IN PULSE Vol. 36 No. 3 •
News from Waldo County General Hospital • May 2016
WCGH: Top 100 Paula Delahanty RN, BSN, MHSA Critical Access is Regional Chief Nursing Officer partnerships, including working Paula Delahanty RN, BSN, Hospital again MHSA, vice president of on developing and implementing
Waldo County General Hospital has been named one of iVantage Health Analytics’ Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States for the sixth consecutive year. The results recognize that the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals provide a safety net to communities across rural America.
nursing services at Pen Bay Medical Center since 2007, has accepted the regional chief nursing officer position for Waldo County General Hospital and Pen Bay Medical Center.
“These top 100 Critical Hospitals exhibit a focused concern for their community benefits and need.” “Rural healthcare deserves the same performance analysis as all provider performance. It plays a vital role for communities across America, serving more than 60 million people. “The services provided in rural America are similar to those needed in any major metropolitan area, yet the volumes and economic resources provide little economies of scale, making for little benefit from scale. “These top 100 Critical Access Hospitals exhibit a focused concern for their community benefits and needs, regardless of scale, reimbursement and people’s ability to pay,” said Michael Topchik, senior vice president of iVantage Health Analytics.
In announcing Paula’s appointment, CEO Mark Biscone wrote, “We recently finalized our decision to regionalize the chief nursing officer position. I have every confidence that this model will allow our organizations to streamline processes while maintaining the highest levels of patient care.” Paula says the driving forces of her professional practice are: • Fostering lifelong learning • Professional development • Supporting teams as they work to improve population health She has been engaged in several evolving collaborative
the Maine Nurse Core Competencies for employers. She received the OMNE Nursing Leaders of Maine Leadership Award in June 2014. She is also affiliated with or a member of the following organizations: MaineHealth Chief Nursing Officer Council, VHA Chief Nursing Officer Council, American Nurses Association of Maine, American Nurses Association, Organization of Maine Nurse Leaders, Maine Partners in Nursing Education and Practice, Maine Nursing Action Coalition and the University of Maine Augusta Nursing Program Advisory Committee. She lives in Warren with her husband of 34 years and when not working in healthcare enjoys lobstering, gardening, swimming, long walks and great books.
INSIDE Hospital News
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Hospital Aid
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Community Health Page 4 Honorees
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News Briefs
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Sheila Costello wins Musgrave Award
Sheila Costello, nutrition services manager at Waldo County General Hospital, has been awarded the 2016 Katherine O. Musgrave Award by the Maine Nutrition Council. The purpose of the award is to recognize an individual, organization or institution for outstanding work in nutrition policy, education or research. Among the contributions cited that Costello has made are: • Revamping the menu at the hospital to include more healthy food choices, featuring local fruits and vegetables, and providing nutrition information for all meals served in the cafeteria • Working with the hospital dietitian to develop a patient menu suitable for most diets, featuring low-fat, high-fiber and
low-sodium recipes • Empowering her team to prepare creative, healthy foods that look and taste great The mission of the Maine Nutrition Council is to contribute “to the health
and well-being of Maine’s citizens through education, research and advocacy.” As a chef and food services manager in the Midcoast, Costello has embraced that mission by “serving and promoting healthy food in her community for the past 25 years.”
Employees donate LOTS of peanut butter, jelly A new record of 12,645 jars of peanut butter and jelly were collected during Bangor Savings Bank’s 2016 Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive. More than 1,200 of those jars came from Waldo County General Hospital employees. “We have a lot of people and organizations to thank for donating this year but there’s no way we could have been this successful without the employees of Waldo County General Hospital. Your contribution of more than 1200 jars turned out to be about 10% of all the PB&J we collected throughout the entire state of Maine. We appreciate your hard work and are proud to be partnered with such a great company,” said Chris Lobley, vice
Representing the Peri-Operative department with their 148 jars of peanut butter and jelly plus a $100 donation are from left, Janet Quint, Clae Seekins, Brittany Shute, Megan Harvey and Danielle Millay. In front is John Eastham.
president and manager of the Belfast branch. Peri-Operative won the competition for having the 2
most donations, earning a pizza party. Close behind was the combination of the pharmacy and oncology departments.
Waldo County Dental Clinic receives grants
$25,000 grant to create more access for patients
The Waldo County Dental Clinic (WCDC) has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Maine Health Access Foundation, whose mission is to promote access to quality health care, especially for those who are uninsured and underserved, and improve the health of everyone in Maine. The funds will help expand the clinic’s capacity by hiring a second dental assistant prior to the arrival of University of New England dental students this summer. With a second dental assistant, WCDC will be able to fully utilize all three clinical work spaces and maximize the dentist’s productivity. The third clinical
work space was added last year. One is used by the hygienist and two are used by the employed dentist. An additional assistant is needed to prepare and breakdown the rooms, while the other assistant is chairside with the dentist. With the additional assistant, WCDC should be able to expand its capacity to see more patients each day.
$5,000 received for additional equipment
Waldo County Dental Care has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation. The purpose of this grant is to provide the funds to
purchase more equipment to expand the number of patients that can be seen daily. Since opening more than two years ago, the clinic has treated more than 750 lowincome, uninsured, high-needs adults, a majority of whom had not seen a dentist in more than five years. Presently, there are 135 patients waiting to be seen for the first time. The mission of the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation is to improve the access to, and the quality of, oral health care and education for the public and the dental communities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Construction Projects proceeding New Medical Office Building
MRI SPACE
Construction of the Waldo County General Hospital Medical Office Building has taken off since the January 8 groundbreaking ceremony. The outline of the building is now in evidence and the driveway into 125 Northport Ave. has been relocated a bit further north. A ribbon-cutting for the new building has been tentatively scheduled for mid-November.
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Hospital carpenters Cliff Coombs, left, and Joe Littlefield finish up the installation of the new MRI machine in a space created by the maintenance crew while electrician Eric Albert works on the wiring.
Community Health & Wellness Briefs Registration required for all events, please visit http://journeytohealth.coursestorm.com or call 921-3950
beginner class that will utilize martial arts movements that will increase your strength, flexibility and energy level. No martial arts experience is necessary. Wednesdays, June 8, 15, 22 & 29 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Registration fee is $25 for four sessions. Troy Howard Middle School 173 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast Stress Reduction with Acupressure Acupressure is a simple and effective way to alleviate stress and enhance well-being. It stems from a long tradition of Chinese medicine that uses pressure points to stimulate the body to heal itself. This class will introduce the principles behind acupressure and provide basic training on how to use acupressure for yourself. Wednesdays, June 8 & 15 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Free Picker Family Resource Center 756 Commercial St., Rockport Journey to Health Walking Club Looking for a group activity for that extra support to get up and go? Join Community Health & Wellness staff for weekly walks around Knox and Waldo counties. Walks are scheduled Thursdays in Waldo County, weather permitting. Walk with us as often as you can. All are welcome. Free and no Martial Arts-Inspired Fitness registration is required. Are you bored with your current • Thursday, June 9 fitness routine and looking for 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. something new and fun to help Sears Island, Starting at the you stay fit? If so, join Sears Island Road parking Master Randy Gelo for this 4-week lot, Searsport 4 Waltz for Beginners Do you remember Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or are you a fan of Dancing with the Stars? Now you can learn this beautiful dance that has been popular for centuries yourself. Join our 4-week beginner waltz series and learn how to glide across the dance floor like a star. Individuals and couples welcome. Tuesdays, June 7, 14, 21 & 28 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Registration fee: $20/individuals or $30/couples. East Belfast School 14 Swan Lake Ave., Belfast Be Tobacco Free with Hypnotherapy This three session group smoking cessation program utilizing hypnotherapy can assist you in taking charge of your health, your life, and becoming a non-smoker. In this program, you will explore and identify what personal need is satisfied by smoking, both physical and mental; learn how to overcome triggers for smoking and increase your confidence in your new tobacco free life. Wednesdays, June 8, 15 & 22 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Registration fee is $50 for three sessions. Waldo County General Hospital Classroom, 118 Northport Ave., Belfast
• Thursday, June 16 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Belfast Rail Trail, Starting at 501 High St., Belfast • Thursday, June 23 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Hospital to Harbor Walk Starting at 118 Northport Ave., Belfast • Thursday, June 30 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Little River Trail, Starting at Walsh Field, Lincolnville Ave., Belfast Walking Meditation Bringing mindfulness into our natural activities can be immensely relaxing. Join health & wellness coach Barbara Crowley to practice taming the wandering mind while walking. Wednesday, June 22 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Picker Family Resource Center 756 Commercial St., Rockport
Waldo County General Hospital Aid Briefs Bag Ali Sale
Handbag and accessories sale to benefit Waldo County General Hospital Aid. Includes leather and fashion handbags, briefcases, totes, wallets, evening bags, scarves and backpacks. Major credit cards accepted. Open to the public. Thursday, June 9 9:30 am to 4:00 p.m. & Friday, June 10 7:00 am to 3:00 p.m. Waldo County General Hospital Classroom, 118 Northport Ave., Belfast
Nursing excellence celebrated at WCGH
Every year during Nurses’ Week in May, one RN and one CNA, tech or medical assistant are honored with a Nurse Excellence Award. The nominations come from their peers. The winners this year both work in the peri-operative department. Vicki Keller, RN was described as someone who is always more than willing to answer questions about clinical issues and a great advocate for her patients. “She recently had a very challenging obstetrics case who had an emergency C-section, Vicki’s past OB experience was an incredible asset to this patient as she recovered her from her surgery. As the baby was being transferred to EMMC, Vicki facilitated with Life Flight so that the baby was brought into the recovery area to be seen by the mom before transfer. This meant the world to the patient and her significant other.” Vicki was also described as a hospital-wide resource for the
start of difficult IVs, a great mentor and role model for new employees and other staff with whom she works. Congratulations to the other RNs nominated: Natalie Bowden, Krystal Brouty, Lori Doolen, Lindsay Garton, Bernie Johnson, Stacy Keating, Denise Lindahl, Sue Maxwell, Ashley Vicki Keller, RN, left and Brittany Shute, CNA. Valliere, Leslie Wallace-Bray and Colleen Wynn. dangerous conditions. Brittany Brittany Shute, CNA was took it upon herself to call every described as energetic, resource imaginable. Brittany was hardworking and role model/ aware of where they lived, the teacher of the other CNAs as well particulars of their road and as a powerful patient advocate. realities of the activity restrictions The nominator wrote, “On the the patient had because of their evening of Feb. 5, 2016, we had a surgery; she went miles beyond snowstorm and had a couple that the call of duty.” had no ride home. The person Congratulations to the other who was arranged for the pick-up, CNAs nominated: Kristina Moulton cancelled out of fear of the and Jennifer Philbrick.
Carrie Ponte, RN: Daisy Award, Master’s Degree in one week The second week of May 2016 is one Carrie Ponte, RN will never forget. First, she completed her Master’s Degree, putting her on her way to becoming a Nurse Practitioner and then she received the coveted Daisy Award six days later. The family that nominated Carrie wrote, “We live in Queensbury, NY. We brought our son in the ER with a broken ankle. Carrie was exceptional to our son, making him comfortable and also getting us a room at a local hotel, providing us with directions and getting us a corporate rate. She
was wonderful and so very helpful, kind, compassionate, and competent at her job.” Daisy Award nominations are accepted from patients and their families, staff and physicians. The winner is selected by the Patient and Family Advisory Council. The Daisy Award recognizes the extraordinary work nurses do for patients and their families every day. Congratulations to all our nominees: Lindsay Miles Garton, RN, Kristen Jacobson, RN, Carol Knight, LPN, Denise Lindahl, RN, Linda Marsh, RN, Robin Parker, RN and Abigail Sears, RN. 5
News Briefs The Searsport Health Center, 37 Mortland Rd, has become the home for physical medicine. Susan Hage DO will see patients three Thursdays a month from this location between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Dr. Hage practices Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and is accepting new patients with needs such as osteoarthritis, neck and back pain, tendonitis, bursitis, myofascial pain or headaches. Treatments will focus on a non-opioid approach to pain management. Kate Dehaven, LCSW will continue to be available for therapy appointments. All Epic referrals should still be made to the department of WCMP-Physical
Medicine. To schedule an appointment or consult with Dr. Hage or therapist Dehaven, call the Searsport Health Center, 548-2475. ***** Eileen M. Wolper, RN has been re-certified as a Certified Radiology Nurse by the Radiologic Nursing Certification Board, Inc. through May 31, 2020. ***** Congratulations to our winners in The Republican Journal’s Best of the Best competition. They include: • Home Care Provider: first place, Waldo County Home Health and Hospice (now MaineHealth Care at Home) • Medical Office/Health Facility: Lincolnville Health Center, first, Stockton Springs Regional Health Center, second and WCGH, third
• Physical Therapy: Waldo County General Hospital, first • Retirement Community: Penobscot Shores, first ***** Mark your calendar for Thursday, August 4, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the home of George and Marcia Smith, 18 Bayside Drive, Belfast (the former Anne Crosby Johnson manor). The Waldo County General Hospital Aid will be holding its Summer Tea with an added twist, a Retro Style Show. Aid members will model clothing and accessories from local resell shops that will be available for purchase at reasonable prices. Interested in being a model, call Sandy Gordon at 930-6739.
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