Royal Inland Hospital - Pledge Day

INSIDE

RIH Foundation

It’s Back... Pledge Day!.......................2 Cody’s Recovery . ...............................3 RIH Patient Gives Back......................4 The Need For Beds at RIH . ..............5 Making Our Hospital Feel Bedder......6 RIH’s Trauma System........................8 Doctor, Nurse ‘Blessing’......................10 Clinton Family Welcomes Twins.........11

www.rihfoundation.ca

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

The Daily News, Kamloops

1

Pledge Day Is Back!

RIH Raises Funds For New Beds – Page 2

RIH’S Trauma System – Page 8

Making our Hospital Feel Bedder – Page 6

Transferring your prescriptions is easy!

Your prescriptions can be filled without the added headache of traffic, parking, or long waits in drug store lines. Experience the difference.

• Free Reserved Parking right in front.

• Prescriptions filled promptly.

• Competitive pricing.

• Conveniently located across from Royal Inland Hospital.

Cory Proctor • Experienced staff.

Pharmacist / Owner

prescriptions + convenience

Columbia Street Pharmacy & Home Health Care Centre 300 Columbia St., Kamloops

ph. 778-471-5971 www.columbiastreetpharmacy.ca

Prescriptions Compounding Home Health Care

“helping you live a healthier life”

D001460128

Proudly supporting Royal Inland Hospital & Pledge Day

Milk & Honey Photography

Clinton Family Welcomes Twins – Page 11

2

The Daily News, Kamloops

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

www.rihfoundation.ca

It’s Back‌ Pledge Day! The Royal Inland Hospital Foundation will host Pledge Day—a one day fundraiser in support of new beds at RIH—on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at the Aberdeen Mall.

Doug Button, Board Chair—RIH Foundation:

“I am really pleased to be part of bringing Pledge Day back to its glory at Aberdeen Mall. It is always so exciting to be involved in events where there is a lot of community involvement. Improving healthcare is everybody’s responsibility and it does take a village to keep it strong.�

“My past involvement with the RIHF Pledge Day always provided me with an opportunity to articulate and discuss with potential donors, in a very personal way, the importance of having an excellent health-care facility in our community.

Pledge Day was so important in getting this message out to the community. I was often able to use my own health challenges in the past, to illustrate and emphasize how positively RIH can impact our lives. I am so glad Pledge Day is back!�

“Pledge Day is back and our big challenge for that day is to raise enough funds to purchase 15 new beds. Please come by Aberdeen Mall to show your support and help us reach our goal. I hope you enjoy reading the wonderful stories in this special hospital issue. On behalf of the board of Directors of the RIH Foundation thank you – we couldn’t do it without you!�

John Forrester, Honourary Member, RIH Foundation:

Jim Reynolds, Past Board Chair— RIH Foundation: "The future growth of Royal Inland Hospital starts with support from the communities it serves. Every donation (during Pledge Day), big or small, will add up, and ensure that all residents are served with the very best in healthcare at RIH."

“The response when Pledge Day began was overwhelming! Kamloops and all of the interior communities served by the Royal Inland were most generous. It sure made me proud to be part of that warm response.�

Vi Hilton, Society Member— RIH Foundation: “I have been participating in Pledge Day since 1985 and it came with a passion to do my part in healthcare. If the Foundation did not raise funds for modern and safe equipment, how would we diagnose the medical problems that occur today?

Congratulations to the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation for bringing this event back!’’

in support of Pledge Day

YourNewsNow.ca

&REE 'IFT WITH 0URCHASE p -ARCH q 2ECEIVE A STERLING SILVER 0!.$/2! CLASP BRACELET A #!$ RETAIL VALUE WITH YOUR 0!.$/2! PURCHASE OF OR MORE

"EFORE TAXES 'OOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST LIMIT ONE PER CUSTOMER #HARMS SHOWN ON BRACELET ARE SOLD SEPARATELY 3EE OUR STORE FOR DETAILS

)N THE 7ALMART 0LAZA p WWW Ăš FTHAVENUEJEWELLERS COM

D001457182

Heidi Coleman, CEO—RIH Foundation:

Craig Cook, Society Member— RIH Foundation:

We encourage you to drop by with your donation or call the Foundation at 250.314.2325 to make your gift.

www.rihfoundation.ca

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

The Daily News, Kamloops

3

Cody’s Recovery On October 4, 2012, 27 year old Cody Shmoorkoff was traveling home from work with his boss and a co-worker outside of Kamloops when their truck left the road and they rolled 200 feet down an embankment.

Cody was ejected from the truck and pinned underneath. As the tires lost their pressure and the truck began to sink, the two men with Cody began to dig out the dirt from around him to prevent him from being crushed. Cody’s boss, Anthony—who was also injured in the accident—then climbed up the embankment in order to call 911. Once first responders arrived, they pulled Cody to safety and he was taken by ambulance to Royal Inland Hospital (RIH). Cody was treated by the trauma team in the ER before being transferred to the ICU. His injuries were serious and included a dislocated hip, fractured pelvis and torn abdominal wall.

Luckily, only one surgery was required due to an infection in the wounds on his back. Cody was at RIH for over three months

receiving care for his injuries.

With numerous infections, bone fractures, and open wounds on his back, Cody was forced to remain lying on his side at all times and he found it difficult to get comfortable in his hospital bed. He eventually asked staff if they had any other types of beds available for him to use. Coincidentally, new acute care beds were being trialed in the hospital at the time and Cody was able to spend about a week in a CHG Spirit Select bed. “It was a great bed. I was more comfortable than in the previous bed and felt safe and secure.”

Cody’s care team included Jan Beard, the Enterostomal Therapist

who specializes in wound care at RIH. Jan confirms that Cody benefited from the bed: “The new bed was great for Cody and the staff who cared for him. He was able to adjust his position, with the accessible control panel to the side of the new bed, to get himself into a more comfortable position, independently.”

Cody is now back at home in Dallas with his fiancée, Susana and their one year old son, Royce. He is still using crutches to get around and comes to RIH at least three times a week for physiotherapy and wound care but, he plans on making a full recovery from his injuries.

RCMP, B.C Ambulance and Kamloops Fire Rescue responded to the scene of Cody’s accident on Robins Road in Monte Creek.

Cody working with Physiotherapist, Shauna Boyko, at RIH in February.

PROUD TO SUPPORT RIH FOUNDATION PLEDGE DAY "Your Journey to Adventure Starts Here"

1-866-374-4477

2525 E. TRANS CANADA HWY, KAMLOOPS, BC www.kamloopsdodge.com

D0014 D001457184 00 57184

Only at Kamloops Dodge!

4

The Daily News, Kamloops

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

www.rihfoundation.ca

RIH Patient Gives Back Over the last 16 years, Peter Cameron-Inglis has come to know Royal Inland Hospital very well. At age 27, Peter was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and since then, he has spent approximately 24 months as a patient at RIH battling this disease.

Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the gastrointestinal tract. This can lead to a variety of symptoms including severe abdominal pain, vomiting and weight loss. It is caused by interactions between environmental, immunological and bacterial factors in genetically susceptible individuals.

The disease has caused Peter constant and debilitating pain and numerous surgeries over the years that have kept him in the hospital for long periods of time.

In October of 2011, Peter’s care team at RIH performed another resection surgery to remove part of his upper and lower intestines with the hope of removing the areas most damaged by the disease.

Unfortunately, the surgery did not go well and doctors were forced to perform an emergency ileostomy (a surgical opening constructed by bringing the end or loop of small intestine out onto the surface of the skin) which kept Peter in the hospital until December, 2011. Peter was back in the hospital this January for a reversal of the ileostomy and he is now at home with his family and feeling the best he has in years.

After spending a total of six months at RIH in 2011, his perspective on hospital healthcare delivery shifted. He was constantly amazed by the level of care being offered to patients and how much healthcare staff was able to accomplish with limited resources. “There were countless times that staff stayed late to comfort a terminal patient. And crisis situations that I witnessed where physicians and nurses conveyed only positive reassurance to patients and family during a very stressful time.”

Peter left the hospital that December inspired to do something

DRIVE THRU PHARMACY

A pharmacy first.

that would have an impact on the healthcare sector. As the CEO of a successful video production company (Mastermind Studios), he decided to re-invent his business model in order to focus more on the healthcare industry.

Through the development of new technology including interactive video, Mastermind Studios hopes to apply this technology to the healthcare sector through the development of communications, educational and training videos that could be used by patients to learn more about managing a health problem or, by staff for training purposes and professional development.

Peter and his team are also giving back to our local hospital and community through the creation of an interactive physician recruitment video that will be used by Venture Kamloops to help attract new physicians to our city.

Having spent so much time in a hospital bed at RIH, Peter was excited to learn about the Foundation’s “Feeling Bedder” campaign. “Staff need the proper resources in order to do their job to the best of their ability.

The new acute care beds will not only make patients more comfortable and safe, but will also help staff perform their best.”

Peter Cameron-Inglis, a grateful patient and local entrepreneur, recently re-invented his business to focus more on healthcare.

ed for Vaccine Injections • FREE Prescription Delivery • Certifi Any time - any day Rexall Reminder Ready • FREE • Certified Asthma Educator Automatically refills your prescription and call you when it's ready • FREE Diabetes Management Rexall Medication Review • FREE FREE Meds-Organizer Packs • ensure Identifies & resolves any meds related multiple medications are taken at the issues for people taking multiple meds

Exclusive products crafted to help you live a better life.

"Proud supporter of Royal Inland Hospital & RIH Pledge Day"

right time everyday

ϭϬϭͲϭϴϬϭ ,ǁy͘ ϱA SoƵth

Ph: 250.372.2207

Store Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-9pm | Sundays 9am-6pm

www.rexall.ca

Cityview Centre, Kamloops, BC

Fax: 250.372.2257

www.rihfoundation.ca

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

5

The Daily News, Kamloops

The Need for Beds at RIH On January 7th, 68 year old Penelope was admitted to RIH with double pneumonia, a particularly serious condition for older patients like Penelope.

Her condition has kept her in bed over the last few weeks, impacting her mobility to the point that Penelope requires help getting in and out of her hospital bed.

elderly women, are not so lucky.

Many of the beds currently found at RIH are not well suited to older patients and women for several reasons. The height of the beds makes it difficult for many women (usually 5’6” and under) to put their feet firmly on the ground before standing up.

Without stabilizing themselves, these women are at risk of falling and potentially getting hurt. And as women age and bone mass

deteriorates, there is a higher likelihood of a woman breaking a bone when she falls than a male patient falling the same distance.

Long side rails on current hospital beds can also make it difficult for patients to climb in and out easily on their own. Every day spent in a hospital bed reduces a patient’s mobility so it is essential that hospitals encourage them to get up and move around as much as possible. But, if a patient can’t

get out of bed without assistance or, it’s not very comfortable to do so, they are much less likely to spend time moving around which will have a negative impact on their overall mobility and recovery time.

Penelope thinks that new acute care beds at RIH could help prevent future falls like hers.

“A bed that lowers closer to the ground would be much safer for me to get in and out of and, would give me more independence.”

• Vaccinations • Hormone Replacement • Pain Management • Veterinary Medicine • Vitamins • Herbal Products • Home Care Products • First Aid Products • Blister Packing • Sterile Compounding • Free Delivery D001457202

Three weeks after arriving in hospital, Penelope--with the assistance of two staff members-was trying to stand up in order to take a shower. Unfortunately, she lost her grip and fell hard to the floor. “It was a very scary experience. It happened so fast I didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.”

It required the help of three healthcare workers and a lift to safely return her to her bed.

Fortunately, Penelope did not suffer any serious injuries during her fall but some patients, particularly

“It was a very scary experience.

It happened so fast I didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.”

The Daily News, Kamloops

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

www.rihfoundation.ca

Making Our Hospital Feel Bedder!

Every patient admitted to Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) has one thing in common: they require a safe and comfortable bed where they can rest and recover. With 224 acute care beds at RIH, there is always a need to replace old beds that may be broken, damaged or have simply become obsolete. But new hospital beds are expensive and RIH can’t afford to replace all of the beds at once.

That’s why the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation wants to make the hospital “Feel Bedder” by raising $320,000 this spring through community support to purchase 41 new acute care beds for patients at RIH. Kelly Wilson, the Falls and Injury Prevention Consultant for Interior Health, is the local authority on hospital beds through her research and bed trials at hospitals

Proudly supporting Royal Inland Hospital & Pledge Day

throughout the region, including RIH. As a falls prevention expert, Wilson can easily identify individuals who are at a higher risk of falling out of their hospital bed but, without certain features only available on new beds, she is limited in the preventative measures that can be implemented to lower the risk for these patients.

When asked who is most at risk of falls and injuries during a hospital stay, Wilson explains: “Patients with dementia, stroke patients, elderly patients and particularly older women who have osteoporosis and frailer bones. At any given time, more than half of the patients admitted at RIH fall into one of these categories.”

Last December, a number of different hospital beds were tested by staff and patients at Royal Inland Hospital to find out which bed would be the best choice for the needs of both patients and staff. With a lifespan of at least 20 years, it was very important to ensure the new bed was durable, safe and could reduce the risk of patient falls and injuries.

After collecting feedback from the entire healthcare team and patients who tried out the beds, CHG’s Spirit Select bed was chosen as the best option for RIH. According to Wilson, this Canadian-made and manufactured bed has many great features that make it the

optimal choice for patient safety, security and mobility including: • An intuitive bed alarm system that alerts staff immediately if a patient is attempting to get out of bed without supervision.

The alarm rings at the nurses’ station rather than in the room which limits the disturbance to other patients in the room.

• The bed can be lowered to just 10 inches from floor which makes it much easier for patients to plant their feet firmly on the ground before standing. This means patients require less assistance getting in and out of bed and is particularly beneficial for stroke patients and individuals 5’6” and under.

• A short upper rail means patients do not need to “scoot” down the bed to get in and out. And, the placement of the rail also provides a good handle when trying to stand or sit.

• Bed controls are located on both sides of the bed rather than just one side, giving patients and staff easier access to the controls and increasing patient independence and mobility.

• Anti-bacterial rails and head/footboards are easy to clean and reduce the risk of spreading infection among patients and staff Wilson is very excited that patients in Kamloops could soon begin to have access to the safety and security features available on the Spirit Select bed. Through community support, the goal is to bring a total of 41 new beds to RIH this year alone.

But it is only through donor support that the hospital can reach this goal. The Foundation is encouraging families, friends and community groups to team up and pledge $8,000 to purchase a new bed. The sponsored bed will be named in their honour with a plaque at the foot of it.

Bed sponsorship pledges can be fulfilled over the next 12 months.

For more information on how you can help RIH patients “Feel Bedder” or would like more bed sponsorship details, please contact the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation at 250.314.2325.

Transferring your prescriptions is easy!

Your prescriptions can be filled without the added headache of traffic, parking, or long waits in drug store lines. Experience the difference.

• Free Reserved Parking right in front.

• Prescriptions filled promptly.

• Competitive pricing.

• Conveniently located across from Royal Inland Hospital.

Cory Proctor • Experienced staff.

Pharmacist / Owner

prescriptions + convenience

Columbia Street Pharmacy & Home Health Care Centre 300 Columbia St., Kamloops

ph. 778-471-5971 www.columbiastreetpharmacy.ca

Prescriptions Compounding Home Health Care

“helping you live a healthier life”

D001460128

6

www.rihfoundation.ca

Spirit Select

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

7

The Daily News, Kamloops

®

The Safe Choice

• Battery back-up and status indicator

• Advanced lock-out control

• Adjustable underbed light

Transfers Infection Control • Antibacterial rails/boards

Entrapment

• Short head rail allows patients to pivot egress

• Compliant to all 7 FDA zones

• 0.1% bacteria survival rate

Weight Monitoring • Scale accuracy within 1% • Weight change alarm • Add/remove equipment without transferring patient

Falls and Injuries • Low height, 8” or 10” • Multi-zone bed exit alarm • Alarm history and tracking

Adverse Events

Pressure

• Multi-zone obstruction sensor

• Open architecture allows for compatibility with any mattress

Thank you Rob and Niki Zimmer for leading the way with your sponsorship of the first 2 beds!

CHG

®

HOSPITAL BEDS

1211 Summit Drive Kamloops, BC Ph: (250) 828-1070

to

Support

Royal Inland Hospital Pledge Day cwbank.com

D0014644163

Proud

8

The Daily News, Kamloops

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

www.rihfoundation.ca

RIH’S TRAUMA SYSTEM Written by: Tamara Vukusic

Filip Kezele was skiing and working at Sun Peaks when he had a big fall on the hill.

A fall big enough to put him in a coma.

A volunteer emergency doctor at the Sun Peaks Ski Patrol Clinic protected his airway until the BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) helicopter arrived.

The trauma system was activated even before Filip landed on the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) helicopter pad. A team of medical professionals were already waiting for him in the Emergency Department.

Filip’s parents received a phone call at their home in Toronto when Filip was in transit. “We were so afraid when we heard Filip was in such bad condition,” says his mother Ksenija. She and her husband left on the next plane headed to Kamloops. “When we arrived at the hospital we saw that he was getting perfect care.”

Soon after his arrival in the ER, Filip was stabilized by the Trauma Team, seen by the neurosurgeon on-call and quickly moved to the operating room. He was then moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and later Rehabilitation.

The Trauma program provided seamless care throughout his month-long stay in hospital.

The 33 hospitals in Interior Health (IH) are spread out over an area as big as Oregon State.

Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) and Kelowna General Hospital are the Tertiary Trauma Referral Centres where major traumas are sent - for the region. A physician with trauma qualifications, called a Trauma Team Leader, is on call at each Centre to respond 24 hours/day.

The IH sites share a process for caring for patients who have serious traumatic injuries. Because of a well-organized set of management and transport guidelines, the right transportation and care is lined up for a patient. “Because of the processes in place, the response to many parts of a trauma happen automatically. The right people show up quickly and each person knows their role,” says Alan Vukusic, Clinical Medical Director, Trauma Services, Royal Inland Hospital. Staff from many departments and sites have worked together to streamline this process.

The overall goal of the IH trauma program is to deliver the

best care as efficiently as possible.

“Evidence shows that quality of medical care for trauma patients is better when there are co-ordinated, standard systems that are prearranged to receive them,” explains Lynn Gerein, Network Director of Emergency and Trauma Service.

A vision to have all sites work together to improve the Trauma Program was introduced in 2009.

“Our vision is to be ‘one Interior Health’ with access to the same resources and processes in a community of 500 (Blue River) as a community of 85,000 (Kamloops).”

Providing tools to the rural sites - some with a sole nurse - is a major goal of the program.

“The trauma program is a success because health care providers across the region have embraced the guidelines,” says Gerein. “They do a fantastic job on-site and the trauma guidelines provide a clear understanding of how and when to send the patient to a bigger centre.”

“The rural sites identified barriers to transporting patients, and systems have been put in place to improve the process. We have been listened to,” says Berni

Easson, Manager Health Services, Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital.

“The standards bring comfort because we know that regardless of the site we are at, we are in synch with the others,” she adds. For example, all sites use compatible equipment so that it links with the equipment at the next site.

As of 2010, a specially trained team known as HART (High Acuity Response Team) comes to a community to pick up a critical care patient. “Caregivers used to have to leave their community to transport a patient, and sometimes

The RIH Trauma Team, assembled in the Emergency Department.

Visit Zimmer Autosport to select your Mercedes-Benz Certified vehicle.

TM

For a complete listing of our Mercedes-Benz Certified vehicles visit www.zimmerautosport.com TM

www.rihfoundation.ca they were the only caregiver at the site,” says Easson. Now the HART team transports the patient quickly and safely. When a 911 call is received by BCAS, an Emergency Medical Call Taker (EMCT), along with an on-call IH Transport Advisor, decide whether to transport a patient by ambulance or helicopter.

BCAS included the Kamloopsbased helicopter in their auto launch program the summer of 2012. Now information gathered directly from a bystander who calls 911 can assist in launch of the helicopter. The BCAS EMCT will ask the bystander a series of

questions and will make a decision about sending the helicopter to the scene. Previously only BC Ambulance Service could dispatch the helicopter after arrival of the ground ambulance on scene.

“Thanks to BCAS’ Kamloopsbased helicopter, we see patients sooner,” explains Vukusic.

“It is staffed by critical care transport paramedics who have the highest level of paramedic training. Patients are in good hands even before they arrive.”

RIH Trauma Nurse Coordinator, Lisa Whitman, ensures the trauma program is running smoothly and reviews trauma

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

cases regularly to look for areas of improvement. Whitman still does shifts in the ER in addition to her full-time administrative role. “It keeps me in the fold,” says Whitman. “I am also on the user end of the systems we put in place and this gives me insight and perspective,” explains Whitman who has nursed in small rural centres, brings more than 20 years ER experience and has held previous positions as both an educator and administrator.

De-briefing and team support are an important part of the trauma program. “We are always evaluating care and coming up

•

with better ways to do things,” explains Whitman. Monthly video conferences facilitate sharing and learning between the sites. “All perspectives are valued and this sharing makes us stronger in the care we provide”, she adds.

Staff at the rural sites are grateful for the communication they have with physicians at the tertiary care centres. “The ER physicians are wonderful to work with. They take phone calls from rural doctors and nurses and offer their support and expertise when and as needed,” adds Easson.

“The support from within the hospital for the trauma program

What happens after a BIG CRASH? A bystander calls 911 and then....

1.) Ambulance or helicopter arrives at the scene 2.) Paramedic calls the triage nurse at the RIH Emergency Department to alert them of a serious trauma 3.) A loud BEEP, BEEP, BEEP is sounded throughout the hospital to announce a Trauma Alert.

4.) The Trauma Team has 10 minutes to assemble and the Trauma Team Leader is put on call to come in if the case is serious.

5.) The Trauma Team assembles and includes; • Emergency Nurse Leader • Two RNs (registered nurses) • Emergency Room Physician

6.) Emergency Nurse Leader and Emergency Room Physician meet to determine the Trauma Team Activation Level 7.) A second loud BEEP, BEEP, BEEP is sounded throughout the hospital and the Trauma Team Activation Level is announced.

8.) A Level One Trauma puts the following on alert: • Operating Room

• a social worker (to speak with or notify family members) • a ward clerk (who places orders on a computer from the trauma bay)

has been outstanding, “ says Vukusic. “There is an excellent relationship between the staff in the ER and all other departments of the hospital. And, we have exchanges with the staff at rural sites in the same way we would with a colleague working beside us.

All of us want to provide the best possible care for each patient.”

“Everyone responded very fast when Filip had his accident,” says Ksenija. She believes this quick and well-organized response helped him make his outstanding recovery.

At the time of publication, Filip is back at Sun Peaks skiing, working and feeling grateful.

E

X

T

R

A

With an average of 120160 patients seen in the Royal Inland Emergency Department each day, the hospital is the 3rd busiest trauma centre in BC.

• CT Technician • Blood Bank • Intensive Care Unit (ICU) 9.) *Trauma Team Leader arrives 10.) Trauma patient arrives 11.) Everyone takes their place in the Trauma Bay, including a nurse assigned to the left side of the bed and a nurse assigned to the right.

• a respiratory therapist (manages airway) • a lab tech (draws blood)

9

The Daily News, Kamloops

*As these steps unfold, the Emergency Department continues to operate as it did before the trauma came in. The Trauma Team Leader on-call comes in to free up the Emergency Room Doctor to continue to care for his/her patients.

• an x-ray tech (with portable x-ray equipment)

Zimmer Autosport Ltd., 695C Laval Crescent, 250.374.1103

The most common types of trauma seen in the region are serious car accidents and falls from less than six meters. Other traumas seen include industrial accidents (including severe burns) and serious assaults (knife and gun shot wounds).

10

The Daily News, Kamloops

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

www.rihfoundation.ca

Doctor, Nurse ‘Blessing’ to Patient Written by: Susan Duncan

When Evan Jensen walked into the Royal Inland Hospital Emergency Department, he was dazed and his speech was garbled.

He showed signs of a stroke and the health system went into action. His wife Kristina Schwende called the nearest hospital, which was Ashcroft, and described Evan’s symptoms. She was advised to take him directly to Kamloops.

Staff were waiting for him when he arrived and he was seen almost immediately.

“I was not expecting a great experience,” admitted Kristina,

noting the couple had just moved from the Lower Mainland to the Walhachin area, about 45 minutes west of Kamloops. “But it couldn’t have been better.”

A “fantastic” ER nurse took charge of Evan’s care after admission.

“She was so confident and intelligent, yet she had this great sense of humour,” said Kristina. “She answered all our questions and put us at ease.”

“I really wish I had got that nurse’s name,” added Evan. “She was fabulous. I’ve been in the hospital a number of times in my life and she was far and above the best nurse I’ve ever had.”

His experiences with medical professionals began in 1986 when he suffered a severe head trauma during a hockey game that left him in a coma. A few months later, an aneurysm developed and brain surgery followed.

The incident last summer, diagnosed as a transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke), is believed to have resulted from the original injury site.

With the help of RIH Health Service Director Kris Kristjanson, Interior Health was able to discover the nurse handling Evan’s

Walhachin couple Kristina Schwende, left, and Evan Jensen meet Royal Inland ER nurse Diana Hauser to say thanks for her excellent care when Evan suffered a stroke in August 2012.

care that day was RN Diana Hauser. Evan and Kristina were able to meet Diana again in the middle of January during her regular shift in the ER. They were all smiles as they connected briefly and were able to thank her for her excellent care.

Diana told Evan she was happy to see him looking so well. She said her approach in the ER last

August is what nurses do because they believe strongly in patient-centred care.

Dr. Russ Mosewich was the neurologist on call, which, in the words of Kristina and Evan, was great luck for them.

“I have never in my entire life seen a doctor, especially a specialist, who was more willing to help his patient than Dr.

Mosewich,” said Kristina.

“He showed a genuine interest in my welfare,” said Evan. “I was also able to get in for a follow-up visit and it was pretty helpful to get a debriefing of what happened that day.”

“We are both so grateful to Diana and Dr. Mosewich.

They are a blessing to their patients and professions.”

www.Your

685 NOTRE DAME DRIVE, KAMLOOPS

TruckStore.com 250-374-1135 OR TOLL FREE 1-888-886-0066

D001464588

PROUDLY in SUPPORT of

www.rihfoundation.ca

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

The Daily News, Kamloops

11

Clinton Family Welcomes Twins Sooner Than Expected Jennifer Bolster and David Park were on their way to Royal Inland Hospital from their home in Clinton, BC for a routine stress test when Jennifer complained that she wasn’t feeling very well. At 34 weeks pregnant with twin girls, the couple were driving to Kamloops for weekly appointments at the hospital to monitor the progress of her pregnancy and the health of the babies.

Jennifer and David dropped off their two year old son, Mitchell, at her mom’s home in Kamloops on their way to RIH. Once at the hospital, the couple were surprised to find out that the reason Jennifer didn’t feel well was because

she was actually experiencing contractions and was in labour.

Later that day, her care team decided to induce Jennifer in order to help her labour progress.

At 12:02 am on December 4, 2012, Sophia entered the world soon followed by her sister, Ella, at 12:12 am. The girls weighed in at 5 lbs 8 oz and 4 lbs, 14 oz respectively.

Being 6 weeks premature, Sophia and Ella were immediately admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for specialized care.

They were administered fluids through IV for the first few days and also had to be fed through a tube in their nose that went directly to their stomachs. This was necessary as the girls were burning more calories than they could take in through regular feeding.

Although their lungs were healthy, a SiPap ventilator was used at the beginning to give Sophia and Ella some gentle help breathing without doing all the work for them. This noninvasive ventilator is a crucial piece of equipment in the NICU as it assists infants by supplying respiratory support while also giving them the opportunity to

breathe on their own periodically.

Jennifer was amazed at the level of care she saw in the NICU: “The staff care so much for the babies and families. I was never worried about leaving the girls with them. I knew Sophia and Ella were not only receiving amazing medical care but they were also

getting cuddles and love!” Jennifer was able to stay in Kamloops with family while the girls were in the hospital but unfortunately, David had to go back to Clinton in order to run their business, the Clinton Coffee House.

After two weeks in the NICU, Jennifer and David were able

to bring the twins home, just in time for Christmas with their big brother, Mitchell. “As much as we were excited to be going home, we were sad to be leaving such a dedicated and compassionate team and incredible group of individuals. I can’t say enough good things about them.”

Park Family with NICU staff in February, 2013, 2 months after receiving care at RIH

RIH PLEDGE DAY! 685 NOTRE DAME DRIVE, KAMLOOPS 250-374-1135 OR Shop 24/7 TOLL FREE 1-888-886-0066

The Daily News, Kamloops

•

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

•

www.rihfoundation.ca

749A Notre Dame Drive, Kamloops, BC

250-377-3177

www.rmfitness.com redtag@rmfitness.com D001460130

12

Supporter to Royal Inland Hospital and Pledge Day