my Boone Health Summer 2016

vol: 6 issue: 3

From Tiny To Teenagers Boone Hospital Center’s NICU Celebrates 20 years of caring Page 8 “...my whole body started tingling, and then I couldn’t feel anything...”

Table Of Contents Page 8

Boone Hospital Center’s mission is to improve the health of the people and communities we serve.

Jim Sinek

Page 14

President

Ben Cornelius Communications and Marketing Manager

Page 22

Jessica Park Marketing Coordinator

Madison Burke Multimedia Marketing Specialist Photos By

Madison Burke Shane Epping LG Patterson Contributing Writer

Jacob Luecke

Page 30 5...................................................... A Note From Boone Hospital President Jim Sinek 6................................................................................................................ Hospital Headlines 8..................................................................................................................... Deontae’s Story 10.............................................................................................................................

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1600 East Broadway Columbia, MO 65201 573.815.8000 For a free subscription, call 573.815.3392 or visit myBooneHealth.com and click on the subscription link on the right side of the page.

Don’t Panic

12.......................................................................................... New Technology Saving Lives 14.................................................................................................................

The Boone Touch

16.................................................................................................................. Making Big Plans 18........................................................................... Congratulations! It’s a Level-III NICU! 20......................................................................................

NICU Graduates: Then and Now

22.................................................................................................................... Delivering Hope 24.............................................................................................................

Weighted Questions

26...........................................................................................................

What The Experts Eat

28......................................................................................... Getting To Know A BHC Doctor 29.......................................................................................... Getting To Know A BHC Nurse 30................................................................. News from the Boone Hospital Foundation BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2016

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A Note From Jim

“Boone Baby”

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obody is prouder than a Boone Baby. Everybody born at Boone Hospital Center seems determined to let the world know they are a Boone Baby! I hear it on the street when I talk to people, in meetings when I present Boone Hospital updates, in social settings when I introduce myself and tell people where I work, at neighborhood gatherings and in our Boone Beginnings orientation program, where we welcome our new Boone teammates.

I thought I was proud of my Iowa heritage, but I don’t hold a candle to these Boone Baby fans! But Boone Babies have a lot to be proud of, both to be born at and to have their own Boone Babies at a hospital with the following distinctions:

Jim Sinek President Boone Hospital Center

• Ranked as the #1 hospital in mid-Missouri by US News and World Report • A certified Level One Stroke Center • The only Magnet-designated hospital for nursing in mid-Missouri • The #1 “preferred hospital” in mid-Missouri (National Research Corporation) • A member of the BJC HealthCare system, the largest non-profit health care system in the country • Over 300 award-winning medical staff members, including MidMissouri Neonatology and Women’s Health Associates, which deliver more babies than any other physician group in midMissouri • A Level-III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and neonatologists And that’s just a sample of the recognition Boone Hospital Center, Boone Family Birthplace and our medical staff have received over the recent past.

No wonder Boone Babies are proud to tell everyone where they were born!

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Hospital Headlines News From Boone Hospital Center

Boone Hospital Center Receives Second Excellence in Eye Donation Award

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oone Hospital Center has been awarded Saving Sight’s 2015 Excellence in Eye Donation Award, recognizing the partner hospital for achievements in providing the gift of sight to those needing a transplant last year.

In 2015, staff at Boone Hospital Center helped to facilitate 30 eye donation cases, which resulted in 38 individuals receiving restored sight through a cornea transplant.

Overall, the hospital achieved a 54 percent consent rate for eye donation.

The Excellence in Eye Donation Award was created in 2014 to recognize hospitals that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to eye donation. Hospitals in Saving Sight’s service area of Missouri, Kansas and Illinois that achieved an eye donation consent rate exceeding 45 percent with at least 10 donors during the 2015

calendar year will receive the award. Fewer than 15 percent of Saving Sight’s partner hospitals will be recognized with a 2015 Excellence in Eye Donation Award. This year marks the second time Boone Hospital Center will receive the honor.

“We applaud Boone Hospital Center for empowering others to give the gift of sight and for striving to create a culture that supports donation,” Tony Bavuso, CEO of Saving Sight, says. “Thanks to the generosity of eye donors and their families, and the staff at Boone Hospital Center, more people than ever were able to receive a sight-saving cornea transplant last year.”

Each year around 48,000 individuals in the United States require a cornea transplant to restore vision that has been lost due to disease, disorder or injury.

With the help of hospital partners like Boone Hospital Center, Saving Sight

Monica Smith, MSN, RN, NE-BC, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, accepts the award.

provided corneas for more than 3,000 of those transplant surgeries in 2015. For more information on becoming an eye, organ and tissue donor, please visit donatelife.net.

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Kids on Track participants are congratulated after crossing the finish line.

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his summer, Boone Hospital Center expanded its Kids on Track program, which encourages children to be active by completing a marathon over the course of the summer.

Participants earn prizes along the way from local businesses. With help from Boone Medical Group, Pershing Hospital, Samaritan Hospital and Sam’s Health Mart Pharmacies, the Kids on Track program is being offered in Ashland, Boonville, Brookfield, Centralia, Columbia, Macon, Mexico and Moberly. For more information, visit boone.org/kidsontrack.

The latest news boone.org

Honoring Our Nurses

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ach year, Boone Hospital Center presents its Professional Excellence in Nursing Awards to members of our nursing staff. All nominees are selected by their peers.

Congratulations to those recognized this year and to all Boone nurses for the care you provide: Lauryn Salts Year One Wonder 2016 Andrew Wiseman Year One Wonder 2016

The 2016 Nurses’ Week Celebration featured a luau theme and a presentation by Carolyn Jones, an awardwinning photographer and director of the movie “The American Nurse: Healing America.”

Crowder Leads State In Surgical System Performance

Jen Ballard Excellence In Nursing Education 2016 Sharilyn Reedy Excellence In Nursing Education 2016 Carly Slack Nursing Spirit 2016 Martin Parks Nursing Spirit 2016 Natalie Karnowski Partner In Caring 2016 Kirstin Schnakenberg Partner In Caring 2016

Gynecologic oncologist Sara Crowder, MD, recently performed her 1,000th surgery using the da Vinci surgical system. For the past two years, Dr. Crowder has performed more of these types of surgeries than anyone else in Missouri and is in the top one percent worldwide. Boone Hospital Center bought the equipment in 2011.

It offers 3D imaging and 360-degree movement of instruments. It allows surgeries to be minimally invasive, leading to shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times.

Sarah Beeler Partner In Caring 2016 Brenda Rippeto Transformational Leader 2016 Mika Schrimpf Excellence In Professional Nursing 2016 Becca McGuire Excellence In Professional Nursing 2016 Martin Parks Excellence In Professional Nursing 2016 BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2016

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Learn more about Boone Therapy boone.org/therapy

Deontae’s Story Using Determination And Will To Overcome The Odds

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atient care tech Deontae Curtis is one of the faces of Boone Hospital. Staff love him for his hard-working spirit and dedication to the job. Patients love him for his overwhelming kindness and compassion. So when Curtis broke his

neck last year playing football, there wasn’t a dry eye in the hospital.

Curtis was playing in his semiprofessional football league in Peoria, Ill., when he dove for the football, landing just beyond the touchdown line. He caught the ball, but landed on his neck.

“I heard pops down my spine, and my ears started ringing. My whole body started tingling, and then I couldn’t feel anything or move,” says Curtis. His teammates ran to him and talked about taking off his helmet to examine him. Fully awake, Curtis told them not to touch him and to call 911 because he hurt his spine.

“My doctors say if they would have moved me, I could have died because my spine was such a mess,” says Curtis.

Curtis used a piece of equipment called Bioness to help stimulate and strengthen his arm and leg muscles when he first started with Boone Therapy. This very unique and high tech piece of equipment was helpful in Curtis regaining function.

Deontae Curtis works with Robin Wilson, MSPT, and the Boone Therapy outpatient physical therapists three times a week.

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#7 S TRONG

Upon arriving at a local hospital, Curtis was told his C1, C4 and C5 vertebra had been fractured, leaving him paralyzed below the neck and in danger of suffocation. The C1 vertebra controls motor skills, while C4 and C5 control the diaphragm and breathing.

“They told me I should have been dead,” says Curtis.

Curtis underwent immediate surgery to fuse the C4 and C5 vertebra with titanium plates.

“My doctor said repairing the C1 vertebra would be too risky, and he told me I’d never walk again. I told him the only way I’d never walk again was if he cut off my legs,” says Curtis.

When he awoke from the surgery, he found himself intubated with a tube down his throat and a ventilator assisting his breathing. He describes it as a sort of drowning feeling, and he became anxious.

He then looked up at his vital signs, and when he saw that he was doing fine, he calmed himself down.

“I knew panicking would only make things worse. I would just check my vital signs from time to time to keep myself calm,” says Curtis.

When he was first taken off the ventilator, he had some trouble breathing. At one point his heart rate began to climb, and his physician wanted him to be intubated again.

“I just concentrated for a few minutes and got my blood pressure back down.

I really didn’t want to go back on the ventilator,” says Curtis.

Curtis quickly became known as the “captain of his own ship” by hospital staff for his ability to remain calm and overcome odds. This was reaffirmed when, just one day after surgery, he started getting movement back in his body.

“The first thing I could move was my right arm. It was really encouraging to get even that little bit of movement,” says Curtis.

The hospital wanted Curtis to stay there for at least 3 weeks before transferring to a rehab facility, but he was eager to get back to Missouri. After some negotiating, staff agreed to allow him to transfer to The Rehab Institute of St. Louis after one week.

“I only had movement in my arm when I first got there. I think I shocked everyone with what bad shape I was in,” he says.

“My doctor said repairing the C1 vertebra would be too risky, and he told me I’d never walk again. I told him the only way I’d never walk again was if he cut off my legs.” — Deontae Curtis Curtis says The Rehab Institute staff was puzzled by his initial test. He would have feeling in some areas and not in others. It didn’t fall into any sort of routine injury results.

“I think they realized pretty quick that I was going to be difficult to predict,” says Curtis.

And he certainly was. To everyone’s shock, Curtis got movement back in his legs within days and even began walking with the help of the therapists.

“I had my mind made up that I was going to be OK and I was going to walk again,” he says.

Curtis explains his initial paralysis was likely because of the incredible amount of

swelling in his spine following his surgery.

As the swelling went down, he got more movement back.

One of his favorite experiences at The Rehab Institute was participating in a wheelchair basketball game.

“I was already walking by then, but I still played. I got up at the end and started to push my chair out. That’s when a kid in the program came up to me and said he wished he could get up and push his chair out of there, too. I spent a while encouraging him to keep working at his therapy, and the next day I saw him taking steps. It was a great feeling,” says Curtis.

After just about 3 weeks in rehab, Curtis was able to return home to Columbia and follow up with Boone Hospital Center physical and occupational therapists.

He worked with Boone’s occupational therapists to get the skills back that he needed to return to normal life.

“I couldn’t wait to get back to work, and they made sure I was going to be able to do everything I needed to do. I now have no limitations while doing my job. That’s a really good feeling,” says Curtis.

Curtis still works with the Boone Therapy outpatient physical therapists three times a week to get his strength and agility back.

“The therapists make you feel so comfortable and really inspire you to get better. I’m still building my strength back, and I know they will help me every step of the way,” says Curtis.

Curtis is back to working full time on the cardiology floor. His coworkers and patients say they are so glad to have him back.

“Everyone has been so great and supportive. I am so happy to be home at Boone,” says Curtis. By Madison Burke BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER Summer 2016

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t ’ n o D c! i n Pa If Constant Worry Makes Life Difficult, It Could Be An Anxiety Disorder

By Jessica Park

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Source: www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders

W

e all feel anxious when taking a final exam or waiting on potentially bad news. Our body automatically responds when we feel scared or threatened, preparing us to fight or to run from danger. Occasional anxiety is a survival instinct that served our ancestors well. We may not have run-ins with charging mammoths these days, but this response still works.

Some people, however, experience anxiety constantly, when there’s no apparent danger. If intense feelings of fear, persistent or excessive worry, or fear of everyday situations make life difficult, it may be an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders are the most common health problem diagnosed in the United States, affecting over 40 million adults, most frequently women. They’ve also been diagnosed in children and teenagers.

What causes anxiety disorders? Usually, it’s a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Someone who inherits a genetic tendency for anxiety disorders or grows up in a chaotic, abusive or neglectful environment is likely to develop one later. (Most people develop anxiety disorders before they turn 21.)

Stressful situations, traumatic events, grief or prolonged illness can also cause anxiety disorders. They’re also frequently present in people who have other mental health conditions, such as depression, ADHD, eating disorders or substance abuse.

While people with anxiety disorders might have no rational reason to worry or panic, having an anxiety disorder doesn’t make them “crazy.”

Someone with panic disorder can’t just snap out of a panic attack and calm down – in fact, forcing oneself to calm down during a panic attack usually makes it worse. Anxiety disorders can disrupt a person’s daily routines, social life or enjoyment of favorite activities.

Fortunately, anxiety disorders can be treated with multiple approaches. Lifestyle changes, learning stress management and relaxation techniques, regular exercise and enough sleep can lessen anxiety. Many people also find psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy helpful to identify their anxiety-inducing thought patterns.

“Generally speaking, counseling alone can be sufficient for some people to learn better ways of managing thoughts that exacerbate anxiety,” says Rob McGavock, MEd, LPC, a licensed professional counselor with Boone Hospital Center’s Employee Assistance Program.

Rob says when people don’t respond well to counseling alone, an evaluation by a physician and treatment with medication is often helpful. He explains that the brain’s neurochemistry is impacted and fatigued by years of ongoing, excessive worry. Many people with anxiety disorders don’t realize they’re excessively worried because it’s become their norm. Eventually, this prolonged, excessive worry may cause acute panic attacks that seem to come out of nowhere.

Anxiety is often treated first with SSRI antidepressants such as Lexapro, Zoloft or Celexa. “These now come as generics and are inexpensive. They’re also not addictive,” Rob notes. Anti-anxiety medications may also be prescribed, if needed, for acute episodes.

People with severe anxiety may need to see a psychiatrist to rule out bipolar disorder, clinical depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“These issues can all produce anxiety, and they require specialized evaluation and treatment,” Rob says.

If anxiety is making it hard to enjoy your life or making you feel unwell, talk to your doctor about an evaluation or referral to a mental health professional.

Anxiety disorders cause both emotional and physical symptoms.

Emotional symptoms may include: • an unfounded sense of dread • feeling tense or jumpy • startling easily • anticipating the worst • hypervigilance (always looking out for danger) Physical symptoms may include: • heart palpitations or rapid heartbeat • upset stomach and indigestion • sweating • tremors or twitches • fatigue • headaches • insomnia Some anxiety disorders’ symptoms may be mistaken for symptoms of hyperthyroidism, cardiac or digestive conditions. Talk to your primary care provider to rule these out.

All anxiety disorders are marked by persistent and excessive worry, but other symptoms may vary, depending on the kind of anxiety disorder one has: Panic Disorder People with panic disorder experience attacks that strike suddenly and repeatedly, without warning. A panic attack can feel like a heart attack, with shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain or dizziness.

Fear of future panic attacks may cause social withdrawal.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) People with generalized anxiety disorder feel chronic, exaggerated worry with no specific cause. Headaches, physical tension and exhaustion are common symptoms.

Constant anticipation can make it difficult for people with GAD to concentrate or finish tasks.

Social Anxiety Disorder People with social anxiety disorder aren’t shy or introverted – they feel irrational fears of being embarrassed in social situations and may experience panic attacks. As a result, people with social anxiety disorder often isolate themselves.

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New Technology Saving Lives ECLS Saves Man Suffering From A Blood Clot In The Heart

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Left, Donald Becker and one of his favorite nurses, Judy Mcghee. Right, mid-Missouri’s first transportable ECLS device for adults.

“

f that machine wasn’t here, I probably wouldn’t be alive!” says Donald Becker when asked about his recent recovery from a blood clot in the heart vessel.

The machine Becker refers to is the hospital’s Extracorporeal Life Support machine, or ECLS. The machine is a transportable tool that is able to do the work of a patient’s heart or lungs. It works by using a sophisticated pump that temporarily replaces the function of the heart and lungs, essentially breathing for the patient by pumping oxygenated blood to vital organs so the lungs and heart can rest.

This helps to reduce stress on the heart and lungs and allows the overall system to recover. Just last year, Boone Hospital Center became the first hospital in Missouri to have the transportable device for adults. Staff underwent extensive training for weeks to prepare to use it.

“The Boone Hospital Center Foundation paid $111,000 to train our nurses to use the ECLS machine. The Foundation recognized how important it is for our community to have a device like this, and we were happy to provide the training necessary,” says Barb Danuser, Executive Director of the Boone Foundation.

Becker came into the hospital for a routine back surgery, but during recovery, a blood clot in his heart vessel was discovered. His heart failed, and Becker’s condition deteriorated rapidly. The ECLS machine pumped his blood for him for three days, until his heart was able to pump it again itself.

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“It’s just amazing. My doctors say I probably wouldn’t have made it, if it wasn’t for the ECLS machine,” says Becker.

Cardiology Service Line Director Amy Begemann says that attaining the life-saving device is just another way Boone goes above and beyond to care for its patients. She says it also speaks to the team’s ability to respond rapidly, as only hospitals equipped to treat the most advanced cases can perform ECLS, since the technology requires a multidisciplinary approach of specialized physicians, Just last year, nurses, respiratory therapists, Boone Hospital laboratory technicians, pharmacists Center became and perfusionists.

“Mr. Becker is an excellent the first hospital in example of why we would enhance Missouri to have the our cardiopulmonary capabilities.

Extracorporeal Life We are so pleased that having the ability to use this device assisted in Support machine saving his life,” says Begemann. for adults.

Becker is now home in Macon, Mo., where he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and visiting his children and grandchildren.

“It’s crazy that my heart was stopped, and now I’m right back to normal. I will always be grateful that they had that machine to help me,” says Becker. By Madison Burke

Cindy enjoys time spent with family at the wedding of her daughter.

The Boone Touch The Hospital’s Supportive Care Program Encourages A Patient During Her Decades Of Hospitalizations

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“

know when I come to Boone Hospital, I will be treated like family,” says 59-year-old Cindy Fuchs-Morrissey.

She has been a frequent patient at Boone for the past 40 years because of a string of health difficulties.

“I have had a lot of challenges, but Boone has treated me so well through them

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all. I would never go anywhere else,” says Fuchs-Morrissey.

It all began in 1976, when 18-year-old Fuchs-Morrissey underwent reconstructive breast surgery with implants. She was born with a chest deformity that she hoped the surgery would fix. Little did she know, her body would eventually reject the

implants, leading to years of hair loss, fevers, autoimmune issues and headaches. She ended up having a mastectomy in 1993 after one of her implants completely ruptured.

“I went to Boone to get my surgery done, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I always know I will be taken care of at Boone,” says Fuchs-Morrissey.

She says Boone Hospital Center will always be her hospital of choice because of the ways it goes above and beyond in patient care.

“When I am hospitalized, it can be scary.

Boone does everything it can to make things better for me. I’m Catholic, and I appreciate having a priest come to my bed and pray with me during my stay and even bring me communion,” says Fuchs-Morrissey. “I also love how the volunteers bring me cards from my family and friends during my stay.

I hold them close to me while I sleep and they make me feel so much better. I even get massages and manicures right in my hospital bed! There is nothing like human touch to make you feel better when you are ill. This is a very special place.”

Getting the implants removed did seem to improve her health for a while, but in June 2013, Fuchs-Morrissey was diagnosed with colon cancer. She was treated by Mary Muscato, MD, at Missouri Cancer Associates and in January 2014 had surgery to remove the cancer.

Her physicians wanted her to follow her surgery with chemotherapy, but FuchsMorrissey was exhausted by all of her ailments and initially refused the treatment.

“I’d been through so much. I just didn’t want to deal with chemo. I had already come to terms with death, and I was ready,” she says. Without treatment, she was only expected to live another 4 to 6 months.

While she was in the hospital recovering from surgery, Fuchs-Morrissey received daily visits from Supportive Care program coordinator Dorreen Rardin, RN, and doctors Mary and Joe Muscato, who discussed her concerns about chemotherapy and answered her questions. During this time, she received encouragement to accept treatment from her husband and three daughters. After many long discussions, Fuchs-Morrissey agreed.

“Cindy had a lot of concerns, fears, questions about her treatment, side effects,

goals, prognosis and family. My role was to understand her and her life. To understand her fears, concerns and frustrations. Then we needed to find out how to give her control, have as little change in her daily routine as possible and yet be there for her family. It took a lot of patience, hand-holding, listening and empathizing, but this was paramount for her treatment plan,” says Dorreen.

Fuchs-Morrissey says she will always be grateful for the compassion and understanding offered by the Boone Hospital staff. She says she always feels listened to and cared for when she is at Boone.

“I know I will always be treated with respect at when I am there. It is a good feeling,” says Fuchs-Morrissey. By Madison Burke

“When I am hospitalized, it can be a scary. Boone does everything it can to make things better for me. I’m Catholic, and I appreciate having a priest come to my bed and pray with me during my stay and even bring me communion.

This is a very special place.”

— Cindy Fuchs-Morrissey

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Cindy Fuchs-Morrissey passed away in spring 2016. Because she underwent chemotherapy treatment, she was able to spend an extra two years with her family.

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Learn more at boonebaby.org

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an

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B i g g Pl n i

Patients And Physicians Work Together When Preparing For Birth

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L

ike many new parents, Jenna and Tim Mitchell knew they had a lot to learn as they awaited the birth of their daughter — including the need to research options for the birth itself.

After talking to friends and learning about possible choices, Jenna decided she wanted a low-intervention childbirth experience.

Low-intervention deliveries seek to create a natural childbirth experience — minimizing many common medical practices such as scheduled inductions, pain-reducing epidurals and other medications given during and after labor.

“We just knew that we wanted a lowintervention birth,” Jenna says. “The more we read, the more interested we became.”

The couple discussed their preferences with Jenna’s obstetrician, Jennifer Roelands, MD, with Women’s Health Associates. They were grateful that Dr. Roelands spent time with them explaining the pros and cons of various birth options.

“Dr. Roelands was very accommodating, she didn’t balk at the idea of a patient taking up a whole bunch of her time and asking a whole bunch of questions, which is what we did,” Jenna says. “We felt very lucky to have her because she was so open to what we wanted to do.”

Dr. Roelands says she is seeing a rising interest in low-intervention birth options.

She says physicians and caregivers now think of birth as an experience, rather than a process.

“My approach is to have patients bring their birth plan and we discuss each item to make sure we can meet their expectations while still ensuring the safety of mom and baby,” Dr. Roelands says. “It is a team approach to making sure the patient’s wishes are considered.”

One of the choices the Mitchells had been considering was delivering their daughter at their Bucklin, Mo., home.

However, the conversation with Dr. Roelands left them convinced that it was important to deliver at Boone Family

Birthplace, even though that meant making some compromises with their original plan.

“We went with Boone because, if something happened during the delivery, we would still have access to immediate care,” Jenna says.

In June 2014, Jenna went into labor. Following her birth plan, which was based on the Bradley Method, Jenna spent much of her labor at home. As she focused on relaxing her body, Tim worked to make her comfortable and monitored her contractions.

“He was extremely supportive, which is vital for you to go through with your plan,” Jenna says. “He was just glowing and very joyful, and it helped me concentrate.”

When it was time, Tim drove Jenna to the Boone Family Birthplace. There, the couple’s doula helped guide Jenna during the labor. Following her plan, Jenna chose not to get an epidural or use other common medications. However, the hospital staff did insist on taking precautions such as having an IV line placed and using fetal monitoring equipment.

When it came time to push, Jenna used a birth bar on her bed and sat in a squatting position as she delivered the baby.

The couple was overjoyed to meet their daughter, Diana. They were also happy to have closely followed their birth plan during Jenna’s 13 hours of labor.

“It’s just beautiful the way it turned out,” Jenna says. “I know a lot of mothers plan to have low-intervention births, but just can’t. But we were blessed that we were able to.”

The experience went so well that, less than a year-and-a-half later, they were back at Boone Family Birthplace delivering their second daughter, Zelda.

An extended labor tested Jenna’s resolve in declining medical interventions, which included not using fetal monitoring equipment for this birth. However, she was able to persevere through 55 hours of labor.

“That made it harder to stick to the decisions we had made earlier in the pregnancy,” Jenna says. “But the hospital provided a supportive environment and our doctor had a big part in that.”

Jenna’s advice for other expectant mothers is to research their choices for pregnancy and delivery. She says more moms should give low-intervention options a look.

“Go for it,” she says. “Talk to your care provider and plan to have someone there with you while you are out of your mind in labor—your husband, your doula, your mom, your partner. Have an advocate go with you and be your voice when it’s hard to speak for yourself during that time.”

By Jacob Luecke

A birthing peanut or birthing ball is often used to help women during the low-intervention birth process.

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Congratulations!

It’s a Level-III NICU! Boone Family Birthplace’s NICU Celebrates 20 Years Of Caring For Babies And Families

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n late 1996, Boone Hospital Center began caring for preterm, low-weight and critically ill babies in its new Level-III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The NICU arose from a need for expanded care in mid-Missouri for babies born before 35 weeks and to reduce the number of transfers for special care.

Neonatologist Timothy O’Connor, MD, led the transition, which included recruiting new, specialized nursing and respiratory care staff. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Mark Grant, MD, was also brought on board.

Since 1996, the Boone Family Birthplace NICU has cared for over 5,400 babies and their families. Parents are taught how to care for their newborns and understand their unique needs, and encouraged to visit often and participate in their baby’s care, including Kangaroo

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Care and reading to their babies. Mothers who wish to breast-feed receive support from Boone Family Birthplace’s lactation consultants to make breast-feeding a successful experience.

Once babies “graduate” from the NICU, they receive continued support at Boone Hospital Center, working as needed with our occupational, physical and speech therapists in Boone Therapy’s developmental clinic or receiving care from our pediatric cardiology clinic.

In 20 years, there have been many improvements and additions to technology to help babies in the NICU get well and go home with their families, but Dr. O’Connor notes that the compassionate care for babies and families at Boone Family Birthplace really makes the difference.

“Numerous additions to ventilator technology have improved outcomes, but

still, it’s basic excellent nursing and patient care and attention to detail that creates good outcomes,” he says.

And it’s the excellent care that families remember most. Boone Family Birthplace holds an annual reunion for NICU graduates, bringing nurses, families and their growing children together for fun, games, treats and a group photo. As parents meet again with the nurses who were at their side during a difficult time, and the nurses meet the children they cared for, there are some tears, but it’s a happy event.

“We have the best job in the world!”

Dr. O’Connor says. By Jessica Park

The Odd History of Neonatal Care Among the scientific marvels exhibited at the 1904 World’s Fair in Saint Louis was an important technology — incubators for premature babies.

During the early 20th century, premature babies in incubators were put on display at several World’s Fairs, at Coney Island in New York, and on the boardwalk of Atlantic City. The exhibits were a heartwarming curiosity that also benefited the premature babies and their families.

They also promoted a lifesaving technology that many hospitals had been initially reluctant to use in that era.

At the St. Louis World’s Fair, 25 babies under the care of 10 nurses and three physicians were displayed in airtight glass incubators, while lecturers explained to the astonished crowd how the heated and ventilated boxes helped premature babies stay warm and breathe. Afterwards, visitors could buy a souvenir to remember the miraculous incubator babies.

While a public exhibition like this would be unthinkable today, for families of premature or critically ill infants, the specialized care their babies receive is no less miraculous.

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NICU Graduates: Then and Now Caz Riffie Then: Caz was born 4 Ibs, 7 oz and was admitted to the NICU for major blood loss. He required blood transfusions and intubation. now: Caz is almost 3 and enjoys playing basketball, being outside and singing his favorite songs (“Twinkle, Twinkle Dinosaur” and “Jingle Bells”). His favorite food is watermelon. He can count to 20, he just sometimes skips 16 and 18.

Brenna Hubbard Then: Brenna was born 4 Ibs, 14 oz. She was admitted to the NICU for severe blood loss, requiring multiple blood transfusions and brief nasal ventilation. now: Brenna is a healthy 10-year-old. She loves to be active and enjoys swimming, cross country, softball, fishing and hiking. She would like to be a veterinarian when she grows up.

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Ilena and Sophia Offield Then: One girl was on a ventilator and one required supplemental oxygen in the NICU. now: The girls are 8 and enjoy coming back and seeing the nurses who cared for them when they were babies.

Morgan Lock Then: Morgan was born weighing 5 Ibs and required breathing aid from the high-flow nasal cannula in the NICU. now: Morgan is 4 and is very excited to start preschool next year. She likes to sing, dance and make people laugh. She loves princesses and does not like getting dirty. Her favorite thing to do is play with her older sister.

Corbin Ray Dean Then: Corbin was born weighing 1 Ib, 13 oz. He required breathing aid and was on a respiratory oscillator for a month. now: He is now 17 years old and enjoys baseball and video games. His mom says when he puts his mind to anything, he won’t stop until he achieves it.

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Delivering Hope

Special Care For When Pregnancy Doesn’t Bring New Life

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t the moment of her birth, Hope Dunklee already had a head of dark brown hair. All her features were tiny and beautiful — ears, nose, fingers.

Her parents noticed her second toe was a bit longer than her big toe — just like her dad.

As they gazed at their daughter, Dina and Dustin Dunklee were amazed.

“She was just perfect,” says Dina. “It was like any moment when you first see your child. She was ours. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t alive.”

Hope had died in Dina’s womb a few days earlier. It was a tragedy, but not a surprise.

Early in Dina’s second trimester, the family learned that Hope had a chromosomal disorder called Trisomy 18.

There is no cure. Many babies with Trisomy 18 die prior to birth.

Knowing Hope’s delivery would require special care, the staff at Boone Hospital Center’s Boone Family Birthplace worked to create a comfortable environment for the family.

“One of our main goals is to give the families whatever they need to get them through the grieving process,” says Tami Held, a Birthplace tech who helps coordinate the hospital’s care for families of stillborn babies. “Our nurses are phenomenal in these situations.”

The pregnancy itself had come like a miracle for the Dunklees. The family had endured difficult years that included a miscarriage, Dustin’s deployment to Kuwait and then infertility concerns that required medical treatment.

But then there was Hope. With news of the pregnancy, the Dunklees were thankful to finally have something to celebrate. Their older daughter Ella, who was eight at the time, was thrilled to learn she would have a baby sister.

But as the pregnancy progressed, Dina’s obstetrician began suspecting there might be a problem. Dina went in for a blood test.

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Upon the families request, professional photographer Shane Epping with the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep organization volunteers his services.

She remembers receiving the call with the results confirming Hope’s Trisomy 18 diagnosis.

“I just lost it. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t talk,” she says.

Over the following weeks, Hope continued to grow and move inside Dina’s womb. Dina felt full of love for her baby.

Yet, she also felt emotionally drained.

It became difficult to watch as friends in her community were having normal pregnancies and giving birth to healthy babies.

Then one winter morning, as Dina was just beginning her third trimester, she woke up with the realization she hadn’t felt Hope move. She became concerned but was soon preoccupied as her family was getting ready to leave on a trip.

When bad weather changed those plans, Dina again grew worried that as more time passed, she still hadn’t noticed Hope moving.

The next morning, she went to her doctor’s office where an ultrasound confirmed that Hope had died.

It was terrible news, but news Dina was prepared to hear. She felt she already knew Hope had died.

But even in learning of Hope’s death, Dina knew their journey together was not over. She still had to deliver her daughter.

“At that point I just wanted to meet her,” she says. “I just wanted to meet my little girl.”

At the Boone Family Birthplace, Tami was already making preparations for the

Dunklee family. She set aside two patient rooms that were far away as possible from the rest of the birthing rooms.

One was for Dina and Dustin. Here, nurses induced Dina’s labor.

The second room was for their family — a private space away from the regular birthplace waiting room. The hospital sent complimentary food carts to them as they waited.

During her 36 hours of labor, Dina says she was amazed by the support and care she received from the Birthplace nurses and Tami.

“She just goes above and beyond,” Dina says of Tami. “She would literally walk the halls with me to help get my body ready for the delivery.”

Finally, Hope was born on Jan. 9, 2014, with Tami helping deliver the baby, who was born with her eyes open.

“I always wished that she would be born alive, but I didn’t get that wish,” Dina says.

“But when she was born with her eyes open, it was almost like God gave me that moment to see her. It was almost like we were getting to see each other.”

The family spent the next hours bonding with the child they would not be raising.

They took photos. They made hand and footprints. Ella held her baby sister.

During this time, the staff at the Boone Family Birthplace did everything they could to support the family. Dina says Tami’s help was invaluable.

“She made a horrible, sad situation — I don’t even know how to explain it — just feel like everything was going to be OK,” she says.

Tami says her passion for this work comes from her faith and from her own experiences as a mother.

“As a mom who was able to take a healthy baby home with me, I want to give these mothers, fathers and siblings every little piece of anything I can to take home with them and to help them hang on to the memory of their loved one,” she says.

Tami stressed that the Birthplace staff is available to help these families even after they have left the hospital.

Less than a year after Hope’s birth, the Dunklees were back again at the Boone Family Birthplace. This time, they celebrated the arrival of a healthy, living daughter named Ruby.

Even as Dina moves forward with her life and cares for her two living daughters, she says she is continually inspired by Hope.

“She makes me want to wake up every morning and be a better person than I was the day before,” Dina says. “She makes me want to be strong. I want her looking down on my saying, ‘That’s my mom.’” By Jacob Luecke For over a decade, Boone Hospital Center’s Fetal Demise Program and its dedicated team of professionals, including nurses, social workers, chaplains and dietary staff, has provided comfort to families during an extremely difficult time. The Boone Hospital Foundation supports the program by purchasing memory boxes, digital cameras and other special keepsakes to give to families.

Boone Hospital Center’s Fetal Demise Program also benefits from the volunteer services of the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep organization. Professional photographer Shane Epping graciously volunteers to come when he can, upon the family’s request, to take pictures.

Shane does an amazing job working with families and respecting their wishes, and goes above and beyond to capture as many moments as possible. The photos are put on a DVD given to the family as an enduring remembrance of their baby.

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Learn more: boone.org/weightloss

Weighted Questions Boone Hospital Center’s Certified Bariatric Nurse Coordinator Separates Weight-Loss Surgery Fact From Fiction

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nyone who’s made an effort to lose weight is familiar with the flood of well-meaning advice from family and friends. Unfortunately, good intentions don’t always mean good information, particularly when it comes to advice about weight-loss surgery.

Lisa Schaffer, Boone Hospital Center’s bariatric coordinator, has heard many myths and misconceptions about weightloss surgery (also called bariatric surgery).

A registered nurse with certification in bariatrics, Schaffer educates people who are considering weight-loss surgery. This education includes separating fact from fiction, so that people understand the actual risks and benefits and make a decision that’s best for them.

“Just exercise more and eat less. Weight-loss surgery is an easy way out.”

“I hear that one all the time. Our patients hear it all the time, too,” Lisa says. “Most of our patients have tried diet and exercise, usually more than once. And they’ve been successful to some degree, but regained the weight due to metabolic factors.”

Severe obesity — a BMI greater than 40 or a BMI greater than 35 with an existing comorbidity, such as diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure — is a chronic condition. It’s not a sign that someone is weak, lazy or “addicted” to food.

The National Institute of Health has stated that for individuals with severe obesity, maintaining weight loss is nearly impossible except in patients who’ve undergone weight loss surgery. Chronic dieting and regaining weight has been shown to slow down the body’s metabolism, making weight easy to regain. An adult who weighs 170 pounds after gaining weight and dieting requires significantly 24

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Members of Boone Hospital’s Through Thick and Thin weight-loss surgery support group, which includes past and potential weight-loss surgery patients, participate as a team in the 2016 Lee Pfefer Memorial WELLAWARE 5K.

fewer calories to maintain their weight than someone who always weighed 170.

Unlike restriction diets, weight-loss surgery procedures change the digestive system anatomy to increase feelings of fullness and change the production of hormones that regulate hunger and appetite.

Combined with healthy lifestyle changes, weight-loss surgery patients see more success in maintaining weight loss.

“Weight-loss surgery presents more risks than obesity!”

“That’s false,” Lisa says. “The risk of mortality is about .3% with the gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy procedures and about .06% with the lap-band. And the benefits are so much greater than the risks.”

For people who have severe obesity, losing weight isn’t just about fitting into smaller size clothes, it can be a matter of life or death.

People with severe obesity are more likely to have conditions that increase their chance of premature death, such as diabetes, sleep apnea and high blood pressure. Studies have shown greater reductions in mortality for weight-loss surgery patients than those with severe obesity who’ve not had surgery, as well as an improvement of obesity-related disease after weight-loss surgery.

“My insurance doesn’t cover weight-loss surgery.”

Many employers now cover weight-loss surgery, although coverage and requirements vary depending on your plan.

“We can help navigate people through that process, including the prerequisites,” Lisa says. “And if they don’t have insurance that covers weight-loss surgery, we have more affordable options and potential financing available for people paying out of pocket.”

“I probably don’t qualify for weight-loss surgery.”

Most weight-loss surgery methods are recommended for people with a BMI greater than 40 (that’s about 240 pounds or more for a 5’5” tall person), with or without a comorbidity such as sleep apnea, diabetes or high blood pressure, or a BMI of 30 or greater with a comorbidity, and a history of unsuccessful weight loss through diet and exercise.

Some insurance plans may require a minimum BMI of 35 with a comorbidity or require patients to first participate in a medically supervised weight-loss program, but again, Lisa says, the Boone Bariatrics Program can help patients figure out what their plan covers.

“Weight-loss surgery won’t work.

I’ll regain the weight anyway.”

Many studies of weight loss surgery patients show that more than 90 percent of patients are successful in maintaining 50 percent or more of their excess weight loss after surgery.

“A lot of people are afraid of failure,” Lisa says. She understands; most patients have been unsuccessful repeatedly before considering weight-loss surgery. However, weight-loss surgery can help people who are familiar with making committed lifestyle changes achieve lasting results.

“I’ve had many patients tell me, ‘I’m doing all the same things before I had the surgery, and I wasn’t able to lose weight.

Now I’m doing those things, and it’s finally working.’”

Weight-loss surgery patient education empowers people to find changes they can enjoy and commit to for life, rather than short-term restrictions.

“We don’t use the D-word,” Lisa says.

“Our patients do have to make lifetime changes, but we focus on the positive.”

In addition to annual follow-up visits, Boone Hospital’s weight-loss surgery patients have other resources to stay on track.

“They can come back and meet with our dietitians. We also have a monthly support group of people at all points along the weight-loss surgery process.

Studies show that people who attend a support group after weight-loss surgery are the most successful, and we require people about to undergo surgery to attend a meeting,” Lisa says.

Patients can also join Boone Hospital’s WELLAWARE Fitness Center. The Fitness Center offers exercise classes, personal training and standard gym equipment in a supportive, non-traditional gym environment. Many fitness center members have similar experiences or medical conditions that weight-loss surgery patients can relate to. For anyone who is new to regular exercise, the support makes a difference and encourages them to stay active.

“There’re about ten or 12 of us in our support group who participate in the WELLAWARE 5K together,” Lisa says.

Make an educated decision!

Boone Hospital Center’s Bariatrics Program provides free seminars for anyone who wants to know more about weight-loss surgery. The seminars include a dietitian, a registered nurse and surgeon James Pitt, DO, and cover surgical options, their risks and benefits, and lifestyle changes.

Attendees can decide whether or not weight-loss surgery is right for them.

“We recognize this is an individual decision — we don’t give anyone the hard sell,” Lisa explains. “We just start the education process early so that people are fully informed when they make their decision.” By Jessica Park If you have questions about Boone Hospital’s bariatrics program or would like to attend a seminar, call 573-815-6466 or visit boone. org/weightloss -- you can also follow the Boone Hospital Weight Loss Surgery page on Facebook: facebook.com/Boone-HospitalWeight-Loss-Surgery/

Weight Loss Surgery Options at Boone Hospital Center Gastric Banding (“Lap-Band”) A small silicone band is put around the upper portion of the stomach, reducing the amount of food consumed and increasing satiety. The surgery is outpatient and patients can often return to work in a week or less. This surgery may require more frequent follow-up for band adjustments. ____________________________ Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy The stomach is restricted by stapling and dividing it vertically, so that it only holds about 1-5 ounces of food, affecting both the amount of food consumed and production of hunger hormones.

An inpatient stay is required and recovery time is slightly longer than for gastric banding surgery. ____________________________ Gastric Bypass Surgery The stomach is separated into two sections with titanium staples, creating a smaller upper segment that connects to the lower intestine. This surgery requires some small incisions and a 1-2 day inpatient stay. ____________________________ Orbera Intragastric Balloon A recent non-surgical, short-term option, Orbera is a silicone balloon inserted into the stomach by endoscopy, then filled with saline to roughly the size of a grapefruit and left in place for 6 months to reinforce portion control. This outpatient procedure is done in the GI lab under mild sedation.

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What The Experts Eat Ever wonder what nutrition and fitness experts eat?

We asked our WELLAWARE team to share their favorite go-to meals.

Pamela Jones, DNP breakfast: Protein smoothie made with berries, ground flax seed, wheat grass, pea protein powder and water Lunch: Garden salad with chicken or tuna, half an avocado, vinegar and oil dressing snack: Piece of fruit dinner: Baked chicken with seasoning, steamed broccoli, brown rice or quinoa, half an avocado favorite food: Avocados, Panera and Chipotle

Jennifer Tveitnes: Registered Dietitian

From chocolate to fresh fruit, start the day with a proteinrich smoothie.

Kelsie Knerr: Registered Dietitian breakfast: Chocolate Banana PB Smoothie (1 cup skim milk, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, ½ frozen banana, ¾ cup ice, 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter) Lunch: Sharp cheddar string cheese, Gala apple, 1 cup carrot sticks, non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts dinner: Veggie scramble with feta (¼ sweet potato, ¼ zucchini, 1/8 yellow onion, ¼ red bell pepper, ¼ cup sliced mushrooms, 2 whole eggs, salt, pepper, olive oil cooking spray, 3 tablespoons crumbled feta) with 2 pieces of buttered whole wheat toast. favorite food: Popcorn

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breakfast: Scrambled eggs (1 whole egg + 2 whites) with English muffin, or a protein bar with fruit, waffles or pancakes on the weekend (per my toddler’s constant request), always coffee with creamer & Sweet ‘N Low Lunch: Dinner leftovers! dinner: 4 oz seasoned chicken, fish or tofu, pasta or rice, salad or frozen steamer vegetables, glass of red wine favorite food: Ice cream or anything involving chocolate

Satisfy the “crunch factor” with lots of raw vegetables.

Brenda Wilson, RN breakfast: Plain Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of honey, berries and granola Lunch: Turkey & Swiss (ultra thin-sliced) on multi-grain sandwich thins, whole tomato, veggie chips, orange dinner: Mixed green salad with flavored vinegar and oil, grilled fish, low-fat milk and a small brownie (Have to have my chocolate fix!)

Jennifer Anderson: Registered Dietitian & Diabetes Educator breakfast: 2 slices Healthy Life bread with peanut butter and a banana Lunch: Spinach Asian Salad – spinach, edamame, peppers, sesame sticks and ginger Asian dressing, a piece of fruit, possibly a piece of dark chocolate dinner: Turkey meatloaf, brown rice or quinoa, broccoli

Heidi Salter: Fitness and Exercise Physiologist breakfast: Cereal- Shredded Wheat mixed with Honey Bunches of Oats, skim milk, half a banana or fruit in season snack: Half of a turkey sandwich with 1 to 2 thin slices turkey, tomato slice, green leaf lettuce, pickle, slice of cheese, light mayo on Roman Meal wheat bread Lunch: Baby carrots, apple, Wheat Thins with Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter or string cheese dinner: Rice (half wheat, half parboil); lightly sautéed veggies (bell peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots and cubed chicken) snack: Raspberry sherbet favorite food: Fajitas, tons of veggies, a little bit of steak and or chicken, salsa and light sour cream

This versatile spread isn’t just for school lunches. Peanut butter contains nutrients that help reduce risk of heart disease.

Doug McDowell: WELLAWARE Fitness Coordinator

Nicky Zimmermann: Fitness and Exercise Instructor

breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, some sort of bread or cereal, peanut butter or nuts, and some fruit Lunch: Salad or raw veggies and some leftovers from dinner the night before dinner: We try to make large quantities so we have leftovers for lunches (mine and the kids) It’s a variety, including chicken fajitas with organic blue corn chips, pot roast, or spaghetti with chicken breast or home-grown ground beef, chicken Caesar salad, or a stir-fry with chicken, beef, pork or veggies. Sometimes we make a big pot of stew or Crock Pot soup recipe for lots of leftovers favorite food: Thai food from Bangkok Gardens or something I throw together at HuHot

breakfast: One egg, scrambled with avocado, green onions, and mushrooms on whole wheat toast. Fresh fruit and coffee with skim milk and regular sugar Lunch: Red beans and rice with Lucky’s chicken brats and fresh fruit dinner: Grilled salmon, kale, strawberry, and garbanzo bean salad with fresh mint, lemon, olive oil and vinegar homemade dressing favorite food: Indian and Mexican food

Salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals.

Jeff Zimmermann: Health Promotion Manager breakfast: Greek yogurt, 2 pieces of fruit (banana or tangerine), granola and coffee Lunch: Greek salad dressing on side; half of a flatbread sandwich, carrot sticks and small apple snack: Peanut butter – cheese stick dinner: Salmon, basmati rice, asparagus, half an avocado and applesauce favorite food: Chipotle and chocolate

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getting to know a BHC Doctor

› bradford ross noble, do [ Pain Medicine Specialist ] WHY DID YOU BECOME A DOCTOR?

I had a brother, Stephen, who was struck and killed by a car when he was a boy. As a result, I was always fascinated about the idea of preserving life. After I became a physician, I realized that an equally important goal was to improve the quality of life. Pain management is an excellent fit.

WHAT TYPES OF TREATMENT DO YOU OFFER FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC PAIN CONDITIONS?

We offer the most comprehensive services for pain management within mid-Missouri. Our services range from medication management to physical therapy, surgery and many other interventional treatments such as injections. We don’t just offer epidural injections, but also perform other injections such as transforaminal injections, sacroiliac joint injections, facet injections and a technique called radiofrequency ablation. This procedure heats the nerves to interrupt the pain signal and can provide 6 to 12 months or more of pain relief.

In addition, more extensive procedures such as intrathecal pain pumps and spinal cord stimulators may benefit those who have not received relief otherwise. We also offer intercostal nerve blocks for shingles and broken ribs, inject shoulders, knees and hips with steroids, or sometimes use an artificial joint fluid. We diagnose and treat headaches and can sometimes freeze nerves in the back of the head using a technique called cryoablation. I don’t believe there are any other clinics in the area offering cryoablation treatment, which can also be used for phantom limb pain.

Finally, vertebral compression fractures resulting from osteoporosis or cancer can be treated with a technique called kyphoplasty. Under X-ray guidance, needles are placed into the fractured vertebral body and bone cement is injected, which then serves as an internal cast WHAT SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS OR QUALIFICATIONS HAVE YOU EARNED?

I’m dual-certified in Pain Medicine and in Physical Medicine by the Allopathic and Osteopathic Boards. This is a rare situation that makes me quadruple board-certified. As far as I know, I’m the only quadruple board-certified pain management physician in mid-Missouri. I’m also a member of the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Being a member of that college is a privilege in and of itself. However, for certain members who have gone out of their way to serve the college by lecturing at national meetings, writing board questions, publishing papers, proctoring board exams and the like, they 28 Summer 2016 BOONE

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offer a special track called Fellowship in the College. A few months ago in Philadelphia, I was made a Fellow of the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, which was a very special moment in my career.

WHAT MAKES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICS?

We offer comprehensive pain management services and can really address almost any sort of pain. We have Magnet nurses, which means we have some of best nurses in the country. Our front office staff, insurance specialist, nurses and radiology technician are solely dedicated to caring for those in chronic pain. Stateof-the-art facilities and equipment allow for all procedures to be performed on-site in a comfortable setting for the patient.

I also perform all necessary surgical procedures in Boone Hospital Center’s operating room, which allows for better continuity of care. Our clinic provides all necessary follow-up care including nursing follow-up phone calls.

Living with chronic pain on a daily basis can be difficult. We specialize in helping reduce pain and assisting patients to cope with pain on a daily basis. We work closely with Boone Hospital Center’s physical and occupational therapy, psychology, neurology, orthopedics and neurosurgery staff and physicians to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients. We focus on safe delivery of care with high-quality outcomes and strive to provide excellent care on each and every visit.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SEEK PAIN MANAGEMENT SERVICES?

A patient can visit with their primary care provider and get a referral. Or you can call the Boone Hospital Center Pain Management Clinic at 573-815-2700 or visit boone.org/pain to obtain further information.

getting to know a BHC nurse

› aisha kareem, RN I grew up as the eldest of four siblings, so I’m fiercely independent. I’m the mother of three beautiful children, two daughters and a son. I’ve lived in big cities all my life — on the East Coast, West Coast and Hawaii — but I have been enjoying life in Columbia for the past nine years with my mother as my housemate. She has Alzheimer’s disease, but is very high-functioning, and we look after each other.

Why did you get into the health care field?

I came to nursing later in life: it’s actually my third career. I was a flight attendant as a young adult, before I got married. As I was raising my children, I found myself working in a hospital setting. I was an administrative assistant to several physicians, then became a medical assistant. I had a deep desire to develop my knowledge and skills, so I returned to school to become a nurse. The idea of helping people in a more direct and personal way really appealed to me.

What interested you in your particular specialty?

When I began as a nurse, I started in an adult critical care program. I found it wasn’t for me, so I worked on a step-down unit and on a surgical floor. While I enjoyed the opportunity to help people, I still felt something was missing. I still had a desire to be in a critical care environment.

I learned that there were openings in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital. They offered a 16-week training fellowship. I loved it and have never considered doing anything else.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Watching the joy on the faces of our parents when they realize their babies are able to go home. I also enjoy teaching the parents. Many of them have never taken care of a child before, much less a sick

child. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to teach them about their little ones’ special needs.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Some parents find it hard to realize that just because their premature infant is born, it doesn’t mean that they will behave as a full-term newborn would.

It’s my job to help them understand the special needs and developmental stages of a preterm infant.

What has changed in your field since you started practicing?

So many things! Electronic charting is a big one. It is so much easier now to document the work we do and to check our work than it was when we were paper charting.

Processes have changed drastically, allowing for much safer delivery of care. Also, there is much better collaboration with other disciplines, which provides for more complete patient care.

What do you see changing in the next five to 10 years?

I’m seeing a lot of young nurses going into advanced practice, departments are engaging in shared governance and developing unit practice councils. I think these developments will have a huge impact on delivery of care, patient safety and increased autonomy in nursing now and in the future.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I’m a huge fan of live music, so, I go to a lot of concerts. I have volunteered at the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival every year for the past eight years. I’m now involved with the core staff that produces this wonderful event. I also love to travel, I’m a certified scuba diver, I love to cook, and I’m a certified BBQ judge. I also enjoy CoMo’s own documentary film festival, True/False Festival.

What advice would you give to someone looking to become a nurse?

Nursing is a profession that is both demanding and rewarding. There are so many fields one can go into as a nurse.

Pick an area that suits your personality and career goals, and be prepared to work hard.

Nursing allows for personal development, and it provides a way to contribute to society. Like anything else, you get out of it what you’re willing to put into it. I have found nursing immensely rewarding, particularly being a NICU nurse. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

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Learn more at boone.org/foundation or call 573.815.2800

News from the

Supporting Our Boone Babies The Boone Hospital Foundation provides many items to support Boone Hospital in its mission of improving the health of the communities it serves. Below are just some of the many items we provide or have provided for the Boone Family Birthplace, our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the pediatrics unit.

Sleep sacks for all new Boone babies Educational coloring/activity books for pediatric surgery Stuffed animals for pediatric surgery patients Mamaroo baby swings Kangaroo chairs for parent contact cuddling iPads for pediatric testing Portable privacy screens for NICU Patient boards for NICU Neonatal positioning devices & mattresses Toys in pediatric unit Memory boxes Handprint cast kits Memory necklaces Giraffe bed for preemies Children’s books for pediatrics and waiting rooms Bumper pads for preemies Digital camera and printer Support for Kids on Track Support for Head to Toe program Advanced education for NICU nurses and therapists Car bed (laydown car seats) Educational materials to help children cope with a critically ill parent, grandparent or sibling 30

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boone hospital foundation golf classic

Thank You To Our Sponsors:

Aflac - Chris Ashton

Hulett Heating & Air

American Document Solutions

Imhoff Construction, Inc.

Aramark

Joe Machens Dealerships

Binghams BJC Home Care Services / Boone Hospital Home Care & Hospice BJC Medical Group Boone Hospital Center Administration Bob Wagner - Boone Hospital Trustee Central Bank of Boone County & Central Trust Investment Company Boone Electric Cooperative

Dr. Ronald Carter

August

11

Uniform Sale

September

7, 8, 9

Fall Book Sale

October

17, 18

Fall Jewelry Sale

November

5

Annual Gala

November

10

Uniform Sale

November

17, 18

Fall Jewelry Sale

May 2017

1

Golf Tournament

Macadoodles Roger Maier Anthony & Brooke Manino Meyer Electric, Inc. Missouri Cardiovascular Specialists Missouri Perfusion Services Moresource

Reinhardt Construction

C&C Group

Community Campaign

Lenoir Woods

Radiology Consultants, Inc.

BSA Lifestructures

July & August

Landmark Bank

Orscheln Farm & Home / Woodrail Centre

Boyce & Bynum Pathology

Calendar of events

Inside the Lines

Coil Construction, Inc. Columbia Daily Tribune Columbia Insurance Group

Rusk Rehabilitation Center Sam’s Club Senior Benefit Services Septagon Construction

Columbia Orthopaedic Group Commerce Bank

Shelter Insurance TEAMHealth Tech Elctronics, Inc. Terracon

Environmental Engineering, Inc.

The Club At Old Hawthorne

Faultless Linen Fitzgibbon Hospital FSA, LLC.

Tiger Express Car Wash UMB Van Matre Law Firm

Healogics Holloday Properties / CNL Healthcare Properties

WELLAWARE Will Electronics Williams Keepers, LLC

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Boone Hospital Center 1600 East Broadway Columbia, Mo 65201 573-815-8000

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PAID

Columbia, MO Permit 286