July 29, 2021
Volume 4 Issue 15
Six Simple Summertime Food Safety Tips Page 2 Welcome to the New ExcelaHealth.org Page 2 MyExcelaCareer Page 2 & 3 Word On Wellnes Page 4 & 5 Jennerstown Speedway Perk Page 6 Night at the Westmoreland County Fair Page 6 Employee Engagement New Faces
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Baseline ImPACT® Testing: What it is, Who Needs it and Why it is Important Baseline ImPACT® testing is an important tool in the prevention of concussive consequences for our youth. ImPACT® stands for Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing. It is a test that measures memory, attention span, visual and verbal problem solving. ImPACT® has two primary uses: before the onset of an activity, a baseline test is conducted to measure the athlete’s performance baseline. In the event of an injury, a post-injury test is administered and compared to the baseline and/or normative data scores. Excela Health is offering baseline ImPACT® testing for kids 10-18 years of age in office or via telehealth for $25 now through August 27. Kids ages 5-9 can be tested in office for the same fee. Every test will be checked for validity by one of our experts, and results will be discussed with the athlete and/or parent. Contact us at 724-689-1070 to schedule a test. Learn More
COVID-19 Delta Variant FAQ Dr. Carol Fox, Chief Medical Officer answers some of the common questions about the COVID-19 Delta variant. Dr. Fox explains what the Delta variant is, who should be concerned about the variant, what the symptoms of the variant are and more. Read More
Excela Health Mall Walkers Returns to In-Person Event Mall Walkers returns to in-person on Thursday, August 26, 7:45AM, at Westmoreland Mall. The event will include a physician presentation and attendees will receive bottled water, a small refreshment item and giveaways! Participants can RSVP by calling the Excela Health Call Center at 1-877-771-1234. Learn More
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Six Simple Summertime Food Safety Tips Virtual Job Fair Operating Room Registered Nurses and Surgical Technologists Tuesday, August 3, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Friday, August 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register, click here. Excela Health is hiring Operating Room Registered Nurses and Surgical Technologists at multiple locations within the health system.
Virtual Job Fair Join us to learn more about career opportunities at Excela Health. Tuesday, August 10, 1 to 2 p.m. To join, click here. The Excela Health recruitment team is partnering with Carlow University to host a virtual job fair to provide networking opportunities for students, Carlow representatives and Excela employees. Community members are also invited to attend.
Summer and barbecue season are here! It’s time to get outdoors and have a picnic or cookout with friends and family. But along with eating outdoors comes the concern for food safety. Warm temperatures and outdoor food preparation set the stage for unwanted guests… bacteria that can cause food-related illnesses. Everyone can practice safe food handling by remembering to CLEAN-SEPARATE-COOK-CHILL with these 6 simple steps. Read More
Welcome to the New ExcelaHealth.org Over the past six months the Marketing and Communications team has been working to develop a new and improved public website for Excela Health. This evolution of the site includes upgrades to the user experience and the design. The new look is a reflection of Excela Health’s position as an advanced and accomplished tertiary medical system in the region. Maintaining an informative website is an organic process that requires constant attention and modifications. Should you notice problems in functionality or inaccurate information, please click here. If you have a request for updated or additional content for your department or area, please submit a marketing project request here.
Final Pfizer Vaccine Clinic Before Back to School Don't miss your shot before returning to school! Excela Health is offering the Pfizer vaccine (available to anyone 12 years and older) on Friday, August 6 at the Excela Health Vaccine Clinic in the Excela Square at Norwin plaza. Appointments are required. Register Here
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Meet Dr. Lauren Sciullo, Family Medicine Lauren Sciullo, DO has joined Excela Square Latrobe Family Medicine. “I chose family medicine because I wanted to care for the entire person. I like the idea of caring for patients over a long period of time, getting to know them well and forming a relationship with them. I also enjoy the fact each day presents new challenges and that no two days are identical. ” Learn more
Virtual Nursing Interviews Excela Health currently has multiple nursing opportunities available. Those interested can speak with a memeber of the Talent Acquisition team virtually every third Tuesday of the month from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more
Excela Health Employee’s Grandchild Receives Golden Buzzer Congratulations to Unity native Victory Brinker on her golden buzzer performance on “America’s Got Talent”! Victory’s grandparents Toni and James Barnett are both a part of the Excela Health family. Toni is a lead tech in the EEG department at Westmoreland Hospital and James is an MRI technologist at Westmoreland Hospital. Good luck to Victory - Excela Health is cheering you on!
Home Care & Hospice Walk-In Interviews Know someone Interested in joining a team of caregivers who are compassionate and committed to helping people maintain their independence? Open positions include Home Health RNs, Hospice RNs, Home Health Aides, and Direct Care Partners. Interested applicants can visit the Home Care & Hospice office (501 W. Otterman Street Greensburg) any Wednesday and learn more about the various opportunities that are available. Interviews may be conducted on-site. Learn more
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Word On Wellness Protect Yourself From Compassion Fatigue Compassion Fatigue refers to a gradual change that occurs among healthcare providers as a result of having empathic engagements with patients over time. More specifically, compassion fatigue is a prolonged sense of exhaustion caused by repeated exposures to other people’s traumatic experiences.This process is unique and individualized considering two people can experience the same situation and have two very different reactions. All of us experience some level of compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue symptoms occur gradually and are often noticed by other people before we notice them within ourselves. The effects may be experienced physically or emotionally. Physical signs may be vague or difficult to diagnose. These may include changes in sleep or appetite, feelings of generalized pain, dizziness, headaches or GI symptoms. Emotional signs may include: hyperarousal or anxiety, irritability, cynicism, impulsivity, feeling numb, social withdrawal, or anhedonia. The cumulative interactions we have with patients changes the way we think about ourselves in relation to the world. We may begin to feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless as a result of repeatedly experiencing our patients’ traumas. We may have a difficult time feeling safe or being able to trust people. We may feel alienated or lose faith in spirituality. Healthcare workers often describe this state of personal anhedonia as “going through the motions, but never fully engaging.” Many healthcare workers believe we are immune to compassion fatigue. As a result we neglect our own self-care until symptoms begin to emerge. It is very important that we consider ways to protect ourselves so that we are able to maintain a healthy work/life balance. Physical protections: • Good nutrition • Exercise • Rest • Massage • Smoking cessation • Routine health maintenance • Yoga
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Word On Wellness Protect Yourself From Compassion Fatigue Cont. Emotional protections: • Focusing on compassion satisfaction which is the positive feelings derived from one’s ability to help others • Increased self-awareness to help prevent compassion fatigue • Humor • Developing personal goals outside of work • Exploring new hobbies • Finding healthy, creative ways to express feelings (conversations, art, music, theater, writing) Social and Professional Protections: • Be open to learning and growing - activities such as reading, consultation, networking or attending work • shops help to motivate and rejuvenate us. They remind us why we chose this profession. • Delegate responsibilities both at home and at work • Set limits and boundaries with other people • Asking for help • Debriefing with coworkers after traumatic events • Socializing with others outside of healthcare • Spiritual involvement • Positive support systems No one is immune to the impact of compassion fatigue. If you are experiencing symptoms, please do not neglect your own self-care. Contact the Employee Assistance Program for more ways to achieve a healthy work-life balance. Michele Mattis, Psy.D. Director of Behavioral Sciences
By The Numbers
Wellness Programs Completed to Date
Biometric Screenings Completed to Date
Total Biometric Screenings Needing Completed
Employees who Received the COVID-19 Vaccine
2,343 2,216 1,522 2,907 1,466 2,223 Vs. This Time Last Year
Vs. This Time Last Year
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Employee Engagement Jennerstown Speedway Perk Excela Health employees can receive up to four complimentary tickets redeemable for Saturday, August 14, 2021. Children 12 and under do not require a ticket to enter the complex. To redeem your complimentary tickets Email Laura Denner at ldenner@excelahealth.org with your first and last name, Excela Health email address and your Excela campus location/facility and department/unit. Afterwards a representative from Excela Health Marketing will send your tickets to you via interoffice mail only.
Night at the Westmoreland County Fair Join Excela Health at the Westmoreland County Fair on August 23. Excela Health employees and their families receive $3 admission with the presentation of their employee ID. Employees and their family MUST arrive at the gate at the same time. NO EXCEPTIONS. Employees should meet at 6:25 p.m. for a group photo at 6:30 p.m. at Excela Health booth by the main entrance. Discounted ticket price valid only for August 23. Tickets for gate admission only, does not include rides/refreshments.
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Kudos & Recognition Kudos All Emergency Departments “The doctor called ahead. I was taken in immediately. I have been coming to the hospital for many years. I recommend all the time. Always been a good experience.” Westmoreland Hospital Feedback “Staff very supportive and understanding. The respect they gave was beyond supportive.” Latrobe Hospital Feedback “All staff members I came in contact with were very nice and very professional.” Frick Hospital Feedback
Share Your Story Have something that you would like to share with the Excela Insight staff for future editions? Email information to insight@excelahealth.org
New Faces Frick Hospital
Westmoreland Hospital
Emergency Department Alyssa Colo, Graduate Nurse Laboratory Services Michelle Patterson, Phlebotomist Progressive Care Unit Jozi Zelasko, RN
Behavioral Health Partial Hospital BillieJo Yeater, Behavioral Health Technician Food and Nutrition Services Ann Scifo, Nutrition Services Specialist Imaging Services David Sanner, Radiology Technologist Inpatient Physical Therapy Janna Duffy, Occupational Therapist Nicole Yakich, Speech Pathologist Intensive Care Unit Tyler Dickey, BSN Automn George, RN Trina Weil, BSN Laboratory Services Warren Gower, Laboratory Technologist Frank Weinzierl, Phlebotomist Medical Surgical Unit 3D/3E Christina Baily, Technical Partner Amanda Colley, RN Nursing Pool Nicole Carroll, Technical Partner Student Kylee Cooper, Technical Partner Student Erin Haun, Technical Partner Student Sydney Hemus, Patient Safety Associate Kaylie Melnick-Mulroy, Technical Partner Student Operating Room Taylor Burkholder, Surgical Technologist I PCU 2AB Yonggi Um, BSN Quality Services Angela Geisler, Oncology Data Specialist Step Down Unit Delaney Gallaher, Graduate Nurse Volunteer Services Kim Bell, Visitor Concierge Delaney Hodgson, Visitor Concierge Stacey Welty, Visitor Concierge
Latrobe Hospital Behavioral Health Inpatient Unit 2 Angela Starkey, RN Emergency Department Zackery Carl, Technical Partner Nursing Pool Abigail Axelson, Technical Partner Operating Room Alicia Ferrenberg, RN John Wolford III, RN
Excela Health Medical Group Advanced Pain Center Excela Square at Frick Lauren Richardson, Certified Medical Assistant Anesthesia Excela Square at Norwin Natalie Boehm, CRNA Family Medicine Derry Lisa McNichol, Certified Medical Assistant Saltsburg Annah Deren, Patient Services Associate Occupational Medicine Latrobe Eden Jarvie, Medical Assistant Obstetrics & Gynecology Greensburg Wendi Rost, Certified Medical Assistant
Excela Square at Norwin Surgery Center Alexandra Wackenhuth, BSN
Home Care & Hospice Home Care Traci Rhodes, Medical Secretary
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