Little lifestyle changes add up to success

I was a little delusional there for awhile, thinking we could “go out in a blaze of glory” at the conclusion of the 100 Day Challenge. The team resolve has rather fizzled, but after looking at some of the changes that have occurred, it is clear that very positive things have come of our “challenge.”

One member has lost close to thirty pounds and another has lost close to fifteen pounds. The rest of us lost five or less pounds.

Gone is “Mount Sugar” and hopefully never to be seen again in our breakroom. The cake and ice cream in the freezer has been replaced with healthy frozen entrees. More salads and fruit are being eaten at lunch.

My own personal improvement from the challenge has been a much needed increase in time spent exercising. I can proudly say that I am exercising three to four times a week for at least an hour to hour and a half. I bring carrot chips, sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes, sugar free jello and pudding to work for lunches and snacks, which has helped me to decrease my overall caloric intake and stave off the hunger.

Another very positive effect of this “challenge” is the influence it has had on others in the office. One woman in our office did not join the team, but she got serious about her food intake and has lost 24 pounds in the past two months. Another coworker who did not join the team can be seen walking around the parking lot and area buildings at lunch to make the most of her time to exercise.

So in the bigger scheme of things, these little changes that have taken place can add up to really big changes and they are more likely to be lasting changes that make an impact over a lifetime. Lasting change spells s-u-c-c-e-s-s when it comes to nutrition and exercise. Good job, team! Good job!!

Leslie Crawford, RDLD
Diabetes educator and nutrition counselor
Texas Health HEB

‘It is who I was made to be’

The path for Donna Ingram, R.N., R.R.T., B.A., to enter nursing was more practical than passion. She found that that a hospital would pay her to go to nursing school. But on the first day of class she says she was immediately hooked.

“The human body, functioning or not, is amazing,” said Ingram, who is a staff nurse in the Texas Health HEB’s Wound Care Clinic.

She quickly learned that her path to nursing was no accident. “It is who I was made to be,” she said.

With more than 30 years experience, patients often commend her for her skill, ability and caring nature. And recently her peers recognized her for the same reason. She was named to this year’s Great 100 Nurses list. The Texas Nurses Association and the Dallas/Fort Worth Nurse Executives annually sponsor the “Great 100 Nurses,” which honors registered nurses in the D/FW area who exemplify excellence in the art and science of nursing. Nurses are nominated by their peers, and may only be named to the list once in their career.

In all, Texas Health nurses won 35 of the 100 spots on the coveted list, accounting for more than one-third of the top nurses in the Metroplex — more than any other hospital or health system in the area.

Her peers say Ingram is “extremely kind and understanding of our patients’ needs.” Ingram often goes beyond the job requirements to help ensure patients get the extras they need, such as going to the drug store on her own time to purchase stockings for a patient whose wife was having difficulty finding them.

Ingram said she was surprise by the Great 100 Nurse award. “Rarely does someone get an award for just ‘doing their job,’” she said. “Nursing is my job, my source of income, my career choice, part of my identity, my best times (apart from family), my worst times, but also, it is my love and passion.”

Weighty results

The results are in.

Participants who finished the Texas Health Fitness Center HEB “Weight No More” challenge have lost more than 480 pounds – or about the weight of an average adult male Bengal tiger.

The challenge didn’t just cause participants to lose inches, body fat and pounds. Workouts in February totaled more than 5,100 from 249 participants. A total of 55 teams joined the competition, which ran from Feb. 1 to April 3.

The winning individual was Colleen Newton, a Texas Health HEB radiographer. Newton lost 14.03% of body fat and more than 20 pounds. She won a Wii and Wii Fit Plus prize package.
All teams who joined the challenge were assigned a fitness specialist who kept in touch with the team providing emails with workouts, tips, quotes and encouragement.

“Having a group of people who you can count on to support your workout goals is important, but it also can be a big boost to have a knowledgeable cheerleader spurring you on,” said Kim Williams, B.S., fitness specialist and a personal trainer at Texas Health Fitness Center HEB.

The winning team, with the name “Wow Wii Team,” also included Newton. Other members were Texas Health HEB employees Kaci Newton, unit secretary; Tom Brown, patient transporter; Zena Brin, CT technologist; and Devyn Smock, a radiographer. The team had its choice of a three-month membership to the Fitness Center or an MP3 player. (Colleen Newton and Zena Brin pictured right)


While the contest is complete, the time for working out isn’t over. “We hope that individuals who joined the challenge will continue to strive to meet their health and fitness goals,” Williams said.

Nurse found calling helping her mother recover

Lilly George, R.N., B.S.N., is known as a humanitarian. A medical/surgical nurse at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford, George has spent 36 years in the profession.

George, who lives in Bedford, has dedicated her adult life to caring for others in the hospital setting and in the community.

That is why she recently was selected by her peers to be named a “Great 100 Nurse.”

The Texas Nurses Association and the Dallas/Fort Worth Nurse Executives annually sponsor the “Great 100 Nurses,” which honors registered nurses in the D/FW area who exemplify excellence in the art and science of nursing. Nurses are nominated by their peers, and may only be named to the list once in their career.

George said she was surprised by being named a Great 100 Nurse and that it was the first time she’d received recognition like this.

In all, Texas Health nurses won 35 of the 100 spots on the coveted list, accounting for more than one-third of the top nurses in the Metroplex — more than any other hospital or health system in the area.

George got into nursing because of her experience at age 16 when she cared for her mother who was hospitalized after being diagnosed with cancer of the cervix “Going through that experience with her made me feel like helping other people,” George said. “My mother also said when you grow up you have to become a nurse to help others because you are talented for that. I enjoy patient helping patients get better and go home. That makes me happy.”

Photo by Glen Ellman

Texas Health HEB strives to be environmentally friendly all year

At Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford, we believe that part of living our mission of “improving the health of the people in the communities we serve” is being a good steward of our natural resources.

One of our most innovative programs is our partnership with nationwide non-profit Cell Phones for Soldiers. Spearheaded by Carol Speed in Education, Texas Health HEB serves as a collection site for old, unwanted cell phones. We donate them to Cell Phones for Soldiers, which then exchanges them for calling cards. The calling cards are then donated to our soldiers serving abroad, and their families, so they can stay in touch during a soldier’s deployment.

Since the summer of 2008, Texas Health HEB has recycled close to 1,000 cell phones, which translates into more than 52,320 minutes of talk time for our soldiers and their families.

Community members are welcome to bring in their old cell phones to donate to Cell Phones for Soldiers. Drop off boxes are located in the main lobby at the Guest Services desk, Fitness Center and Education department on the second floor of the Springwood building. Donors wishing to designate calling cards for a specific serviceman or woman can contact Carol Speed at CarolSpeed@texashealth.org with details.

Texas Health HEB also participates in more traditional recycling initiatives, recycling more than 300 tons of cardboard and office paper in 2009. That saves 6,000 trees, according to the University of Vermont.

In 2010, our surgery department hopes to begin recycling some of the plastic packaging that’s currently being discarded.

Lisa Starnes, MBA, APR
Business Development Specialist
Texas Health HEB

Women’s Services lobby area gets a facelift

Starting today the babies born aren’t the only things getting new life in the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford Women’s Services Center.

For the next six weeks, the Women’s Services Center’s lobby, waiting area and classroom will be getting a makeover.

Construction is expected to take six weeks so the lobby area will be closed until the end of June. While the area is closed for construction patients and their families should enter the main entrance to the hospital. After 9 p.m. patients and families should enter through the Emergency Department.

Once the Women’s Services Center renovations are complete the area will utilize tighter control of who can walk through the area to help keep a baby-safe environment. Phones will be available to call nurses stations for access to the corridors.

This is all part of a larger renovation project of the entire Women’s Services Center. In the past year, new flooring has been laid and patient rooms are being updated. The entire project is expected to be completed next year.

Do you have a living will or advanced directives?

Am I the only one to have ever taken a loved one to a hospital and been asked a series of questions about medical documents like advanced directives and living wills and stared blankly back as I responded “no, he doesn’t have that”?

Each time that has happened to me I swear we’re going to fill out the forms and be prepared for the next emergency. But like New Year’s Resolutions fading by mid-January, those thoughts typically disappear within hours as I deal with whatever health issue brought us to the hospital in the first place.

A story on American Medical News today shows that I'm not alone. The story cites that "More than a quarter of dying patients lack the capacity to make end-of-life care decisions, says a study in the April 1 New England Journal of Medicine (content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/362/13/1211/)." And 1/3 of patients do not plan in advance. For more on the story, click here.

Not this time though.

That’s because I recently discovered that Texas Health Resources posts those documents in a handy link on our Web site, www.TexasHealth.org. The documents, and a full description of the ins and outs of what they mean and how to properly sign them, are available at http://www.texashealth.org/body.cfm?id=139#medical.

I’ve already e-mailed the link to my husband with a note that this is on our weekend to-do list. Sure it’s not a happy weekend task like planting spring flowers or going to a movie, but were either of us incapacitated I think we’d be thankful it’s there.

Now if only we can remember to get it done.

Jennifer Erickson
Sr. Public Relations Specialist
Texas Health HEB

Providing healthy meals to Bedford Meals on Wheels

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford is proud to be providing home-delivered meals for Metroport Meals On Wheels’ Bedford participants. Meals will be prepared in the hospital’s kitchen and feature heart-healthy entrees. Metroport Meals On Wheels (MMOW) volunteers will continue to deliver the meals.

“MMOW is thrilled to be able to work with Dining Service and Clinical Nutrition Director Ed Brown and his team at Texas Health HEB. We applaud their community commitment and appreciate their partnership in helping us bring the highest quality meals to our participants. The bonus for our participants is the capacity to accommodate medical diets for those who need them,” stated MMOW Executive Director Mary King.

“We are happy to be working with Metroport Meals On Wheels to provide home delivered meals throughout Bedford. It has been such a smooth process to get it up and running, and really fits well with our mission here at Texas Health HEB, to improve the health of the people in the communities we serve,” said Brown. “We really hope that everyone is enjoying the Heart Healthy menu items that we are providing,” he continued.

Another successful retreat

Another camp is over- and everyone seemed to enjoy.

As the Bluebonnet Retreat camp nurse, I was happy that no one got sick or had an accident!

Someone made the remark in our closing ceremonies - where campers and counselors receive a gift and have the opportunity to say something about their weekend if they would like. The remark was that they wished the world would come together and show the love that is shown during our camp. That says a lot about the camp. There are differences in race, sex, religion, type of cancer, socioeconomics, political view and many other characteristics.

But for one weekend they have something in common and it’s not the obvious. It is not that they all have a life-limiting disease - it’s that they give of themselves for the benefit of others. Not just the counselors, but the campers too. They need to share their experiences, to make something count for the pain and suffering they are going through or have gone through. In doing so, they allow the others to support them, emotionally and in many other ways. They don't come here looking for help or a handout. They come to reconnect and to experience what they hope life will be for them again. So many campers say in the closing ceremonies that they hope to one day come back as a counselor. Some friendships are formed that will extend beyond the camp. Some real needs are met such as a camper with difficulty understanding what her doctor and others were telling her because she did not have a good grasp of English. Even basic needs like food, transportation and conversation with an adult are sometimes identified.

It’s neither a requirement nor expectation that friendships and support develop between the camper and the counselor. It just happens because in the quiet moments of our inner self, we recognize how dependent we are on one another. Life is not about competition and being the best.

We did however have a competition event- it was judged by our own "Simon" (Alice Landers) "Paula" (Sue Nichols) and "Randy" (Randy Riddile). They judged the Elvis Karaoke competition, complete with costumes and acts. It’s a good thing we enjoy laughing at ourselves - we did plenty of laughing. Another fun event was the White Rabbit Gift EGGchange. I love to see the creativity of the group- so many original ideas and so many left over Easter decorations! About the only thing we did not see was an Easter dress and white shoes (wish I had thought of that)!

Camp is not camp without a craft and this year we made "bucket bonnets" and decorated t-shirts. Again, there were so many creative folks.

I particularly like the setting - the weather was perfect and spring was obvious at the Garrett Creek Ranch in Paradise, Texas. You could hear birds in the morning and see stars (not satellites) at night. You could leave your window open and feel fresh air without hearing cars, trains or planes.

I for one am very blessed by the Bluebonnet Retreat and I hope it goes on for many years to come. For information on the fall camp, click here.

Jenny Ellis, RN, MS, AOCN
Oncology Nurse Specialist
Texas Health HEB

How to help a loved one that shows signs of suicidal tendencies

Sadly there seem to have been a rash of suicides in the North Texas area in the past few months. Just this week a teenage mom drove into an oncoming truck in an apparent suicide. Maybe we’re just hearing more about them because many of the recent cases have involved minors. Maybe we’re just as a society becoming more open to talking about suicides.

Regardless of why suicide is in the news more these days, the numbers are eye-opening.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates that more than 33,000 people in the United States die from suicide each year. That makes it the fourth leading cause of death for adults age 18 to 65. A person in the U.S. dies from a suicide every 16 minutes and an attempt is made every minute, the foundation says.

The numbers are staggering.

But what are the signs that family members and friend can look for?

The foundation says that signs include:
• serious depression with symptoms such as hopelessness, despair, anxiety and withdrawal;
• increased drug or alcohol use;
• impulsiveness and suddenly taking unnecessary risks; threatening suicide;
• signs that the person is making a plan by giving away possessions or acquiring firearms, poisons or medications.

The foundation recommends that if you are concerned about a loved one talk to that person about it and ask if they’re taking medication or speaking to a therapist or physician. If the person appears to be in immediate danger of harming themselves, call 911, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or take the person to the nearest emergency room.

For more information, visit The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

If you live in North Texas and are unsure of where to turn to, and it is not an acute situation where someone’s life is in immediate danger, Texas Health Springwood Hospital offers evaluations for individuals who may be experiencing mental health issues. To schedule an evaluation, please call 817-355-7777.

Bluebonnet memories

Hi!

Hello!

I see their faces, but forget a lot of their names.

They have hair now! And a bright face and cheerful smile.

These are the "counselors" for the next Bluebonnet Retreat. Twice a year Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford holds the only adult cancer camp in Texas. Each fall and spring I prepare to head to the retreat as camp nurse. (For more information on the camp, click here.)

Yeah! Many of them were "campers" last camp, last year or so ago. And of course there are the "regular" counselors- that core of returning folks to help lead the way. Many have really been cured of cancer but they still identify with it in some way.

They can relate to the first-timers at camp. They are all asking themselves, "Why did I sign up for this?" "Do I really want to go?" "Is it going to be a downer?" "Everybody is here because of the "C" word" "Is that all we are going to talk about all weekend?"

I see the faces here tonight and I remember some of the faces not here- and I suddenly feel heavy with the reality of life. But then I join in and smile and laugh- I am in the moment for now.

Check back next week for more my recap of the spring retreat!

Jenny Ellis, RN, MS, AOCN
Oncology Nurse Specialist
Texas Health HEB

Helping to educate young parents

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford is dedicated to improving the health of people in the communities we serve.

While much of the “healing” occurs within the walls of our hospital, Texas Health HEB is also involved in many ventures throughout the community.

One such program is our “Safe from the Start” program.

The “Safe from the Start” program was started by Community Health Educator Carol Speed. About 15 years ago, Mrs. Speed was asked to present at the KEYS Education Center to discuss baby care to pregnant and parenting teens within the HEB ISD. After the first meeting, Carol realized that more education would be beneficial to these teens and the “Safe from the Start” program was born! Fifteen years later, Carol still travels to KEYS education center twice a month to educate the teens. Presentations include topics such as: preventing domestic violence, baby-proofing your home, dental health, CPR for infant and children, the importance of reading to your child—just to name a few! All teens are given informational materials and various “goodies”—such as car seats, books for parents to read to their children, etc.

A grant from the Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation has helped fund the program. Carol has received great feedback from students, teachers and nurses within KEYS. Carol remembers with fondness when she realized what an impact she was making. A young male teen that had attended some of Carol’s educational sessions, recognized Carol as she was shopping at the mall. The teen ran up to her in excitement and proceeded to introduce “Mrs. Speed” to a group of his friends. He said Mrs. Speed helped teach him how to take care of his baby. It amazed Carol that this young man would show such appreciation for the information he had received through the “Safe From the Start Program.”

In the 2008 school year, about 85 teens participated in the program. It is evident this program is making a great improvement in the lives of HEB area youth and improving the lives of the next generation.

Jessica Reading, MPH
Community Health Educator
Texas Health HEB