september 16, 2015 flu vaccine courage is acting with no ... by the influenza virus but usually by...

by Brett Altman, CEO

For this issue of Vital Signs, I’m excited to introduce a guest column. Joe Tye is CEO and Head Coach of Values Coach Inc., which provides training and coaching on values-based life and leadership skills. Formerly a hospital administrator himself, Joe visited us here in Newton a few years ago. In this piece, he talks about taking leaps of faith and how you can benefit from it.

When Mexican general Santa Anna surrounded Colonel William Travis and his small garrison at the Alamo in 1836, he sent Travis a note saying, in effect, “Surrender or die.” Travis called his men down into the courtyard and challenged them to stay and fight for an independent Texas. They did so, and for the next 13 days they held

off a Mexican force that outnumbered them more than ten-to-one. On the day of the final Mexican as-sault, every single defender died fighting.

When 108 years later American general Anthony McAuliffe received a similar ultimatum from a German general at the Battle of the Bulge, he simply scribbled the word “Nuts!” across the bottom of the surrender demand and sent it back to the baffled German. Nearly surrounded and outnum-bered, the American troops held off the Germans until they were relieved by General Patton’s army, their courage having se-cured a pivotal victory.

Travis at the Alamo and McAuliffe at Bastogne shared one thing in com-mon: uncertainty. Travis had no way of knowing that Sam Houston would

not be successful at raising an army fast enough to break Santa Anna’s siege of the Alamo; McAuliffe had no way of knowing that George Patton would be successful at turning his army 90-degrees on its heels and fighting his way through the dense Ardennes forest to relieve the 101st Airborne at Bastogne. But each man knew what had to be done, even without being assured of success or survival. That is as good a definition of courage as they come.

David McCullough’s new book The Wright Brothers shows how Wilbur and Orville Wright persevered for years pursu-ing the dream of building an airplane that could fly on its own power. They were ignored, and often ridiculed. There was no guarantee that they would succeed in getting their

craft off the ground - many had failed before them, some falling to their deaths. There was no guarantee that someone else would not beat them to it, making their work irrelevant. And there was no guarantee that even if they were first to fly they would reap any financial benefits from all of the time and effort they had put into it.

The difference between courageous and crazy is of-ten evident only long after the fact. It takes courage to chart your own path, to set audacious goals where success is uncertain, and to overcome the doubts and fears that would stop those who are less courageous dead in their tracks.

We provide every mem-ber of the Skiff team a copy of the book The Florence Prescription. Inside there is

September 16, 2015

Flu vaccine time is here

The Iowa De-partment of Public Health (IDPH) is re-minding Iowans it is time for their annual flu vaccination.

“Influenza cir-culates year-round, but influenza spread typically picks up and remains active between October and May,” said IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk. “The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinat-ed each year. Being vaccinated now will ensure protection before the flu season starts in October; it’s not too early to get your shot.”

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influ-enza viruses research indicates will be most common dur-ing the upcoming season. Traditional flu vaccines (called “trivalent” vaccines) are made to protect against three flu vi-ruses: influenza A (H1N1) virus, influ-enza A (H3N2) virus and an influenza B virus. “Quadriva-lent” vaccines, which protect against the same three viruses as the trivalent vaccine and a second B virus are also available. Vaccination is avail-able in many forms,

Courage is acting with no guarantee of success

Continued on page 2

Continued on page 2

Rep. Loebsack ‘takes himself to work’ at hospitalby Jason W. Brooks (reprinted with permis-sion from Newton Daily News)

“Can you listen to Led Zeppelin in there?”

That’s what U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack asked when he was shown an MRI suite during Friday’s visit to Skiff Medical Center. He was shown the suite by Skiff staff members as part of what was billed as “Take Your Congressman to Work Day,” where Loebsack shadowed a couple of workers at their jobs. While walking through the Skiff OB department, Rep. Loebsack had the opportunity to meet Dr.

Stephanie Bantell, OB nurse and team leader Carla Johnson, and nursing house supervisor Lisa Dobbie. See page 6 for more photos from Rep. Loebsack’s visit.Continued on page 2

www.skiffmed.com 2 www.skiffmed.com

Skiff Medical Center Employee Newsletter

Editor/writer/layout Stephanie AlexanderContributor Leisa Zylstra

Have something to share?Contact Stephanie Alexander, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, at (641) 791-4339 or [email protected].

Want a copy?If you would like a printed version of Vital Signs or are interested in receiving an e-mail update when the newsletter is published online, please contact us at [email protected]. Vital Signs is printed every other Thursday.

IntegrityWe are sincere and honest in everything we do. We inspire trust.

ServiceWe are unyielding in our commitment to quality through excellence, innovation and growth.

PassionWe are passionate about our calling: caring for our patients and each other

AdvocacyWe are dedicated to supporting the communities we serve in everything we do.

ResponsibilityWe take ownership of our resources and are efficient and effective in using them.

KindnessWe value people, listen to them and care about their feelings.

Skiff Medical Center's vision is to be firmly established as a treasured community asset reaching beyond the medical center walls to demonstrate our dedication to wellness, the healing of the sick and the relief of suffering.

Influenza vaccines (from page 1)including a traditional shot and a nasal spray. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season.

Vaccination to prevent influenza is especially important for those at high risk of seri-ous complications from the flu – this includes the very young and those ages 65 and older. According to the CDC, as many as 90 percent of flu-related deaths in the U.S. occur in people ages 65 and older.

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. Illness typically lasts two to seven days. The flu comes on suddenly and may cause severe illness or even death, even in healthy individuals. The “stomach bug,” which causes diarrhea and vomiting, is not caused by the influenza virus but usually by norovirus; thus, the flu vaccine will not protect you against this illness.

Influenza is not a “reportable disease” in Iowa, which means doctors are not required to notify IDPH each time a patient tests positive for influenza; however, IDPH conducts year-round influenza surveillance through the Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network. This surveillance indicates what types of influenza viruses are circulating, and how wide-spread influenza illness is. For more information about where and what kind of influenza is in Iowa, go to www.idph.state.ia.us/Cade/Influenza.aspx?pg=FluHome.

Contact your health-care provider or local health department to find out where the vaccine is available in your community or use the Flu Vaccine Finder at www.flu.gov/.

No guarantees (from page 1)empowerment daily pledge, one of which says: I will do the things I’m afraid to do but which I know should be done. Sometimes this will mean asking for help to do that which I cannot do by myself.

What is the thing that you are afraid to do but know needs to be done for you to achieve a goal or fulfill a dream? How can you spark the courage you need in order to do that thing? Who can you ask for help?

Loebsack joked about how he holds a doctoral degree that holds little weight in a hospital.

“I’m technically a doctor, but I’m a Ph.D. (in political science) – not an MD,” Loebsack said. “But I am now on the Energy & Commerce Committee, which oversees hospitals, among much else.”

Skiff was one of two scheduled stops for Loebsack on Friday, with the other in Knoxville where he was scheduled to job shadow with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Sonja Ranck, Skiff’s Chief Clinical Officer, and Skiff CEO Brett Altman toured many parts of the hospital with Loebsack. He was taken on a tour of several Skiff departments and given descriptions of some of the functions of recently-added technology, speaking briefly with staff in radiology, the emergency department, the obstetrics unit and more.

Loebsack talked to some patients as well. One of the patients he spoke with was Mildred McFate, 94, who was at Skiff getting treatment for pneumonia.

One of the more interesting conversations Loebsack had Friday was with Dr. Bruce St. Amour, who told Loebsack about issues where he would like the Veterans Administration to “play nice in the sandbox.”

Loebsack said getting more graduate-level medical education programs going in Iowa is a priority. The Affordable Care Act has put more patients in a position to seek medical services and placed an even greater burden on the small number of doctors in the U.S. Altman and Ranck pointed out how various parts of the hospital are utilized.

Altman pointed out the financial advantage Skiff might have in expanding treatments in the years ahead, as Mercy Medical Center’s acquisition of Skiff was completed July 1.

“Being a small independent hospital is nice, but it’s almost financially impossible anymore,” Altman said.

After Loebsack departed, Altman praised the fifth-term Congressman for his knowl-edge of the medical field.

“He understands how hospitals have to do things, better than most,” Altman said.

Loebsack visit (from page 1)



“Opportunity is now. Not later. Now. Your contribution, small though it may seem, is unique

and altogether yours. Whatever it may be – it becomes that timeless trophy you invest daily.”

– Growing Strong In the Seasons of Life

40 years and fabulous!Congratulations to Carol Hammer, Home Care nurse, on her retirement from Skiff after 40 years and nine months. We wish her the very best and thank her for her many years of dedicated service!

BIRTHDAYSKayla Klein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 18Jennifer Howell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 19Tom Robertson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 23Greg Loder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 23Morgan Arrowood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 23Angie Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 25Janelle Maasdam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 27Brooke Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept. 28Jolene Yeager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct. 1

On-site uniform sale coming in OctoberIn an effort to assist employees with purchasing new uniforms that adhere to the

Mercy Professional Appearance Policy, Skiff has coordinated an onsite uniform sale with Valley West Uniforms. The sale will be held in the Inservice Room on Monday, Oct. 5 from noon until 7 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Valley West Uniforms will have their regular priced apparel on sale for 20 percent off and value-priced apparel and select styles of shoes will be on sale for 10% off. Employees will be able to purchase inventory the day of the sale and take it with them. Special order items will be delivered to Skiff for distribution.

Payment is due at the time of the purchase and can be paid with cash or credit card. Full and part-time employees will be eligible to payroll deduct their purchases. The purchases will be split between the Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 paychecks. Employees will need to bring their badge with them when making their purchase.

If you are unable to attend the on-site sale, Valley West Uniforms will also be offer-ing the same sale during the entire month of October in their store for Mercy and Skiff employees. Remember to bring your badge with you if you will be making your purchase at the store so they can verify your employment. The payroll deduction option is not available if you purchase at the store.

The uniforms by position/department are:

• Registered nurse: navy blue• CNA/patient care tech: hunter green• Medical imaging: black• Rehab: black• Respiratory therapy: dark gray• Clinics: black• Pharmacy: dark teal• Food and nutrition: Chef coat, black pants

Valley West Uniform is located at 4100 University Ave #230, West Des Moines. Cox earns certification in emergency nursing

Kristi Cox, RN-BC, CEN, has successfully completed the exami-nation for national certification in emergency nursing, administered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN).

Certification in emergency nursing (CEN) is a nationally rec-ognized credential that represents Kristi’s commitment to excellence in the profession of emergency nursing, and to providing the highest quality of care to her patients. Completing the voluntary certifica-tion process is a symbol of emergency nurses’ dedication to their profession and their patients.

Emergency nursing incorporates a wide spectrum of patient care that requires extensive knowledge and highly specialized nursing skills. It also requires the ability to care for patients with a wide variety of ages, illnesses, and injuries. The certification exam evaluates a nurse’s knowl-edge and ability in areas such as patient care management; orthopedic emergencies and wound management; neu-rological, cardiovascular, substance abuse/toxicological and environmental emergencies, and shock/multi-system trauma emergencies.

Kristi received her RN from Mercy College of Health Sciences in 2006 and obtained ANCC board certification in pain management in 2012.



Education eventsYou may register for the events below, including skills demonstrations, by contacting Kari Hemann at Ext. 4345 or khemann@skiffmed.

com. You may also register for ACLS and PALS in CareLearning. All classes will be held in Inservice Room A, unless otherwise noted.

• Sept. 17, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.(0800-1630) – ACLS Recert Course (class is full)

• Sept. 22, 7-8 a.m. (0700-0800) and 9-11 a.m. (0900-1100) – BLS Skills Demonstration – This is for anyone who has completed the computer portion of BLS within the last 30 days and needs to demonstrate their skills. You must bring your printed certificate. This is a come-and-go “open house” atmosphere – registration is still required, however. This will be held in Inservice Room A or B.

• Sept. 24, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (0800-1630) – Additional ACLS Recert Course (seats available). Will be held in the 2W Common Room.

• Oct. 7 and 8, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (0800-1600) ACLS Initial Provider Class

• Oct. 13, 7:30-9 p.m. (1930-2100) – BLS Skills Demonstration

• Oct. 14, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (0800-1630) – PALS Recert Course

Post-career doctors honored at ceremony at physicians’ circleThree names were

added to the plaques on the Physicians’ Circle in front of Skiff Medical Center last week, honoring post-career physicians who dedicated significant portions of their careers to the Newton and Jasper County communi-ties. Present at the ceremo-ny were Dr. Phil Clevenger and Marinus Spierenburg, husband of the late Dr. Ruth Spierenburg. Dr. Gary Richardson was not in attendence. Skiff CEO Brett Altman spoke at the ceremony, offering an overview of the lives and careers of those honored:

Dr. Phil Clevenger

• Had a 30-year medical career, practicing at Newton Clinic since 1995

• Started out in finance, but made a change to a medical career

• Attended Des Moines University

• Served as chief of medical staff for Skiff Medical Center

• Originally practiced medicine in Monroe prior to Newton

• Strong advocate for employees and the community

• Loved and cherished by many patients

• Still serves as Jasper County’s medical examiner

Dr. Gary Richardson

• Board-certified sur-geon

• Practiced in Newton for 20-plus years in his own private practice

• Raised in Monroe• Attended the University

of Iowa• Served two years in the

U.S. Army• Started his own private

practice• Served on the Skiff

Medical Center Board of Trustees

Dr. Ruth Spierenburg

• Dedicated pediatrician• Opened a private prac-

tice in Newton in 2001• Graduated from New

York Medical College• Was a teacher prior to

becoming a physician• Very involved in the

community• Self published a chil-

dren’s book, “Little Lad, a Tale of Love and Liberty”

• One of her greatest at-

tributes was her passion for people, particularly children

• She was highly respect-ed in the professional care of her pediatric pa-tients and their parents

• She had a positive effect on countless lives, as a friend and as a doctor

• She passed away un-expectedly on Nov. 18, 2013

Among those in attendance at the recent commemoration of service for physicians were family practice physician Dr. Phil Clevenger and his wife Caren DeVoe, left, and Marinus Spierenburg, husband of the late Dr. Ruth Spierenburg, and one of their four sons.

Dr. Gary Richardson, general surgeon

Dr. Ruth Spierenburg, pediatrician



Skiff Medical Center wishes a fond farewell to

Dr. Ronald Charles upon his semi-retirement

and thanks him for his decades of

service to Newton and Jasper County.

204 N. 4th Ave E. • Newton, IA 50208 • (641) 78-SKIFF (787-5433)

www.skiffmed.com • www.facebook.com/skiffmed

You’ll be missed!

On the moveCongratulations to Chris

Greenlee on being named the interim Emergency Department Manager, effective Oct. 4, report-ing to Sonja Ranck, Chief Clinical Officer. Chris’s current role is Clinical Resource Nurse and Trauma Coordinator; his leadership responsibility will be specific to the Emergency Department. Please help us congratulate Chris on his new position.

School days, school days ...The Quality Department would like to invite you to

share in some “school days” fun. There is a display of some of our studious staff in their younger days in the cafeteria along with answer sheets where you can write who you think they are. Put your answer sheet in the box provided and one lucky winner will be announced Sept. 18, receiv-ing a backpack of surprises! Join the fun and relive some of your school day memories!

2015 United Way campaign starts Monday

Monday, Sept. 21, will be the official start of the 2015 United Way Campaign, “Mission Possible.” The goal for this year’s campaign, which will run through Oct. 2, is to raise $7,000. Every contribution to United Way is a valuable one, making the difference in the lives of your neighbors and your community.

The United Way supports numerous Jasper county agencies, including Skiff Medical Center. Earlier this year, Skiff was awarded two grants from the United Way to support Skiff Hospice bereavement services and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner training for two nurses.

Your department director will be distributing United Way pledge cards to you and your coworkers. Every em-ployee is encouraged to donate, whether by payroll deduc-tion, cash or check. Completed pledge cards or cash gifts should be turned in to Leisa Zylstra in Public Relations by Friday, Oct. 2.

As in the past, this year’s campaign will be filled with events to motivate you to participate and have fun while doing so. All activities will be held in the Radiology corri-dor and will give a portion of their sales to the United Way.

To learn more about this year’s United Way campaign, please contact campaign chair Leisa Zylstra at Ext. 3179 or [email protected].

See page 8 for this year’s United Way activities!

The joy of techsSept. 20-26 is National Surgical Technologists Weeks. Many thanks to our skilled and dedicated techs, who bring excellence to our surgical patients every day. Seen above, from right, are Britney Engbers, Heather Hicks, Teri Gilbert and Travis Duffield.



Rep. Loebsack meets and greets during Skiff visit

Congressman Dave Loebsack had an ab-breviated tour of Skiff Medical Center during his one-hour visit on Sept. 4. He had the op-portunity to see the MRI suite with Radiology Director Jane Hettinger (above, left), meet pa-tient Mildred McFate (above, right), see the new psychiatric-equipped Emergency Department exam room with CCO Sonja Ranck (right), converse with patient Eddie Wilson (below, right), and interact with radiologist Dr. Paul Groben (below, left) and ultrasound tech Rachel Marks (left).



The compliance date for implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS is Oct. 1, 2015, for all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-covered entities. ICD-10-CM, including the “ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting,” will replace International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) Diagnosis Codes in all health-care settings for diagnosis reporting with dates of service, or dates of discharge for inpatients, that occur on or after Oct. 1. ICD-10-PCS, including the “ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting,” will replace ICD-9-CM Procedure Codes.

About ICD-10The ICD-9 code sets

used to report medical diagnoses and inpatient procedures will be replaced by ICD-10 code sets on Oct. 1. ICD-10 consists of two parts:

• ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding which is for use in all U.S. health care settings.

• ICD-10-PCS inpatient procedure coding which is for use in U.S. hospital settings.

ICD-10 will affect diag-nosis and inpatient proce-dure coding for everyone covered by the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA), not just those who submit Medicare or Medicaid claims:

• Claims for services

provided on or after the compliance date should be submitted with ICD-10 diagnosis codes.

• Claims for services provided prior to the compliance date should be submitted with ICD-9 diagnosis codes.

Workers Compensation and Auto Insurance car-riers are not required to comply with the change to ICD-10. However, we do expect that some will make the change.

The change to ICD-10 does not affect CPT coding for outpatient procedures.

Benefits of ICD-10

• More clinically relevant than ICD-9-CM

• Better reflection of clinical severity and complexity

• More accurate repre-sentation of provider performance

• Less ambiguous code choices

• Support for medical necessity

• Validation for reported evaluation and man-agement codes

• More accurate and fair reimbursement

• Less misinterpretation by auditors, attorneys, other 3rd parties

• Improved efficiencies and lowered admin-istrative costs Fewer rejected and improper reimbursement claims

• Decreased demand for submission of medical record documentation

• Increased use of auto-mated tools to facilitate the coding process

• Fewer coding errors • Increased productivity • Reduced labor costs

Differences from ICD-9

• Codes reflect modern medicine and updated medical terminology

• Expanded detail and specificity

• Laterality (side of the body affected) has been added to relevant codes

• Expanded use of com-bination codes

• Certain conditions and associated common symptoms or manifes-tations

• Poisonings and associ-ated external cause

Payer readinessUnfortunately we will

likely not have full scope knowledge of payer readi-ness until we start submit-ting claims with ICD-10 codes. We have completed end-to-end testing with Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross, and Meridian and have some degree of confi-dence that these larger vol-ume payers will be ready to accept and pay our ICD-10 coded claims. However, no amount of preparedness on our end can ENSURE payer systems will be ready to accept and correctly pay on ICD-10 claims.

Skiff readinessThe ICD-10 team has

been training, setting up Meditech, dual coding, and testing over the last 10 months to be ready for this transition. We have been allowed limited end-to-end testing with payers but have completed validation testing on more than 300 claims through Relay Health.

An overview of basic information you need to know about ICD-10

Grownups in need of chickenpox vax, too

Shingles: extremely common but preventable

You may have seen recent headlines like “Chickenpox outbreak hits Kansas City Royals.” These players will now miss multiple games, and teammates are being vac-cinated. While chickenpox was historically thought of as a childhood disease, today it is often adults – who were not infected or vaccinated as kids – who are getting sick. The best way to prevent chickenpox is vaccination.

Chickenpox (varicella) used to be very common in the United States before the chickenpox vaccine became available in 1995. In the early 1990s, an average of 4 million people got chickenpox, 10,500 to 13,000 were hospitalized (range = 8,000 to 18,000) and 100 to 150 died each year. Most of the severe complications and deaths from chickenpox occurred in people who were previously healthy. Today, varicella vaccination prevents more than 3.5 million cases of varicella, 9,000 hospitalizations, and 100 deaths each year in the United States.

All children, adolescents, and susceptible adults should have two doses of chickenpox vaccine – especially health-care workers, pregnant women without evidence of immunity (upon completion of pregnancy), and those born in 1980 or later.

• In children, the first dose should be given no younger than age 12 months. The second dose is generally recommended to be given between ages 4-6 years.

• In people 13 years of age and older, two doses (0.5 ml each) of the single-antigen varicella vaccine should be given subcutaneously four to eight weeks apart.

Chickenpox vaccine is very safe and effective. Most vaccinated people will not get chickenpox. If they do, it is usually mild – with fewer blisters and mild or no fever. The chickenpox vaccine prevents almost all cases of severe disease. For more information about chickenpox vaccine, visit www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/vaccination.html.

Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of developing shingles (also known as zoster or herpes zoster).Today, al-most one out of every three people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime (this will likely decrease as more of the population is vaccinated). Approximately one million cases of shingles occur each year in the U.S., and the risk of shingles increases with age. About half of all cases occur in men and women 60 years old or older.

National recommendations are that people aged 60 years and older receive the shingles vaccine. Even people who have had shingles should receive the vaccine to lower the risk or prevent future occurrences. Those at greatest risk of getting shingles include people who are immuno-compromised (i.e. cancer, HIV, and receiving immunosuppressive drugs) and those who are older. For more information about shingles, visit www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/.



Skiff’s 2015 United Way campaign will be

Employee flu shots and flu mist*Sept. 17 – 7-9 a.m.

and 1-4 p.m.Sept. 18 – 7-9 a.m.

Sept. 24 – 7-8:30 a.m. Night and weekend staff may contact nursing

supervisors for availability.

Questions? Call Christie Milligan at Ext. 4804.

Shots and mist will be administered in the Commons Room, located on the northwest corner of the

second floor. Immunizations are free to all employees and volunteers.

Pregnant employees must have a doctor’s order.

Immunizations are mandatory to ensure the safety of our patients and colleagues.

Tuesday, Sept. 22 Liquid Sun Soaps • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Radiology corridorBrowse a large selection of high-quality, handmade artisan soaps,

lotion bars and bath bombs.

Friday, Sept. 25Bun in the Oven • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Radiology corridorBun in the Oven will be here selling a variety of delicious cupcakes,

cookies and small pies.

Jeans dayFor a $5 donation to the United Way, staff can wear jeans and their

favorite Skiff t-shirt to work. Pay your fee at Customer Relations or

Human Resources and receive your jeans day sticker.

Friday, Oct. 2Norwex • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Radiology corridorNorwex’s mission is to improve the quality of life by radically reducing

the use of chemicals in personal care and cleaning. The company

offers antibacterial microfiber cleaning products and several organic

personal care products. For a preview of their products, visit www.

norwex.com.

Jeans DayFor a $5 donation to the United Way, staff can wear jeans and their

favoriteSkiff t-shirt to work. Pay your fee at Customer Relations or

Human Resources and receive your jeans day sticker.

To learn more about this year’s United Way campaign, please con-

tact campaign chair Leisa Zylstra at Ext. 3179 or lzylstra@skiffmed.

com.

*Your choice of shot or mist, for those who meet necessary criteria.



I would like to nominate _____________________________ from the _________________________unit/department as a deserving recipient of The DAISY Award. This nurse’s clinical skill and especially her/his compassionate care exemplify the kind of nurse that our patients, their families, and our staff recognize as an outstanding role model. Please describe a specific situation or story that clearly demonstrates how this nurse made a meaningful difference in your care.

Thank you for taking the time to nominate an extraordinary nurse for this award. Please tell us about yourself, so that we may include you in the celebration of this award should the nurse you nominated is chosen. Your name Unit_________________

Phone______________________________E-mail_______________________Pager__________________________ I am a(n) (please check one): RN________ Patient_________ Family/Visitor_________ MD_________ Staff_________ Volunteer_________

Date of nomination: ______________



Annual nursing competencies are coming soon!

Participants will be entered in a drawing for great prizes!

We’ve had lots of changes and new people joining our team here at Skiff during the last year and we want to ensure we are all on the same page as we care for our patients.

Rather than the come-and-go approach used in the past, we are going to hold a series of 20-minute station-based interactive learning sessions on Med-Surg West.

To ensure the sessions are interactive and that all questions are answered,each four-hour session will be capped at 30 nurses.

Sign-up deadline is Sept. 23, but sessions will fill up quickly. Sign up soon to guarantee the session ofyour choice! The sign-up sheet is posted on Kari Hemann’s door (office 260). You may also contact

her at Ext. 4345 or [email protected] to sign up or ask questions.

All nurses are required to attend one of the following 12 sessions Attendance is mandatory for all nurses

Session dates:Tuesday, Sept 29Thursday, Oct 1Thursday, Oct 15

Session times each day:7-11 a m (0700-1100)

11 a m -3 p m (1100-1500)3-7 p m (1500-1900)7-11 p m (1900-2300)

september 16, 2015 flu vaccine courage is acting with no ... by the influenza virus but usually by...

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