This is a one day class that teaches safe and nurturing child care techniques, behavior management skills, and appropriate responses to medical emergencies.  Participants must be 11 years old by the class date.

Monday
July 22, 2013
8:00AM-4:00PM
(Registration 7:45AM)
IU Health Blackford Hospital Conference Room

Please bring a sack lunch and money for a soft drink. A snack will be provided. A Fee Of $28.50 Covers The Cost Of Supplies. Scholarships are available for qualified students.

Contact Joni Bertsch, education manager, IU Health Blackford Hospital, 765.331.2116 for class registration information

Pre-registration is required by July 16, 2013.
 

The volunteers will spend the morning re-mulching areas of the park’s fitness trail and installing park benches and decorative flower containers. The activity is part of the IU Health Day of Service, a statewide effort of nearly 2,500 IU Health employees revitalizing community parks and open spaces to better promote wellness and healthier lifestyles.

“Obesity has become a serious problem, not just in Indiana but nationwide,” said Steven West, chief executive officer, IU Health Blackford Hospital. “The goal of the Day of Service is to give back and emphasize wellness in the communities that utilize our services.”

Interested in participating in IU Health Blackford Hospital’s Day of Service?  Contact Nickey Wilson at 765.331.2147 for more information.

“We had a number of physicians, nurses and other support staff who have led the way in implementing the procedures and policies necessary to earn this high honor,” said Steven West, president, IU Health Blackford Hospital. “In the end it improves the care we can provide our patients which is always our focus.”

“IU Health Blackford Hospital’s achievement demonstrates the impact of Heart Failure experts coming together to improve the care to our patients.  That is what the Colloquium is all about.  The Colloquium supplies the roadmap to develop an integrated approach to heart failure,” said Pat Gorman, director of case management, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital.

Joanna Kingery, Director of Advanced Heart Failure program at IU Health Methodist Hospital, has been instrumental in the IU Health System achieving HF accreditation through the Colloquium.  The Colloquium‘s improvement methodology covers the entire continuum of care.  The fact that Critical Access Hospitals are now being accredited speaks to the impact of the methodology. 

The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium has a unique accreditation process which builds on the member hospital’s prior improvement experience leading to initial heart failure accreditation. Member hospitals work with four established domains of heart failure: Community, Hospital, Clinicians and Science using the Colloquium’s continuum of care model. The use of the continuum of care model leads to the standardization of care patients receive. Patients reap the benefit by enjoying a healthier lifestyle and less hospitalization.

“We have seen a significant decrease in readmissions of heart failure patients at IU Health Blackford Hospital. Patients are staying healthier and staying out of the hospital. In January and February of 2013 we had 22 admissions for heart failure. As of March 28, 2013, none of those patients have been readmitted. That is remarkable,” said Sharon Jacobs, RN, IU Health Blackford Hospital.

The Better Breathers Club will meet the last Tuesday of every month starting March 26 and running through November 26. The club meets at 3:00p.m. in the Main Conference Room at IU Health Blackford Hospital. Everyone is welcome to attend the Better Breathers Club, and Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) screenings will be provided at the first meeting.

According to the American Lung Association, “These support groups give you the tools you need to live the best quality of life you can.”

COPD is a term that includes several chronic conditions of the lungs – such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is a disease that makes it hard to breathe and gets worse over time. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and other symptoms.

As the third leading cause of death in the United States, COPD is a major cause of disability. Millions of people are diagnosed with COPD, but many more are unaware they have the disease. A misconception exists that COPD only affects the elderly, but it affects many middle-aged people as well. Many sufferers of COPD are long time smokers that continue to do daily activities, but find that they begin limiting activity because of becoming tired or getting winded. They may attribute these symptoms to getting older or being out of shape, and they often complain of an increase in getting severe colds or bronchitis.

For more information on COPD please visit www.copd.org.

Please call 765.331.5091 for more information and to register for the first meeting. The Better Breathers Club meets at 3:00p.m. in the Main Conference Room at IU Health Blackford Hospital the last Tuesday of every month (March 26 – November 26). Everyone is welcome and PFT screening will be provided at the first meeting.

The public is invited to an open house 4-6 pm, Tuesday, March 19, to enjoy refreshments, walk through the newly remodeled facilities and talk to the local physical therapists and occupational therapists in their new areas located at 400 Pilgrim Blvd., in Hartford City.
 

“EMT’s are recognized by the emergency medicine community as a key link in the ‘chain of survival,’” said Tammy Caley, Manager, Emergency Transport Services, IU Health Blackford Hospital. “At the heart of the EMT’s knowledge is the ability to conduct an efficient and organized assessment, design a plan of action, institute emergency treatment and make the triage and transport decisions necessary for the patient’s survival.”

EMTs are the first responders to many emergency situations. They will encounter patients in various environments, with multiple conditions and of all ages. Interested students must have a high school diploma or GED and be at least 18 years of age by course completion.

The course is offered at the Blackford County Emergency Operations Center located at 117 ½ North High Street, in Hartford City. Course dates are April 2 through August 6, Tuesdays 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm and Saturdays 8 am – 4 pm.

To register or for more information, contact Ben Simmons at 765.331.5093 or bsimmon3@iuhealth.org.

“EMT’s are recognized by the emergency medicine community as a key link in the ‘chain of survival,’” said Tammy Caley, Manager, Emergency Transport Services, IU Health Blackford Hospital. “At the heart of the EMT’s knowledge is the ability to conduct an efficient and organized assessment, design a plan of action, institute emergency treatment and make the triage and transport decisions necessary for the patient’s survival.”

EMTs are the first responders to many emergency situations. They will encounter patients in various environments, with multiple conditions and of all ages. Interested students must have a high school diploma or GED and be at least 18 years of age by course completion.

The course is offered at the Blackford County Emergency Operations Center located at 117 ½ North High Street, in Hartford City. Course dates are April 2 through August 6, Tuesdays 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm and Saturdays 8 am – 4 pm.

To register or for more information, contact Ben Simmons at 765.331.5093 or bsimmon3@iuhealth.org

The class is being held at IU Health Blackford Hospital and will familiarize participants with responsibilities of caring for young children, including topics of accident prevention, first aid, rescue breathing, entertainment for different ages, dealing with behavior problems, and babysitting business skills.

Cost is $25 for each participant. To enroll, contact Joni Bertsch at 765.331.2116.
 

At the clinic, Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will perform an inspection, by appointment. Technicians will also instruct parents and caregivers in the proper installation and setup of their own specific car seats in their own vehicles.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading killer of children ages 1 to 14. Correctly used car seats and booster seats are extremely effective, reducing the risk of death by as much as 71 percent, but nearly 73 percent of child restraints are not installed or used correctly, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For an appointment, call Joni Bertsch, 765.331-2116 or Tammy Caley, 765.331-5092. The service is free and the inspection usually takes 20 to 30 minutes per seat. An unsafe or outdated seat will be replaced free of charge with a limit of one per family. The child, child passenger seat, and vehicle must be present at the inspection.

Safe Kids of Blackford County works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children 14 and under. Its members include many local community organizations. Safe Kids Blackford County is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. Safe Kids of Blackford County was founded in 2009 and is led by IU Health Blackford Hospital.
 

The Indiana Poison Center suggests the following:

• Identify every plant in your home and yard. If you are unsure of what a certain plant is, take a sample to a nursery for identification. An adequate sample consists of a large piece of the plant, including leaves, stems, berries and flowers.
• Label all of your plants with the proper name.
• Make a sketch of your yard and garden, including location and name of trees, bushes, and plants. Post this “map” in a central location in your home.
• Remove all mushrooms in the yard, especially after rainy spells in spring and fall. There have been deaths reported from adults who have intentionally eaten wild mushrooms. It is important to call the Poison Center if any portion of a wild mushroom is eaten.

“If your child has ingested any type of foreign plant matter it is important to seek help immediately,” said Joni Bertsch, education manager, Indiana University Health Blackford Hospital. “Even common flowers such as Tulips can cause side effects if eaten. The best way to avoid danger is to monitor children closely while outside.”

Contact the Indiana Poison Center if you suspect a poisoning. Do not wait for problems to develop, instead, call the Indiana Poison Center immediately at 1.800.222.1222. You can also visit the Center’s website at iuhealth.org/Methodist/poisoning.