Fulton County’s First Pharmaceutical Collection Slated for August Posted on August 11, 2010August 16, 2012 by Dakota PikeFulton County’s First Pharmaceutical Collection Slated for AugustAugust 14, a day to dispose of these safelyOn Saturday, Aug. 14 the Fulton County Department of Solid Waste will present the first ever county-wide Pharmaceutical Drop-Off Day from 7 a.m.-noon.The pharmaceutical collection is a cooperative effort between several local agencies, including the DSW, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, Fulton County Public Health, and the Gloversville-Johnstown Joint Wastewater Treatment Facility. ASAP’s Promise, a division of the HFM Prevention Council, has also offered to distribute information on the program.“Most people have heard that flushing medicines can harm the environment. This program gives Fulton County residents a way to dispose of old medicine in an environmentally responsible manner,” said Jeff Bouchard, Solid Waste Director. Continue reading “Fulton County’s First Pharmaceutical Collection Slated for August”
Nathan Littauer’s own Dr. O’Brien on the news! Posted on July 12, 2010August 16, 2012 by Dakota PikeNathan Littauer is a source of information for the news.When the heat soared to record levels, Littauer’s Dr. McBiles gave recommendationsWhen the media needs experts, time and time again they turn to Nathan Littauer for our opinion. And when heat indexes reached alarming levels, July 6, 2010 Nathan Littauer’s own Dr. O’Brien was able to give sound heat safety advice to our area. You may have also heard him on WENT, WGY or you may have read his sage advice in the newspaper. Dr. O’Brien, one of our newest members of our physician team, is a family practitioner and as you can see from this video, a wealth of information. If you would like to book an appointment with the best physicians in the Fulton, Hamilton and Montgomery counties, call 773-5690 today.
Another grateful patient Posted on July 1, 2010August 16, 2012 by Dakota PikeIn 2009 our Emergency Care Department treated over 24,000 people.This just in… Another grateful Littauer patient“I was a patient in NLH’s ER yesterday (June 29, 2010) after breaking my arm in a fall. Since I cannot type, I asked my husband to convey my appreciation on my behalf. From the moment of my arrival, all of the staff was attentive and professional and focused on my needs. Both the ER and Radiology/Xray staff made my discomfort more bearable. Special appreciation to ER RN Brandi Maye, Dr. Gorgas and attending RN Kathleen Possillico. Please extend a big thank you to all. I could not have been treated any better. As bad as it was it was for me it was really a great experience. And they were also so nice to my husband. I am feeling better and am awaiting a full recovery. Thank you.”Ms. Carol LeboGloversville, NY
Nurses throughout the region attend “Train the Trainer” program offered by Littauer Posted on April 22, 2010August 16, 2012 by Dakota PikeLittauer’s P.E.A.R.L. Program trains nurses to succeedGloversville, NY…A group of nurses gathered April 5th and 9th at Littauer’s HealthLink offices to learn how to best transition new nurses into their field. PEARL stands for: Promoting Education And Relationships at Littauer, and is a “train the trainer” series created specifically for nurses. The PEARL Clinical Coaching at NLH is designed to give professional preceptors the tools necessary to assist new employees. The intensive two-day seminar educates clinical coaches in the concepts and theories of precepting as developed by the Vermont Nurse Internship Project. “This program helps nurses train today’s nurse, resulting in a greater job satisfaction, and higher retention rates.” stated Kathy Rohrs, MSN, RN, the program organizer and lead educator. She added, “The best result of this program is enhanced patient care and employee satisfaction.”A program which is earning rave reviewsAbout 19 participants were instructed in various techniques that help to acclimate graduate nurses or licensed nurses to the demands of today’s acute care hospital. The program teaches conflict management, fostering critical thinking, use of effective communication, organization skills, delegation and liability. The participants develop a learning plan and review how to assess nurses’ competence. Mr. Rohrs explains, “The end goal is to develop a professional preceptor who is a competent, communicative nurse, not only content in their position but educated in how to assist new nurses reach that same point.”The program is modeled from the Vermont Nurses in Partnership curriculum in professional preceptor development. Susan Boyer, MS, RN, Director of VNIP, stated “Vermont Nurses In Partnership (VNIP) has greatly enjoyed sharing the VNIP model/resources with NYSNA and the involved NY Health Care agencies. Each agency faces unique and challenging circumstances, thus the flexibility of the VNIP model is essential to its success. With ten years of experience and data collection, we have learned that nurse internships are essential to safe and effective transition into practice. This experience validates that internships are as strong or as weak as the foundation that is built for them and the primary structure of that foundation is preceptor development and support. The success that Nathan Littauer Hospital has had with the VNIP program gives evidence of the hospital’s commitment to high quality care and evidence-based practice.”Now in its second year, the program is has shown great success to the recruitment and retention rate of nurses at Nathan Littauer Hospital. Proudly, the information from last year’s program was presented by the New York State Nurses Association to a seminar in Africa. This year, Mrs. Susan Boyer, Executive Director of the Vermont Nurses Association in Partnership (VNIP) has requested that the successful campaign format for NLH be allowed to be used for the VNIP project to assist other hospitals in the Northeast in implementation of such educational sessions.The program is receiving rave reviews. Evaluations of the program said it was a “great program, very informative as well as entertaining” and “I appreciate the value NLH has for their employees in training and retraining them.” If you are a nurse and would like more information on professional Preceptor training please contact the Education Department at Nathan Littauer Hospital at 773-5495. xxx
Great Care Appreciated Posted on April 8, 2010 by Dakota PikeApril 2, 2010First published in the: Leader HeraldLast week, our oldest daughter experienced some health issues, requiring transportation to Nathan Littauer Hospital. She was admitted to pediatrics for two days. She is well again now.We have many people to thank. First, a special thanks to ASFC’s Don Frye and Wayne Allan. You guys were awesome, both true professionals. We will never forget all that you did for us, especially the quick response time. Thanks for staying with me in the ED and reassuring me. Thanks seems so inadequate at this time. We are very lucky as a community to have people like you in the field.Thanks so very much to Dr. Laurie Gorgas, ED. Your kind words and professional, caring manner all mean the world to me. You did a great job with her.Thanks to Eileen and Chantelle, and all of you who were on duty. You are great nurses. I’m so proud of you.Thanks to all the fine ladies in pediatrics. You took great care of Taylor and the rest of us, too.Thanks to our dear friend Dr. Robert Werblin, who spent hours of his own time (while not on duty) talking and reassuring. We love you, Doc.Thanks to Dr. Kumar and Dr. James for caring for Tay. And thank you to all my friends and co-workers who came to see us, asked how she was, called, and sent flowers, treats and your love. Thanks to all of Taylor’s friends for visiting and being there when she needed you.I hope I didn’t forget anyone. Just know as a family, we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for all you did.Nathan Littauer Hospital is a wonderful place filled with great people. I’m proud to be part of that team.CHARMAINE D. MISKINIS, RNMayfieldhttp://www.leaderherald.com/page/content.detail/id/521240.html?showlayout=0
Hospital receives high marks for energy use Posted on March 31, 2010August 16, 2012 by Dakota PikeMarch 1, 2010By Jason SubikThe Daily GazetteNLH cares for Mother Earth, tooNathan Littauer Hospital has received praise as a health industry “bench mark” for its energy management by an independent auditing firm hired by the New York Power Authority.Laurence Kelly, Nathan Littauer ‘s president and CEO, said the energy audit was conducted as part of the oversight for his hospital’s participation in the New York Power Authority’s Power for Jobs program, which has given Nathan Littauer approximately $100,000 each year for the last seven years.The funding is given for implementing energy savings initiatives while increasing employment.Getzville-based PRES Energy LLC, the auditing firm hired by the Power Authority, examined the hospital’s energy and water use, including its heating and cooling systems, energy management control systems and lighting systems and electrical distribution.The auditing firm found the energy savings programs at Nathan Littauer on an annual basis have the equivalent environmental impact of removing one car from the road, planting two acres of trees, conserving 12 barrels of crude oil and conserving two tons of coal.“The Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is one of the most progressive facilities in regards to the management of gas and electricity,” according to the summary of the audit report.“Many hospitals in the country have neglected their infrastructure and subsequent energy management which has resulted in higher health [costs]. Nathan Littauer is a bench mark for the industry for its innovative approach to all aspects of managing its resources and waste.”Kelly said he always believed his hospital had taken the right steps to conserve energy, but he didn’t realize where the hospital stood in relation to other hospitals. “We’ve always been working to be greener and save energy costs but you never really know how you’re doing compared to everybody else,” Kelly said. “I think we realize now not everybody is doing what we are doing and we really are further ahead than most.”Dave Bruhns, Littauer ‘s director of engineering, said that in its audit report PRES Energy made two suggestions for what the hospital could do to further increase its energy efficiency.PRES Energy suggested they replace boilers in the hospital’s nursing home and upgrade the hospital’s exit signs from incandescent light bulbs to LED technology, which is more energy efficient. “We’re about 80 percent through [installing LED exit signs] anyway, so that’s almost knocked off,and we’re planning on replacing the older boilers at the nursing home that they recommended to us,” he said.Bruhns said it’s long been the policy of the hospital to purchase energy-efficient equipment whenever old equipment is replaced.He said little by little the energy savings has been significant and it’s gratifying to receive praise for the effort.
