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What You Need To Know About Cold Water Drowning
Northern Nevada's stunning lakes, including Lake Tahoe, with its average summer water temperature of 50 degrees, present a potential risk of hypothermia. Unlike mild 50-degree air, water at the same temperature poses severe, life-threatening risks, including rapid-onset hypothermia and drowning. Awareness of the symptoms and taking proper precautions are crucial to prevent cold-water drowning. The 4 Phases of Cold-Water Drowning 1. Cold Shock Response: This response affects breathing and happens within the first minute. An automatic gasp reflex occurs in response to rapid skin cooling. If the head goes below water, water may be breathed into the lungs, resulting in drowning. A life jacket will help keep your head above water during this critical phase. Additionally, hyperventilation, like the gasp reflex, is a response to the cold and will subside. Panic will make this worse, so the key is to control breathing. 2. Cold Incapacitation: This response occurs within the first five to 15 minutes in cold water. In order to preserve core heat, vasoconstriction takes place decreasing blood flow to the extremities to protect the vital organs. The result is a loss of movement to hands, feet, arms and legs. Unless a life jacket is being worn, the ability to stay afloat is next to impossible. 3. Hypothermia: Important to note, it can take 30 minutes or more for most adults to become hypothermic. So thereâs time to take action and survive. Keeping panic at bay is critical, as you have more survival time than you think. Symptoms include: Shivering Slow and shallow breathing Confusion Drowsiness or exhaustion Slurred speech Loss of coordination Weak pulse 4. Circum-rescue Collapse: This experience can happen just before rescue and is not well understood. Symptoms range anywhere from fainting to death. Some experts believe an abrupt drop in blood pressure may cause this final stage of cold water drowning, post-rescue. Additional Safety Tips and Helpful Resources Always wear a personal flotation device as well as a wetsuit or drysuit. Your personal flotation device is the most important piece of water safety gear. Try not to panic as the first phases will subside. Controlled breathing is to staying calm. Research suggests the body can withstand the cold longer than we think. The Heat Escape Lessening Posture (HELP) is a position which helps conserve energy if youâre wearing a personal flotation device. By hugging your knees to your chest, this posture helps maintain body heat for some time.
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What is Dry Drowning?
Whether you're a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or sibling, it's vital to recognize that drowning is the second leading cause of death among children," states Dr. Leland Sullivan, of Northern Nevada Emergency Physicians. "While we diligently work to protect children from water-related accidents, there's a lesser-known threat that often goes unnoticedâdry drowning, also known as delayed drowning. Surprisingly, many people remain unaware of its existence and potential dangers. Dry drowning defined Dry drowning is a side-effect of a near-drowning experience and includes spasms of the vocal cords and larynx â known as a laryngospasm. This occurs when the body attempts to shut down the passage of any liquid into the lungs. Unfortunately, it can also shut down the passage of air into the lungs and force fluid into the stomach and lungs. Often the condition is not discovered until it's too late â severe cases can cause death within one to 24 hours after a water incident occurs. Who is susceptible? Novice or first-time swimmers are at increased risk, as are children with asthma and known breathing issues. In addition, children who have had pneumonia or experienced acute respiratory distress syndrome are also at greater risk. To reduce these factors, caregivers should be exceptionally watchful of inexperienced swimmers. According to Dr. Sullivan, children under the age of 5 are most susceptible to drowning and often drown in residential swimming pools. Infants less than 1-year-old most often drown in bathtubs. What are the signs of a dry drowning episode? If your child has a near-drowning incident, a few moments of coughing until they calm down is normal. However, you should know the more severe signs and symptoms to watch for during the 24 hours following the incident, including: Persistent coughing Difficulty breathing and/or shortness of breath Chest pains Extreme fatigue and/or lethargy Change in typical behavior Face becomes pale  What is the treatment and prognosis for dry drowning? Dr. Sullivan recommends that all victims of near-drowning incidents seek medical attention, even if they have no symptoms. If caught early, dry drowning can be treated. If you think your child is experiencing a dry drowning episode, go to the nearest emergency room as quickly as possible â do not attempt treatment at home. Healthcare professionals will work to supply oxygen to your child's lungs to restore and regulate breathing.
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Meet Janelle Wood: Family, Hobbies & Everything In Between
Janelle Woodâs life has been filled with moves across several states, travel, different jobs, multiple hobbies and best of all â her big family. She is very close to and proud of her entire family, including her six children, six grandchildren and extended family members. New Chapters Janelle was born in 1950 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She lived there her entire childhood and attended the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville where she received her Associate degree in Accounting. She then moved a few different times to various states including Louisiana and Arizona. In 1981, she and her family moved to Reno where she worked for a construction and mining supply company. In 1993, they relocated to a small town in southern Georgia called Thomasville, where Janelle worked for another mining and manufacturing company. âI was ready for a change of scenery and wanted to explore living in a new area,â said Janelle. âI was intrigued by moving to a smaller town to raise my children.â She and her family lived there for about 10 years when she eventually got transferred to Chicago for her job, to work at the companyâs headquarters. âI was once again excited for another change and was happy to experience living in a big city,â said Janelle. âI loved my job and getting to travel as much as I did.â Janelle worked for the company in Chicago until 2014 when she decided to retire and move back to Reno to be closer to her son, daughter and grandchildren. Living to the Fullest Today, Janelle lives in Damonte Ranch in south Reno. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the mountains and by the water. Her other hobbies include reading, cooking, doing puzzles, playing computer games antique shopping and something very unique â exploring old graveyards. âI love how theyâre full of history and each one is different â I also enjoy reading what the headstones say, and the stories they tell,â said Janelle. âWhen I travel, I like to explore the old cemeteries that are nearby.â Janelleâs son even bought her a book called 129 Cemeteries to Visit Before You Die. Sheâs been to a few of them. As for traveling, Janelleâs favorite destination sheâs been to is Catalina Island â she loves the history there. She also loves Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Canada and Mexico. âIâm always up for going someplace new,â said Janelle . Janelle Wood hiking to Rainbow Falls in Mammoth, CA When Christmas rolls around, Janelle loves to decorate. Her family finds it interesting just how crazy about Christmas she is. âI have 31 totes of Christmas dĂŠcor and a dozen large decorations,â said Janelle. âMy entire storage room is full of Christmas decorations. I start decorating the day after Thanksgiving and it takes me about 2 to 3 days to put everything up.â Janelle said Halloween is her second favorite holiday, which she also loves to decorate for. Family Values Above all else, Janelleâs favorite thing about being retired is having so much free time to spend with her children and grandchildren who live here in Reno. âI love helping my grandkids with their schoolwork and attending their sports and activities,â said Janelle. She has been volunteering at her grandchildrenâs schools here in Reno ever since her now 14-year-old grandson started kindergarten. âFamily is the highlight of my life,â said Janelle. She also makes sure to stay in contact and visit as often as possible with all of her family that lives out of state, including three of her children, one of her grandkids and some of her extended family. âOne of my great nieces, Madison Marsh, was recently crowned Miss America, and another one of my great nieces, Madeline Bohlman, will be competing this summer for the title of Miss USA, as the current Miss Arkansas USA,â said Janelle. âIâm very proud of both of them for using their platforms to further such important issues; pancreatic cancer research and mental health, respectively.â
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Department Spotlight: Facilities Engineering
When an appliance or fixture stops working at home, who do you contact? If your lights stop working, you call an electrician. Is your air conditioning unit out of order? Reach out to an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) technician. What about if your sewer drains start backing up? Time to contact a plumber. And if your fire safety equipment needs servicing? Better call a fire safety technician. Regular maintenance and repairs on the inner workings of your household are always important, and when something goes wrong, it can be distressing and inconvenient to you and everyone living with you. You feel the need to get the issue resolved as quickly as possible, right? Now imagine that those needs are magnified â to the tune of hundreds of thousands of people every year. Who could potentially take on such a monumental task? Enter: Facilities Engineering at Renown Health. Crucial to ensuring our health system performs at its peak, these team members step in to make sure every patient, team member and visitor who walks through any of our doors are able to access the facilities they need and make their time with us as comfortable â and as successful â as possible.  The Silent Heroes As our care teams move heroic mountains to save lives, another set of heroes emerge behind-the-scenes. As a strong backbone of our health system, the Facilities Engineering department plays a key role in maintaining the infrastructure that supports patient care, from ensuring the HVAC systems are functioning optimally to maintaining the plumbing and electrical systems that keep the lights on and the equipment running smoothly. Renown is fortunate to have some of the most dedicated journeymen in the business. This team boasts many experts, including: Plumbers Fire Safety Technicians Craftsmen HVAC Journeymen Electricians Boiler Operators Facilities Technicians As one can imagine, every day brings on a new challenge for our Facilities team members. âEach workday is always different; it could be water, power or HVAC issues or anything in between,â said Nhil Dado, Supervisor of Facilities Services. âWe are proud of the services we provide for the needs of patients and employees.â âEvery day, we have a variety of equipment to work on,â added Alfred Santos, HVAC Journeyman. âWhether itâs facility upkeep, plumbing, HVAC or electrical, we want to help,â added Brian McCarty, Facilities Technician. This department works around the clock to ensure that every aspect of our hospitals and outpatient care locations meets the highest standards of safety and efficiency, from routine maintenance and equipment improvements to emergency repairs. These are huge responsibilities â all of which they perform with pride. âAs an HVAC journeyman, we are responsible for making sure the air circulating in the hospital is clean,â said Christopher Bobis, HVAC Journeyman. âIt is also our job to make sure the air is positive and negative in isolation rooms and ensure patients are satisfied with the temperature in their rooms.â âIn addition to performing regular maintenance tasks like changing air and water filters, we complete any random work order that may come up,â added Brett Courtney, Facilities Technician. âWe also recently switched out our lighting at Renown South Meadows to LED lights, which helps with energy savings.â âI overlook the boiler house equipment and coordinate the fixing of maintenance issues reported by hospital staff,â added Arnt Utnes, Boiler Operator. âWe also respond to every single alarm." Itâs difficult for us to imagine what our health system would be like without the Facilities team providing us with the comfortable and safe environment our patients need and deserve. Luckily, weâre never alone in our efforts to keep us running, and this department expertly leads that charge. âAlong with writing down the PSI readings in the gas rooms and answering calls from dispatch and the boiler rooms, I go through all the daily work orders and complete them,â said Ken Carrillo, Facilities Technician. âIt always feels good to see when we complete all the work orders for the day, especially as the next shift arrives.â âWe fix, replace and dispose of pieces that are no longer in service â bottom line, we help keep the building up and running,â added Alejandro Cardenas, Craftsman. But it doesnât stop there â Facilities Engineering is currently in the midst of creating a whole new fleet vehicle program to improve the operations of our many on-site vehicles, including trucks, forklifts and more. âI am the point of contact for all things fleet,â said Michelle Bay, Administrative Assistant. âWe are building a new fleet program and working closely with leadership to move the program forward. I am involved with setting up new fleet fuel cards and can set up the program in the best interest of our internal customers while looking to the future for growth.â Itâs clear that the Facilities team is indispensable to Renown. Through their expertise, professionalism and commitment to quality, they stop at nothing to keep our health system functioning at its highest level.
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Department Spotlight: Pharmacy
When it comes to each patientâs healthcare journey, medication is often a key chapter. After all, medication is one of the most common treatment methods to help patients on the road back to health. In 2023, 4.83 billion prescriptions were filled in the U.S., and with this number only anticipated to rise annually, having an expert pharmacy team on your side to make certain you are prescribed the ideal dosage to treat your condition, prepare your prescriptions on time and help you manage your medications responsibly is important. Fortunately, at Renown Health, we have best-in-class inpatient and outpatient pharmacy teams to fill both prescriptions and promises for excellent care. Renown Pharmacy plays a vital role in helping us foster a health system that prioritizes patient well-being above all else. This department exemplifies the impact that a unified, expert pharmacy team can have on patient outcomes now and in the future. The Masters of Medication Spanning three hospitals plus ambulatory locations across the health system, Renownâs growing pharmacy team â full of dedicated pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and even medical assistants â manages medications in a wide variety of patient settings, touching nearly every aspect of the healthcare continuum: Outpatient Retail Pharmacies Renown Regional Medical Center â 75 Pringle Way The Healthcare Center â 21 Locust Street Renown South Meadows Medical Center â 10101 Double R Blvd Inpatient Pharmacies Renown Rehabilitation Hospital Renown Regional Medical Center (including Renown Childrenâs Hospital) Renown South Meadows Medical Center COMING SOON: Conrad Breast Center Pharmacy (in honor of Kristina Ferrari) in the Specialty Care Center at Renown South Meadows Ambulatory Pharmacies Anticoagulation Services â Institute for Heart & Vascular Health (IHVH) Pharmacotherapy Program â IHVH and Renown Medical Group Locations Congestive Heart Failure Pharmacotherapy Program â Center for Advanced Medicine B at Renown Regional Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Pharmacotherapy Program â Renown South Meadows Endocrinology Pharmacotherapy Program â Renown South Meadows Additional Pharmacy Programs Medical Reconciliation Pharmacy Residency Clinical pharmacists at Renown bridge the gap between medicine and compassionate support, making sure each patient receives personalized care one prescription at a time. âThere are various roles pharmacists play within Renown,â said Clarissa Munoz, Clinical Pharmacist in the Renown Regional Inpatient Pharmacy. âStaff pharmacists work diligently to ensure correct medications are dispensed, and if compounded, make sure they were prepared properly. They also work hard to answer medication messages and phone calls, help verify orders and make sure ode trays/RSI kits are appropriately stocked and ready when needed. Clinical pharmacists work from satellite pharmacies on the floor and focus on reviewing patient charts and aim to provide additional interventions to the providers to optimize treatment strategies. We also serve as a resource for nursing staff and help answer medication questions.â âMy role in the pharmacy is pretty expansive,â added Chanelle Ajimura, Clinical Pharmacist in the Renown Regional Outpatient Pharmacy. âI maintain inventory to confirm patients can receive their medications in a timely manner both for our discharge and retail patients while balancing the Meds to Beds program, which offers medication delivery to the bedside and bedside medication counseling; collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to find the most affordable price for patients; and verifying that the dose, strength, indication, etc. is appropriate for the patient from start to finish.â âIn the pharmacy, I make sure patients are receiving appropriate drug therapy by checking for major drug interactions and ensuring appropriate dosing,â added Courtney Church, Clinical Pharmacist in the Renown Regional Outpatient Pharmacy. âI also make recommendations to providers so patients can get cost-effective therapy.â Our pharmacy technicians work behind-the-scenes ensuring efficient medication management, making a difference in the lives of patients every day. âA pharmacy technician is responsible for making sure the patient gets their medications on time and at the lowest price possible,â said Nate Graham, Pharmacy Technician in the Renown Regional Outpatient Pharmacy. âThis is done by working with patients, insurance companies and case workers. We fill prescriptions, enter prescriptions into our system, receive and send orders for medications and maintain a clean pharmacy with an accurate inventory.â âWe do a variety of things; the task people probably know the most is counting out the medications and putting them in the amber vials,â added Rachel Vallin, Pharmacy Technician in the Renown Regional Outpatient Pharmacy. âWe also help patients at the front of the pharmacy, ring out their prescriptions, answer some basic questions (deferring to a pharmacist as necessary) and billing insurance. Meds to Beds is my favorite part because I feel the most involved. I take medications to patients who are discharging up to their hospital rooms so they have it with them when they leave.â âAs a technician, I confirm that all medications of new admissions are available in our machines prior to admitting and then maintain stock during each patientâs stay,â added Tammara Axtman, Pharmacy Technician at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital. "I also assist our nurses when needed in regard to any of their questions with both EPIC and Omnicell.â Our pharmacy team is also on the move all across our health system, thanks to our Ambulatory Pharmacy programs. For patients experiencing a serious heart, lung, or endocrine condition that requires ongoing drug therapy maintenance and guidance, our ambulatory pharmacies step in to carefully monitor how their medications impact their health and well-being. âOur role as pharmacists in this department is non-traditional because we actually see patients in the exam rooms face-to-face,â said Cory Lankford, Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist for Renownâs Anticoagulation Services. âWe modify their medication regimens and drug recommendations under collaborative practice agreements.â âBecause our role is so unique, we have a lot of opportunities to make a positive impact on patients,â added Janeen Abe, Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacist for Renownâs Anticoagulation Services. âWe do a lot of direct patient interaction, including counseling patients on their medications and helping them navigate through their disease state.â âAs a medical assistant in this department, weâre called the patient âliaisonsâ to orchestrate who they should go to whether itâs a nurse, a provider or a pharmacist,â added Kiara Scruggs, Medical Assistant for Renownâs Anticoagulation Services. âWe look at each patientâs medications and help with the Warfarin blood thinner monitor. We get to do a lot with patients." A key resource within the Pharmacy department and the emergency admission process, our Medical Reconciliation ("Med Rec") team stays on top of each patient's medication records. By ensuring each medication regimen is accurately reflected in each patient's chart and that patients continue to take their at-home medications while admitted to the hospital, this team provides vital insight into medications that could be a contributing factor to each patient's symptoms, including drug interactions. âOur medication reconciliation pharmacy technician team are true detectives,â said Heather Townsend, Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor. âWhen a patient arrives to the hospital, Med Rec works with patients, families, caregivers and outpatient pharmacies to compile a list of medications the patient has been taking a home. This list is used to make sure medications are not contributing to the patientâs symptoms and to assure medications are continued throughout the hospital stay. The addition of the medication reconciliation team has been one of the greatest advancements in medication safety.â âAs a Med Rec Tech, we interview patients and family members and call pharmacies, skilled nursing facilities, etc. to obtain an accurate and complete medication list/history to outline what the patient is currently taking on a daily basis,â added Kara McGee, Medical Reconciliation Pharmacy Technician. âWe make sure that we document the correct medication, dose, route, frequency and directions. This information is crucial because the nurses, pharmacists and physicians look at our work to figure out if any medications are contributing to the patient's health condition, and for the continuation of home medications on admission.â âEven though the Med Rec Tech might seem small in the hospital realm, it is very vital for patient information and beneficial to the patient's health,â added Brizza Villafan, Medical Reconciliation Pharmacy Technician. âThere is never a dull moment in this work.â No matter the diagnosis, having Renown Pharmacy as an integral part of your healthcare team is a win-win situation for both you and them: you receive access to medication to help you heal, delivered to you with precision and care, and the pharmacy team has the opportunity to care for you and make a positive impact, a role they take seriously.
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Department Spotlight: Pathology
Celebrate Leap Day by leaping into the world of Pathology at Renown Health! Think of discovering a diagnosis like solving a mystery: the condition is the suspect, the nurses are the frontline police force and the doctors are the lieutenants or captains finalizing the results of the case. You may notice that one crucial role is missing on this list â the detectives. In the diverse network of healthcare, the detectives are a significant part of each patientâs mystery-solving care team and represent many roles across our health system. When it comes to figuring out the elaborate details of a growth, disease, organ abnormality or cause of death, one team of detectives, quite literally, goes as deep as possible. Those detectives are the team members within Renown Pathology. For each specialized field within medicine or surgery, the Pathology department is here to play a crucial role in accurate diagnoses. With each slide examined and each test meticulously conducted in their bright laboratories, these dedicated professionals shape a path towards wellness and recovery. Meet Your Anatomy Experts Whether you have a chronic disease that needs consistent testing, a high-risk birth that requires placenta testing, a suspected cancerous tumor that needs a biopsy or a gall stone that must be removed (or anything in between), Renownâs Pathology team steps in to provide biological answers to your bodyâs questions. This department offers the most comprehensive in-house diagnostic testing in the region, from routine histology to full pathology. As the busiest pathology department in northern Nevada, this team boasts the fastest turnaround times from respected experts, including: Pathologists Pathology Assistants Histotechnicians Histotechnologists Clinical Lab Assistants Letâs break down the complex nature of these team members' jobs by walking through their everyday responsibilities at work! Pathologists Pathologists are medical doctors who specialize in the study and diagnosis of disease. With every slide they scrutinize and every sample they analyze, pathologists unravel the mysteries of disease with precision and compassion. Their responsibilities include interpreting laboratory tests, analyzing tissue and fluid samples (obtained from a variety of different sources, including biopsies and surgeries), staging cancer diagnoses and providing diagnostic insights that guide treatment decisions. âOur job is to help the patients and their doctors figure out whatâs wrong,â said Dr. Christie Elliott, Pathologist and Medical Director of the Clinical Laboratory at Renown Regional Medical Center. âAs the bulk of our cases deal with cancer, almost every day we start with a tumor board alongside fellow surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and geneticists. From there, we order extra studies, run through our cases to make diagnoses, review slides and ensure all information goes into the charts, which is especially important as 70% of data in medical charts is from the lab. A patientâs history is everything.â Pathology Assistants With the steadiest of hands, pathology assistants, also known as PAs (not to be confused with physician assistants), guide the diagnostic journey from patient specimen to diagnosis. They can typically be found processing surgical and biopsy specimens (includes accessioning, gross examination, description, and sampling for microscopic analysis), preparing tissue samples for microscopic evaluation, helping the pathologist determine a cause of death for autopsies by conducting organ dissections and maintaining detailed records of all diagnostic findings. âAs a PA, I still impact patient care without being directly patient-facing,â said Andrew Whitner, Pathology Assistant. âI handle 300-350 small tissue blocks a day. During dissections, I identify landmarks, document what I see and turn those landmarks into slides, looking for things that donât look normal.â âOur job is 90% all about gross specimens, and we also do eviscerations for autopsies,â added Leslieann Haffner, Pathology Assistant. âWe are trained on what normal looks like; our goal is to find the abnormal.â Histotechnicians Histotechnicians work behind the scenes to help transform ordinary tissue into extraordinary windows of insight, revealing the inner workings of the human body. As vital members of the Pathology team, histotechnicians embed tissue specimens in paraffin wax blocks (a process that preserves the tissue's structure for examination), cut thin sections of tissue from the paraffin blocks using a microtome, mount tissue onto glass slides and stain the tissue slides using histological stains to highlight structures or cells. âWith all the patient specimens we work with, we get to see a lot of organs and learn what is causing the abnormalities,â said Reiny Hitchcock, Histotechnician. âI enjoy the opportunities to expand my knowledge, especially while working alongside the doctors.â âOur job can change by the week,â added Jessica Fahrion, Histotechnician. âOne week Iâll be in the grossing room, and the next week I might be training in cytology." Histotechnologists In a world where every slide holds the key to a patient's future, histotechnologists are the champions of progress. One career ladder step above histotechnicians, these team members often have a broader scope of responsibilities, including more complex laboratory procedures, developing and validating new techniques, managing laboratory operations, interpreting results and troubleshooting technical issues. You can count on histotechnologists for validating antibodies and handling orders from pathologists, oncologists, emergency physicians and more. âMy day always involves looking into cases, reading reports, getting orders together and working with pathologists to help them with their diagnoses; I also work a lot with immunohistochemistry, helping out with routine slides,â said Charles Koeritz, Histotechnologist. âI especially enjoy doing validations, which help maintain the integrity of lab testing and our diagnostic processes.â Clinical Lab Assistants Our pathology clinical lab assistants are the masters at âfilling in the blanks,â assisting in whatever area needs it most, especially in cytology and the grossing room. They are essential aspects of the Pathology team, collecting and storing specimens for further testing, assisting in managing test results, gathering data, managing supply inventory and more. âAs a Clinical Lab Assistant, I can be scheduled anywhere, from tissue cassetting to grossing,â said Ellie Somers, Clinical Lab Assistant. âWorking in cytology is one of my favorite parts of my job. Itâs very rewarding to work with the doctors to uncover what treatments will help each patient. We do cytology very well here.â The Bottom Line Even though the Pathology department doesnât always experience a lot of patient face-to-face time, they interact with patients in a different way â by uncovering the story that is the inner workings of the human body, one slide and one sample at a time. âItâs important to remember that the slide IS a patient,â said Dr. Elliott. âWe are constantly learning from every case so we can continue to provide the best patient care possible.â Take a Photo Tour of the Pathology Lab!
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Sterling Silver Club Shining Stars: Mark & Dana Combs
Dana and Mark Combs met through mutual friends and had a long friendship before they became a couple in 2009. They were married in 2011 in a private ceremony at a small Reno chapel, and a few months later had a big celebration with their family and friends.  Encouraging Others to Succeed Over the years, the happy couple has spent much of their time volunteering and giving back to others in their community. Twenty-six years ago, Mark became a bilateral lower limb amputee. For the past 10 years, he has been a prosthetic consultant, helping other amputees learn how to cope with various challenges and encouraging them to keep living life to the fullest. âMark is great with helping people,â said Dana.  Dana also does a lot of rewarding work through a Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O). She is an advocate for raising money to help women ages 18 and up gain an education. Dana also enjoys tutoring English as a second language.  Enjoying Quality Time, Hobbies & Travel When Dana and Mark arenât helping others, they are spending time with their family and friends, their dog Mia (a 3-year-old Maltipoo) or enjoying one of their many hobbies. Some of Markâs favorite things to do include playing Solitaire and strumming on his guitar. âI love to garden and play crossword puzzles and word games,â said Dana. âIâm really looking forward to the springtime to spend more time in the garden.â She loves to work out and has a membership at the UFC gym in Reno through her Senior Care Plus gym benefit. Dana also has her own online Etsy store, where she sells homemade jam jars, candle holders and vintage dolls. âLast summer I sold my first edition Barbie that I got when I was 9 years old,â said Dana. âI made quite a profit on it.â
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Department Spotlight: Float Pool
Ring in the New Year and the rest of the holiday season by celebrating Renownâs Float Pool team! After coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's no mystery that healthcare across the country has shifted and adapted to the growing needs and new demands of our patient populations. Renown Health is no different. As the largest not-for-profit health system in the region, we are no stranger to change, even when change presents challenges. Who do we call on when a unit needs more team members in the eleventh hour? Who can help when our patient volume spikes up with seconds to spare? This is where the Float Pool at Renown comes to the rescue. Skilled in a wide variety of healthcare specialties, from acute care nursing and critical care to care aiding and patient safety, this is the team that can seamlessly step in to provide crucial patient care to the units that need it most, whether a team is understaffed for the day or needs extra all-hands-on-deck for a specific patient or procedure. Float Pool team members are equipped to work in virtually any clinical area at Renown, making a genuine difference with every patient they encounter. A Pool of Relief Teams across Renown can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Float Pool has their back in times of need. As the backbone of our health system, these dedicated team members possess a wealth of clinical knowledge and the ability to navigate diverse medical environments. Their flexibility allows them to fill staffing gaps and provide essential support to many different units. âWe fill in the gaps of staffing to make everyone's day better,â said Patti Crepps, Critical Care Float Pool RN. âA float nurse has to be flexible and able to adapt to different situations and places â basically, âgo with the flow.â Patient care is basically the same all over; we make patient care possible by being familiar with all the various specialties and providing the specific care needed depending on the population we are taking care of on that shift.â âFloat Pool staff members are like healthcare chameleons, transitioning between different departments,â added Shelby Riach, Acute Float Pool RN. âWe incorporate flexibility, teamwork and a commitment to ensuring patients receive the best care, regardless of the setting or circumstances.â This team thrives in uncertainty; in fact, no workday is the same in Float Pool â and thatâs exactly the way they like it. Working with many different teams across a multitude of specialties, these Care Aides, RNs, Critical Care Techs, Patient Safety Assistants (PSAs), Certified Nurses Assistants (CNAs) and more enjoy facing change, while they all share a goal of providing the best patient care possible. âNo day looks the same; since we are the Float Pool, we are assigned a different assignment on Smart Square every day, whether it be as a care aide, a patient safety assistant, a unit clerk or patient transport,â said Melina Castenada, Care Aide. âIf we are assigned as a care aide on the floor, we help assist with call lights and help with whatever nurses and CNAs may need, including feeding, transporting, walking, helping patients use the restroom, etc. When we are assigned as a PSA âsitter,â we sit for the patient to help keep them safe. If we are assigned as unit clerk, we help answer phones and direct patients appropriately, file paperwork, answer call lights if needed and assist with office work.â âI love that every day is a different floor with different tasks and a different atmosphere,â added Julia Chappell, Critical Care Technician. âI find out which floor that I will be on right before my shift starts and head to the floor to find out my assignment for the day. Depending on the specialty, such as the medical-surgical floor versus an intensive care unit (ICU), my daily job tasks can vary.â When it comes to high-risk patients, who require special attention, PSAs within Float Pool step in to help. âThe PSA role within Float Pool largely consists of adverse event prevention for our high-risk patients, and being a Float Pool employee allows us to work wherever we are needed,â said Dimitri Macouin, Patient Safety Assistant. âWhether it be in the emergency department, neurology or pediatrics, the PSA will be the eyes and ears for the nurses working with this patient population.â âGreat strides have been made to ensure that PSAs remain vigilant and are recognized as an integral part of the patients' care team rather than 'just a sitter,ââ added Karla Phillips, Patient Safety Assistant. Float Pool also oversees our Discharge Lounge, which offers patients and their families a dedicated space to reconnect and prepare for their discharge from the hospital. âThe increase in utilization of the Discharge Lounge is something we are very proud of,â said Kara Abshier, Care Aide. âWe assist in discharging patients from all over the hospital to help the floor and get new patients into rooms.â Every day brings a new challenge for Float Pool. As these team members wake up with uncertainty, they are ready to embrace the diverse demands of caring for patients of all ages. âThe fact that Float Pool exists is amazing,â said Hannah Luccshesi, Acute Float Pool RN. âWe wake up with no clue as to whether we will be working with babies, children or adults and then fill in the needs of the hospital.â
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Patty Warren A Woman of Strength and Resilience
Meet and get to know Patty Warren, our featured Sterling Silver Club member this fall. You may recognize her from the latest Senior Care Plus commercial on television, where she joins a coffee chat discussing the many benefits of being a Senior Care Plus member. Sheâs one of the kindest souls youâll ever meet â and has a positive outlook on life that we should all strive for. Patty's Story Patty was born and raised in a small Kansas town called Baxter Springs, where she grew up with an older brother, an older sister and two younger sisters. She and her siblings all enjoyed playing sports like softball and basketball, in addition to playing instruments. Patty developed a love and passion for music at a young age that carried into her adulthood. âI wanted to be an opera singer,â said Patty. âI decided to go to college at Pittsburg State University in Kansas where I majored in vocal performance.â After college, Patty moved to Manhattan in New York City to audition to be an opera singer, but she soon realized it wasnât what she wanted to do after all. She eventually decided to work in the brokerage industry.  After living and working in New York for three years, Patty moved back to Kansas where she later met the love of her life, Michael. âIn 1992, I had put a dating ad in the local newspaper,â said Patty. âI received over 30 responses, and I went out on quite a few dates.â Then she had her first date with Michael, and the two of them quickly realized how much they liked each other. He asked her to marry him on Valentineâs Day in 1993, and they went on to get married in front of the Justice of the Peace on May 3, just a few months later. âWe had a small wedding so that we could move into our first home together,â said Patty. A few years later in 1999, Patty and Michael moved to Arizona, where they lived for 22 years. Patty worked at Edward Jones Investments for 18 of those 22 years and loved her job and the people that she worked with. She retired in January 2021 during the pandemic, and three days later she and Michael moved to Sparks, Nevada.
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Department Spotlight: Renown Transfer and Operations Center
Stepping into the Renown Transfer and Operations Center (RTOC) means stepping into a transformative hub of excellence where lives are saved and healthcare is reimagined. As a cornerstone of Renown Health's commitment to exceptional patient care, the RTOC serves as a dynamic nerve center that seamlessly coordinates medical resources, ambulance rides, hospital bed space, remote home systems, hospital transfers and emergency preparedness. In this best-in-class facility, the boundaries of what is possible in healthcare are constantly pushed, and new horizons of patient care are discovered.  Staffed with a dedicated team of skilled professionals, the RTOC harnesses the power of advanced technology and compassionate expertise to ensure that patients receive the highest level of care and support, no matter where they are. Through a synchronized network of communication, coordination, and compassionate care, the RTOC team ensures that patients receive the critical support they need when it matters most, working tirelessly to redefine what it means to deliver world-class healthcare.  A National Standard Charged with the goal of overseeing the placement and transportation for every patient, the RTOC officially launched in 2021 as northern Nevadaâs first and only transfer center of its kind and a nationally celebrated facility. As Renownâs highly coordinated care logistics system, this team uses the cutting-edge technology at their fingertips to customize healthcare to the needs of every patient, manage patient flow and drive healthcare innovation. âCompared to where weâve started to where we are now, itâs a 180-degree difference,â said Kelli McDonnell, Manager of RTOC. âWhen we first started building our facility right before the pandemic happened, we took what was six conference rooms and classrooms and turned it into a command center that organizations across the country admire and come to Reno to see what we do. Mel Morris, the Director of RTOC, was recruited exclusively to build our facility with her history of building successful hospital command centers. Many people didnât realize what a transfer center was or that Renown was the only center in the region â and we only continue to grow.â This best-in-class facility, and the masterful team behind it, handles: Coordinating all incoming patients transferred from neighboring hospitals and 27 counties across northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe, northeast California and neighboring states. Matching patients to the most appropriate bed placement using diagnostic, triage and Epic electronic medical record clinical information in conjunction with medical staff expertise to outline a plan of care that determines the best bed assignment given the patientâs needs. Coordinating video-enabled Telehealth monitoring capabilities for Renownâs four Intensive Care Units (ICUs), as well as Renown patient Telehealth and virtual visits. Monitoring Remote Home systems with Masimo during the COVID-19 pandemic, where some patients received hospital-level care in the comfort of their own homes while Renown clinicians monitored and evaluated their data and plan of care. Serving emergency and disaster management for area hospitals, first-responders and the community with local, regional and statewide emergency and disaster management for sudden-onset emergencies. The RTOC is home to many different critical roles for our health system, including Transfer Center Nurses, Ride Line Coordinators, RTOC Coordinators and more, many duties of which each team member cross-trains on to be able to fill in whenever needed. While their roles may differ, their commitment to their patients remains the same â and they all work together to achieve the same outcome: delivering the right care, at the right time and place. âAs an RTOC Coordinator, we do a variety of different things,â said Anna Schaffer, RTOC Coordinator. âWe do triage coordination to help our nurses and hospitalists get patients in the emergency department admitted, and we also do bed control to find patients appropriate bed placement. Communication is important, so we always make sure to stay closely connected with the charge nurses on those floors.â âWe start with a basic âneed to knowâ and place patients accordingly,â added Karly Brown, RTOC Coordinator. âWe get surgery numbers, ICU capacity and discharges and find beds for all patients as quickly as possible. We have the advantage of being able to see the entire hospital.â âI primarily schedule transportation for patients at the hospital who are either going home or going to a skilled nursing facility,â said Sarah Clark, Ride Line Coordinator. âI get requests from case managers to schedule rides, and I work with REMSA and other ambulance services to schedule them. It relies a lot on appropriate and efficient communication and critical thinking.â Patients in facilities across northern Nevada and northeastern California, especially the rural communities, look to the RTOC to help guide ambulances, bed coordinators and hospital staff in finding care for our rural patients. âAs a transfer center nurse, I facilitate incoming patients from rural facilities in Nevada and surrounding areas in California,â added Meg Myles, Transfer Center Nurse Specialist. âThere are days we may take up to 30 direct admissions from these areas.â âWe are the point of contact for inter-facility transfers, whether we are sending patients out or bringing them into Renown,â said Lisa Lac, Transfer Center Nurse Specialist. âWe take phone calls from those rural areas, identify what services are needed, connect them to the appropriate provider and coordinate any transfers.â âSimply put, we are the bed wizards,â said Addison Rittenhouse, RTOC Coordinator. The RTOC team continues to break barriers and push the boundaries of medical excellence through leveraging the technology at their fingertips and their unwavering dedication to the health of our community. Inspiring a new era of medical possibilities, these team members have achieved a multitude of accomplishments for both their department and their patients since the birth of the center. âWe have significantly reduced the time it takes to get patient admit orders in, thanks in part to the new Triage Coordinator role, and we provide easier access for patients to transfer to us from other facilities,â said Beth Rios, RTOC Coordinator. âWe have taken a bigger role in helping the smaller hospitals in our area in caring for patients and improve patient throughput.â âAs a team, weâve done a lot of work in creating an engaging and positive environment, and our internal morale committee has been a huge help with that,â said Kelli McDonnell. âWeâve been working tremendously over the last year and taking all the feedback that we received from the Employee Engagement Survey to make improvements. We had 100 percent survey participation within five days, which is incredible.â âI am so proud of our escalation and problem-solving skills,â said Becca Dietrich, RTOC Coordinator. âWhen an issue is raised to us, we will always find a timely solution on our end so our care teams can focus on the issue in front of them. We are the eyes in the sky, seeing movement everywhere.â Each day in the life of our RTOC team members is a testament to their commitment, resilience and timework, making a profound impact on countless lives.
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A Friend to Veterans, A Friend to Renown
Did you know that 218,000 veterans and their families call Nevada home? That is almost 7% of our total population who served this country and will require quality access to healthcare at some point in their lifetime. When faced with a daunting diagnosis or procedure, such as cancer or surgery, Renown rises to the occasion to provide veterans and their loved ones with the highest caliber of care possible to protect the lives that protected ours. Accessing that care, however, can be a challenge for some. As Renown serves veterans across 100,000 square miles, veterans living in rural communities often must travel long distances â with the costs of overnight lodging standing in the way, making healthcare access out-of-budget, and sometimes, nearly impossible. Thatâs where Veterans Guest House comes in. Veterans Guest House provides veterans and their families with temporary overnight accommodations while receiving medical treatment in the Reno/Sparks area. Founded in 1993 in response to the growing number of veterans sleeping in their cars to access healthcare, the nonprofit embraces veterans and their families who would otherwise not be able to obtain the medical care they need because of inabilities to pay for overnight lodging. A support system for veterans, especially veterans who are senior citizens, is vital to their overall health and well-being â and seniors at Veterans Guest House never have to feel alone in their care journey. Enter Dyana Parks, a senior care assistant working with Veterans Guest House. A friend to Renown Health and the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute, Dyana goes the extra mile for seniors staying at Veterans Guest House â she not only helps them navigate the logistics of their care, but she also is one of their biggest mental well-being champions. A Helping Hand for Guests in Need A proud member of a veteran family herself, senior and veteran in-home care is a family affair for Dyana. With a sister experiencing post-accident brain damage, elderly parents â one of whom facing dementia â and a son and daughter-in-law in the same field of work, Dyana has a unique passion for in-home and dementia care and holds several decades of hospice experience. As such, when she was assigned to help the clients at Veterans Guest House in September 2022, it was a natural fit for her, and she immediately jumped into action. Dyana takes special time during her work hours to transport seniors in need to their appointments at Renown (and keeps track of all of them), sits with them through chemotherapy and radiation treatments, ensures patients stay hydrated and nourished after major procedures, picks them up from surgery and always ensures everything goes well with each patientâs care. When patients coming from Veterans Guest House need extra emotional support, Dyana is always there to make sure they are okay and push them to keep going. âI always say to my seniors, ânever give up,ââ said Dyana. âIf a need arises, I am there to help. I love getting to know my clients and helping them go home healthy.â As a âfrequent flierâ at Renown and the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute, many of our team members are thrilled when they see Dyana walking through the doors with her clients, as they know that their patient is going home with one of their strongest advocates. To Dyana, Renown is akin to a family for both herself and her clients. âI love Renown,â said Dyana. âEveryone there makes my clients feel as though they are more than just a patient â they make them feel like family, especially when going through a scary diagnosis like cancer. As someone who has been going there with my own family forever and who now guides veteran seniors through the process, I will always recommend Renown to anyone.â Dyana emulates exactly what it means to make a genuine difference in the health and well-being of our community, all while raising awareness for both Renown and Veterans Guest House. âMore people need to know about Veterans Guest House,â said Dyana. âWhen I came here, I was in awe. They do so much for every guest, making them feel comfortable at home while not having to worry about finances. Almost everyone that comes here, whether it be from the rural surrounding towns or all the way out to Alaska and even the Philippines, needs treatment of some kind, and I know Renown will always give them the best care.â To learn more about Veterans Guest House, visit veteransguesthouse.org.
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What Is an Echo-Tech?
When it comes to our heart, keeping this vital source of life in tip-top shape is of utmost importance. Echo technologists or echocardiographers, otherwise known as "echo-techs," are charged with that mission, providing critical information that leads to life-saving interventions to keep our hearts beating strong. Adrianne Little, echocardiographer at Renown Health, breaks down the echo-tech's role in the health system, the educational path it takes to get there and the unique perks that come with the profession. What does an echo tech do? âEcho techs play a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients,â said Adrianne. âWe are members of the cardiovascular imaging team that perform âheart ultrasoundsâ or echocardiograms. Although we are most commonly known as echo techs, our official title is either âcardiac sonographerâ or âechocardiographer.ââ Echo techs use imaging technology and sophisticated ultrasound equipment to produce images of the heart. These images show how well the heart functions, as well as the valves, chambers and blood flow. Echocardiograms are used to diagnosis and treat a variety of heart conditions such as murmurs, arrhythmias and heart failure.  At the end of the day, the main goal of echo techs is to help our cardiovascular team provide the quickest and most accurate diagnoses to help with patient management and help them receive the highest standard of care. âWhen it comes to looking at the heart, we are part of the front-line team," said Adrianne. âWe provide real time critical information that leads to life saving interventions down the road.â