- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogA physical therapist by training, Kelly Rund is used to working in the outpatient world, without the lines, tubes and monitors that are fixtures of a hospital room. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed things. Kelly is one of 36 physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapists and rehabilitation aides redeployed to work with COVID-19 patients on Anne Arundel Medical Center’s (AAMC) medical/surgical units as part of the new Prone and Mobility team. Six members of the team are working in AAMC’s Intensive Care Unit. The program has two components. Staff members are trained to “prone” patients, or place them on their stomach. The process takes about an hour and helps mitigate COVID-19 symptoms and increase the amount of oxygen they are getting into their lungs. They are also trained to assist with patients’ mobility, helping them walk around their rooms and do other activities to keep them moving. Kelly, who normally is based at AAMG Physical Therapy’s Edgewater office, says the program has given her an opportunity to support patients emotionally as well as medically. It’s nice for them to see a friendly face, even if it’s hidden behind masks and face shields, she adds. “I feel very thankful just to be someone who can be in there and sit with them,” Kelly says. Christy Wu, AAMC’s inpatient physical therapy manager, says the program began at the start of the pandemic. Clinic staff members were originally redeployed to help patients with their mobility, which decreases their fall risk and the likelihood that they’ll have to return to the hospital. But there was a growing need to have clinical staff on hand to prone position patients. Studies have shown that prone positioning could lead to improved outcomes for patients who are on ventilators. Doctors at hospitals in New York and Massachusetts have seen improvements when COVID-19 patients are placed in the prone position. “You definitely see a difference when you get these patients off of their backs,” says Clarisse Labor, a physical therapist with AAMG Physical Therapy’s Bowie North office. Each team member is trained to do both prone positioning and mobility – it just depends on what and where the need is. AAMC already had mobility training in place for nursing staff and has adapted prone positioning training from Massachusetts General Hospital. “They have amazing clinical skills, and we are putting them where they are needed and helping to support the nursing units,” Christy says. “We’ve had really great feedback from the nursing directors.” Since the beginning of May, the team has prone positioned 150 COVID-19 patients, Christy says. Mobility numbers aren’t yet available. Kelly and Clarisse say their colleagues in the hospital have been supportive and eager to show them the ropes. “It’s been several years since I worked in acute care, and it’s definitely different than outpatient,” Clarisse says. “But the nurses and therapists have been very helpful and I definitely felt welcomed. I feel fortunate that I am still able to help in these times.” Elizabeth Bailey, clinical supervisor on the Observation Unit, added that the team has gone above and beyond their assigned duties. “Today I watched a special needs patient on our unit just beam with pride as they encouraged her, telling her how well she was doing,” she says. “They assisted other patients with ambulation to the commode, and even changed briefs and bed linens as they worked with the patients. This was not expected or even asked of them – they wanted to do it.” Christie Thibeault, nursing manager on the Observation Unit, praised team members for providing an extra set of hands in an extremely busy time. Thanks to the team, nurses can stay focused on other aspects of care. “They have just been phenomenal support for our nursing staff, and have improved the quality of patient care tremendously,” Christie says. A former ICU and trauma nurse, Christie has long been familiar with the benefits of prone positioning and says she’s eager to dive more deeply into how it’s improved COVID-19 patient outcomes post-pandemic. “There’s so much that should come out of this,” she says. “Did it decrease their length of stay? Did it prevent them from going on a ventilator?” Christie is excited to see the impact of this important work.
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOn Florence Nightingale’s 200th birthday, President and nurse Sherry Perkins praises today’s nurses for the incredible work they are doing. Today is the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday and the end of Nurses Week. The World Health Organization (WHO) named 2020 the Year of the Nurse in recognition of Nightingale – the founder of modern nursing. The WHO could not have predicted what nurses and their teammates would see this year with COVID-19, nor the new definitions of health care heroism. In a recent interview with the media about our nurses and the AAMC team, I was proud to tell our community, “They aren’t just heroes; they’re superheroes.” I am often asked to describe patient care; how to do that? In contemplating Nurses Week, I can think about important life events: emergency room visits, a parent in an ICU, the birth of a baby – a nurse is there with a team. A nurse is there knowing and caring, linking tenderness and mastery. Nurses know what it means for humans to be old, sick, weak, complex, and vulnerable. Nurses know how to prevent and treat infections, manage pain, teach, rescue, heal, console, and see problems before they occur. Nightingale was quoted as saying, “Live life when you have it. Life is a splendid gift – there is nothing small about it.” On my first day of work less than four months ago, I described the AAMC team this way – “the unique mixture of science and caring…progressive expertise of our physicians, the dedication of our nurses, the excellence of our interprofessional clinical support partners, the acumen of our leadership and administrative team, the compassion of our auxilians and volunteers, the devotion of our patient and family advisors, and the governance of our board.” Each of you makes AAMC a unique place for our patients and our community. Even more I am awed by what a team you are. Florence Nightingale would be proud. I know I am. Thank you for what you do for each other and for our patients and families.
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn honor of Nurses Week and Hospital Week, Victoria Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health, expresses her appreciation for our health care heroes during these uncertain times. In the world of health care, May is typically a major month for celebration. It is the moment each year when we honor our nursing staff during Nurses Week and follow with an even larger gathering to honor all staff members during Hospital Week. But this is not a typical year, and no one knows that better than you. Like health care workers across the nation, we are witnessing how every facet of our lives has been dramatically altered by this virus. We know that communities need us now more than ever. While this is a point of pride, it also is a heavy responsibility. You answer the call every day to help patients and support their families, all the more challenging because no one knows when the ferocious hold of this pandemic will subside. So it hardly feels like a time to celebrate. This May will stand out like no other in the chronicle of modern health care. As you each take your rightful place in this historic moment, there is no greater time to acknowledge the extraordinary commitment of each of you – for your unselfish duty to your profession, your compassion for those who are suffering, and your unparalleled commitment to one another. And you do all this while bearing concerns about your families and your own well-being. In past years this month would prompt a “theme” to play out across each of our campuses. If we had a “theme” this year, it would be a short, simple, two words. You would hear it when you go into every patient room, from every corner of every ICU, every nursing station, supply room or underground hallway – and we would say it over and over again. Thank you. Thank you for showing up each day. Thank you for wearing the protective gear that sometimes feels cumbersome or worrisome to your patients. Thank you for working with uncertainty, for not knowing if or how you can help the next patient, for accepting that despite all your remarkable skills and best training, no one has seen what you are seeing now. Thank you for demonstrating care and concern not just for our patients, but for each other. We see you and all that you are doing. You’re doing a good job. Take a look for yourselves. Whether you are doctor, nurse, therapist, pharmacist, dietitian, aide, housekeeper or volunteer, we know that your compassion for our patients – and the extraordinary acts of courage and compassion you show for each other – is what will see us through these coming days. As the famed American author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou wrote, “We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.” You are what brings joy to this month of May. Thank you, Tori Bayless, Chief Executive Officer, Luminis Health
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) has once again received the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. It’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication. AAMC earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick and appropriate treatment through emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients. “A heart attack is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. It’s critically important not to delay care if you think you are experiencing symptoms. At Anne Arundel Medical Center, we are safe, ready and open to care for you,” said Jerome Segal, MD, medical director of Cardiovascular Services at AAMC. “This award is testament to our consistent, coordinated team approach that is quick and efficient in delivering life-saving care during this time and into the future.” “We commend AAMC for this award in recognition for following evidence-based guidelines for timely heart attack treatment,” said Tim Henry, MD, chair of the Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “We applaud the significant institutional commitment to their critical role in the system of care for quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients.” Services for heart attack patients Hospitals that meet AHA quality standards not only know the importance of treating quickly and safely, but they also follow evidence-based research that helps to determine why a patient had a heart attack or stroke in the first place. To learn more about AAMC’s heart services, visit www.askAAMC.org/heart.
- General Page Tier 3BlogMoms often describe the hours, days and weeks following their babies’ arrival as a wonderful yet overwhelming time. It’s also an important time to surround yourself with helpful information and support for breastfeeding success. A rewarding breastfeeding experience starts with education, like AAMC’s Breastfeeding Basics class. Getting familiar with the basics will help you get off to a good start. The Early Weeks You may feel like all you’re doing in the first week of your baby’s life is nursing – and it’s probably true! This is how your baby helps your body create a plentiful milk supply. Newborns generally nurse eight to 12 times a day. Nursing this often doesn’t mean your baby isn’t getting enough milk. Rather a newborn’s stomach, just like the rest of them, is tiny! At day three, it’s about the size of a walnut. At two weeks, it’s about the size of a large egg. Newborn Stomach Size from Medela In the early weeks of frequent nursing remember that all your hard work is encouraging your body to create a good milk supply. Breastfeeding is a supply and demand activity. Your body learns to supply exactly what your baby is demanding. Nursing your baby at the first sign of hunger cues– rooting, smacking lips, stirring, hands in mouth—also helps minimize engorgement that can happen two to five days after birth when your milk “comes in” or increases in supply. Some moms worry about their milk supply. If your baby is gaining weight and having frequent wet and dirty diapers, then your baby is getting enough milk. In those early days and weeks, remember you’re learning something new. Like all new skills, it may take some time to feel like you’ve gotten the hang of it. Trust your body, your baby and yourself. And don’t be afraid to ask for help! Importance of Skin-to-Skin Studies prove that skin-to-skin contact, which you may also hear called ‘kangaroo care,’ offers many benefits. Among them, skin-to-skin can help regulate your baby’s temperature, heartbeat, breathing and blood sugars. It can enhance bonding with parents (Yes, dad can do it too!) and reduce baby’s cries. Babies who are kept skin-to-skin immediately after birth may latch better, and are more likely to nurse sooner and longer. Getting a Good Latch A good latch is key to baby effectively and comfortably removing milk, and helps create a successful and enjoyable breastfeeding experience. A good latch can look different to every mom. To latch your baby: Sit comfortably in a slightly reclined position, supported by pillows if you’d like. Have baby lie belly down on you with their nose aligned with the nipple. If baby is not rooting with a wide mouth, tickle baby’s top lip with your nipple to stimulate rooting. As baby opens wide, allow baby to self-latch or guide baby on so that most of your areola is covered by the baby’s mouth, especially at the bottom lip and chin. Watch for signs of sucking from baby’s jaw motion and ear movement, and for periods of swallowing. If you’re experiencing pain, break the latch by inserting your finger into the corner of baby’s mouth and re-latch as needed. Persistent pain should be assessed by a lactation consultant. Images from La Leche League International Breastfeeding should feel comfortable and you should be able to hear sounds of swallowing. Don’t worry if it feels awkward at first. Before long getting baby to latch will feel so second nature you’ll be able to do it with your eyes closed– or at least in a dark room, say around 2 am. For more information, I recommend the Latching and Positioning Resources from Kelly Mom. Author Kim Knight is a board-certified lactation consultant with Breastfeeding Works which offers home consultations and workplace lactation support. She has provided support to thousands of breastfeeding moms during the course of her career. Breastfeeding Resources AAMC offers several breastfeeding support classes, all of which have gone virtual due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. See a complete schedule here. Breastfeeding Warm Line: Anne Arundel Medical Center’s lactation staff is available to answer any questions you might have about breastfeeding. You can reach our consultants seven days a week via our Warm Line at 443-481-6977. Simply leave a message and they’ll return your call between 9 am and 4 pm the same day. You can also e-mail our lactation staff anytime at [email protected]. Find a Lactation Consultant: A board-certified lactation consultant can help address your breastfeeding concerns or challenges. You can find one in your area through the United States Lactation Consultant Association directory. AAMC Smart Parents: Join our Facebook community focused on the journey of parenthood. This is a safe, non-judgmental group to ask questions and get answers from local moms and dads, and AAMC experts. Originally published April 14, 2016. Last updated Aug. 10, 2020.
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