Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-05-13, Page 21® Entertainment *Feature Religion ® Family ® More GODERICH SIGNAL STAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1987 --PAGE lA m � tto 'Nurses The week of May 10 - May 16 is a special week for a group of very dedicated people ... NURSES ... and this week has been desiganted as "Nurses Week". Nurging care is provided in a variety of settings from hospitals, nursing hoi es, health units, and private homes to schools, industries and nursing agencies. Nurses deal with the very young to the very old. Nursing is a healing art, with the promo- tion of the well-being of the individual in society. Nurses are patient advocates and teachers who keep in mind the physical and emotional aspect of each individual patient. The motto "Nurses Care" is then very true. It only takes a few minutes to talk to so- meone, share a smile, offer a bit of en- couragement. It's all par of the nursing profession, hard work and tremendous rewards. This profession is continuous learning and growing. Not all nurses wear white uniforms and caps. Today's nurses can be found wear- ing business suits as well. -Let's take a look at some of the different kinds of nursing in Goderich and area. HOSPITAL NURSING The public's most common perception of nursing is that of the woman in the white uniform and cap who works at the local hospital. While this is true, many persons in the community fail to recognize the wide range of duties • available 'n hospital nursing. "Nurses do minor thingso things that require a lot of technical skills and nursing knowledge," Glori Burt, assistant director of nursing at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, said. . Nurses at the hospital work in a variety of departments including emergency, in- tensive care, obstetrics, psychiatry and supportive care. At the Goderich hospital, there are nurses responsible for discharge planning as well as occupational health and safety, staff health and infection control. Nurses are also employed in the -adminstrative department of the hospital. Nurses at Alexandra Marine • and General Hospital will be celebrating Nurses Week with a variety of draws and guest speakers. The hospital will be celebrating Registered Nurses ( RN) Day on May •12 and Registered Nursing Assis- tant ( RNA) Day on May 15. . NURSING HOME It takes a special kind of nurse to want to work with 91. elderly patients in -a nursing home setting, but. Cathy MacKenzie wouldn't have it any other way: "It is interesting but it takes a very special type. of nurse to want to do this. Yon have to be able to deal with the elderly with a certain amount of empathy, and understanding. You have to realize that there are people that need a little bit of help and that -there are those who are very confused and that need a lot of physical. help along with guidance, to those that are chronically ill and dying," MacKenzie, a nurse at Maitland Manor Nursing Home in Goderich, said.. Maitland Manor employs five registered nurses who work 'rotating shifts (7 a.m,-3 p.m.; 3 p.m. -11 p.m; on-call midnights) on a partMtime basis and two nurses who work casual shifts, On the day shift ( 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. ), one nurse oversees a staff of seven health care aides and one registered nurs- ing assistant ( RNA ), while on the after- noon shift (3-11 p.m.), one nurse oversees five health care aides and one RNA. No nurses work the midnight shift although there is a nurse on call who will come in should the need arise. MacKenzie, •who is currently working the day 'shift, begins her workday at 6:30 a.m. when she comes in for reports from the previous night's and afternoon's, ac- tivities. Her day enols shortly after 3 p.m. when she has given her daily report to the oncoming staff. Throughout the day, the nurse's duties are varied. Her job ranges from a super- visory position to that of actual hands-on nursing., Included in her daily duties are: making sure patients get a proper diet, giving medical treatments, changing dressings, dealing with visiting doctors, assisting the RNA with the medications, giving PRN medications (ex. pain medica- tions) and all injections (ex. B-12 shots), taking blood work, doing all blood pressures, directing the staff, making SECTION are' hOIifLmr e BY WILLIAM THOMAS rganizing hall games s no cinch Nurses work in a variety of settings. ,In the top picture, Kathie Kelly, acting head nurse of 1st Floor at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, and Mabel Clark, RN, treat a patient in the in- tensive care uejit at the hospital. Above, studentsat local and area schools were visited by nurses who spoke to them about nurses' duties. At left, Judy Marshall, RN, takes .the telephone calls to doctors,setting appoint- ments and arranging transportation to and from the hospital for tests. Although this may seem like a lot to ac- complish in just eight hours, as MacKenzie said it allows the nurse to work more'close- ly with the doctor in providing the proper care for each patient since she is familiar with the patient's needs and treatments. PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING The primary -interest of a public health nurse if that of health promotion, accor- ding to Madeline Roske, a public health nurse with the Huron County Health Unit. "Public health nursing is more teaching • and health promotion as opposed to hands- , • on nursing. It is health' education whether 'it is in the home, school or in the communi- ty," she said. One of the core programs in public health nursing is that of maternal and child health. The public health nurse con- ducts pre -natal classes, does early home visits, gives anticipatory guidance, follow- up parenting classes, and followathe child into and through school with vision and hearing tests. Public health nurses also do a home visiting program with the elderly, self - referrals and community referrals. While hands-on nursing is not the aim of public helath nurses, they are there to see how the person and family is coping with the il- lness and to see if the medications are'be- ing taken properly. If they notice pro- blems, they can refer the patient to other agencies or continue treatment. temperature of James Moody while Steven Hamilton looks on. At right, Tara Million, Timmy Renaud and Erin Brereton, tomorrow's doctors and nurses, experiment with some plastic gloves, scissors and syringes. The children are grade three students at Victoria Public School. (photo's by Lou -Ann Hope) Roske noted that the Health Unit also of- fers bi-monthly adult health clinics, pre- school registration clinics (vision, hearing and boosters), pre -natal classes 'for preg- nant teenagers, and a new program called IRATE FLUS which was designed to pro- mote the mental well-being of women. There is also a family planning nurse who travels to local and area schools to discuss family life. The public health nurse works in con- junction with the family physician and other agencies ( such as Family and Children's Services, Goderich Psychiatric Service and local hospitals). With six offices throughout the county (Goderich, Clinton, Seaforth, Brussels, Wingham and Exeter), the Health Unit employs 14 public health nurses. VICTORIA ORDER OF NURSES Taking health care services to the residences of 10 to 20 patients a day for the past six years has proved to be a rewar- ding 'experience for Susan Scott, district nurse for the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Scott, along • with relief nurses Jan Hullah and Thea Trick, service patients in the local district of the Perth -Huron VON Branch which covers Goderich, Bayfield, Goderich Township and part of Stanley Township. Scott said the nurses provide home care to people with a wide variety of medical problems. The primary function of the VON is to provide professional nursing service on a visit basis to individuals and their families Both young and old alike are treated by nurses. At left, nurse • Cathy MacKenzie takes the blood pressure of Maitland Manor Nursing Home resident Sarah Swann while in the picture at right RNA Elizabeth Rasenberg cradles newborn Sager of Clinton. photos by Lou -Ann Hope) , baby Alex in their own homes. "We do the whole gamut, from taking care of newborn babies to doing palliative care work with the dvinz," she explained. A visit by a VON nurse is a very personal affair. Not only do they perform the re- quired professional service but they- also. try to size up the family situation, gain the confidence of its members and give advice on health matters. Today in Ontario, more than 90 per cent of the , VON cases are referred on the authority of the patient's physician, through one or another government agen- cy; provincial or municipal. The cost per visit is then paid by the organization that referred the patient. The VON's largest customer is the Home Care Division of the Ontario Ministry of Health. There are cur- rently 33 VON Branches in Ontario. VON nurses have a minimal qualifica- tion of R.N. and many have much more education (some have university degrees in nursing while some have the diploma in Public Health). Since its inception 90 years ago, the VON philosophy has always been to meet and respond to community needs. "It's the best work I've ever done," Scott said. "It's personal, it's rewarding. Much more personal than working in a hospital." NURSING AGENCY Linda Knight operates Community Nur- sing Service, a visiting nursing agency which has been established in the North Huron area since January of 1984. The agency employs eight full-time and two part-time nurses who travel from home to home providing a wide variety of nursing care. The agency works on a contract basis, of which its largest contract is with the Huron County Home Care program. "We do about 9,000 visits per year for the Home Care Program," Knight, herself a registered nurse, said. The agency also does medicals for in- surance companies, some shift nursing, sees some patients through the Depart- ment of Veteran Affairs, and conducts some private visits. The agency also has a nurse who acts as a discharge planner at the Clinton Hospital for those people leav- ing the hospital and needing nursing home or home care. Duties of agency nurses include "giving a lot of diabetic talks, doing dressings, per- sonal care, laboratory services, basically anything under nursing procedures," Knight said, adding her staff work with "all ages of people, the bulk of which are over 65 years of age. Knight started the business after work- ing as a nurse at the Wingham hospital for one year, with the VON for four years and working, as Horne Care Co-ordinator for - two years. "1 missed the active, hands-on nursing approach," Knight said, explaining how the agency came into being. She ap- . proached the Home Care Program with the concept which was approved by the Tu* -n to page 2 As the grass greens, the trees bud and the acrid aroma of freshly run-off manure hangs heavy over Wainfleet, it occurs to me that we halve done this dance before. •' When the smell of fresh manure saturates the air around Wainfleet there Ore only two explanations. It's either spr- ingtime or there's another general meeting of the local town council. Yet another winter shakes off its last icy shackles, spring struggles awkward- ly, anxiously toward summer and I find myself for the fifth and final year trying to organize a Sunday morning softball game in Wainfleet. When I first began to pitch- tolocals on the idea of a Sunday morning pickup soft- ball game, I was a young man, Trudeau was in power, Lake Erie had a beach around it and a case of beer cost $14.70. I'm not saying things were perfect in 1982, but remember one thing - Brian Mulroney wasn't Prime Minister. It was a trying time. I tried and tried to get a little ball game going and the world did not beat a path to my door. In fact, the people of Wainfleet, particularly those skilled in hitting a round ball with a long stick, slammed .the proverbial door On my fingers so that even if the: game had materialized I'd .have been on the 30 -day disabled list and missed half. the season. That was year one. I begged everyone - from Rathfon Road to Golf Course Road to come out and play ball and, after much hoopla;.the turnout was one. Me. Like the lyrics in the Blue Jay song: "I had a bat and ball- bit that was all.." The best turnout I ever had was 1983, the second year: Murray the cep, • his wife Diana; his dog Moog and thekid that cut my grass. ,Murray the cop, never one to leave his job. in his locker with his whistle and gun, .found out I was paying the kid a few bucks to he there and ruled him an ineligible professional. That meant I couldn't D.H. the dog. The whole thing fell apart faster than a high stakes crap game inLowbanks. The next year I putfliers in all the Lakeshore mailboxes, ads up in all the 4. local variety stores and ended up just eight short of a nine -man squad. I tried to play, every position of both teams as well , as umpire. Calls were disputed, tempers . flared and, as plate umpire, I eventually had myself ejected from the game. It was a black, day for baseball in Wainfleet. Not an altogether waste, I was ,, elected Honorary President of the Friends of Schizophrenia that year. Then there was last year, the year Butch Kimber, who had also been trying to organize a pick-up game around Reeb's Bay, declared himself Commis sioner of Sunday morning softball in Wainfleet. Butch was having the same kind of success as I was, so he'd thought the least he'd nail down the grand title. As Commissioner of Sunday Morning Baseball, Butch Kimber represented all the finer aspects of the south end of a plow horse facing Welland. And l told him so. Over the phone. Anonymously. Once we settled our differences we combined forces, merged his Reeb's Bay' league with my Sunset Bay league, put up announcements and attended the first Sunday morning practice. The turnout was not overwhelming but not altogether disappointing. The turnout was Me and Butch Kimber. Then it rained. It was a little like Yogi Berra once said - deja vu all over again. - But that was then and now is now. This i$ the year for Sunday morning softball in Wainfleet. I can feel it. Butch Kimber, the assistant Commissioner of Sunday Morning Softball can feel it. Murray the . cop, awarded the position of shortstop based on size alone, can feel it. Churches in Wainfleet are fretting over projected 'losses in attendance. D..J.'s is stocking a few extra kegs of draft for Sunday after- noons. Mayor Stan Pettit is so excited he has agreed to throw out the first pitch And the first guy that asks about where our Wainfleet tax dollars go. It's informal, it's fun, "it's loose. It's Sunday morning softball the Wainfleet way. The crack of the bat, the slap of rawhide on leather, the clashing of heads in the outfield, the tossing of cookies in the infield. Can you wait? Sunday, May 24, Morgan's Point Com- munity Park. Be there! Bring a hat, a hall, a glove and a mayonnaise jar. Random drug testing will be conducted in the infield during • lulls in play. Due to death threats on • the life of Butch Kimber, both implied and war- ranted, women will now be welcome to come out and play as well. Of course if they could play as well, they'd have been invited in the first place. ( Sincerely, The The Commissioner of Sunday Morning Softball