Health

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation gifted a new cardiac rehabilitation system to the hospital with the funds raised through the many donations made during the community campaign held one year ago. This new telemetry system enhances the hospital’s Chronic Heart Failure and Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program by providing more reliable, accurate patient monitoring.

During exercise sessions, the nursing staff can focus more attention on patients while the system records and displays essential patient data and alerts staff to changes in an electrocardiogram (ECG). Updates can be made to patient information, plan of care, and progress notes without interrupting patient monitoring and reports can be easily generated for individual sessions or across multiple sessions.

by Diane Butikofer, RN, ER Supervisor at Veterans Memorial Hospital

Individuals who experience any type of chest pain need to take that pain very seriously and seek medical assistance. There is always the possibility that pain may be caused by a heart attack or some other form of heart disease and must not be ignored. Immediate medical attention is the only way to stop or decrease the damage to the heart.

The common signs and symptoms of a heart attack include the following:

1. Any type of chest pain. It may be a crushing pain, a feeling of heaviness such as an elephant standing on one’s chest, or even a squeezing of the chest.
2. Pain that radiates down the arm, or other areas of the body such as the neck, jaw or shoulders.
3. Weakness or shortness of breath, nausea, light headedness and/or possible sweating.

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Wednesday, March 8 at 2 p.m. This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss, whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief. Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support group meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

The next local LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, March 2 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held the first Thursday of every other month in Waukon, falling on the odd-numbered months, to allow for more donors to give.

The donation process is simple:
1. Eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of fluids at least four hours prior to donating.
2. Bring proper identification, such as a donor card or a driver’s license.
3. Complete a health history questionnaire and screening interview.
4. Receive a brief health check by trained staff. This includes a check of blood pressure, pulse, temperature and blood iron levels.
5. Sit back while a unit of blood, approximately one pint, is collected. This process takes around 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy refreshments while relaxing for 10-15 minutes before leaving the facility.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon began nuclear cardiac stress testing within its Cardiac Rehab unit in 2008. The convenience of having these nuclear tests offered on a local level has been well received by many in the community since it began.

Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing offers two different methods, both highly effective in detecting heart disease. These two new forms of nuclear stress testing are called the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test and Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging. Both methods can increase the likelihood of finding heart disease by 20% when compared to traditional treadmill stress tests.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Patty (Engrav) Thornton by Elsa Hager, Jerry and Michelle Donahue, Gary Klug and his mother, and Tom and Beth Baxter. Memorials were also received in memory of Dick Delphey by Carol Paus and Dane Zarwell, Scott and Sandra Zweep, Betty Staggemeyer, Pearson Families, Keith Pearson, Agnes Pearson, Kent Pearson, Marjorie Pearson, Richard and Joan Leiran and Evelyn Burke.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation.  The Foundation is a 501C3 organization. All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Memorials and donations can be sent to 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Monday, March 13, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the “Health Care Provider” CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411 by March 10.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital will sponsor a Babysitting Seminar Saturday, March 25, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Intended participants are individuals 10 years of age and older who are responsible for their own care after school until their parents come home from work, and individuals who care for other children in or outside of their own home. Pre-registration is required by March 22. Online registration is available at www.veteransmemorialhospital.com. Contact Corinne Cook, RN, instructor, at 563-568-3411 for more information.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital began its own Cardiac Rehabilitation unit nearly two decades ago to help fulfill a need in the community - a need that has been and continues to be well utilized.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, where half a million people die each year due to this disease. Many people develop symptoms of heart disease when they are in their 40s or 50s, interrupting a most productive time of life. Cardiac Rehabilitation is an important tool in the fight against heart disease. Rehabilitation involves monitored exercise, nutritional counseling, emotional support and education about lifestyle changes to reduce risks of heart problems.

Veterans Memorial Hospital staff recently completed its annual high school basketball wellness games tour visiting all the neighboring schools of Monona, Postville, Lansing and Waukon, offering free wellness testing at each location.

Over 100 free wellness tests were completed on individuals who stopped at the booth. Information on sports nutrition and sports injuries was handed out, as well as a focus on the community wellness testing offered at the Laboratory at Veterans Memorial Hospital.