After a small smoke event at the hospital our Safety Officer reflects on why Littauer’s response was so exemplary

Joe Slovack answers our questions about Fire Safety

After a Code Red at Nathan Littauer Hospital on December 29, 2011 we sat down with Nathan Littauer’s own Joe Slovack to shed some light on how Nathan Littauer readies for emergencies. Here are a few questions we asked Joe Slovack:

Q: What is your title at Nathan Littauer Hospital?

A: I am the Safety Officer at Nathan Littauer Hospital.

Q: How long have you been employed at Nathan Littauer Hospital?

A: 30 years.

Q: What happened yesterday at Nathan Littauer Hospital?

A: A Code Red (fire) occurred on the 2nd floor of the Hospital at 1PM on 12/29/11. The fire was caused by construction activities that were taking place on the roof at that time. This was a small event that was mostly smoke-related but we did move patients away from the effected areas. Our staff responded quickly and efficiently by closing off areas, pulling alarms, alerting staff, and ultimately moving patients away from the smoke. No patients, staff or firefighters were injured as it was a relatively small event. Everyone did their part and many areas of the hospital were fully operational during the event.

Q: The fire department arrived?

A: Yes, the fire department responded quickly. And thanks to the fast acting staff in the pediatric unit and engineering and housekeeping departments, everything was mostly over by the time they arrived here. The fire department was extremely professional and excellent in their response. The Fire Department issued an ‘all-clear’ in about 40 minutes.

Q: Does this type of thing happen often?

A: Fortunately no.

Q: The fire department was very quick to compliment Nathan Littauer staff about their response. In fact, Beth Whitman-Putnam, Fire Chief of the City of Gloversville Fire Department stated “The Staff of Nathan Littauer Hospital performed an exemplary job of evacuating and isolating the area of alarm in advance of the Fire Department’s arrival.”

A: It was certainly a proud moment for the Hospital to be recognized as doing a good job reacting to an incident like this by fire personnel who do this professionally. That they were impressed with our performance says a lot about the abilities of our staff.

Q: What do you have to do with the response?

A: As the Safety Officer I help train all the employees at Nathan Littauer Hospital in fire safety procedures. Hospital employees receive a tremendous amount of fire and disaster response training: New hospital employees receive fire response training as part of their orientation; All staff wear badges at all times that display fire response instructions on the back; We also have completed one-on-one training with staff in different departments; And additionally, all staff must pass written tests about fire safety yearly. And then of course we have fire drills.

All Littauer staff wear fire safety tips on their badges

Q: How often do you have drills?

A: Once a month, one shift per quarter. In fact, we had an evacuation fire drill in June of this year that was performed in conjunction with the fire department and the activities were very similar to yesterday’s events.

Q: Why do you think this “event went so well” given the circumstances?

A: As a whole, our staff has many years experience doing what they do. And the practice, skills and knowledge they have gives them the confidence and ability to respond calmly to an emergency situation.

Q: So I guess its back to usual at Littauer?

A: Actually no. We conduct a Post-plan Activation Feedback Request with all managers after every emergency event. It’s a global survey used to review any effects an incident had in each work area. Managers get input from their staff as to what went well, or what could be improved. The responses come back to me and the results are used to assess our overall staff response and preparation, building operation, and the effectiveness of our policies related to the event. That way we can continue to improve our preparedness based on actual hand-on experience. And earning praise from the fire department like we did in this incident proves that it works.

Thanks Joe Slovack Safety Officer!

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SHOPPING LOCAL? DON’T FORGET ABOUT NATHAN LITTAUER

Gifts for the holiday season

Consider Littauer for your gift giving.

Gloversville, NY…Nathan Littauer Hospital is reminding people who want to “shop locally” to consider Nathan Littauer Hospital for their last- minute holiday shopping. Besides providing excellent health care services, the hospital is also a shopping and eating destination. “The hospital gift shop, run by our Auxilians is a perfect place to shop!” explained Susan McNeil Director of Volunteer Services for the hospital. “Our Auxilians Ann Adore, Chairman, Dianne James, Assistant Chairman, and Stacey White, Schedule Chairman have done an outstanding job with our hospital gift shop this year.” Sue McNeil stated, “Ann Adore would love you to see the wonderful variety of gifts, cards, toys, infant clothing, jewelry and candy.” The hospital also carries holiday flower arrangements.

Terry A. Swierzowski, Interim President, Director of Tourism & Communications Fulton County Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry agrees noting, “They have an excellent selection of jewelry and other gifts. I personally shop there.” “I think our gift shop is the best kept secret in the region” stated Susan Kiernan Vice President of Development at Nathan Littauer Hospital. “When I get a compliment on a handbag or a piece of jewelry people always seem surprised when I tell them where I got it.”

The gift shop hours are Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm and on weekends from 11am to 3pm. Questions about hours can be directed to 773-5408. Sample photos of the inventory at the gift shop can be found on the hopsital FaceBook site. The shop is offering 30% of all Christmas-related items.

The hospital Nutritional Services team is also selling holiday pies. “For $8.99 people can get a high-rise Dutch apple, blueberry, chocolate cream or lemon meringue pie.” stated Tim Forte, Nutrition Services Director. They are also selling holiday cookie assortments for $4.99. Orders must be made by Wednesday, December 21, for pick-up Thursday or Friday. People interested in ordering a pie can call 773-5415 or they can stop by Nate‘s Place (the cafeteria) and fill out an order form with the cashier.

“The gift shop at Littauer is a find!”

Ms. Kiernan advises “Visit a friend in the hospital or nursing home, stay for lunch or dinner and pick up a gift WITH free gift wrapping, and bring home a pie for your holiday meal -all the while avoiding holiday crowds.” She added, “We always have secure parking and all our proceeds go to the hospital. It does not get more local than that.” XXX Caption for photo: Holiday gifts abound at Nathan Littauer Hospital.

Nathan Littauer Hospital announces free seminar: “Preventing Sports Injuries in Young Athletes”

Littauer’s Sports Medicine and Rehab Team will host a seminar Nov 30.

Gloversville , NY — Nathan Littauer Hospital Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Team announced today a free seminar aimed at “keeping kids and safe and in the game”. “Preventing Sports Injuries in Young Athletes” will be held November 30, 2011 at the Johnstown Holiday Inn, 308 Comrie Avenue Johnstown., NY. The seminar is aimed at getting the word out to parents, coaches, healthcare workers and athletes themselves about the risks of Overuse Injuries. The seminar will also include new information about sports concussions and heat-related illness. On hand will be Physicians, injured athletes, Athletic Directors and Physical Therapists. The hospital started this campaign in conjunction with STOP Sports Injury about 14 months ago. As such, it is the first of its kind in upstate New York and part of the hospital’s ongoing effort to educate the community about the growing epidemic of overuse injuries and trauma among young athletes. This is the second seminar of its kind since Nathan Littauer joined forces with STOP Sports injuries, a national organization dedicated to sports injury and trauma prevention for kids.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Gerald Ortiz, a leading orthopedic surgeon. He will be speaking about “Sports medicine: A spotlight on the young athlete and ligament injuries.” Also new this year is an Athletic Director’s Round Table: Safeguarding the Young Athlete representing five school districts. “I would think any parent with a child in athletics would want to hear from this group of professionals.” said hospital spokesperson, Cheryl McGrattan. She added, “It will be a rare opportunity to hear what local school districts are doing to keep kids safe while they are participating in sports. This is a good time to hold an event like this as many students start gearing up for spring and summer sports participation now.” She concluded, “Also many winter athletes are particularly vulnerable to injury and dehydration”.

The Athletic Directors Round Table will feature the following speakers and the following topics:

Adam Barnhart, Athletic Director at Broadalbin Perth Schools. Topic: How an effective warm up affects performance and injury prevention. Eileen Rovito, Athletic Director at Mayfield Schools. Topic: A review of the NYS Public HS Athletic Association concussion guidelines. Mike DeMagistris, Athletic Director at Gloversville Schools. Topic: The use of the Head Impact Telemetry System in High School Sports.

Charles Karker, Athletic Director at Fort Plain Schools. Ron Smith, Athletic Director at Amsterdam Schools. Topic: A focus on heat related illness during sports.

Last year, Nathan Littauer Hospital was one of the first hospitals to join a nationwide movement to address the critical issue of safe sports participation. As a participating STOP Sports Injury Medical Institution Nathan Littauer has been working in the region to help prevent athletic overuse injuries and trauma injuries.

William Oates, Director of the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Team states, “Any one who comes to this seminar will leave with knowledge and practical information to keep you athletes safe and in the game.” He added, “Our first conference, held in September of ’10, was a huge success with 120 people in attendance and a great amount of positive feedback. “

“Preventing Sports Injuries in Young Athletes” will be held November 30, 2011 at the Johnstown Holiday Inn, 308 Comrie Avenue Johnstown., NY. Registration and refreshments start at 6:00pm with the program starting at 6:30pm. The program will be about 1.5 hours long. The event is free and open to the public. Anyone who is interested in attending the seminar is encouraged to RSVP by calling 773-5533 or 773-5540 or by emailing stopsportsinjuries@nlh.org.

Compelling Statistics on a Growing Epidemic:

There is a growing epidemic of preventable youth sports injuries that are dismantling kids’ athletic hopes and dreams at an early age. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), participation in organized sports is on the rise. Nearly 30 million children and adolescents participate in youth sports in the United States. This increase in play has led to some other startling statistics about injuries among

America’s young athletes. Sports injuries can cause permanent damage and increase the chances of surgeries and arthritis later in life. If an injury does occur, early identification and proper treatment is the key to a successful recovery.

• High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations each year.1
• Children ages 5 to 14 account for nearly 40 percent of all sports-related injuries treated in hospitals. On average the rate and severity of injury increases with a child’s age.2
• Injuries associated with participation in sports and recreational activities account for 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among children in the United States.2
• According to the CDC, more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable.

Armed with the correct information and tools, today’s youth athletes can remain healthy, play safe, and stay in the game for life.

References:

1. JS Powell, KD Barber Foss, 1999. Injury patterns in selected high school sports: a review of the 1995-1997 seasons.

J Athl Train. 34: 277-84.

2 Preserving the Future of Sport: From Prevention to Treatment of Youth Overuse Sports Injuries.

AOSSM 2009 Annual Meeting Pre-Conference Program. Keystone, Colorado

http://stopsportsinjuries.reingoldweb.com/files/pdf/Option-B.pdf

*American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, AAOS Now, 2009

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About STOP Sports Injuries

More information can be found at: http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/

About Nathan Littauer

Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is a full-service, 74 bed acute care hospital with an 84 bed skilled nursing home located in Gloversville, NY. Littauer provides the finest in state-of-the-art technology and a caring, dedicated staff of health care professionals. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its services in order offer health care that is comprehensive, accessible, and relevant to the needs of the communities we serve. The Littauer medical staff brings amazing technical expertise and competence to the residents of Fulton County and the surrounding communities.

Faster reports equates to improved patient care.

Nathan Littauer has a new way to document patient diagnostic exams. “The end product will be faster imaging documentation- which in the end benefits our patients” stated Judy Cetnar, Director of Health Information Management for the hospital. She explained, “Front-end speech recognition will enable us to provide faster Diagnostic Imaging report turnaround time which leads to improved patient care. It will also decrease transcription costs for our facility.”

Nathan Littauer will implement Dolbey’s Fusion Expert for front-end speech recognition and document management across their facilities and will be used by about 20 Radiologists. Susan Kiernan, Vice President of Development at the hospital notes, “This is yet one more technology advancement we have done in the interest of seamless patient care.”

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About Nathan Littauer

Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is a full-service, 74 bed acute care hospital with an 84 bed skilled nursing home located in Gloversville, NY. Littauer provides the finest in state-of-the-art technology and a caring, dedicated staff of health care professionals. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its services in order offer health care that is comprehensive, accessible, and relevant to the needs of the communities we serve. The Littauer medical staff brings amazing technical expertise and competence to the residents of Fulton County and the surrounding communities.

About Dolbey:

Dolbey is a leader in providing dictation, transcription, speech recognition and coding solutions for healthcare in the United States and Canada. Together, Dolbey and Company, Inc. and Dolbey Systems, Inc. offer the award winning Fusion Suite™ of integrated products which is backed by the industry’s largest organization of certified professionals who assist in design, implementation and support. XXX

Hospital plays 20 seconds of Brahms Lullaby each time a baby is born

At Nathan Littauer Hospital when Brahms’ Lullaby plays over the hospital’s loud speakers, it is a cause for celebration. In a new program started this week, when a baby is born in the hospital’s Birthing Center, Brahms’ Lullaby is broadcast throughout the hospital. “It is a good reminder to us all that miracles happen almost every day” stated Hospital Spokesperson, Cheryl McGrattan.

Kelly Hartz, RN Manager of the Birthing Center is credited with starting the program.

On November 2, 2011, the second day of the new initiative, guests, patients and staff were treated to three lullabies announcing three births. The hospital averages about 430 births a year. Nathan Littauer Hospital joins other hospitals across the nation adopting the lullaby program.

“Unfortunately, most hospitals are associated with fear, pain and discomfort.” said Kelly Hartz, RN who is credited with starting the program. As the manager of the Birthing Center, she notes, “This program reminds people- staff included- that a hospital can also be a place of hope and promise.” The brief few measures from the German composer Johannes Brahms’ famous melody has already had a lasting effect on staff. Barbara Wilson, HR Generalist for 31 years at Nathan Littauer Hospital said she was elated to hear it explaining, “It was very uplifting and very nice to hear.” It is the first time the hospital has announced a birth in this way. Priscilla Person, who works in Diagnostic Imaging was in a patient waiting room when the first lullaby was played. She reported that the patient broke into a huge smile when she explained what the song meant. She also added, “It gives you the best warmest feeling. I think it is great.”

The calming 20 seconds can be heard throughout the hospital hallways, lobbies, surgical units, laboratory, waiting rooms, cafeterias and patient rooms. When patients and visitors hear the lullaby, nearby staff explain the interruption. “I am thrilled that this has come to our facility. I think it reconnects everyone, both staff, patients and visitors, with our purpose of facilitating life changes that our patients transition through.” stated Kathie Rohrs, RN a nurse at Littauer. She concluded, “It is truly a beautiful symbolic touch that will cause us all to self reflect.”

The Birthing Center At Littauer will play music when a baby is born

The system can be overridden in the event of an emergency and music will play from 7am to 7pm. And staff and patients will definitely know when twins are born — the music will play twice in succession.

Dr. Ramani Receives Certificate of Excellence

November, 1, 2011—Dr. Kamini Ramani was recently recognized by Mohawk Valley Medical Associates for Quality Performance as well as continued excellence in colorectal cancer screening and upper GI endoscopy. Dr. Ramani was one of only 14 groups to receive this award. Dr. Ramani is seen here with Dr. David Phelps (Medical Director of MVMA).