Month: May 2022

Davis County Hospital & ClinicsNews2022May

DCHC Announces 2022 DAISY & ROSE Award Recipients

Bloomfield, IA  – Melissa Frederick, LPN has been named Davis County Hospital & Clinic’s 2022 DAISY Award recipient, and Shelly Kloppenburg was named the 2022 ROSE Award recipient at a ceremony held on Thursday, May 12th.

Nominations for Davis County Hospital & Clinics’ (DCHC) DAISY & ROSE Awards were submitted by patients and their families, colleagues, managers, physicians and community members, and then a small committee of DCHC front line team members chose this year’s honorees through a blinded nomination process.

There were 8 DCHC nurses nominated this year for the DAISY Award: Beth Saner, Eric Bates, Julie Baker, Melissa Frederick, Paige Helton, Susan Fox, Sydney Thordarson, and Whitney Rigdon.

There were 5 DCHC individuals nominated for the ROSE Award: Chelsey Jones, Megan Bassett, Shawna Huggins, Shelly Kloppenburg, and Wendy Barker

Melissa, winner of the 2022 DAISY Award, is an Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in the Medical Associates primary care clinic department at DCHC. Melissa received two nominations, one of which a colleague submitted “Melissa is an excellent nurse who wears her title proudly. She continues to work hard on a daily basis to care for patients. She stays late to ensure that all needs are met. If she does not know the answer she will research the information to answer it for her patients. I am proud to have her apart of a team at DCHC and look forward to continue to work with her in the future.”

Shelly, winner of the 2022 ROSE Award, is a Surgical Tech in the Surgery department at DCHC, nominated be a peer with the following “Shelly is always great to Jump in and help me at any given minute, as we have been short staffed lately with a staff member leaving, She will always stop by the desk and ask if I need any help with anything, she has graciously helped me with putting charts together whether for surgery or epidurals, Shelly consistently always has a smile on her face and a good attitude with being a team player, Thanks Shelly”

“Melissa and Shelly are incredibly deserving of this year’s 2022 DAISY and ROSE Awards,” commented Chief Nursing Officer, Nikki Thordarson. “As you can tell through their nominations, they are both truly dedicated to their patients, as well as committed to being an excellent team member. We are proud to have Melissa and Shelly on our team!”

About the DAISY Award

A signature program of the DAISY Foundation, the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses recognizes individual nurses throughout the year for their extraordinary, compassionate care. More than 3,600 health care facilities and nursing schools across the US and in 21 other countries participate every year.

“The DAISY Awards were created to express gratitude to nurses around the world for their compassion,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Co-Founder and CEO of the DAISY Foundation. “This year’s honorees exemplify the professionalism and humanity that are hallmarks of outstanding nursing care.”

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Award was established by the DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at 33 of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP), an auto-immune disease. The Barnes Family was awestruck by the clinical skills, caring and compassion of the nurses who cared for Barnes, so they created this international award to say thank you to nurses everywhere.

For more information about the DAISY Award and Foundation, visit www.daisyfoundation.org.

About the ROSE Award

The ROSE Award was new this year for DCHC. We wanted to offer the ROSE recognition program to recognize allied healthcare staff from all non-nursing, clinical team members who personify the remarkable patient experience for those we serve. For someone to be nominated for the ROSE Award, they are a role model for others living their expertise and compassionate care, and for all who enter our doors – patient, family member or visitor. ROSE stands for Recognizing Outstanding Service Excellence.

How to know when to seek help: common signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health

Davis County Hospital & Clinic’s Senior Life Solutions Program Focuses on Common Signs of Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Davis County Hospital & Clinics’ (DCHC) Senior Life Solutions program raises awareness about the signs, symptoms, and risk factors regarding mental health and how to know when to seek help. Over the past couple of years, mental health has moved to the forefront for many. An increasing number of folks are beginning to see it for what it is: a vital component of your overall health and well-being, just as important as your physical health. At the same time, mental health conditions, resources, and conversations can still feel complicated and out of reach.

Many people are learning about mental health topics for the first time. Having a widespread understanding of the topic can help you be more informed if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health condition or crisis.

Around half of the people in the U.S. will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in their life. This understanding can help us to be more empathetic to the mental health of our families, friends, and community members.

There are signs and symptoms to be aware of and specific factors that can lead to mental health conditions or crises. What resources are out there – and how do I know if they’re right for me?

By becoming acquainted with the common signs of mental health issues, we can be more prepared, confident, and less afraid of where to start when addressing our mental health.

“Understanding the signs and symptoms of a mental health condition is the first step to a happier, healthier life.” says DCHC Senior Life Solutions Director, Rhonda Roberts, RN. “Understanding that mental health conditions are common and treatable is the next. We must keep working to break down the stigma against mental health to ensure people receive the help they need.”

There’s often no single cause for a mental health condition. Instead, many possible risk factors can influence how likely a person is to experience a mental health condition or how severe the symptoms may be. Some risk factors for mental health conditions include “trauma,” which can be a one-time event or ongoing. And “environment or social determinants” impact health and quality of life (i.e., financial stability and health care access); genetics; brain chemistry; and habits/lifestyle, such as a lack of sleep.

Everyone should have the support needed to thrive. Communities that have experienced oppression, historically or presently, face a more profound mental health burden because of the impact of trauma, injustice, and harm.

Of course, understanding the risk factors for a mental health condition can be more problematic when it’s your mental health. It’s hard to see the changes. Take time to ask yourself about any changes in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to see if this is part of a pattern caused by a situation affecting the health of your mind. Here some questions to get you started:

  • Have things that used to feel easy started feeling difficult?
  • Does the idea of doing daily tasks like making your bed now feel really, really hard?
  • Have you lost interest in activities and hobbies you once enjoyed?
  • Do you feel irritated, possibly to the point of lashing out at those close to you?

Our society focuses much more on physical health than mental health, but both are equally important. If you are concerned about your mental health, several options are available. You are not alone – help is out there, and recovery is possible.

It may be hard to talk about your concerns, but simply acknowledging that you’re struggling is a huge step.

You may not need this information today, yet understanding the basics of mental health will mean you will be more prepared if you ever need it. Go to mhanational.org/may to learn more.

Senior Life Solutions is Davis County Hospital & Clinics’ program, designed to meet the unique needs of individuals typically 65 and older experiencing depression and/or anxiety related to life changes that are often associated with aging. If you or someone you know is struggling with a recent heart-related diagnosis or a decline in emotional health, our program wants you to know we are here to help. Whether through our program, or another service, our team works to identify and address the emotional needs of those in our community and provide support.

If you need more information, education, or would like to discuss support, please call 641-664-3851 or visit www.DCHC.org/services/senior-life-solutions.

###