Local nurses get national forum
A presentation developed by a team of 10 certified orthopedic nurses will get national exposure for Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Boston in May.
Their submission, "Orthopedic Excellence in a Rural Setting," was chosen for presentation at the National Orthopedic Nurses Convention. They competed with about 350 other proposed presentations for the honor.
Sandy Babich, leader of the team, called the acceptance a tremendous opportunity to showcase the excellent orthopedic (muscular, skeletal) care provided at the medical center.
"What we had to offer was actually highly competitive," she said.
According to Babich, the hospital stands out as a rural hospital with 10 certified orthopedic nurses. Just a few years ago, only seven nurses in the entire state had earned certification.
"Now we have 10 just on our floor," she said.
To qualify, a nurse must work in an acute orthopedic center, demonstrate skills proficiency and take an exam to become certified.
"It's a very stringent test," Babich said.
She credited the hospital with promoting continuing education for the staff. After a few got certified, Babich said others followed after seeing that the effort enhanced a nurse's job skills.
The certified nurses who developed the national presentation include Ellen Hames, Kathleen Anderson, Linda Purdy, Susan Gendreau, Sheila Chipman, Rick Thom, Ludy Pollack, Sheri Nielson and Deb Aragon.
Babich, Hames, Anderson and Purdy will present the program in Boston.
In putting together their proposal, the nurses drew on their unique challenges, such as serving an area of 5,000 square miles.
"We have such a huge district," Babich said.
She said long distances traveled by some patients bring potentially higher infection rates and challenges stabilizing patients.
They set two objectives for their session:
-Discuss specific strategies to achieve excellence orthopedic care in the rural setting.
-Develop nursing strategies to achieve safe discharges home.
The theme is that rural, orthopedic nursing care can have optimal outcomes in spite of the region's size and remoteness.
Their orthopedic trauma topics include grizzly-bear maulings, hypothermia and farm accidents as well as accidents from backcountry mountaineering, avalanches, skiing, and equestrian and rodeo events.
Babich pointed out the Flathead hosts world-class equestrian events.
"So we have world-class equestrian accidents," she said.
The trauma section includes discussions of American Indian health and Glacier National Park tourism issues and injuries. The nurses also will cover field-to-hospital topics such as wilderness helicopter recoveries.
The Kalispell presentation also covers creative discharge planning, interdisciplinary teamwork and factors that allow a majority of patients to go home, avoiding admittance to a skilled nursing facility.
Their rural excellence section wraps up with a more familiar topic to urban nurses: elective orthopedic procedures such as total joint replacements.
Babich said the elective orthopedic part will include information about patient education.
"We have comprehensive orthopedic classes," she said.
Patients learn what to expect, which lessens their anxiety about a procedure. Babich said the educational component contributes to shorter hospital stays, which now average two to four days.
Babich, who teaches many of the classes, said the public is welcome to sign up for them by calling 751-6769. She teaches the classes in conjunction with physical therapists.
The community will have an opportunity to see the orthopedic nursing presentation at The Summit at a time and date to be announced.
Babich said that the program conveys a strong message.
"We have the orthopedic excellence that you would get in an metropolitan setting," she said. "People don't need to go far away."
Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com