Summer and Skin Safety

The summer weather is finally getting here, and while things are heating up, we’re all starting to plan for a fun and hot summer. But, there are several health risks that you need to consider when you make your plans for your outdoor activities.

Not only can overexposure to the suns UV rays cause sunburns and risk of overheating, UV rays are also a major contributor in a person’s risk for skin cancer.

The Center for Disease Control and GRMC have released several recommendations on how to stay safe while enjoying the summer weather.

1. Always wear sunscreen when you’re planning to be outdoors.
   Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, 30 minutes before going outdoors. It’s important to note that you should even wear it when you aren’t planning on being outside for that long.  Many burns occur when your outdoor activities last longer than expected and you’re caught unprepared. Always make sure to reapply as needed as well.
2. Seek shade often or stay covered up.
   Especially stay out of the sun during the midday hours when the sun is highest and UVA rays are strongest. Trees, umbrellas, and beach cover ups can be helpful in addition to light long-sleeve t-shirts and pants. The average cotton t-shirt has an SPF well below the recommended 15, so even when wearing clothes that cover your body, it doesn’t hurt to wear sunscreen as well.
3. Treat sun burn first aid seriously.
   If you do get sunburnt, drink water to replace lost fluids, take aspirin or ibuprofen for fever and headaches, comfort burns gently with a cool wet cloth, and stay out of the sun until burns clear. If you start to blister, lightly bandage the area with gauze to prevent infection, but don’t break the blisters. If the blisters do break, apply an antiseptic ointment to the open area. Make sure to seek medical attention if you have an exceptionally high fever.

If you follow these rules for prevention, there is no reason that your summer can’t be filled with hours of fun in the sun. The summer months are for going outside and enjoying the warm weather with friends and family. Taking these easy precautions to protect against sunburn and skin cancer will make sure that it stays fun.

For more information go to www.cdc.gov/chooseyourcover

Every breath you take

Breathe deeply. That’s easier said than done for some people. I help people with breathing conditions and limitations. GRMC has six full-time respiratory therapists, like me, to assist the physician in your care. You may be wondering what a respiratory therapist is or what it is that we do.

A respiratory therapist treats people with disorders affecting the cardiopulmonary system such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, cardiovascular disorders, and trauma.

Respiratory therapists earn an accredited two- or four-year degree, pass a national exam, and are licensed by the state they practice in. The program has both classroom and clinical experience so that when the practitioner comes out to work they, have already had hands-on experience in patient care.

Respiratory therapists can be found in many other areas such as home health care, long-term acute care hospitals, physician offices as well as in research positions. The role of the respiratory therapist has and continues to expand to meet the various needs of the cardiopulmonary patient.

Here at GRMC the respiratory therapists provide care and life support to patients in the emergency room, intensive care unit, pre/post operation, obstetrics unit, as well as the medical/surgical floors. We also offer inpatient and outpatient pulmonary function testing, outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, and sleep studies.

Every breath matters, and we are here to help.

Written by Lori Dvorak, RRT, MBA
GRMC respiratory therapist

Planting Season at GRMC

Health and wellness includes exercise and healthy foods so GRMC employees went to work on planting a Giving Garden this week. Employees work in the garden – weeding and managing – during the growing season and help harvest the rewards. When the garden produces a surplus, donations are available to employees.

During peak season, the GRMC Day Camp participants will harvest and deliver produce to Mid-Iowa Community Action as a way to give back to the community. In 2014, the GRMC Giving Garden contributed more than 350 pounds of food to MICA for distribution to families in need.

In 2014, GRMC with Community Transformation Grant funds purchased gardening tools to create four community Giving Gardens. This helped launch the program.

In 2015, GRMC received a Grinnell College mini-grant to expand on this program and purchase additional equipment and tools for the Giving Gardens. The intent is to encourage gardening and help local residents produce safe, healthy foods.

Butterfly Gardens

GRMC’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of residents includes the creation of three Monarch Waystations on the campus this year.  Elizabeth Hill, Center for Prairie Studies and Conard Environmental Research Area at Grinnell College, and Tim Hammond, Grinnell College, helped GRMC employees plant the ideal habitat for Monarch butterflies. Doug Caulkins, Imagine Grinnell and retired Grinnell College faculty member, helped connect Hill with GRMC and foster this garden.

Be sure to check out the butterfly gardens throughout the growing season, located in the Healing Garden, near the Giving Garden, and on the west side of the Ahrens Medical Arts Building.

“Save the Monarch migration one butterfly at a time – plant milkweed”

For more information, check out http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/

GRMC: Where Miracles Happen Everyday

Hospitals across the nation will celebrate National Hospital Week this next week (May 11-15). The recognition was introduced by the American Hospital Association in 1921 as a way to celebrate the employees that support the health of their communities through compassionate care and commitment. 

Today, this has become the largest healthcare event celebrating all healthcare institutions including hospitals, hospices, clinics, and many others. According to the AHA, hospitals serve as economic contributors, gateways to care, centers for innovation, and are committed to quality and safety. 

As National Hospital Week emerges, consider giving thanks to all of the people that contribute to the overall function of your hospital – Grinnell Regional Medical Center – such as physicians, nurses, therapists, engineers, food service workers, volunteers, administrators, and many others. GRMC currently has 400 employees and 200 volunteers that all take part in the community’s health.

Different branches of the hospital contribute services that are vital in meeting the healthcare needs of the more than 40,000 residents in the Poweshiek, Jasper, Benton, Iowa, Mahaska, and Tama counties.

Together, we are making miracles happen every day in the lives of our patients and clients. 

For more information from the American Hospital Association, click here.