nurses week
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Nurse Appreciation WeekTRANSCRIPT
Saturday, April 28, 2012The Daily Nonpareil
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8A Saturday, April 28, 2012 The Daily NonpareilNURSES
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We salute our Lewis CentralSchool District Nurses.
Deb Blodgett Amy Cook
“We have a motto: ‘Every patient is my patient.’”– Denise McNitt
Chief Nurse Executive at Alegent Health Mercy Hospital
CHAD [email protected]
It was a homecoming of sorts for DeniseMcNitt after she took over as Chief NurseExecutive at Alegent Health Mercy Hospi-tal.
McNitt has been in Council Bluffs for 18years, she just hasn’t been at Mercy Hospi-tal during all that time.
She has, however, spent that time withAlegent Health as the operations directorwith Alegent Home Care and Hospice.
“A lot of my time and energy has beenspent in Omaha,” she said. “I’m veryexcited to be back in Council Bluffs, wheremy office was when I first started with Ale-gent.
“It felt like coming home.”McNitt took over as Chief Nurse Execu-
tive at Mercy in February after the retire-ment of Connie Blietz. Blietz left afterserving 14 years in the position.
McNitt moved to Council Bluffs in 1994to establish a hospice program at Mercy.She moved back to the Midwest to take theposition and brought a wealth of experi-ence with her, including a 1980 Bachelorsof Science, Nursing graduate of College ofSt. Teresa’s in Winona, Minn., and a Mas-ters of Science in Community HealthNursing in 1993 from Arizona State Uni-versity in Tempe, Ariz.
A self-proclaimed “Iowa girl” from theFort Dodge area, McNitt was ready tobring her family back to Iowa in the 1990sand Mercy was the right fit.
“I was so welcomed by the Mercy fam-ily,” she said. “They set me on the righttrack and I have been with Alegent eversince.”
While filling Blietz’s shoes will be nosmall task, McNitt said the nursing staffat Mercy will make her job a lot more easy.
“Mercy has a tremendous reputation,not only in the community, but within theAlegent system and the region, for a highquality of nursing care,” she said. “It isexciting to walk into such a professionalhospital with nurses who love nursing andcare about patients like a family.”
McNitt said she has seen a number ofhospitals throughout her years in the busi-ness, but she has never seen teamwork dis-played as strongly as the staff does atMercy.
“The quality of care is embraced byeveryone here,” she said. “There is anincredible high-level standard of care.”
Maintaining high quality of care is apriority, especially at a time when patients’stays in hospitals are much shorter andnurses must do more things faster.
McNitt said she thinks her homecarebackground gives her some insight intowhat families are dealing with once theyleave the hospital. Providing tools for peo-ple to continue care once they leave thehospital is critical for future success.
Patients have an average hospital stayof 3.5 days, McNitt said, so they – or theirfamily – must manage their care once theyleave the hospital.
“We need to provide them with the toolsto make good decisions and be as healthyas they can be, and not coming back in,”she said.
Basically, nurses must manage apatient’s stay in the hospital and managetheir transition back to their home.
“Those are tough days when peopleenter back into their homes. Our goal is toopen up and look at the continuity of careafter they leave the hospital,” she said.“This will be really critical for us to succeedin the future.”
The nursing staff is already involved ina shared governance model at the hospital,put in place by Blietz, that has staff-ori-ented groups involved in the patient deci-sion making process.
McNitt said the process drives qualityand engagement between the staff and thepatients, and means that it is not just man-agement decisions affecting patient care.
“The beauty we have here at Mercy isthat it is really hardwired. The staff isactively involved and have a say in thingsaffecting patient care,” she said. “We havea motto: ‘Every patient is my patient,’ andit’s not just a slogan but something every-one really walks and breathes.”
And that motto and teamwork is whathas McNitt so excited about coming backto Mercy Hospital.
“There are a lot of good things going on,”she said.
“I want to make sure we honor the hun-dreds of nurses we have in Council Bluffs.We are really fortunate in this communityto have such high quality care, and I thinkit is amazing the work these folks do every-day.”
Leading those who love nursing
Staff photo/Erin Duerr
Denise McNitt became Chief Nurse Executive at Alegent Health Mercy Hospi-tal in February. McNitt said she has seen a number of hospitals throughout heryears in the business, but she has never seen teamwork displayed as stronglyas the staff does at Mercy. “The quality of care is embraced by everyone here.”
McNitt is at home asnew Chief Nurse
Executive at Mercy
Who are nurses?Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a pro-
fession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests,strengths and passions because of the many opportunities theprofession offers. Nurses work in emergency rooms, schoolbased clinics, and homeless shelters, to name a few. Nurseshave many roles – from staff nurse to educator to nurse prac-titioner and nurse researcher – and serve all of them with pas-sion for the profession and with a strong commitment topatient safety.
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6,also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, thebirthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nurs-ing.
– American Nurses Association
A brief history of NationalNurses Week
1953 – Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Departmentof Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal toPresident Eisenhower to proclaim a “Nurse Day” inOctober of the following year. The proclamation wasnever made.
1954 – National Nurse Week was observed from Oct.11-16. The year of the observance marked the 100thanniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission toCrimea. Representative Frances P. Bolton sponsored thebill for a nurse week. Apparently, a bill for a NationalNurse Week was introduced in the 1955 Congress, butno action was taken. Congress discontinued its practiceof joint resolutions for national weeks of various kinds.
1972 – Again a resolution was presented by theHouse of Representatives for the President to proclaim“National Registered Nurse Day.” It did not occur.
1974 – In January of that year, the InternationalCouncil of Nurses proclaimed that May 12 would be“International Nurse Day.” (May 12 is the birthday ofFlorence Nightingale.) Since 1965, the ICN has cele-brated “International Nurse Day.”
1974 – In February of that year, a week was desig-nated by the White House as National Nurse Week, andPresident Nixon issued a proclamation.
1978 – New Jersey Governor Brendon Byrnedeclared May 6 as “Nurses Day.” Edward Scanlan, ofRed Bank, N.J., took up the cause to perpetuate therecognition of nurses in his state. Mr. Scanlan had thisdate listed in Chase’s Calendar of Annual Events. Hepromoted the celebration on his own.
1981 – ANA, along with various nursing organiza-tions, rallied to support a resolution initiated by nursesin New Mexico, through their Congressman, ManuelLujan, to have May 6, 1982, established as “NationalRecognition Day for Nurses.”
1982 – In February, the ANA Board of Directors for-mally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as “National NursesDay.” The action affirmed a joint resolution of theUnited States Congress designating May 6 as “NationalRecognition Day for Nurses.”
1982 – President Ronald Reagan signed a proclama-tion on March 25, proclaiming “National RecognitionDay for Nurses” to be May 6, 1982.
1990 – The ANA Board of Directors expanded therecognition of nurses to a week-long celebration, declar-ing May 6-12, 1991, as National Nurses Week.
1993 – The ANA Board of Directors designated May6-12 as permanent dates to observe National NursesWeek in 1994 and in all subsequent years.
1996 – The ANA initiated “National RN RecognitionDay” on May 6, 1996, to honor the nation’s indispensa-ble registered nurses for their tireless commitment 365days a year. The ANA encourages its state and territo-rial nurses associations and other organizations toacknowledge May 6, 1996 as “National RN RecognitionDay.”
1997 – The ANA Board of Directors, at the request ofthe National Student Nurses Association, designatedMay 8 as National Student Nurses Day.
– American Nurses Association
NURSING BYTHE NUMBERS
■ Total number oflicensed registered nurses (RNs) in theU.S. – 3.1 million
■ Total number oflicensed RNs in theU.S. employed innursing – 2.6 million
■ Percentage ofemployed RNsworking in hospitals – 62.2 percent
– American Nursing Association
Individuals thinking abouttheir potential career path or anew occupation may want toconsider nursing. According toWANTED Analytics, the lead-ing source of real-time busi-ness intelligence for the talentmarketplace, healthcareproviders advertised morethan 46,000 new jobs onlinefor registered nurses in July2011.
There were five metropoli-tan areas that saw a consider-able growth in the need forRNs. These included Dallas,New York, Los Angeles, Cleve-land, and Atlanta. Los Angeleshas one of the biggest demandsfor registered nurses. Accord-ing to the data, recruiters athealthcare facilities in LosAngeles placed more than1,400 new online job ads forregistered nurses in July.
With such an abundance ofRN jobs available, individualsmay wonder how to become aregistered nurse. It beginswith schooling and testing.Each state in the U.S. has aBoard of Nursing that isresponsible for settingrequirements and licensingnurses who practice in thatstate. To earn a professional
nursing license, one must passa comprehensive nursing test,called the NCLEX examina-tion. To qualify for the NCLEXexamination, a person mustfirst complete a nursing edu-cation program that isapproved by the state’s Boardof Nursing. A search online forthe Board of Nursing in yourarea can yield contact infor-mation and fees.
– Metro Creative Connection
Saturday, April 28, 2012 9AThe Daily Nonpareil NURSES“Each day is different. Some issues are health related. Some are socioeconomic. We advocate for kids.”
– Deb BlodgettLewis Central school nurse
For school nurses, there’s no ‘typical day’
DENNIS [email protected]
Marilyn Knauss became aschool nurse for the CouncilBluffs school district 23 yearsago.
“It used to be, we’d putBand-Aids on skinned knees,and occasionally take care ofhead lice,” Knauss said. “Therehave been huge changes sincethen. Now, we take care of a lotof kids, many with greaterhealth needs.”
Today, besides checking tosee if a child is feverish, schoolnurses keep their eyes open forindications of neglect or abuse.They also will offer a sympa-thetic ear to a distraught child.
“We do a lot of social work,”Lewis Central school nurse DebBlodgett said.
Blodgett’s been a nurse for37 years, a school nurse atLewis Central for eight. For her,there is no such thing as a typ-ical day.
“Each day is different,” saidBlodgett. “Some issues arehealth related. Some are socioe-conomic. We advocate for kids.”
Blodgett and fellow nurseAmy Cook share the duties atLewis Central with the assis-tance of health associates, all ofwhom have been trained andcertified to care for more than3,100 students in their care.
“We cover all the schoolbuildings and we always havean associate at each of thebuildings,” Blodgett said,including E.A. Kreft Primary,Titan Hill Intermediate, LewisCentral Middle School andLewis Central High schools.
The staff is larger butresponsibilities are similar inthe Council Bluffs CommunitySchool District, where Knauss,three other registered nursesand 11 health associates han-
dle the needs of more than9,000 students at 18 schoolbuildings.
Some students have com-plex medical needs. The list ofhealth services offered to Coun-cil Bluffs students ranges fromimmunization clinics and bloodpressure checks to seizure careand defibrillation.
Asthma care, includinginhalers and nebulizers, isavailable, as is tracheotomycare. Nurses and health careassociates may administerinsulin for diabetic care.
“We’ve had three or four life-threatening situations over thelast eight years,” Blodgett said.
According to the records for2011-12 school year, healthworkers in the Council Bluffsschools saw an average of 461students each day, adminis-tered daily meds to 227 stu-dents, made daily contact with240 parents, dealt with seizuredisorders in 49 students,offered 38 classroom presenta-tions and offered vision screen-ings to 2,032 students.
“We do things today that,even five years ago, we neverdreamed we’d be doing,”Knauss said.
The same is true at IowaSchool for the Deaf. Most of the104 students live in the dormsand a registered nurse is onduty around the clock in case astudent becomes ill or isinjured.
“We have students withasthma, seizure disorders andother conditions that can createan emergency,” director of ISDnursing Diane Knigge said.
ISD school nurses performmedical assessment and treat-ment, maintain health andimmunization records for eachstudent, offer short-term orovernight accommodation to illand recuperating students, and
set up yearly dental and visionscreenings.
The ISD nursing staff offersinfluenza vaccinations for stu-dents and staff, can schedulein-house consultations with asports therapist, and workswith Boys Town NationalResearch Hospital and withlocal audiology serviceproviders for audio, hearing aidand cochlear implant needs.
School nurses also lend asympathetic ear to homesickstudents, especially to theyounger children who are awayfrom home, often for the firsttime.
The school has its own hos-pital area with several beds,including a separate space for
students who may have some-thing contagious. ISD nursesneed to have some knowledgeof American Sign Language.
Some problems may not belife-threatening, but they areworrisome and a problem forpublic heath.
“We had a pertussis out-break a few years ago.We workclosely with the health depart-ment, but it was daunting,”Blodgett recalled.
The nursing staff sent let-ters to parents and closed anddisinfected classroom, all thewhile maintaining contact withhealth officials.
Just this past year, Blodgettadded, a problem has arisenwith bed bugs.
“We’ve seen kids eaten upwith bed bug bites,” she said.It’s not a question of class orcleanliness, she added. “I havea ton of information on bedbugs now. We did our home-work.”
In the last couple of years,Blodgett and Knauss both saidthey have seen the needs of thestudents increase.
“It’s socio-economic andaffected by the economy,” Blod-gett said. “In the last two yearsI’ve really noticed that whatthe kids eat at school in somecases may be the only foodthey’ll get. You go home think-ing about this, about kids goinghome without a meal.”
“We work a lot with the
counselors,” Knauss said. “If Inotice a lot of absences, I’ll tryto determine if the child hashealth needs or if there areother issues.”
The best thing a child’s par-ents can do is to “Make it a pri-ority to let the school nursesknow the child’s health needsso they can get the very bestcare,” Knauss said.
Even in an era in whichtough economic times haveprompted school districts toreduce the number of schoolnurses, Knauss said the workthe nurses do needs to be kept apriority.
In the meantime, “You dothe best you can with what youhave.”
Staff photo/Erin Duerr
School nurse Deb Blodgett helps kindergartner Casey Jones, 5, with a nebulizer treatment at Kreft Primary School.
Roles inside school systemshave expanded beyond
caring for a feverish child
NURSING BY THE NUMBERS
Advanced Practice RegisteredNurses (APRNs)**
■ Number of RNs prepared as APRNs– 250,527■ Percentage of APRNs who are nursepractitioners – 63.2 percent** Nurses who have met advanced educational andclinical practice guidelines.
Nursing education■ Percentage of RNs with baccalaure-ate or higher degree – 50 percent■ Percentage of RNs with a master’sor doctoral degree – 13.2 percent■ Enrollment increase in entry-levelbaccalaureate nursing programs,2008-09 – 3.5 percent
Nursing and nursing faculty shortages
■ Projected shortage of nurses tomeet health care demand by 2025 –260,000■ National nurse faculty vacancyrate, 2010 – 6.9 percent■ Percentage of nurse educators age50 or older – 60 percent■ Number of qualified nursing schoolapplications turned away, 2009 –54,991
– American Nursing Association
Registered nurses still in demand
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Thank you to our nurses and
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compassion, expertise and dedication
to our patients and families.
You Make Us Proud!
The Daily NonpareilNURSES10A Saturday, April 28, 2012
10
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Three are amongthe ‘100 Great’
Three southwest Iowa nurses have been selected to receivethe 100 Great Iowa Nurses designation.
Two selected are nurses with Hospice of Southwest Iowa:Brenda Winship and Teresa Hardy. The third is Tamra Ruff,an East Mills Community School District nurse.
The two nominated nurses with Hospice of Southwest Iowacome from two different locations: Winship is with the CouncilBluffs location and Hardy is with the Corning location.
“Brenda’s most significant contribution to the nursing pro-fession is her gift of a calm, quiet and understandingdemeanor when she is talking with clients and family mem-bers,” supervisor Joni Vallier said. “She takes the time to lis-ten when others are speaking and has outstanding criticalthinking skills. She is able to formulate the information shehas been given, and in a calming approach, assist in proce-dures or conversations to do what is best for all who areinvolved.
“This is no easy task when caring for patients at the end oflife. There are often many emotions from patients, familiesand caregivers, and Brenda is able to help them all ‘sift’through those emotions in order that the patient is able tohave a better death.”
Hardy’s calm demeanor was also praised by her supervisor.“Teresa Hardy has been an RN at Alegent Health at
Home/Hospice of Southwest Iowa/Adams County PublicHealth in Corning since August 2008,” supervisor Kathy Westsaid. “Teresa’s most significant contribution is her gift of com-mon sense with calming presence that is evident in her caringand gentle nursing practice. She has met many a difficult situ-ation calmly and sensibly, and diffused the anxiety and angerwith compassion. She demonstrates unrelenting unconditionalregard for human life.”
Ruff has been the school nurse for the East Mills/NishnaValley Community School District for 11 years. For the 2011-12 school year, she serves Chantry Elementary, Nishna ValleyElementary, East Mills Middle School and East Mills HighSchool.
Ruff is a 1979 graduate of Tri-Center High School and a1984 graduate of the University Of Iowa College Of Nursing.She is the daughter of Gordon and Ellie Kasch, formerly ofMinden.
Nominations are submitted by colleagues, patients and oth-ers, and the final selections are made by representatives of theIowa Hospital Association, Iowa Nurses Association, IowaNurses Foundation and the University Of Iowa College OfNursing. Nurses selected for this honor represent many sec-tors of health care.
“Those chosen for this honor are to be commended foradvancing and leading the profession of nursing, and fordemonstrating excellence in direct-care delivery,” programchairwoman Rita Frantz said.
This year’s 100 Great Iowa Nurses will be honored on May6, the beginning of National Nurses Week, at a reception inthe Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines.
To learn more, go to greatnurses.org.
Pediatric nurses and othermedical staff members areoften the first people parentstalk to when they have a healthconcern about a child.
They’re the ones whoanswer phone calls from wor-ried parents who aren’t surewhat to give a child who isn’tfeeling well, what dosage togive them and whether to bringthem in for the doctor to exam-ine.
“If something doesn’t soundright or feel right, I always tellparents ‘I want you to feel com-fortable – so, if you’re not com-fortable trying to (treat them)at home … you need to comein,” said Nicole Dvorak, a certi-fied medical assistant atMethodist Physicians Clinic, 1Edmundson Place.
Dvorak said she talks to oth-ers about what’s going aroundso she knows what to listen for.
“Sometimes it’s a matter ofasking more questions andgathering more informationfrom them and putting all thepieces together,” she said. “Themore questions we ask, the bet-ter picture you can get.”
Parents may hesitate to callfor the right dosage of an over-the-counter drug – but formu-las and guidelines can change,so it’s best to make sure, Dvo-rak said.
“You think ‘I don’t want tocall just to find out the dosage,’but it’s good to check with us,”she said.
Sometimes, she needs to
check with the doctor and seewhat he recommends, she said.
Dvorak initially didn’t knowif she would like pediatrics, shesaid.
“I thought of giving childrenshots and being mean to them,”she said.
But then she realized she
was there to help parents aswell as children – especially toeducate parents, in her currentposition.
Dvorak was born and raisedin Council Bluffs and gradu-ated from Abraham LincolnHigh School. She attendedNebraska College of Business
and left the area for three yearsand worked at a pediatric clinicin Ohio. She enjoys her job atMethodist Physicians Clinic.
“I love the providers I workfor, I love my co-workers,” shesaid. “I just like being able to bethere for the parents and thechildren.”
The Daily Nonpareil NURSES Saturday, April 28, 2012 11A
Thank Youfor your service to
SAINT ALBERT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
KATHLEEN ZAJICSt. Albert
School Nurse
Architectural Specialty Products for General Contractors
Steve & JoAnn Epperson1159 Pierce Street • Council Bluffs, IA 51503
(712) 322-0308
Touching hearts, saving lives…all in a day’s work.
During National Nurses Week, we recognize thededication and achievements of today’s nursing
professionals. These men and women make ourcommunity and our world a better place by providingencouragement, comfort and professional medical
attention to the patients entrusted to their care.Every day, every shift, our nation’s nurses
touch the lives of patients andtheir loved ones. We thankthem for their extraordinary
efforts and tirelesscommitment to caring.
“I just like being able to be there for the parents and the children.”– Nicole Dvorak
certified medical assistant
On the front line
Staff photo/Tim Johnson
Nicole Dvorak, certified medical assistant, answers a question over the phone atMethodist Physicians Clinic.
Nurses, medicalassistants just aphone call away
■ Average age of employed RNs – 45.5 years
■ Percentage of RNs age 50 or older – 45 percent
■ Largest age group of employed RNs (5-year increments) – 50-54 years
■ Percentage of RNs from a racial/ethnicminority group – 16.8 percent
■ Percentage of male RNs – 6.6 percent
■ Average annual salary –for RNs, 2008 – $66,973– American Nursing Association
NURSING BY THE NUMBERS
The Daily NonpareilNURSES12A Saturday, April 28, 2012
Welcoming. Assuring. Compassionate.
For 125 years, it has been our Nurses that
have made the difference to our patients.
They have provided Council Bluffsand southwest Iowa with the absolute
best in healthcare for generations.
Jennie Edmundson Nurses 1908
Jennie Edmundson Nurses, Early 1900s
Jennie Nurses of Unit K, Mobile Surgical Hospital, WW1
Exploring the fieldof nursing
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
Enter a hospital, doctor’s office, adult care facility or medical clinic and youare bound to encounter nurses. Nurse is a broad term used to describe most indi-viduals who perform patient-based care in a variety of settings. A nurse’s dutiesand title will vary depending on his or her educational background and the cer-tifications and licenses he or she has received.
The field of nursing is seemingly recession-proof.According to the U.S. Bureauof Labor Statistics, there are roughly 2.6 million nurses in the United States. Noother career choice within the field of healthcare can claim such strength innumbers, both in the United States and Canada.
There are many advantages to becoming a nurse, including growing employ-ment opportunities. Over the next 20 years, the BLS predicts 800,000 vacanciesin the field of nursing in the United States alone. Financial gain is to be had aswell. Depending on the type of nurse, he or she has the potential to make any-where between $43,000 and $115,000 a year, according to the BLS’sOccu-pational Employment Statistics Program. Furthermore, because ofthe wide breadth of nursing services, there is plenty of room forspecialty application and advancement.
Here are the common types of nurses and the type of edu-cation required to become a nurse.
■ Nursing aide/orderly: Nursing aides and orderlies helpnurses care for patients and perform routine tasks. Theyspend most of their time with patients, serving meals,keeping patients comfortable, answering call lights,making beds, and giving baths. Most nursing aides workin a hospital setting or long-term facilities for the eld-erly. A high school diploma may be all that’s needed tobecome a nursing aide.
■ Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): An LPN studiesfor a year after earning a high school diploma and mustbe licensed in the state in which he or she will work.LPNs typically record medical histories, weigh andmeasure patients, record symptoms, and administerinjections.
■ Registered Nurse (RN): AnRN typically pursues atwo-year Associate’s degree in nursing or may receive aBachelor’s degree in the field. RNs must pass a nationalexam before they are licensed. The duties of an RNaregenerally more varied and in-depth than those of anLPN and can include helping patients manage treat-ment plans.
■ Nurse practitioner (NP): Nurse practitioners areamong the most educated hospital employees. In addi-tion to their RN study, they earn a Master’s degree andmay specialize in one area. Also, NPs may be able towork outside of the authority of a physician. In suchinstances, an NP can run a medical practice, diagnoseand prescribe medication just as a doctor would.
Although doctors are often thought of as the primarycare providers in most healthcare settings, nurses aregrowing in numbers and have taken on many of the rolesonce reserved exclusively for doctors.
BOB GLISSMANNWORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE
OMAHA – It’s one thing totell somebody how to improvehis or her health. It’s another togive people a say in how thoseimprovements should comeabout.
Students in the Universityof Nebraska Medical Center’sCollege of Nursing have beenlearning the importance ofpatient input in an extension ofa five-year, $1.6 million study.
Health care providers are“really good at diagnosing andthen making treatment sugges-tions,” said Teresa BarryHultquist, an assistant profes-sor at UNMC and the study’sprincipal investigator. “We’renot always good at partneringwith (patients) to help themsort out what they can do.”
The study, funded by the fed-eral Health Resources and Ser-vices Administration, wasaimed at helping people withType 2 diabetes. A total of 154undergraduate students mademore than 900 visits to thehomes of 93 diabetic patients.
Hultquist said the concept ofmeeting with patients to helpthem develop approaches totheir health concerns has beenintegrated into the curriculumat the college’s campuses inOmaha, Lincoln, Kearney,Scottsbluff and Norfolk.
To start, the nursing stu-dents devise action plans toaddress their own behavior.
“Maybe they’re going toexercise more,” Hultquist said.“One of them was going to giveup chocolate for two weeks.”
The students start out fol-lowing their plans, “but lifekind of intervenes. You’ve gottests, projects. Some of themforgot they even did actionplans,” she said.
Through the experience, stu-dents realize that if they hadtrouble following their ownplans, patients with healthproblems may face even biggerbarriers to success.
With newly diagnosed dia-betics, Hultquist said, healthcare providers try to educatethem about the many chal-lenges they will face regardingtheir weight, blood-sugar moni-toring, exercise and proper eat-ing. All the rules can be over-whelming, she said.
“We’re not asking them‘What bothers you the mostabout having diabetes? Whatdo you want to work on first?’”
If the patient can identifyone area to tackle and be suc-cessful, she said, that canencourage them to successfullymake other changes.
The self-management con-cept expanded to other nursingcourses, including a health pro-motion/disease prevention
course, said Sara Goomis, alsoan assistant professor in thenursing college.
A pilot program extendedthe time some students meetwith their patients into the sec-ond semester of this year andbeyond.
Betty Johnson, a 76-year-oldretired nurse who meets peri-odically with a nursing stu-dent, had seen a flier about theprogram in the lobby of herwest-central Omaha apart-ment.
Johnson tries to eat rightand to exercise but faced chal-lenges after she and her hus-band, Dave, were forced fromtheir home in Fort Calhoun bylast summer’s Missouri Riverflooding.
Nursing student DeliaDjalilova and Johnson beganmeeting in August, filling out amedical family tree and settinggoals for Johnson’s diet andexercise regimen. They alsoidentified any potential prob-lems that might prevent John-
son from reaching her goals.Earlier this year, Johnson
and Djalilova sat at the John-sons’ dining room table andtalked about portion control,reducing salt intake andincreasing the number of timesper week that Johnson went tothe fitness center to swim.
Johnson said the last timeshe was at the center, the waterwas too cold. Djalilova offeredto accompany Johnson on hernext visit to make sure sheknew how to use the center’sweight machines if swimmingwasn’t an option.
Djalilova also lent Johnsona book that offered ideas onhow to incorporate more veg-etables and fruits into meals.
Dr. Suzanne Vandenhul, afamily practitioner in Lincoln,Neb., had nursing studentswork with young families anddiabetic patients during thefirst four years of the project.The in-home visits helpedpatients stick to their goals andidentified areas of concern, shesaid.
The nursing students canspend time in the patient’senvironment “where thepatient is more comfortable.They’re more apt to ask ques-tions.” The students can seewhat sorts of food the patientshave on hand and find out howthey’re doing – and offerencouragement – on their exer-cise and dietary goals, Vanden-
hul said.“I learned so much about my
patients from those nursingstudents who went out there,”Vandenhul said. “It helped metake better care of (thepatients) when I did see themin the office.”
Djalilova and Johnson metagain about 10 days ago andmade plans to review John-son’s progress in May.
Djalilova said she learnedfrom her interaction withJohnson, who has become herfriend, and has used thatknowledge on exams. Johnsonsaid she looks forward to thesessions – that they keep hermotivated: “You always need alittle boost.”
The Daily Nonpareil NURSES Saturday, April 28, 2012 13A
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Sunday: Breakfast Buffet $8.99 or Ham Dinner* $9.99
Kids Eat FREE Monday-Friday with purchase of an adult mealParty Room & Catering Available Overnight Specials
I-80 & 24th St. Exit, Council Bluffs, IA712-322-9052
OPEN24 HOURS
Mo Belling
Jennifer Campbell
Teresa Dreismeier
Chris Hicks
Emily Hummel
Pam Hunt
Lisa Kaufman
Kelly Keller
Marilyn Knauss
Julie Larsen
Mindi Miles
Heather Olson
Jayne Rake
Michelle Smith
Tangee Towers
Council Bluffs Community School District
*Dinner Specials comewith the choice of twosides. The salad bar isan additional charge.
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Bella Maria GomezLoess Hills High School ~ Senior
Our beautiful Bella, we love youso much and we are so proud of you!
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“I learned so much about my patients from those nursing students ... It helped me take better care of (the patients) when I did see them in the office.”
– Dr. Suzanne Vandenhul, a family practitioner in Lincoln, Neb.
Nursing students learn importance of inputStudent-patientpartnership puts
health goalswithin reach
Submitted photo
Students in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’sCollege of Nursing have been learning the importance ofpatient input in an extension of a five-year study. To start,the nursing students devise action plans to address theirown behavior. Through the experience, students realizethat if they had trouble following their own plans, patientswith health problems may face even bigger barriers tosuccess.
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Employment Section
The Daily NonpareilNURSES14A Saturday, April 28, 2012
At Alegent Health, we are dedicated to healing the body, mind and
spirit of every person. This is made possible by the compassion
and dedication of our exceptional team of nurses. Striving for an
outstanding quality experience for all of our patients and families,
our nurses have developed, refined and shared best practices and
have standardized care delivery.
In recognition of National Nurses Week, we salute our nurses for
the difference they make in the lives of our patients and families.
From the ICU nurse working tirelessly to improve the health of
our very ill patients to the Alegent Health Clinic nurse helping our
patients understand the importance of healthy living, our nurses
are providing patient care that is unsurpassed.
Alegent Health Nurses, we have a great appreciation for all you
do, thank you.
Our Nurses Make a Difference
1-800-ALEGENTAlegent.com
Bergan Mercy • Immanuel • Lakeside • Mercy/Council Bluffs • Midlands/Papillion Community Memorial/Missouri Valley • Memorial/Schuyler • Mercy/Corning • Plainview • Alegent Health Clinic/70 Locations
Alegent Health is a faith-based health ministry sponsored by Catholic Health Initiatives and Immanuel.
(From left to right) Julie Rayner, R.N., and Kathy Tremel, R.N., at Alegent Health Lakeside Hospital
“...the reason you’re here is this is something you enjoy doing. Your goal is to take excellent care of your patients, make their experiencepleasant and make sure that they’re safe, that you’ve done everything in your power to make sure the everything goes well.”
– Jane Killion, R.N.Post-anesthetic care unit at Jennie Edmundson Hospital
Longtime nurses reflect years in the fieldMIKE BROWNLEE
Technology is always in lockstepwith time, moving forward. Such isthe case in nursing, according tolongtime members of the field.
“There’s a computer at every bed-side, a barcode system for the safedistribution of medications, com-puter cards to keep track of eachpatients, electronic records,” saidSue Matthews, team lead on themedical-surgical pediatric floor atAlegent Health Mercy Hospital anda 14-year nursing veteran. “Technol-ogy helps streamline what I do.”
Carol Deitchler of the JennieEdmundson Hospital surgerydepartment started in 1969 andbecame full time in 1980. She saidadvances in equipment have meantmost procedures at the facility allowthe patient to return home the sameday.
In the past, the majority of sur-geries featured an open incision anda few-days stay in the hospital.Today, laparoscopic or arthroscopicprocedures feature a small incisionand doctors are able to look at areasof the body through a camera.
“That cuts down recovery timedramatically,” she said, noting about75 to 85 percent of procedures are ofthe outpatient variety. “People comein in the morning and head home atnight.”
Jane Killion of the Jennie Edpost-anesthetic care unit, picked upwhere Deitchler left off. Killion saidalong with equipment advances, theanesthetic drugs have improved aswell.
“Patients wake up quicker, there’sless nausea. And the amount of thosesame-day surgeries is unbelievable,”the 25-year nurse said.
Outside of technology, Matthewssaid she’s seen an increase inpatients with economic troubles.Patients, on a whole, have a greaterneed for financial assistance, whichisn’t always available.
“Our focus is to make sure theyhave what they need to get well athome, and that’s a challenge attimes. Our biggest need when theyget home, keep them home,” she said.“But often times, they’ll have tospend money on food and utilitiesinstead of medicine. A lot of peopledon’t have a car, can’t drive, so theycan’t make appointments, can’t dofollow up.
“It’s a spinning wheel, then theyend back up in the emergency room.”
Something that hasn’t changed isthe reason for being a nurse.
“I think the basic, the reasonyou’re here is this is something you
enjoy doing,” Killion said. “Your goalis to take excellent care of yourpatients, make their experiencepleasant and make sure that they’resafe, that you’ve done everything inyour power to make sure the every-thing goes well.
“People are pretty grateful fortheir care. That makes it nicer. Youwork hard for them and they seem toappreciate it. That’s the way it’s beensince I’ve been in nursing.”
“It’s fast-paced. There are changesin processes, we’re always trying tomake it better, make it more efficient,make outcomes better for the patientand the hospital,” Matthews said.
“We have lots of students that rotatethrough our floor. It’s fun to see themwatch and learn and grow. Fun toteach them and help them on theirway. I do my job because I love it, therewards are great. I’d encourage peo-ple to pursue that nursing career.”
NURSING BY THE NUMBERSRN population by nurse employment status, 1980-2008*
Millions3
2.5
2
1
1.5
.5
0
* The totals of full-time and part-time employment may not add to the estimate of all RNs employed innursing due to incomplete information provided by respondents on employment status and the effectof rounding.
– American Nursing Association
Staff photos/Erin Duerr
Sue Matthews, right, team lead on the medical-surgical pediatric floorat Alegent Health Mercy Hospital, is shown above with Denise McNitt,Chief Nurse Executive at Mercy. Matthews, a 14-year nursing veteran,said “Technology helps streamline what I do.” At right, post-anestheticcare unit nurse Jane Killion, R.N., and surgical nurse Carol Deitchler,R.N., at Jennie Edmundson Hospital. Killion has been in the nursingprofession for 25 years. Deitchler began her career in 1969.