Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital, in cooperation with Northeast Iowa Community College, will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon. This 160-hour course will begin in mid-October at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
The class will meet at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room two nights per week, Mondays and Thursdays, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. each night. Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to volunteer on their own community’s ambulance service or rescue squad, as well as respond to their own emergency situations and provide quality emergency care.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be sponsoring the 21st annual 5K Cardiac Classic Run/Walk in conjunction with Waukon’s Corn Day Celebration again this year. The event will be held in Waukon Saturday, August 16 at 8 a.m. with registration beginning at 7 a.m. at the south east entrance to Veterans Memorial Hospital. “Walk ins” are welcome to attend the event that day, even if they have not pre-registered.
The event will be broken down into two categories, a run and a walk. The distance of both events is 5K (3.1 miles) and will begin at the southeast entrance to Veterans Memorial Hospital, tour the northeast and southeast side of Waukon and return to the hospital  (refer to route map at right),

 The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital has announced that it will be offering two full scholarships for individuals from the community to attend the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course to beheld this fall at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
There is a need for more EMTs in the area so the hospital Auxiliary, in an effort to help recruit, will pay the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) college credit fee for two individuals this upcoming school year. The course will be taught in Waukon at Veterans Memorial Hospital two evenings per week. Some classes are held at NICC, plus, as part of the training, some hours are required at other medical facilities outside of Veterans Memorial Hospital. The course will begin in mid-September and conclude in April. A written and practical exam are then required, with licenses being awarded to all those with passing grades in both categories.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering free blood sugar testing with immediate results during the Waukon Corn Days celebration Friday, August 15. The tests will be performed in the hospital’s first aid tent located in the Waukon State Bank parking lot from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Hospital Massage Therapist, Edna Wyninger, will also be on site to offer free chair massages during that time.

The hospital will be holding a 5K Run/Walk at 8 a.m. the next morning as well.  Registration begins at 7 a.m.
For more information on these activities, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

by Diane Allison, R.N., Certified Lactation Consultant, Maternity Services Supervisor

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be sponsoring the 21st annual 5K Cardiac Classic Run/Walk Saturday, August 16 in conjunction with the Waukon Corn Days celebration. The event welcomes walkers and runners of all ages. It will begin at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon at 8 a.m. with registration beginning at 7 a.m.
The event will be broken down into two categories - a run and a walk. The distance of both events is 5K (3.1 miles) and will begin just outside the south east entrance to the hospital.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering a variety of free health tests and education at the 2014 Allamakee County Fair. Testing and educational materials will change daily and will include the following schedule:
• Wednesday, July 16, 6-10 p.m. - Free cholesterol testing by Machelle Bulman, R.N., Education Coordinator.
• Thursday, July 17, 4-7 p.m. - Massages by certified massage therapist Edna Wyninger.
• Friday, July 18, 4-8 p.m. - Free blood sugar and diabetes testing by Teresa Myers, R.N., Certified Diabetes Educator.
• Saturday, July 19, 4-8 p.m. - Free blood sugar and diabetes testing.
• Sunday, July 20, 12 noon -4 p.m. - Free blood pressure checks by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Nurses.
Veterans Memorial Hospital will also be offering a hand washing challenge to all adults and children attending the fair. Participation prizes will be awarded.   

Officials at Veterans Memorial Hospital have announced that the hospital has recently “gone live” with a new electronic medical record. This new record is in response to Medicare’s rule requiring hospitals to meet certain standards related to medical records called “Meaningful Use.”
 “As we begin the process of moving portions of our documentation to the electronic medical record, I wish to apologize in advance for any disruptions anyone experiences with their care or services,” stated Mike Myers, hospital administrator. “We take great pride in providing the best care possible to all we serve. However, as with anything new, it takes some time to become familiar and comfortable with it.”
The hospital made this conversion to the electronic medical record July 1. The  staff has been training for the last month preparing for the transition to make it as seamless as possible.

Last summer, the life of John Belthuis of Waterloo was saved by Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Community Cardiac Arrest Specialty Team (CCAST) after he suddenly collapsed due to cardiac arrest while visiting the Harley-Davidson dealership in Waukon. In gratitude, Belthuis, with the help of friends and family, coordinated a motorcycle ride in Waterloo to raise funds for the Veterans Memorial Hospital ambulance service. Pictured in middle is Belthuis presenting a check for the over $4,000 raised at the June 7th event, to Veterans Memorial Hospital ER staff members Jeff Mitchell, EMT-P, EMS Coordinator, and Diane Butikofer, RN, ER Supervisor.

Warm weather means more outdoor activities, including picnics and cookouts. Every year, Iowa sees an increase in food-borne diseases during the summer. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reminds Iowans that a few simple precautions can reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
“Basically, preventing food-borne illness comes down to four simple rules: cooking food thoroughly, keeping cold food cold, hot food hot, and keeping your hands clean,” said IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. Always remember to:
• Cook meat thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of meat and poultry. Cook hamburger, pork and beef to 160 degrees F and poultry to 165 degrees F. If a thermometer is not available, cook meat (especially ground meats) until no pink remains and all juices run clear.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food. Don’t prepare food for others if you have diarrhea.