Hot Off The Press!
A PUBLICATION OF GOLDEN PLAINS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL MARCH 2010 VOLUME 7 ISSUE 4
Hutchinson County
Health Fair is scheduled
for April 23
The Hutchinson County Health Fair is just around the corner!
The Frank Phillips College A&I facility, 901 Opal, will host the
event again this year which is set for April 23. The Fair starts
at 9 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Blood draws start at 8:30 a.m.
The deadline for exhibitors to sign up is April 9. Setup time is
7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Door prizes will be given away throughout the day and area
residents can have their cholesterol and blood sugar scanned
as well as visit the many booths that will be on hand. For cho-
lesterol and blood sugar scanning, please fast from all foods
except clear liquids after midnight on April 23.
CERTIFIED NURSES’ DAY: GPCH celebrated Certified Nurses’ Day
on March 19. Above are three of the hospital’s fine Certified Nurses:
(l. to r.) Debby Gray, Wound Care; Tammy Gresset, OB; and Eva C.
Garcia, Wound Care. Not shown are Sherry Kramer, OB & OR; Becky
Peery, Infection Control; Georgia Hughes, Case Management; Mel-
ody Henderson, Advanced Nursing Administration; and David King,
Emergency.
GPCH Employees Sign Up for LoneStart
Wellness Program—Second Round!
Employees of Golden Plains Community Hos-
pital signed up in March to begin the second
year of the LoneStart Wellness Program. Over
60 employees committed to living healthier, more active lives, said
NATIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS MONTH: GPCH cele- Coordinator Danna Jackson.
brated National Social Workers Month in March.
Among the best social workers in the Panhandle of The GPCH Dietary Department is providing calorie information for
Texas are (l. to r.) Kathy O’Keefe, Pam Smith and each delicious dish served and there are plenty of opportunities to
Danna Jackson. exercise—climb stairs instead of taking the elevator or stretching
exercises at your desk or work station.
Keep working on your overall wellness! You’ll be glad you did!
Compliance Hotline: ATTENTION, GPCH EMPLOYEES! The Physician Satis-
faction Team will soon be handing out Physician of the
273-1312 Year Surveys which will be due back to Kathy Whelchel
by April 19, 2010! Help choose the Physician of the Year!
Oh, Baby! It’s in OB!
(L t r) Emergency Department physician, Dr. Brent Sher-
wood; Tracy Geppi, LVN; ER Manager, Sue Giesler, RN;
Trauma Coordinator, Vicki Bybee, RN; and Jessie Jones,
RN, are pleased to receive word from the Texas Depart-
ment of State Health Services that the GPCH ER has been
re-designated as a Basic (Level IV) Trauma Facility.
GPCH ER is re-designated as a
Basic (Level IV) Trauma Facility Discussing the new OBiX Monitor in the OB/GYN Department are: (l.
to r.) Amanda Stover, LVN; Tammy Gressett, RNC; and Kelley Chi-
GPCH’s Emergency Department has once again been re-
sum, LVN. The OBiX Monitor is a central fetal monitoring system and
designated as a Basic (Level IV) Trauma Facility in Trauma
improves the safety level of moms and babies.
Service Area-A by the Texas Department of State Health Ser-
vices. The State designation is valid for a three-year period.
TDSHS Commissioner David L. Lakey, M.D., wrote in his let-
ter to Dennis Jack, CEO, “Your hospital is to be commended
for its on-going commitment to ensure quality care is available
for trauma patients in its area. I also want to thank you and
your staff for the continued leadership role you have assumed
in the development of our state trauma system. Congratula-
tions on this impressive accomplishment.”
According to the Texas Administrative Code, a Basic (Level
IV) Trauma Facility provides resuscitation, stabilization, and
arranges for appropriate transfer of major and severe trauma
patients to a higher level trauma facility when medically nec-
essary, provides ongoing educational opportunities in trauma-
A Lunch and Learn Seminar on “Managing the Multi-Generational
related topics for health care professionals and the public and
Gap” was presented by Baptist—St. Anthony’s Hospital on Wed.,
implements targeted injury prevention programs.
March 31, 2010 as an In-Service to GPCH Department Managers.
Some of those attending were Jennifer Harvey, Human Resources;
Emergency Room Manager, Sue Giesler, RN, said, “Our re- Melody Henderson, COO/CNO; Georgia Hughes, Case Management;
designation as a Basic (Level IV) Trauma Facility by the
Kim Charles, Business Office; and Sue Giesler, Emergency Room
TDSHS means we are dedicated to improving trauma services
and Respiratory Therapy.
to our area. It’s a benefit to our community and that’s why we
have pursued being re-designated and that’s why GPCH Ad-
ministration supports it.”
Have a Blessed Easter!
From the Desk of
the CEO
There was a very exciting delivery on the
L/D unit recently. Our bouncing new Fetal
Monitoring System, OBiX, was brought live
into our world on Wednesday, March 24,
2010. DENNIS JACK, CEO
This brand new fully functioning system came into the world screaming,
but it didn’t take our staff long to calm him down (with a name like OBiX, it
has to be a boy, doesn’t it?) and figure out how to win him over to their
way of caring for our patients.
OBiX will allow our nurses and doctors real time information and charting
on our newest and most precious patients while they come into our
world. OBiX will capture much more information and give everyone in-
volved the data they need to make the best decisions through the care
and delivery of our newest patients. They can even monitor a mom while
in another room so they are always informed of progress of the
birth. Stop by and see it! They are very proud of their newest addition to
the GPCH family.
On another positive note, the hospital announced pay increases last
month, even when some hospitals are cutting staff and stopping in-
creases. We will need to watch expenses carefully in the year to come so
we can keep our staff paid well for what they do, and get them the tools
FAITH AND BEGORRA! Golden Plains Community Hos- they need to do their job to the best of their ability.
pital was overrun with leprechauns (well, maybe just
Lastly, I know everyone is wanting to know about the new hospital pro-
one) on St. Patrick’s Day. In celebration of the holiday, ject. The State Department of Health completed their review of our plans
the GPCH Employer of Choice Team served snacks and and had very minor adjustments that we are addressing and will have
green punch. Team members are: (l. to r.) Betty Herrera, back to them for approval the first part of April. USDA has approved the
Accounting; Becky Peery, Infection Control; Rosa Casas, project and we are just waiting for the funding to follow, which could be
Medical Records; and Beth Raper, Accounting. any hour now - literally. I will let you all know the moment we get that
funding letter and we can start moving some dirt!!!
GPCH Trash Bash is set for
April 7—Let’s Clean Up!
The Borger Trash Bash will be held April 5—10, 2010, but
GPCH’s own Trash Bash is scheduled for Wed., April 7 at
2:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the Cafeteria after-
ward!
The GPCH Trash Bash is sponsored by the Employer of
Choice Team!
Maria Sandoval, an Amarillo College Radiology student,
taught preventative skin disease for diabetes manage-
ment at GPCH recently. The Managing Diabetes class is
held every fourth Friday of the month in the EBR. Geor-
gia Hughes, RN, and Marilyn Baird, RDLD , conduct the
class which is open to the public for patients with diabe-
tes.
Tips For Fall Prevention
In The Elderly
Falls can be dangerous and sometimes deadly within the geriat-
ric population. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) reports
that between 20% and 30% of those who fall suffer moderate to
severe injuries.
When it comes to falls, the best defense is an offense, so to
speak. Fall prevention education is crucial to the health and well-
being of our elderly patients. As healthcare providers, we are in
a unique position to educate patients. The CDC offers the follow-
ing tips for fall prevention education:
Remember When?
Ahh, the 1970’s! The Beatles released “Let It Be,” bar codes were Regular Physical Activity—Whether it’s walking, water aero-
introduced, 18-year-olds were given the right to vote in federal elec- bics or Tai Chi, studies show that regular, general exercise
tions, floppy disks were all the rage, and nurses still wore starched helps to reduce the risk of falls in older adults.
white dresses and caps. Just for fun, look at the monthly paycheck
for GPCH nurses in 1970: Wear sensible shoes—Encourage patients to buy shoes
that fit properly, are sturdy and feature non-skid soles. Ad-
Nurse Director: $785.00 vise us of a long-handled shoe horn if they have balance
Registered Nurse: $615.00 issues to avoid bending over while putting on shoes.
Licensed Vocational Nurse: $355.00
OR RN: $630.00 Make the home environment safe—Clutter, decorative
OR LVN: $356.00 home accents, furniture and rugs can all cause falls. Ask
patients to consider removing these items from high traffic
Other GPCH employees earned the following: areas of the home. Instruct them to immediately clean spills
and use non-slip mats and rugs in the bathroom to avoid
Dietician: $625.00 falls.
Housekeeping Executive: $475.00
Maintenance: $575.00 Use proper lighting in the home—Place a lamp near the bed
Business Office: $400.00 or within easy reach to prevent nighttime falls. Night lights
Medical Records: $345.00 can be used in hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms to light
X-ray: $560.00 up paths in the home. Remind them to turn on lights before
Lab Histology Tech: $445.00 climbing or descending stairways. Also, encourage flash-
Lab Clinical Tech: $745.00 lights to be stored in easy-to-find spots for illumination dur-
Anesthesia: $895.00 ing power outages.
Pharmacist $700.00
Nurse Aide: $240.00 Use assistive devices—In the bathroom, grab bars can be
Floor Orderly: $240.00 installed inside and/or outside of the tub.
Ward Clerk: $232.00
Where in GPCH?
Three folks guessed where in GPCH last month’s photo was taken: Amber Hall, RN,
OR; Deena Rodriguez, OR Materials Coordinator; and Amy Hogan, Admissions, all
guessed the Chapel and they were right! In a random drawing, Amber Hall wins the $5
gift certificate to the GPCH Gift Shop! Congratulations, Amber! Now, where was the
photo at left taken? Remember, it’s somewhere in GPCH! Get your entries in by the
end of April. All correct entries will be placed in a random drawing for the winner!