Next Week's Calendar
of Events:

Welcome

Coming up in this week's issue of The Focus you'll find:

Learn About Sepsis at FHN September Speaker Series Event

September is Sepsis Awareness Month. What can start as a small infection can trigger a chain reaction in the body that can be a life-threatening medical emergency.

Learn more about sepsis at a free special FHN Speaker Series program at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 18 at the FHN Family Healthcare Center – Burchard Hills, 1010 W. Fairway Drive in Freeport.

FHN Clinical Nurse Leader, Stroke and Sepsis Coordinator Tracy Love, MSN, RN, CNL and Quality Department Clinical Abstractor Kristina Stadermann, BSN, RN will talk about which infections most often lead to sepsis as well as how it can be prevented, how to recognize sepsis symptoms, and available treatment options.

There is no charge to attend this event, but registration is requested. Visit fhn.org/sepsis or call 1-877-600-0346, ext. 901 for more information and to register.

FHN Implements Post-Birth Alert Program

Women in the first six weeks after delivering a baby are at higher risk of dying from pregnancy and birth complications, and the FHN Women's Health Team is taking action to keep its postpartum patients safe.

"In 2022, the CDC reported that 817 women died of maternal causes in the United States," FHN Memorial Hospital Perinatal Quality Nurse Danielle Wittig, BSN, RN C-ONQS said. "33 percent of those deaths were substantially preventable, and another 36 percent were moderately preventable. We have partnered with our community EMS providers and the Emergency Department, and have also reached out to other area hospitals to help recognize and treat those complications to reduce maternal mortality."

The FHN Post-Birth Alert Program, one of the first of its kind in the nation, is focused on giving new mothers an orange bracelet to wear as an alert. Alert bands are worn for six weeks, until the mother's postpartum appointment with their provider. The patient and her support person also receive focused education, utilizing the AWHONN (Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses) Post-Birth Warning Signs guidelines, emphasizing the importance of the Post-Birth Alert band and recognizing when to seek immediate care.

"If a woman has a medical emergency and isn't able to communicate, the bracelet will inform providers and emergency personnel of her postpartum status,” said FHN OB Service Line Perinatal Educator Keri Schubert. “That fast identification can be crucial in saving that woman's life."

Women in the six-week period after giving birth are at increased risk of a number of serious complications, including:

• Hypertensive disorder in pregnancy and after - preeclampsia or eclampsia
• Venous Thromboembolism, or blood clots
• Sepsis
• Cardiomyopathy, the thickening of the heart's walls
• Perinatal depression
• Substance use disorder

The FHN Post-Birth Alert Program team has information available on postpartum risks, as well as program materials for EMS and medical professionals. Call the FHN Labor & Delivery department at (815) 599-6221 for more information.

Share Your FHN Pride! Shop Online for Gear and Gifts

Working at FHN means you help people for a living! Show your pride by wearing a logoed shirt, carrying an FHN water bottle, or using logoed golf balls, and share your pride by gifting a special FHN coffee mug, shirt and more.

Log in to the FHN Online Store to find a variety of clothing for men and women, ranging from business attire to workout gear to scrubs, all bearing the FHN logo. You’ll also find sports goods like workout towels and golf balls, fun drinkware and lots of other options for gifts – or for yourself!

“Hard goods” like drinkware and gift items will be delivered FREE via interoffice mail within 3 business days. Apparel and headwear items will be delivered within 10 – 15 business days and shipping charges do apply.

Bookmark the FHN Online Store and keep checking back – we add new items often!

FHN Career Corner

There are many career opportunities within FHN. If you or someone you know is interested in new challenges go to our Career page, displaying the latest open positions.

Help Spread the News: We’re Here, For You!

We have a lot to be proud of at FHN, from our talented, dedicated staff to the many advanced capabilities we offer our patients. We’re working hard every day to be sure we provide excellent care to our patients.

Each week, look to the Focus for good news to share about FHN in the form of downloadable flyers you can print and post or hand out to patients who may be interested. Also look for links to our most recent radio interviews and past interviews to listen to and recommend to others. Don’t forget to Like us on Facebook! Please encourage patients, friends, and family to also take advantage of these FHN information resources. Thanks for your help in promoting FHN!

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and Worldwide Health

September is:
Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Food Safety Education Month
Healthy Aging® Month
National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National ITP (Platelet Disorder) Awareness Month
National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month
National Recovery Month
National Sickle Cell Month
Newborn Screening Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Pain Awareness Month
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sepsis Awareness Month
Sexual Health Awareness Month
Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month
World Alzheimer’s Month

Weeks to Note:
September 8 – 14 is National Suicide Prevention Week
September 8 – 14 is National Folic Acid Awareness Week

Days to Note:
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day  

The United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month in September. Initiated in 1968 as “National Hispanic Heritage Week” but established in 1988 by the U.S. Congress, Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 because this day marks the anniversary of independence for five Hispanic countries – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico achieved independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18. Latinos from all across the nation take a moment to reflect on their history, customs, and culture, as well as the contributions their people have made to the United States.

Several Indigenous tribes celebrate the September Sunrise Dance in September. This is an ancient rite of passage for 14-year-old girls and lasts four days. After a girl’s first menstruation, the girl is massaged and prayed for by an elder female relative. Then, the girl’s family decides which ceremony will be sponsored, which medicine man to choose, and whom to ask to be her godparents and co-sponsors of the ceremony.

People of the Jain faith celebrate Paryushana-Parva from August 31 through September 8. It is the holiest time of the year and is marked by fasting and worship of the 24 realized teachers of the Jain faith known as Tirthankaras or Jinas.

Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7. The holiday honors one of Hindus’ major deities, Ganesh, the elephant-headed god. He is known as the “remover of all obstacles” and is invoked at the beginning of all new undertakings.

The Shvetambara sect of the Jain faith celebrates Samvatsari on September 8. The day is dedicated to introspection, confession, and penance.

The Digambara sect of the Jain faith celebrates Dashalakshani-Parva beginning September 8. The celebration lasts 10 days, with each day dedicated to a virtue: Humility, honesty, purity, forgiveness, truthfulness, self-restraint, asceticism, study, celibacy, and detachment.

September 11 is the Day of Remembrance in the United States. The effects of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 impacted Americans and most other nations and has brought us to focus on the devastation terrorism has caused the world.

The people of Ethiopia celebrate Meskerem (New Year) on September 11. During the time of pharaohs 4,000 years ago, the appearance of Soothis (Dog Star) marked the signal that the Nile River would rise, flooding the fertile plains so that planting could begin. The end of the rainy season became known as the New Year.

New Hires

Our Sympathy

We extend our sympathy to ...
Bill Schuler (Central Supply) on the death of his mother.
Keri Penticoff (CBO) on the death of her son.
Carrie Raders (Cath Lab) on the death of her grandmother.
Leanne Raders (Radiology) on the death of her mother-in-law.
Makenzie Brown (Telemetry) on the death of her grandmother.
Richard Bell (Podiatry) on the death of his brother.
Mary Price (Orthopedics) on the death of her brother.

Classified Ads

The deadline to submit ads for each Focus is 10 a.m. the Thursday before publication. Please submit your classified ad information to Tammy Edler, and send your donation to the Foundation.

The Focus is composed of submitted content.
The deadline to submit content to Tammy Edler for each issue
is by 10 a.m. the Thursday before publication.
Copyright 2024 FHN. All rights reserved.