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| | | Spencer Hospital Celebrates Hospital Week 2020 |
| While Hospital Week 2020 is far from “business as usual” in healthcare, at Spencer Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, many services have continued at full volume, yet with extra safety precautions in place for the wellbeing of patients.
“Patient care and safety are always our first priority,” commented Bill Bumgarner, Spencer Hospital president. “As such, the hospital’s Abben Cancer Center, Spencer and Spirit Lake Warner Dialysis Centers, inpatient behavioral health center, emergency department, birth center and numerous other essential health services have continued to fully provide needed care.”
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| | | Annual Garden of Life Campaign Going on Now |
| Community members are invited to donate to the annual Garden of Life Campaign. During the Garden of Life campaign, each donation given to the Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special caregiver will be represented by a blooming plant in the hospital park.
“In years past, we’ve invited each donor who makes a gift to the Garden of Life campaign to join us for a special planting ceremony,” commented Mindy Gress, Foundation director. “However, for the health of our donors, co-workers and our community, we will have a small group of employees plant this year’s garden. We will miss the opportunity to visit with those friends with whom we’ve established special bonds, yet it’s essential to continue to focus on keeping everyone healthy as possible.”
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| | | Five Spencer Hospital Nurses Recognized Among Iowa's 100 Great Nurses of 2020 |
| Spencer Hospital nurses Carol Hartig, Dee Hoger, Beth Hopkins, John Lyon and Margaret Molitor have been selected as five of Iowa’s 100 Great Nurses for 2020. They were to be honored at a special celebration in Des Moines on May 3; however, the event was canceled due to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
The 100 Great Iowa Nurses program identifies 100 outstanding nurses every year whose courage, competence, and commitment to patients and the nursing profession stand out above all others. These nurses go above and beyond to contribute significantly to the profession of nursing. Collectively, these five Spencer Hospital nurses have 148 years of experience, yet rather than counting the years, they remember the moments.
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| | | Spencer Hospital Resumes Limited Elective Surgeries |
| Spencer Hospital Surgery Center resumed same day surgical procedures on a limited basis this past Monday, May 11.
“The hospital and its medical staff have developed a plan which takes measured steps to reopen elective procedures,” explained hospital president Bill Bumgarner. “We’re anxious to meet the health needs of our patients, yet with a first priority to focus on patient and healthcare provider safety during the COVID-19 public health emergency.”
Safety protocols will include, but are not limited to, the following:
- All patients considered for elective surgery will be carefully prescreened. In addition to a traditional physical and health history assessment, each patient will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
- Upon entering Spencer Hospital or any of the clinics for a scheduled procedure, patients will be asked to wear cloth masks and will be screened again for COVID-19 symptoms.
- All care team members will wear surgical masks and protective eye wear or face shields, as well as other necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed when caring for a patient.
- Current temporary visitor restrictions remain in place. For surgery procedures, one parent or guardian may accompany a patient under the age of 18. Patients 18 and older will be asked to have someone transport them to the hospital and be prepared to transport the patient home afterwards, yet not accompany them into the facility. All surgical patients are encouraged to have a contact person whom the care team can keep informed regarding the patient’s procedure and contact when the patient is ready to be released and transported home.
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| | Local Companies Adapt Business Model to Respond to Healthcare Needs
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| What do a distillery, fire apparel company and a print shop all have in common? In addition to being northwest Iowa businesses, when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their operations, they were able to be flexible and change their production models to help fulfill needs at Spencer Hospital.
Verdian Fire Protective Gear: medical isolation gowns Lakes Marketing and Print – In Collaboration with Others: face shields for PPE
Century Farms Distillery: hand sanitizer
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| | | Need for Cloth Masks Continues |
| As a number of elective surgeries resume, more patients will be entering Spencer Hospital and also the local clinics prior to surgery appointments for pre-procedure exams. Patients will be asked to arrive wearing a cloth masks; however, for those who do not have them, masks will be furnished... as long as supplies remain available. Over the past weeks, we've been blessed with many talented people making and donating cloth masks. The need for masks remains great. If you would like to use your skills at making more, here are several recommended patterns:
- The CDC offers some guidance for both sewn and no-sew masks: CLICK HERE
- Many people like the fit of the Olson mask: FOUND HERE- Local professional seamstress Barb Bohr of Royal has a wonderful Facebook video of how to make a well-fitting mask: ON HER PAGE |
| | | Nutrition & Hydration for People Recovering from COVID-19 |
| Our Spencer Hospital team is prepared to care for a potential influx of patients who test positive for COVID-19 and require hospitalization. Yet, according to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention’s COVID-19 Response Team only about 12 percent of those infected will require hospitalization; the remaining 88 percent will recover at home. Our goal is to provide healthcare resources for all those in need of care.
If you are a caregiver for someone recovering at home, what should you do? Fighting a fever burns more energy (calories) and causes more fluid loss. So even if a person does not feel hungry or thirsty, it is important to keep eating (to provide energy) and drinking fluids to replace fluids lost through sweating, coughing, urinating, etc. Eating and drinking are just two “weapons” your body needs to fight the virus & support your immune system. |
| | | Hand Care in COVID-19: Stay Safe & Injury Free |
| As you are staying safe in your homes and tackling those home improvement projects, accidents may happen. Here are some tips we all can use to keep ourselves safe and injury free.
1. Wear appropriately fitting gloves
2. Inspect your tools/equipment
3. Be aware of your surroundingsUntil you or someone you know has suffered from an injury to your hand, you don’t realize the impact it has on your daily life, work life, and your family members. Most of the hand injuries result in a temporary loss of function from days, weeks or months, however, some severe injuries result in permanent changes in the function of your hand. Stay safe and injury free!
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| | | Creative Ways to Add 'Pep In Your Step' |
| | Our daily roles are important factors for our self-identity, mental health, and that physical energy often termed “pep in your step.” Restrictions in our daily ‘norm’ force us to find creative ways to fuel our bodies in a positive way.
Ways to stay active and fuel your mental health during COVID-19: Exercise, garden, get outside, cooking/baking, board games or yard games, crafts, sew, read, sidewalk chalk, music therapy, stay connected, or try something new.
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