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Nurses on the front line of health care profession BY KAREN HEINSELMAN karen.heinselman@wcfcourier.com
WATERLOO — A year or so into her nursing job at Allen Hospital in Waterloo, Teresa Hippen got called to help out in the intensive care unit. She must have done something right. The next day, Hippen, at Allen since 1995, received an invitation to apply for an open position in the intensive care unit. “I’ve loved it ever since,” added Hippen, 45, a registered nurse. Nursing in general is a demanding, fast-paced profession with high stakes. The job description alone — maintaining and improving the health and life of human beings — demands as much. Critical care nurses care for the sickest patients in the hospital, said registered nurse Denice Jackson, manager of the intensive care unit at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, part of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa. These nurses also see a variety of cases and, because things can go south rather quickly, are often asked to make important decisions regarding their patients. All this amps up the intensity. According to several nurses assigned to intensive care units in Cedar Valley hospitals, they
On the Cover Registered nurses Joy Hershey and Zachariah David tend to patient Denny Cox as he recovers from surgery in the intensive care unit at Allen Hospital. MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor
to physical needs, they assist patients and families with the emotions that come with facing tough life- and health-threatening situations. Some families struggle to make sense of medical terminology. Others must make important decisions as their loved one reaches the end of life. When Jacobson sees mouths hang open in confusion, she knows it’s time to jump in. “I’m kind of like the liaison between the physician and the families, helping them understand what is going on and why it’s going to happen,” Jacobson said. Even though dealing with sickness and death is a reality of the job, nurses say they aren’t immune from feeling stress and sadness and often rely on one another to get through the day. “You give and you give and you MATTHEW PUTNEY / Courier Photo Editor give, and some days you are on your feet for 13 hours a day and Allen Hospital intensive care nurse Joy Hershey changes an intravenous bag for patient Denny Cox. you haven’t sat,” Hippen said. wouldn’t want it any other way. Which may come as a surprise people. She also knows her value But the knowledge of making “I love it and it’s a perfect fit to the public, she agreed. Yes, as a teacher to younger nurses. a positive difference, no matfor me,” Hippen said. nurses do the “little things,” Not only do Jacobson and ter the outcome, keeps Hippen Kayln Boge-Kleiss, 24, of Fred- like brushing a patient’s teeth other critical care nurses tend coming back. ◆ ericksburg, has worked in inten- and giving back rubs — all very sive care at Allen Hospital for important to quality care, Bogethe past two years. Second-shift Kleiss stressed. But intensive nurses like Boge-Kleiss see a lot care nurses also may be your of admissions and transfers and saving grace if your heart stops, staff turnover, and managing all she added. this is part of the job. “We just handle so much instaBecause patients in her unit bility and chaos, and we have to are very sick, seriously injured learn to handle it well and just or recovering from a major sur- stay calm,” Boge-Kleiss said. gical procedures, the nurse-to- It’s versatile, ever-changing patient ratio remains relatively work. Intensive care nurses treat low. trauma cases from the emer“Yeah, I like how you can really gency room, patients recoverfocus on your two patients. ... ing from open-heart surgery, Your focus is just on them and cases of drug overdose, cancer as an ICU nurse, we do every- patients and the list goes on. thing,” Boge-Kleiss said. “Like “They pretty much specialize everything.” in about everything,” Jackson Critical thinking is a must in said. this field, she added. Intensive Even after 40 years in nurscare nurses work with a whole ing — 16 years in intensive care team of people, including physi- — Sandy Wright Jacobson learns cians and specialists, but may something new every day. A also be responsible for tasks such registered nurse at Covenant, as ordering labs and X-rays. Jacobson stays in her profes“I think we have a lot of auton- sion because she enjoys the very omy,” Boge-Kleiss said. essence of the work: caring for WO-052211017
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Six Allen Health System nurses named to top 100 list WATERLOO — Six Allen Health System nurses have been named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses for 2011 and were recognized at the seventh annual 100 Great Iowa Nurses Celebration in Des Moines. Three of the nurses are Allen College faculty, two are Allen Hospital nurses and one is a Grundy County Memorial Hospital nurse. The three Allen College faculty nurses are assistant professor Jacqueline Leutzinger, associate professor Anna Wehling-Weepie and professor, dean for the School of Nursing and ROTC coordinator Kendra Williams-Perez. The two Allen Hospital nurses recognized are intensive care nurse manager Lisa Franzen and care coordination director Milda Mullesch. The Grundy County Memorial Hospital nurse named to the list is long-term care director Cathleen Hopkins.
“We’re pleased to have six nurses named to the list this year,” said John Knox, president and CEO of Allen Health System. “We are very proud of them and all our nurses. Our nurses carry out Allen’s mission to improve the health care of the people and communities we serve. We have an exceptionally talented nursing staff, both at the bedside, caring for patients and in the classroom teaching the next generation.” The University of Iowa College of Nursing, the Iowa Nurses Association’s Iowa Nurses Foundation and the Iowa Hospital Association organize the 100 Great Iowa Nurses celebration. Nurses selected for this honor represent many sectors of health care including hospitals, long-term care facilities and school and office nurses. Nurses named to the list must hold a current Iowa registered nurse license and have practiced
COURTESY PHOTO
Allen Health System nurses named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses for 2011 are, from left, Milda Mullesch, Anna Wehling-Weepie, Cathleen Hopkins, Jacqueline Leutzinger, Lisa Franzen and Kendra Williams-Perez. nursing for a minimum of three of each nominee’s contribution to years. Nominations are reviewed the profession of nursing. by a panel of judges, and selecAllen has had a total of 28 nurstions are based on the significance es named Great Iowa Nurses in
the seven years of the program. To see a list of all 100 Great Iowa Nurses for 2005-2011, visit www. greatnurses.org. ◆
Cedar Valley Hospice is proud of our team of trained nurses and aides who are dedicated to providing compassionate care at the end of life.
Thank you for Making Each Moment Matter.
800.617.1972 | cvhospice.org Waterloo | Grundy Center | Independence Waverly | Hospice Home WO-052211009
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Wheaton nurses receive IWON awards Providing great care takes a team of dedicated professionals. Within this team are nurses who guide and set an example for the others. Every year Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare recognizes a handful of these nurses with an Iowa Wheaton Outstanding Nurse award. These nurses practice excellence every day and have demonstrated a commitment to quality care, professional development and the nursing profession. For Jake Eggers, operating room nurse at Sartori Hospital, waiting for the patient to come in is not in his routine. Jake commonly steps outside the OR to introduce himself to the next patient. This helps comfort the family while their loved one is in surgery. Nothing will stop Jenni Etringer from finding a way to help the unique cases she sees in special care rehabilitation at Covenant Medical Center. Recently, patients were researching non-traditional methods for their condition. Jenni took the time to listen to their ideas, facilitated physician orders and helped them carry out the treatment. Amy Gherke is one nurse who
COURTESY PHOTO
From left to right (front) are Amy Gehrke, Jenni Etringer, Anita Johnson. Back row, from left, are Tammy Hamilton, Nancy Lyons, Jake Eggers and Denise Hare (not pictured: Sharon Wilson). gets away with having her head in the clouds. The Aircare nurse put together a weight loss program for her emergency services colleagues, which built camaraderie among the team and helped boost morale.
In Covenant Clinic Cardiology, nurses like Tammy Hamilton work to get to the heart of the matter. She will commonly make calls to patients after normal hours and address any further concerns they have, holding patient concerns
close to her own heart. Top nurses want the best outcome for the patient, event if it’s not their own. Denise Hare of Covenant Clinic Kimball once worked through a billing issue with a patient over the phone only to
find out the bill was from another medical facility. Nurses are skilled in many aspects of health care. Anita Johnson wears many hats, including ambulatory surgery nurse, Policy and Procedure Committee member and clinical educator for surgical services. She shares her knowledge and experiences with other nurses and even gives an occasional flower to brighten their day. Nurses are with patients during all stages of life, from birth to death. The staff at Mercy Hospital in Oelwein gives each patient a quilt in their final days to comfort them. Nurse Nancy Lyons is known as the quilt lady and has made numerous quilts on her own time and dollar. Help really is just a phone call away with Covenant’s Nurse on Call. Sharon Wilson is one of those nurses on the other end, answering all sorts of questions from medication instructions to follow-up care. She’s also active in the community volunteering for numerous organizations. Thank you nurses, for all that you do. ◆
Iowa Hospice bringing peace to the dying Hospice nurses care for patients and families at the end of life. Death is something that is an expected part of their day. However, in our culture even those who care for very sick people often are not comfortable with death. When Iowa Hospice Director Brooke of Education and Gritzner registered nurse Brooke Gritzner began her hospice career she never thought it would become her passion. It intrigued her, but to some extent she, too, was uncomfortable. “As with any nursing career, the more I learned, the better hospice nurse I became,” she said. “Patients and families taught me
and have given me much more than I have given them over the last 14 years. Not just in skills but about life.” Today, Gritzner is known around the state as an expert in pain and symptom management. She oversees internal and external education programs at Iowa Hospice. “This job is a dream job for me. It takes my passion for hospice care and education, combines them and allows me to help others in the field bring peace and dignity to those at end of life,” she said. End-of-life care is usually breezed over in the nursing curriculum, so when nurses enter the health care arena they often are left to guess what to do to help patients feel more comfortable and families cope with the situation. Iowa Hospice has taken on the chal-
lenge to change this. Internally, Gritzner has created a superb orientation and ongoing education for the Iowa Hospice nursing staff. She also heads up a team of educators who are out in health care communities teaching non-hospice nurses how to become more comfortable with those at the end of life. “Knowledge is power,” Gritzner said. “Not just with the nurses but also with patients and families. When a patient is at end of life, there aren’t a lot of technical skills that are treating their conditions anymore. Dying is a new experience for patients. They don’t know what to expect. I teach people to educate, educate, educate. When patients and families know what to expect, it alleviates their fear and brings about peace.’’ ◆
Iowa Hospice Appreciates Its Nurses Congratulations to the Iowa Hospice Nurses in the Waterloo office on their dedication to providing comfort during end-oflife care. Thank you for your service.
Happy Nurses Week! Jay Keller ● Samantha Junker Kathi Eggleston ● Yvonne Warner Jaime Seehase ● Janice Torrey Brooke Gritzner ● Sarah Bruner Peggy Warschkow ● Lori Paulson, ARNP
WO-052211036
1-800-HOSPICE (467-7423)
SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2011
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Some came to health care jobs later in life
COURTESY PHOTO
Jeff Buck, left, and Brandon Nelson, switched to the health care industry after years in other trades.
Ask a random doctor or nurse why they got into health care and many will say it’s because of a lifelong dream. Maybe it was the role models they looked up to as a kid or the books they read that steered them down the path to patient care. Regardless, many are living out their childhood aspirations behind a surgical mask, at a rural clinic or in front of a laboratory microscope. But for many others health care is a second or third career. Jeff Buck, an orthopedic nurse team leader at Covenant Medical Center, never thought he’d find himself standing over patients in an operating room at 53. He first took up sheet metal work at a young age. After high school, he completed a four-year sheet metal apprenticeship and received a sheet metal journeyman card. A back injury forced him to explore alternative careers and he soon found a future in health care as a registered nurse. “I never had plans to be a nurse,”
Nurses are trusted to care at NewAldaya Lifescapes NewAldaya is proud to employ more than 50 highly professional licensed nurses including LPNs and RNs. The nurses are responsible to provide highly skilled services such as medication administration and monitoring, physical assessments, wound care, intravenous medication and fluid administration, and direct care staff supervision. Beyond these responsibilities come the passion and care for the people they serve. These services come from the heart and are the very reason why they are proud to have such amazing people at the heart of their Christian Caring mission. The staff has experienced many
changes this year and tackled them all with grace and wisdom. Most recently, The Cedar Falls Lutheran Home transitioned to a new name. As the board of directors, along with ME&V Advertising and Consulting, reviewed brand and marketing strategies, they found it was confusing to people. Many people thought they had to be Lutheran to live at the Lutheran Home. They also didn’t understand the entire continuum of services, or “Lifescapes,” offered. The board of directors determined that a change was necessary for the future of the organization. After more than 14 months of discussion, prayer and careful
decision making, NewAldaya Lifescapes “You’ll Live Better” was the winner. The nursing staff from all areas of the campus proves that “You’ll Live Better” no matter which “Lifescape” you’re in. As transitions continue on campus, nurses also work to match staff gifts with areas of care best suited for patients, residents and tenants. For example, in Bryhl Assisted Living, tenants’ care needs and services are assessed and delegated by registered nurses specially educated to direct the needs of tenants.
See NEWALDAYA, page 6
Buck said. “I went into the health care field for the job security.” Brandon Nelson of rural Reinbeck had childhood dreams of being a carpenter. Now, Nelson helps repair patients instead of homes. He chose nursing while he was attending college and selling tools at a local auto parts
store. He now applies his passion for mechanics in the operating room at Covenant Medical Center. He says in health care, the opportunities are endless. “There are so many branches of career paths in medicine that everyone’s bound to find their niche,” he said. ◆
Thanks to Our Nurses, You’ll Live Better at NewAldaya NewAldaya Lifescapes offers a complete continuum of care—independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and extended care. It’s a new way to look at retirement living in the Cedar Valley, and we couldn’t do it without our trusted team of dedicated nurses. Celebrating National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2011
( 3 19) 268-0401 : : www.NewAldaya.org 7511 University Avenue : : Cedar Falls, IA WO-052211015
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Waverly Health Center nurses work toward the future The outlook on the future of nursing is bright, and is in clear view at Waverly Health Center through its Nursing Excellence Initiative. The initiative focuses on organizational planning and provides guidance to ensure that WHC nurses provide high quality, patient-centered care. Evidence of the Andrea program’s sucAnhalt cess is displayed through the extraordinary care provided by nursing staff members every day. The initiative propelled medical-surgical nurse Andrea Anhalt to win the 2011 Waverly Health Center Excellence in Nursing Award. Anhalt has worked in the medical-surgical department for more than five years. One of her nominators described her as a great example of nursing excellence and a role model for others. As a bedside nurse, she gives compassionate care and focuses on what is best for each of her patients. According to the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, there are four key points to the future success of nursing in the U.S. Through the Nursing Excel-
NEWALDAYA From page 5 This allows individuals to remain as independent as possible. In a large community like NewAldaya, round-the-clock nursing care is imperative. There are nurses on staff 24/7 to provide extended care services. A family member recently said: “We wanted to express our most heartfelt thanks for
data collection and information infrastructure. At WHC, nurses participate in important policy decisions. Nursing staff also take part in the development of a “Meaningful Use” project, which ensures electronic health information is used, exchanged and submitted in a way that
lence Initiative’s work toward making WHC a Magnet Recognized hospital, these key points are being addressed: ■ Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training. Some 21 WHC nurses have been trained and serve as preceptors to support the orientation and transition of new nursing staff. ■ Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression. In 2010, 85 hours of nursing continuing education were offered on-site at WHC, 22.3 percent of nurses were certified in their specialty
and 13 nurses were enrolled in formal education programs. WHC benefits and policies support professional development of nurses. ■ Nurses should be full partners, with physicians and other health care professionals, in redesigning health care. WHC nurses participate on shared decision-making councils that have an impact on the care and services provided. These multidisciplinary councils assess needs within the hospital and make improvements to ensure safe, high quality, patient-centered care. ■ Effective workforce planning and policy making require better
the love and care given to Mom during the 3 ½ years this was her home. “She often referred to her room there as ‘home’ and to the chapel as ‘my church.’” As life transitions occur, the palliative care offered at NewAldaya is provided to promote comfort and family involvement for the resident (and their family) transitioning at the end of life. The skilled nursing care area nurses provide services to people whose goal is to return
home. These patients typically experience a short-term stay after a surgery or hospitalization. NewAldaya has a great team of nurses and rehab therapists to support the patients as they work to reach their goal. One patient recently wrote to the director of nursing, “You’re the leader, but it was wonderful being cared for by all the super awesome staff out on the floor. The nurses, the LPNs and the aides just did a magnificent job of taking care of me.” ◆
WO-052211041
best improves quality of health care. Thanks to the forward thinking efforts of the Nursing Excellence Initiative and the dedicated health care team at WHC, the hospital continues to provide top-notch health care now and will do so in the future. ◆
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Nurse longevity benefits residents of Western Home During high school in the mid1980s, registered nurse Diana Hughbanks signed up for a co-op program at Western Home Communities. She realized her future held a career in nursing, but never did she expect that to be with one employer. “This was my first job,” she marvels, although she is not alone in her longevity: nearly 40 nursing employees have been with Western Home Communities for more than 10 years, and 10 of them have logged 20-plus years. Hughbanks started as a certified nurse aide, then worked as a licensed practical nurse and registered nurse before being promoted to nurse management. In fact, she now supervises the CNA who first trained her. “It’s been fun to watch her growth,” Dorothy Boll reflects with a smile. “She’s come a thousand miles since then.” So, too, has the organization itself. When Dorothy started her nursing career in 1982, Western Home Communities consisted of one building at Eleventh and Grove streets. Now that building offers assisted living services, flanked by a nursing center and WHC’s first retirement community for independent seniors. An entire second campus has been developed
on S. Main Street, most of it since 2001, with four retirement communities, nearly 120 villas and townhomes for active lifestyles, and Windhaven Assisted Living, where an additional 35 apartments opened last fall, bringing the total there to 83. Their career paths took both Boll and Hughbanks to Martin Health Center, then in 2006 to the newlybuilt Thalman Square Memory Support inside Windhaven. Working with dementia patients had become close to Hughbanks’ heart by that point, and she was named director of health services. The design of Thalman Square allows 32 residents with various types of dementia to live in smaller, home-like surroundings that feature a central town square and daily activities and socials. “This is where my passion is and where I can be the most productive,” she explains. Several nurses who had worked together in skilled nursing transitioned to Thalman Square together. “We had worked together well, and if we’re not cohesive then residents aren’t getting the best quality care,” Hughbanks says. “We’ve built that kind of culture with nurses who’ve started here
See LONGEVITY, page 8
Courtesy Photos
This group from the nursing staff has put in a collective 240 years of service at Western Home Communities. First row, from left: Julie Thompson, LPN; Dorothy Boll, resident assistant; Carla Nash, RA; Sherry Peters, LPN; Kate Leopard, LPN. Back row: Barb Hughes, LPN; Valerie Cornish, RA; Diana Hughbanks, RN; Sharon Lukes, RN, BSN; Emillee Cunningham, RA; Ann Lynch, RA; Deb Card, RN.
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Windhaven Assisted Living resident Mary Ellen Dreier enjoys a visit with Sharon Lukes, RN, BSN, director of health services.
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Nurses evaluate whole patient to prevent fractures Nurses have always taken the lead in evaluating the whole patient. Today that is even more important. Doctors, nurse p ra c t i t i o n e rs and physicians assistants are under pressure to evaluate the main complaints with a focused Jay Ginther, work-up. The M.D. is director of Cedar bigger picture of Valley Bone Health the whole patient gets lost if nurses do not screen the patient first. Nurses evaluate the age, height, weight, smoking status, history of falls and fractures, current medications, medical history and nutritional status. This is the basic screening for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the underlying cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths and nursing home admissions
annually. What are the risk factors for osteoporosis? When should you suggest further screening? Is the patient shorter than they were in high school? Are they no longer standing as straight as they once did? A half inch of shortening gives a 50 percent chance of unnoticed vertebral compression fractures. Suggest a DXA with vertebral fracture assessment. Finding a previously unknown vertebral fracture reveals a fivefold increase in fracture risk independent of DXA t-score or BMD. Age is a big deal. A woman at age 80 with a t-score of -1.3 is just as much at risk for a fracture as a woman at 50 with a t-score of -3.1. Fracture risk is what matters to the patient, not t-score. Smokers are at increased risk for osteoporosis and hip fracture. Family history of a par-
ent who broke a hip is the only other thing that risky. Prednisone and inhalers for asthma also increase risk for osteoporosis and fracture. Duration of use is a multiplying factor. A body mass index of less than 20 is a surprisingly serious risk factor for osteoporosis and fracture. You can be too thin. Previous fractures of all sorts are also predictors of future fractures. Nearly all Iowans need to take vitamin D. Suggest a 25hydroxy vitamin D test to be sure. A passing score is about 35 and we aim for between 40 and 80. Calcium citrate is needed by those patients not getting 1200- to 1500-milligram calcium in the diet. Patients with heartburn, GERD, colon issues, taking any form of antacids or reflux medicines, taking calcium between meals, consti-
Study finds staying up late can be hazardous to waist McClatchy News Service
Staying up late at night can lead to an additional 2 pounds a month weight gain, researchers reported. The study showed that people who go to bed late eat more food, have worse diets and are more likely to have a higher body mass index. Many studies over the last 10 years have pointed to the need for people to sleep when they’re supposed to (at night) and to sleep for the needed amount of time — about eight hours for adults. Keeping a healthy sleep schedule allows the body’s circadian rhythms to stay in sync and keeps a range of metabolic and physiological systems running smoothly. The new study adds to the sleep-weight connection.
Northwestern University scientists examined 52 adults on their sleep and dietary patterns. More than half of the participants were normal sleepers — meaning that the midpoint of sleep occurred at or before 5:30 a.m. Late sleepers (44 percent of the sample) got less sleep and went to sleep later. Late sleepers consumed more calories at dinner and after 8 p.m., ate more fast food, drank more high-calorie soft drinks and had lower fruit and vegetable consumption. Overall, late sleepers consumed 248 more calories per day than normal sleepers. The late sleepers tended to eat less in the morning, then steeply increased their caloric intake in the afternoon and evening. The study was published online in the journal Obesity. ◆
pated, or just older than 50, should take calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate. Nurses, do the right thing by screening your patients for osteoporosis and fracture risk. You already have the information. Patients with the risk factors listed above should be
evaluated. Any woman over 50 or post-menopausal, or man over 70 automatically qualifies for screening. Prevent fractures before they happen. Learn more at www. BoneDocBlog.com or call Dixie at 233-BONE (2663). Dixie is my nurse; she knows a lot! ◆
Thanks to all our nurses.
LONGEVITY From page 7 since we opened. Our team is like a family.” Many long-time nurses agree, no matter where they work inside Western Home Communities. “When the CEO comes to see you when you’re in the hospital, that says a lot,” said Carla Nash, a resident assistant at Windhaven Assisted Living and 21-year employee. “Every family crisis I’ve ever had, they’ve been there for me.” If it’s not their bosses and co-workers making it a good place to work and build a career, it’s definitely the residents they spend time with daily. “I love what I do,” Nash says. “You learn a lot from them, and you get a lot of hugs.” ◆
Resident Mary Ellen Dreier with Sharon Lukes, RN, Director of Health Services at Windhaven Assisted Living
Your care goes above and beyond. You are the best of the best! 277-2141
266-5764
420 E. 11th
5500 S. Main
A non-profit service organization since 1912 www.WesternHomeCommunities.org WO-052211030
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Cedar Valley Hospice nurses and aides offer compassion alleviate the suffering often associated with a life-limiting illness. Cedar Valley Hospice nurses make regularly scheduled visits, provide patient and family education and skilled patient care, and are available on a 24hour per day, on-call basis for emergencies. The nursing staff of Cedar Valley Hospice has more than 545 years of experience in the organization, and the majority have received their National Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse designation including Maureen Apel, Karen Arends, Joselyn Beckstrom, Elisabeth Brock, Angela Broell, Debra Card, Becky Corbin, Rebecca Cummings, Allison Delegardelle, Laura Edler, John Fox, Betty Hackett, Jennifer Hoelscher, Laura Kazda,
Susan Morgensen, Krista Mulder, Jennifer Schneider, Cindi Stone, Stacy Weinke and Sheryl Wilshusen. Hospice aides at Cedar Valley Hospice who have earned the designation of Certified Hospice Nursing Assistants are Gayla Billington, Jamie Cole, Riann Fuelling, Jamie Knowles, Amanda McMurrin, Melissa Moran, Judy Mulder, Fran Richmond and Debra West. Cedar Valley Hospice is a notfor-profit organization serving Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Grundy, Tama, parts of Benton, Chickasaw, Delaware, Fayette, Floyd, Hardin, Linn, and Marshall counties. For more Courtesy Photo information, contact Cedar Valley Hospice at 272-2002 or visit Registered nurse Lynette Winstead and Lori Bantz, hospice aide, are an important part of the care team at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home. www.cvhospice.org. ◆
HEALTHCARE EMPLOYMENT We specialize in you. WO-052211027
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY IN CEDAR FALLS Invites applications for faculty positions for our Practical Nursing program The University is searching for highly motivated individuals, who identify student success and learning as top priorities, while using innovative teaching strategies. BSN required, MSN strongly preferred . Interested applicants should send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and three references with contact information to: WO-052211026
Nurse Practitioners, RNs, LPNs, Medical Assistants Send resume to: Human Resource Department P.O. Box 2758 Waterloo, Iowa 50704 319.235-5390 FAX 319/287.9249
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY Attn: Faculty Search 7009 Nordic Drive, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
e-mail to smeeks@kaplan.edu
EOE.
The Cedar Falls Lutheran Home is now
You’ll Live Better
The tools and resources you need to find the health care jobs you want. In the places you want them.
NURSES
Every Other Weekend 6:30 PM - 7 AM RN Casual/PRN -LPN/RN positions available WO-052211028
The compassionate and caring nursing professionals at Cedar Valley Hospice say sharing incredible experiences with patients and families is a privilege of their work. “Providing comfort for patients and families makes you want to get up and go to work every day,” said Betty Hackett, Cedar Valley Hospice Home director. “What we give is very little compared to what we get back.” Hackett is one of the organization’s 20 nationally board certified hospice and palliative care nurses who have devoted their careers to end-of-life care. Last year at Cedar Valley Hospice, 59 hospice nurses and 22 hospice aides cared for 1,020 patients and their families. They provided compassion, friendship and dignity at a time when they were needed most. The knowledge and extensive education required for hospice nursing is highly evident as they accompany people on one of life’s most challenging journeys — the end of life. Cedar Valley Hospice nurses are registered nurses who receive additional training in end-of-life issues. Care is supplemented by a team of professionals, including hospice aides who are certified nursing assistants, many of whom are board certified in hospice and palliative care. Cedar Valley Hospice nurses and aides are part of an interdisciplinary team including physicians, social workers, chaplains, grief counselors and trained volunteers. Together, they provide expert medical care, pain management and emotional support tailored specifically to the patient’s wishes. Care is provided to meet the needs of terminally ill patients and grieving families wherever they call home — this could be their own residence, an assisted-living facility, nursing home, hospital or the Cedar Valley Hospice Home. The nurses are specially trained in pain and symptom control techniques that help
Apply in person at:
7511 University Avenue, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
WO-052211025
www.newaldaya.org
E.O.E
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Effects of photos that stigmatize overweight people studied ■ Study suggests degrading images can cause obese people to eat more .
“What we’ve observed in other experimental research is that when people are exposed to negative images of overweight or obese people, they’re more likely to express prejudice toward overweight people.” Rebecca Puhl
McClatchy News Service
director of research and weight stigma initiatives.
When news outlets use negative images of overweight people — sloppily dressed, eating junk food — to go with stories about overeating, they actually contribute to the problem of obesity, according to a new study from Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. Researchers at the Rudd Center studied five major online news websites and the images that went with their stories about weight and dieting. Almost three-quarters of the images of
overweight people portrayed the subjects in a “negative, stigmatizing manner.” The study is published in this month’s issue of Journal of Health Communication. The researchers classified “negative” or “stigmatizing” as photos that show the subjects poorly or unprofessionally dressed or eating unhealthful food, as well as photos that cut the subjects’ heads out of the
CVMS 2011 Nursing Staff Trisha Arnold Karie Benson Joan Blanchard Dustin Bozwell Denise Britt Jennifer Bruce Maxine Buhr Julie Burgart Dixie Burk Barbara Burkle Diane Castle Pat Caya Chelsea Cheeney Kandis Ciesielski Jon Clinton Brenda Cooper Scott Doyle DeAnn Eilers Lexie Fodor Laura Foote Sue Frost Julie Gleason
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Melissa Groeneveld Kari Haislet Ashley Hall Gale Hennager Barbara Hershberger Jennifer Howell Amy Johnstone Jacqueline Jorgensen Carolyn Junk Tara Kaiser Renee Keninger Shawna Kuehl Allyson Landphair Jennifer Laube Paul Lovell Niki Maas Kathleen Mangrich Alison McFadden Kelli Meskimen Lisa Moeller Lindsay Mostek Kem Mulder
Melanie Neff Mary Patterson Anna Liza Persson Lisa Phillips Karen Plum Amanda Ridder Erin Roberts Diane Rogers Elizabeth Rogers Jeanne Rothamel Abbie Schrader Crystal Schrader Carrie Shepard Julie Starbeck Bridget Stark Bethany Trask Natasha Vogel Melissa Walztoni Becky West Katrina Willems Sara Yoder
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frame or depict only their abdomens or lower bodies. While these stories often focus on the problem of obesity or are informing the audience how to lose weight, the researchers say the photos that accompany them actually exacerbate the problem. “What we’ve observed in other experimental research is that when people are exposed to negative images of overweight or
obese people, they’re more likely to express prejudice toward overweight people,” said coauthor Rebecca Puhl, director of research and weight stigma initiatives. And when people with weight problems face this kind of prejudice, she said, it lowers their sense of self-worth and that can cause them to eat more. “When they’re stigmatized by their weight, they’re more likely to engage in unhealthy eating,” she said. “Stigma is a form of stress and a common coping method is eating food.” Anonymity is frequently the reason given for showing subjects with their heads cut out of the photos, but Puhl doesn’t buy it. “Why do the photos have to be so degrading?” she said, adding that the people in these photos
CVMS Medical Assistants Merri Burgart Melissa Gitch Courtney Kannegieter Mandi Koenen Erica Martens Roberta Meyer Vanessa Miranda Cari O’Brien Amy Ohl Judy Owen Kelly Rourke Kristina White
are often shown drinking soda, wearing clothing that’s too tight or revealing bare midriffs. “If they want to simply depict people who are obese, they can do so in a positive or neutral way. It’s an added layer of trying to showcase these people in dehumanizing and degrading ways.” To counteract these images, the Rudd Center has developed a collection of photos that depict overweight and obese people more positively. The photos, with subjects neatly dressed and often in professional settings, are available for all news outlets to use for no charge. “When we see negative images in media outlets, we often will contact them and explain to them why it’s damaging and we’ll suggest the alternative photos that we’ve got,” Puhl said. ◆
SUNDAY, MAY 22 2011
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SALUTE TO NURSES
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THE COURIER
Hyperactivity disorder not just a childhood problem McClatchy News Service
FORT WORTH, Texas — As a boy, Mike Garza struggled in school. He missed graduating with his high school class because he failed Spanish. Three times he flunked out of college. “All through school, I couldn’t stay focused,” he said. “I always wondered what was wrong with me.” At 62, Garza finally learned why it took days for him to complete a project that others finished in hours. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder had stalked him his entire life. Now 70, Garza is among an estimated 11 million people in the U.S. with ADHD, a neurobiological condition that causes poor attention, restlessness, impulsivity and procrastination. The biggest misconceptions about ADHD in adults are that it doesn’t exist and that children outgrow it, said Dr. Aashish Parikh, a psychiatrist with the ADHD Clinic of North Texas in Arlington. But about 50 percent of people continue to have symptoms into adulthood. The disorder affects about 4 percent of adults in the U.S., but only about 11 percent of them receive treatment, according to Children and Adults With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. “There is a population out there that is isolated and needs some support,” said Kari Dossett, cofounder of CHADD in Texas. “We know ADHD tends to be misunderstood.” Whereas children with ADHD may be more hyperactive, adults are more restless, Parikh said. They may have difficulty multitasking and sitting still during a meeting, or they may make impulsive decisions that others question. Adults tend to have frequent job changes and failed relationships, Dossett said. Low frustration tolerance, boredom, time-management problems and procrastination are common.
“At home, they may forget to pay the light bill,” Dossett said. “In relationships, they may not be able to read social cues, so they end up blurting out things or interrupting people.” Garza, who’s in his fifth marriage, knows the difficulties well. “I heard thousands of times that I was not trying or I was just lazy,” he said. He developed coping strategies, relied on organizers and channeled his hyperactivity into sports. Although he bounced from one college to another and tried different jobs, he eventually earned a doctorate in psychology in 1976 from East Texas State University. Soon afterward he found success as a college professor, but it was not without challenges. “When I started teaching, sometimes I would show up on the wrong day and wonder where were my students?’’ he said. Just as challenging as living with ADHD is getting diagnosed in the first place. There’s no blood test to prove that someone has ADHD, Dossett said. Rather, the diagnosis is based on the client’s history, standardized behavior rating scales and observation. The disorder is difficult to diagnose in adults because it can mimic other problems, Parikh said. “Oftentimes a parent finds out they have it when their child is diagnosed,” Dossett said. Garza finally got help after he asked his physician for medication to help him focus. Adderall, a commonly prescribed stimulant, changed his life. “It was the difference between night and day,” he said. Stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin work for about 75 to 80 percent of adults, experts say. “One of the best reasons to treat ADHD is really self-esteem,” Parikh said. “If your whole life you have been told negative things about yourself, it’s going to have an effect. Treating ADHD doesn’t just improve concentration, it helps them feel good about themselves.” ◆
Your Compassion assion ssion Make Makes k You Great! Thank you to our nurses and associates for their dedication to Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and the patients that they care for during their time of greatest need.
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Year after year, Allen has great nurses.
This year, we have six more. Every year, nurses across the state select and honor 100 Great Iowa Nurses. This year, six more Allen nurses made the list. They include (l-r) Milda Mullesch, Anna Wehling-Weepie, Cathleen Hopkins, Jacqueline Leutzinger, Lisa Franzen and Kendra Williams-Perez. Twenty-eight Allen Health System nurses have been named Great Iowa Nurses since the program began in 2005. We’re pleased to have so many winners, but we’re really not surprised. Great nursing runs deep at Allen. Our nurses have been caring for the Cedar Valley since 1925. Year after year, Allen has great nurses. Year after year, you get great care.
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