Next Week's Calendar
of Events:

Welcome

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

Catch Holiday Affair on the Big Screen This Holiday Season

FHN and Classic Cinemas Lindo Theatre are proud to team up again this year to share a Holiday Classic Movie for area families to enjoy.

Two special showings of the 1949 hit Holiday Affair will be held at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the Classic Cinemas Lindo Theatre, 115 S. Chicago in Freeport.

Admission is a free-will offering and/or a food donation (there will be barrels available for food contributions, and monetary contributions also will go to the food drive). Donations will be distributed among area food pantries.

Starring Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, and Wendell Corey, Holiday Affair tells the story of a young widow who is torn between a boring attorney and a romantic ne’er-do-well.

Designed to offer movie-goers the experience of viewing time-honored American film classics on the big screen, the Classic Movie Series is hosted by Alan Wenzel and Ed Finch, who share fun facts and lead a discussion about the movie at both showings.

For more information on this or any FHN Festival of Trees event, visit fhn.org/festivaloftrees.

FHN OB Team Presents PBA-OB Program at National Perinatal Event

FHN's Perinatal Healthcare team is sharing the impact of its Post-Birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program (PBA-OB) with the nation's perinatal care leaders. The leadership team recently presented at the Synova Perinatal Leadership Forum in Florida, a premier event for perinatal care leaders, highlighting the program’s innovative approach to reducing maternal mortality and improving postpartum care.

The FHN Post-Birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program, one of the first of its kind in the nation, is focused on giving every new mother an orange bracelet to wear as an alert to potential medical complications. Alert bands are worn six to twelve weeks after delivery of their baby. 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, linking the importance of the Post-Birth Alert orange band and recognizing when to seek immediate care.

Women in the first six to twelve weeks after giving birth face heightened risks of life-threatening complications, including hypertensive disorders, venous thromboembolism (blood clots), sepsis, cardiomyopathy, perinatal depression, and substance use disorder. Recognizing these dangers, FHN developed the Post-Birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program, which includes all education, to empower EMS personnel and families to act quickly in emergencies and identify the orange post-birth alert band.

"The program is designed to improve the survival rate for postpartum women by training EMS personnel to recognize and respond to obstetrical emergencies quickly," said Danielle Wittig, BSN, RNC-ONQS, Perinatal Quality Nurse at FHN Memorial Hospital. "In partnership with EMS and providers, we aim to reduce maternal complications and death by enhancing recognition and treatment protocols for postpartum complications."

Region 1 EMS covers Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, Carroll, Whiteside, Ogle, Lee, and Dekalb counties. As a provider of curriculum and ongoing education, FHN created Post-Birth Alert education materials that are now an integral part of Region 1 EMS's on-boarding and annual competency training, ensuring that emergency personnel are equipped to identify and respond effectively to postpartum complications.

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

Linn Carter, MSN, APN, NEA-BC, Director of Women's Health Services, has already seen the orange bracelet identification in action. "Within ten weeks of implementing our program, our first post-partum mom, experiencing severe high blood pressures was identified and treated within twenty-two minutes of arrival to the emergency department due to being identified by the orange bracelet."

The FHN Post-Birth Alert Orange Bracelet Program team has information available on postpartum risks, as well as program materials for EMS and medical professionals. Visit fhn.org/PBA-OB 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

December is …
National Safe Toys and Gifts Month
International Sharps Injury Prevention Month

Weeks to Note:
December 1 – 7 is National Handwashing Awareness Week
December 1 – 7 is National Influenza Vaccination Week

December is Universal Human Rights Month. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 as a response to the Nazi holocaust and to set a standard by which the human rights activities of all nations, rich and poor alike, are to be measured. Some of the rights are: No one shall be subjected to cruel and inhuman punishment; being entitled to a fair and public hearing by an impartial tribunal; the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects; the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; and the right to a standard of living to include food, clothing, housing, medical care, and necessary social services; the right to education; the right to participate in the cultural life of the community; not being arbitrarily deprived of their property; a speedy juried trial and the right to legal counsel.

Christians celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6. He is the patron saint of Russia and came from a town in Turkey. Being known as a protector of children, the tradition of leaving shoes out in the hopes of receiving treats is practiced in the Dutch, German, and Eastern European communities.

December 7 is Pearl Harbor Day, commemorating the attack of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Air Force on the armed forces of the United States stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing 2,000 people. This caused the United States to enter World War II.

Buddhists observe Bodhi Day on December 8. In Japanese Zen, Bodhi Day is called Rohatsu and is the observance of the enlightenment of the historical Buddha. Zen monasteries observe this day with a meditation retreat lasting several days. On the last night of a Rohatsu session, monks and students often sit in meditation until dawn, as the Buddha did 25 centuries ago.

Some Christians celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 9. According to the Catholic religion, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without Original Sin in the womb of her mother, St. Anne.

Our Sympathy

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