January 29, 2015 VOLU M E 31 | I SS UE 31 | 5 0 ¢
WheatRidgeTranscript.com J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Lutheran’s nurses recognized ANCC gives hospital Pathway to Excellence By Clarke Reader
creader@colorado communitymedia.com Nurses keep their hospitals running, and for Lutheran Medical Center it takes 669 registered nurses to do the job that patients have come to expect. The American Nurses Credentialing Center recognized Lutheran Medical Center’s nursing staff with the Pathway to Excellence designation. The award recognizes organizations that create a positive nursing practice environment, and Lutheran is one of three Colorado hospitals to receive it. The designation can be renewed every three years. “It confirms and recognizes the importance of nurses in our practices,” said Geri Towndrow, chief nursing officer of Lutheran. “It’s about creating a healthy work environment for our nurses here.” In addition, ANCC accredits health care organizations that provide and approve continuing nursing education. It also offers educational materials to support nurses
and organizations as they work toward their credentials. Towndrow said Lutheran sought this designation as a tribute to all of the nurses and was the result of a year’s work. She said there was a lot of paperwork and documentation to gather and ANCC sent out representatives to speak with the nurses about working at Lutheran. A total of 87 percent of nurses took a confidential survey about working at the hospital. The Lutheran Medical Center Foundation provided financial support for the process. “This is the first time the hospital has received this honor,” Towndrow said. “Nurses from all apartments were involved in the process and they are so excited — it’s a reaffirmation of all the work they do.” According to information submitted by the hospital, this honor will help retain staff, improve nursing and patient satisfaction, boost patient quality and safety, support business growth, and promote interprofessional teamwork. “When nurses feel like they have a say in their practice and the changes, it has a major quality impact for the patients,” Towndrow said. “Having a say allows the nurses to improve the patients’ experience. Their voice matters.”
The entryway to Lutheran Medical Center. Photo by Clarke Reader
Music in the snow
First UllrGrass Festival celebrates bluegrass, brews and sports By Clarke Reader creader@colorado communitymedia.com
POSTAL ADDRESS
WHEAT RIDGE TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 1089-9197)
OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Wheat Ridge Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Wheat Ridge Transcript 722 Washington Ave., Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. GE T SOCIAL WITH US
In the summertime, it’s easy to find music festivals in Colorado. The weather makes everyone want to be outside, and live music makes it that much better. It’s a little trickier in the winter. The organizers of the first annual UllrGrass Festival — named for the Norse god of winter — are bringing some of the top names in the local bluegrass scene and brewers from Golden together to defy the elements and launch a winter music festival. Coal Creek Music is hosting UllrGrass at multiple stages in Golden Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. “We have great music here in Golden and Coal Creek Music has been looking to work with new festivals,” said Chris Thompson, executive director of UllrGrass & Coral Creek Music. “I’ve always lamented leaving town to see live music, and so we got involved with summer music. Not much happens when it snows but we want to pull people out of their igloos.” The headliner of the show is
IF YOU GO WHAT: Ullrgrass Festival WHERE: Golden WHEN: Jan. 29 - UllrGrass Pre-Party at Cervantes Other Side in Denver. UllrGrass All-Stars to perform (featuring members of Leftover Salmon, Infamous String Dusters, Head for the Hills, Coral Creek), with Uptown Toodeloo String Band and Gypsy Cattle-Drive. Jan. 30 - Feb. 1: UllrGrass Music Festival held at multiple stages throughout the weekend in Golden. Jan. 31 - fUllrGrass Beer Festival: 1-5 p.m. at Parfet Park in Golden. Beer festival tickets will be sold separately and include entry to the Parfet Park stage. COST: $10 - $80 INFORMATION: www.ullrgrass.com
legendary bluegrass performer Peter Rowan playing with members of Leftover Salmon and The Infamous Stringdusters. Other performers include Head for the Hills, Coral Creek, The Grant Farm, The Drunken Hearts, Rapidgrass Quintet, Thunder & Rain, Ragged Union, Caribou Mountain Collective, The Sweet Lillies and more. Musicians will play at Parfet Park in the afternoon, the Golden Hotel, Mountain Toad Brewery during happy hour and Buffalo Rose for the evening sets. Thompson said the beer festival will feature more than a dozen
Colorado craft breweries, including Mountain Toad, Golden City and Coda. The beer festival will be 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, in Parfet Park. Golden’s nearness to the mountain means the city is home to a lot of outdoor sports enthusiasts and Thompson is planning events for them as well throughout the festival. “We’ going to have mountain climbing clubs doing activities and organized bike rides and walks,” he said. Adam Kinghorn, guitarist for Head for the Hills, grew up in Golden and said he’s glad to see Thompson and Coal Creek bring more attention to the city’s live music scene. He has been a longtime advocate of the scene and is even featured in the Golden History Museum speaking about the
music. “Chris and I have been playing with each other’s bands for years now and he’s responsible in a lot of ways for the thriving music scene here,” Kinghorn said. “He knew we would want to be part of this festival and we’re so happy to be part of it.” All the members of Head for the Hills write and sing and Kinghorn said they each bring their own influences, whether it’s jazz or punk, into the bluegrass they make. “It’s a great time to be part of Colorado’s music scene — I think people here are more open to new ideas,” he said. “Being able to listen to music outside is part of our culture out here, especially when you have the views we do.” For tickets and more information visit www.UllrGrass.com.
Donation funds college expansion Community College receives large donation from local nonprofit By Crystal Anderson
canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Local bluegrass favorites Head for the Hills are one of the top performers at the first Ullrgrass Festival. Courtesy photo
Two of Arvada’s key businesses came together to celebrate learning and health education in Arvada through one sizable donation.
“We believe we’ve found an investment and opportunity to invest in our home city,” said Marla Williams, president of Arvada’s Community First Foundation. “To invest in our conviction, that mental health and wellness is best addressed whole person, mind and body together ... that great opportunity is to invest in Red Rocks Community College.” On Jan. 21, Community First Foundation, a local philanthropic nonprofit, donated $1 million to Red Rocks Community College, to help fund the expansion of a 55,000 square foot Ar-
vada Health Professions and Science building located at 5420 Miller St. “This takes us so much further,” said Red Rocks President, Michele Haney. “We are about 82 percent there ... so this helps us come and see it be a reality.” The $22.5 million project will triple the size of the campus while adding key programs such as, Nurse’s Aide, RN Refresher, Health Funds continues on Page 5