April & May

Employee Comments

3.) An outdoor eating/break area (non-smoking).

FEEDBACK: Extra room around the outside of the hospital is at a premium, there is not

much outside area we can use for this. There are table and chairs available, outside of

the classroom. We can discuss and look to see if this is possible.

4.) Offer health insurance to the employee if they are part time. I understand not being

able to offer it for family, but for the employee it would be nice and beneficial.

FEEDBACK: Employee benefits offered by businesses have to be considered with a lot of

thought and study. While we want to offer a good benefit package to meet our employees’

needs, we normally look at what other hospitals and employers are offering in our area.

Once an employer offers a benefit to employees, it is very difficult to take it away when

situations call for it. With this is mind, we do not believe it would benefit the District to

offer health insurance to part-time employees at this time.

5.) Is there a possibility to “bank” holiday time that is worked? How about a holiday

differential? Either of these would provide more incentive for employees to cover

holidays. Our department and others are responsible for 24 hour coverage, it’s hard to be

on 24 hours and come in the day after the holiday all bright eyed and bushy tailed.

FEEDBACK: In the future we will be looking at how holiday and PTO time is accrued

and taken.

Continues on page 8.

April & May

Employee Comments April & May

6.) Cell phone usage during work hours seems to be out of control.

FEEDBACK: Employees need to be aware of the District’s policy concerning cell

phone usage (reference 221 in the employee handbook). If you are not familiar

with it, then you need to read it. While we recognize that everyone now and then

will make or receive emergency or necessary calls to keep them informed of things

concerning their personal lives, these should only be when necessary and kept very

short. Also, the calls should not be in patient care areas. If you carry a cell phone

during the day when on duty, it should be on vibrate so as not to disturb others

when necessary calls come in to you. Cell phones should never distract from your

work. Lengthy phone calls to just talk with someone are not acceptable unless you

are on break or lunch time. If you do this on your break or lunch time, then you

need to get away from your work area and go to an appropriate area for breaks or

lunch.

Along these same lines, no employee is to wear earphones while on the job unless it

is part of your duties. An example of this is if you are listening to a webinar on

your computer and you do not want to disturb others around you.

7.) Can we have the dead plants taken out of the atrium? The patient in the rooms

that are facing the atrium and see the plants. I feel that it does not look good when

you look out the window and not see green plants.

FEEDBACK: We have contracted with someone to take care of the plants through-

out the facility. They have started with the outside planters and will be working on

the inside plants soon.

K U D O ’ S L e t t i n g s o m e o n e k n o w h o w m u c h t h e y a r e a p p r e c i a t e d

Thank you to the Auxiliary Ladies for The Florence Prescription books and flowers as gifts for nurse’s week! Thank you to Glenda W. for the candles added to our gift bags in celebration of nurses week. It was very thoughtful and very much appreciated!- Kandi

Please convey my appreciation to the Service League for the books given during nurses week. It was a really nice gesture and gift; as an “old” nurse and in healthcare forever, I am seeing Flo’s principle being correct even in our age of gadgets. Working for nuns, who wasted nothing and pinched pennies has made a difference in my career as well. - Judi M.

HUGE THANK YOU goes out to Don, Vern, Peggy, Peter, Kale, Shauna, Regina, Paul, Juan, Garret (board member) and anyone else I may have missed for your help setting up and taking down for the Hospital BBQ. - Savannah

Thank you to Parke Health staff for lending their EKG machine to the hospital while their machines were out of order. It was greatly appreciated.—Regina

Thank you to everyone who took care of Mom while she was in the hospital.

- Thanks again Earline