- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) Nurses Aja Errera and Lisa Kirchner have been recognized in the Washington Post and American Nurses Association’s 2020 Star Nurses award program. Aja is a finalist and Lisa is a nominee of the award program honoring leading women and men at the front lines of health care in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Finalists will be celebrated in a virtual ceremony in September. The award comes during the “Year of the Nurse,” a declaration by the World Health Organization in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. “Every day, Aja and Lisa ensure that we provide quality patient care at Anne Arundel Medical Center as dynamic members of our nursing care teams,” said Barbara Jacobs, chief nursing officer at AAMC. “They deserve to be recognized not only for their dedication to the patients at AAMC but also to their fellow staff members.” Aja Errera Providing great patient care is personal for Aja who became a mother at 15. After a less than pleasant emergency C-section and non-supportive staff during her postpartum stay at a hospital in Montgomery County, she was determined to achieve her goal of becoming a nurse. “I ultimately chose the Mother-Baby Unit because I knew that nurses spent more time at the bedside and provided direct care,” Aja says. “I wanted a chance to instill strength and perseverance in teen mothers to prove the stereotypes wrong. After all, if I can raise a healthy baby, continue school and work full time other teen mothers can too.” Despite being a full time police dispatcher while attending college, she graduated with honors. Aja, a clinical supervisor on the Mother-Baby Unit, began her career as a nurse six years ago. She joined AAMC in 2016. Aja completed her clinical work at AAMC, and always wanted to secure a position at the medical center. Her role often includes teaching first-time mothers the skills needed to care for their new babies. “I love what I do and I’ve just always had a passion to help and educate people,” Aja says. “I was a teen mom. I had everything stacked against me not to make it. To come this far, to be nominated as a Star Nurse is wonderful. It’s been a long road, but I haven’t given up. For anyone trying to take the road to nursing or anything else, just don’t give up.” Pro tip: “My favorite quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt, ‘the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.’ If you have determination and a passion to do something, you can do it. It doesn’t matter how many times you are turned away, your failures make you who you are. Your failures will make you stronger eventually.” Lisa Kirchner Lisa prefers to stay out of the spotlight. As a clinical quality specialist, she enjoys her role as a support figure for nurses. Lisa ensures that they have the tools to excel in their day-to-day work. “I’m surprised and delighted by this nomination,” Lisa says. “It takes time to sit down and put a nomination together. I’m very humbled that someone took the time to do that for me and to recognize all the good things that I’ve tried to do all these years.” Lisa has been a nurse for 36 years. She has worked at AAMC for the past nine. During her senior year in high school she decided to become a nurse. She made the decision after spending close to four days in the hospital with appendicitis. Oddly enough, it wasn’t a real-life nurse who inspired her to pursue nursing. “I had appendicitis and I was in the hospital for close to four days watching a marathon of MASH episodes. Margaret Houlihan was my nurse inspiration,” she says, with a laugh. In her current role, she examines nursing quality data. In her previous position as a clinical educator in the Heart and Vascular and Neuro Care Units, her work included facilitating new hire orientation, maintaining nursing competency and being a clinical resource for the staff. “For most of my career, my focus has been to help staff become even better clinicians, by providing them the knowledge, tools and resources to provide the best care to our patients,” Lisa says. Pro tip: “I always ask this question before we get started on anything, ‘Do we know what we are talking about, and is it the right thing to do for the patient?’ The patient is our number one priority. That’s pretty much what I live by.”
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSummer is here, and for many families, that means it’s time for a vacation. But with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, traveling now comes with new risks. Taking the right safety precautions is more important now than ever before. If you’re planning a trip this summer, here is what to keep in mind. Outdoors are safer than indoors Many beaches, parks and other outdoor spaces have reopened, usually with restrictions. If you’re looking to get away for a few days, consider taking a camping or hiking trip. Spending time outdoors is also great for your mental and physical wellbeing. Just remember, if you’re traveling to a popular tourist spot, it may be hard to observe physical distancing guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay six feet away from others who are not in your household. Before you book your vacation, think about how crowded it’s likely to be. You might want to seek out locations that are off the beaten path instead. Or think about visiting during less popular hours and choosing activities that will take you away from crowds. For example, rent a kayak or paddleboard instead of playing mini-golf. Take a road trip Driving your own car is the safest way to travel right now. Pack a cooler full of snacks and drinks so you don’t have to stop for food. Make sure to have hand sanitizer and face masks with you for when you do have to stop. If you use cloth masks, bring extras with you in case you aren’t able to wash them every day. A good rule of thumb is to have a mask for every day that you are away. This summer, think about traveling to see relatives and staying at their houses instead of a hotel or resort. If you have family members who are high risk, such as older family members or family members with pre-existing conditions, we recommend quarantining for a week before you travel to see them. If you do have to fly, try to book a flight that’s early in the morning or late at night, when fewer people are flying. Wear a mask any time you are in the airport, even if you are in an area with relaxed restrictions, and while on the plane. Bring your own snacks and an empty water bottle or a thermos that you can fill up at the airport, and wipes so you can clean off your seat on the plane. If COVID-19 is spreading in your area, or in the area that you plan to visit, consider postponing your trip. And if you are sick, don’t travel. Consider “staycations” and day trips The safest way to enjoy your summer is still by staying at home. But if you want to get out of your house, now is the time to plan some fun day trips. This way, you are still beginning and ending the day in your own home. If you have kids, it’s time to get creative! Rather than visiting public pools, set up a sprinkler in your yard for your little ones. Arrange play dates that are outside. The same thing goes for adults. Host gathering with friends outside instead of inside. We know that after several months of stay-at-home orders, everyone wants a change of scenery and a return to normal life. But remember, we must do our part to protect others and ourselves and slow the spread of COVID-19. Authors Michael Remoll, MD, is the director of emergency services at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Stefanie Osterloh, CRNP, is a nurse practitioner at Doctors Community Practices at Crofton.
- Orthopedics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThink strength and resistance training is only for athletes or those who want to bulk up? Think again! Strength training can help everyone. Working it into your exercise routine can have a number of benefits outside of simply gaining muscle. For starters, it’s a great way to burn calories and increase metabolism. When you increase your muscle mass from strength training, you boost your resting metabolism. This means your body will naturally burn more calories. “If you look at metabolic rates — the way we process food and turn it into energy in the body — you can boost that just by getting on a weight training program,” says Louis Ruland, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Strength training can also help you prevent injury. It builds strength in the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints. This allows them to absorb more impact and force without breaking or tearing. “If you’re a runner, and you do strength training to build up certain muscles around the knee, those muscles are critical for tracking of the patella,” Dr. Ruland says. “In doing that, you reduce common overuse injuries of the knee.” To achieve this effect, you should participate in a training regimen that strengthens a wide number of muscle groups. Muscle imbalances are one of the most common causes of athletic injuries. That’s why it’s important to work out a variety of muscles, not just the “beach muscles” (to show off at the beach) such as your arms and legs, but more importantly, the trunk or “core muscles.” Dr. Ruland also recommends weight training for people in their 70s and 80s. “The benefits enable that age group to more easily perform activities of daily living,” he says. “It can even increase overall bone density, which produces greater bone strength and can lower the incidence of fractures.” You don’t need a gym membership; push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and single leg stance are just a few easy strength exercises that don’t require any equipment. “You can do a variety of simple exercises just using your body weight,” Dr. Ruland says. “In addition, resistance bands or dumbbells are relatively inexpensive, and it’s also possible to do resistance exercises with large books or other heavy household objects.” Get illustrated tips on proper form for performing body weight exercises. Author Louis Ruland, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Originally published Dec. 5, 2016. Last updated July 6, 2020.
- Pediatrics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSummer’s here which means it’s a great time for kids to get outside and play, but the heat can also take a serious toll on little bodies when we aren’t careful. Heat exhaustion is one of the most common conditions kids experience in the summer. A child’s body surface makes up a greater proportion of their overall weight than an adult’s, which puts them at greater risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion. Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion Severe thirst Nausea Fast and shallow breathing Headaches Muscle pain Cool, clammy skin If your child is experiencing these symptoms you should immediately bring them to a cooler place, remove any excess clothing, encourage them to drink cool fluids and call your doctor for advice. You can prevent heat exhaustion by being proactive about keeping your child hydrated. Make sure they drink cool water early and often. If they’re going out to play or to a sports practice make sure they’re fully hydrated before leaving and then make sure they take regular breaks to drink – even if they aren’t thirsty. Heat exhaustion starts slowly but if it’s not identified and treated quickly it can progress into heat stroke. Symptoms of Heat Stroke Pounding headache Dizziness and light-headedness Red, hot, dry skin Cramps or muscle weakness Rapid, shallow breathing Nausea, vomiting Confusion Unconsciousness Heat stroke is very serious and is considered a medical emergency. If you think someone has heat stroke, call 911 immediately. While you wait for medics to arrive you can try and cool the person down by moving them to a shady or cool area, fanning them and cooling down their skin with water. Author By David Afzal, DO, a family medicine physician with Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Waugh Chapel Family Medicine. To find an AAMG doctor in your area, visit MyAAMG.org. Originally published May 29, 2015. Last updated July 6, 2020.
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAfter returning to Maryland from an international trip, I started having symptoms of what I thought might be a cold or the flu. I thought I would quickly recover from it. But on March 29, I started to exhibit more symptoms, including a fever, chest pressure, cough, a prolonged headache, labored breathing and loss of appetite. I scheduled a Zoom call with my primary care physician on April 6, had a test on April 7, and found out I was positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) on April 9. After my diagnosis, I was told to head to Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) for a CT scan of my lungs. My husband and I were scared to death, especially not knowing much about COVID-19 during the early stages of the pandemic. It’s hard to believe that I’m still the only one in my core group of friends and family members who has been diagnosed and has recovered from this virus. Looking back, I’m glad I’m here to tell my story. The care that I received at AAMC was great. The staff treated me with great respect. I really felt that my care team, along with my primary care physician, cared about my wellbeing and wanted to see me recover. On May 22, I was asked if I wanted to donate my plasma to aid in the fight against this deadly virus. I quickly said yes. I was asked about 15 to 20 antibody screening questions and on May 28, it was determined that I was able to donate. Many close to me ask why I would want to donate. My question to them is, why not? To me, I had to donate. I’m one of the lucky ones to beat this out of hundreds of thousands of people. I have to pay it forward and help someone else. There was no way that I wasn’t going to donate. The donation process was fast and easier than I expected. Now, as an “official” plasma donor, I have to wait 55 days to donate again, and I already have my date scheduled. It’s been three months since my diagnosis. I’m pretty much back to normal. My stamina has returned, though it took a while to get back to my pre-COVID self. My daily routines took a little longer to complete, as I would often get a little winded doing simple things like walking up stairs. As a COVID survivor, I want to remind people of a few things as we begin to re-open. We must continue wearing masks. We must continue practicing social distancing. We must make sure that we are correctly washing and sanitizing our hands. We need to get into these habits and be rigorous in following safety guidelines from the state and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Author Clare Vanderbeek, a mid-60s resident of Edgewater, Maryland, is a COVID-19 survivor.
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