Health

Wed
08
Mar

Prepared Childbirth Education Class held at Veterans Memorial Hospital

Veterans Memorial Hospital will begin the next Prepared Childbirth Education classes (formerly called Lamaze) Monday, April 10, and that class will continue for two more consecutive Monday evenings beginning at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in three sessions that allow the expectant parents to choose which topics they wish to learn more on. They may choose to attend one, two or all three sessions. Session 1 covers labor, delivery and the postpartum period following delivery; Session 2 includes relaxation, breathing and pain management; and Session 3 covers infant care. Tours of the OB Department are available with each session as well.

Wed
08
Mar

Babysitting Seminar to be held at VMH

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will sponsor a Babysitting Seminar Saturday, March 25, from 8:30 a.m.- 12 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. Girls are not the sole babysitters in today’s society. Boys are also welcome and encouraged to attend.

Topics to be covered include fire and personal safety, accident prevention and emergency actions, nutritious snacks and basic care of children.

Wed
08
Mar

Veterans Memorial Hospital transitioning to a new electronic Medical Record System

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon has begun to transition to a new electronic medical record system as of March 7. This new system will now link to all departments, encompassing all areas of the hospital, including the billing department.

With this change, patients will see a new statement following any hospital service which will be a completely different look from what they are used to receiving due to the use of a new vendor. In addition, patient account balances will also be handled by a new system that will be unfamiliar to the current patients.

Since this transition will take place over the course of a few months, the hospital wishes to inform patients they may receive statements within just a few days of each other. Also, the statements from the two different vendors do not look alike, which may also cause confusion, and the hospital wishes to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Wed
08
Mar

Memorials received by Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation 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, Evelyn Burke, Brian and Karen Burke, Mike and Heather Hanson, Ray and Mary Ann Burke, Rosanne Sweeney, Mavis Berns, Don and Dawn Blocker, Betty Hogan, Jim and Margo Sweeney, Kevin and Kaisa Norwood, Jim and Dolores Schmitt, Harold and Marlene Payne, Jim and Sallie Driscoll, Randy and Amy Densberger, R. and Ann Deames, Mike and Diane Bols, Ed and Janey Schulte and Mary Kay Delphey.

Wed
01
Mar

Successful 2016 Community Campaign gifts new cardiac rehabilitation system to VMH


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. Submitted photo.

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.

Wed
01
Mar

February is Heart Month: Remember to take any type of chest pain seriously


Pictured above is one of Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Rooms. February is National Heart Month. Anyone that is experiencing any type of chest discomfort, weakness or shortness of breath should consult medical assistance immediately. Because time is muscle, the quicker the heart attack can be stopped, the less muscle will be lost, and the better one’s chances for recovery. Submitted photo.

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.

Wed
01
Mar

Grief Support Group March 8

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.
 

Wed
01
Mar

Blood Donor Day held the first Thursday

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.

Wed
22
Feb

February is National Heart Month - Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing popular at Veterans Memorial Hospital


Pictured is Albert Matt of Clermont during one of his cardiac rehabilitation sessions on the NuStep machine in the Cardiac Rehabilitation unit at Veterans Memorial Hospital with Amy Rolfs, RN. Local nuclear cardiac stress testing and cardiac rehabilitation allows Veterans Memorial Hospital to provide cardiac care with state-of-the-art technology right here at home. Submitted photo.

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.

Wed
22
Feb

Memorials received by Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation

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.
 

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