Visitor policy changes
In another milestone on the journey toward normalization of our operations, CHCS is relaxing the strict visitor policies we adopted earlier this spring.
We will share the following update publicly later today. Thank you to our screeners for ensuring that our patients and visitors know the rules.
Effective Monday, June 1, CHCS will make the following changes to our visitor policy.
For hospital, emergency room, and surgical patients:
- Patients will be allowed multiple visitors, but visitors will be allowed into the building only one at a time. We reserve the right to restrict the number of visitors in one day.
- Visitors must be screened upon entrance and must wear a mask during their visit.
- Visitors must check in at the nurses station and acknowledge guidelines.
- Pediatric patients will be allowed both parents to accompany them during their time in the hospital.
- Visitors are allowed from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. except in extreme circumstances.
- Visitors will continue to be restricted for patients who are being tested for COVID-19 or who have tested positive.
For OB patients:
- Each mother is allowed one support person during her hospital stay
- Visitor screening is required as outlined above for the support person
- No additional visitors are allowed
For clinic patients:
- One support person is allowed to accompany a patient to appointments
- Pediatric patients will be allowed both parents to accompany them during their visit
- Any support person must be screened upon entrance and will be encouraged to wear a mask
Visitors are asked to respect signs restricting access to certain areas of the hospital.
Hospital staff members are available to work with loved ones to connect via phone and video. Please call the Onaga nurses' station at 785-889-5007 or the St. Marys nurse’s station at 785-437-4196 to express your interest.
Chief Nursing Officer Mindy Olberding thanks everyone for their cooperation.
“We know patients need support from family and loved ones, so we are happy to make this possible even as we work to protect patients and staff from COVID-19,” Olberding said.
Please see the revised Visitor Policy during the COVID-19 Pandemic in PowerDMS for additional guidance.
|
|
Fitness Centers reopen for the public June 3
Fitness Centers in Onaga, Centralia, and Frankfort are reopening to the public on June 3. Patrons will be asked to follow special procedures for cleaning and social distancing.
Payroll deducts for family memberships
and automatic bank drafts will restart on June 10. Associates who pay for family members need to
validate or cancel memberships by June 5
.
|
|
COVID-19 preparedness
Onaga acute nurses held a mock code drill for a COVID-19 patient earlier this week.
In the discussion portion pictured below, nurses talked through best practices and what they can do to prepare for a possible COVID-19 code.
|
|
|
|
What is contact tracing?
We've all heard about public health departments conducting "contact tracing" when cases of COVID-19 emerge in a community.
But what does it mean? KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman explains in a 2 1/2-minute video. Click the video at left or find it here:
https://vimeo.com/423216689
|
|
Testing tent
The Holton Clinic has a new tent for in-vehicle COVID-19 testing. Clinic staff performed more than 20 tests on patients in collaboration with Jackson County Public Health last Saturday, and the tent helped keep everyone dry.
|
|
Stay informed
Please note the following resources.
- Twice weekly updates on CHCS COVID-19 testing started last Thursday and will continue on Mondays and Thursdays, usually in the afternoons. This week, the most recent update was sent Tuesday because of the Memorial Day holiday. Updates are delivered via an E-Connection special alert. Read Tuesday's update.
- State of Kansas resources related to COVID-19: https://covid.ks.gov/
- Recordings of Zoom meetings for associates are available in Public Folders > COVID-19 Updates.
- An FAQ document for associates is available on our website. Find it by clicking "For Associates" from the homepage or by visiting this link.
- CHCS updates for the public are available on our blog and are shared regularly on social media.
|
|
A patient from Frankfort recently sent a letter of thanks to Dr. Weiser.
"I would like to take the time to tell you how awesome some of your employees are. I had a stress test [in] March.
They were absolutely awesome: Karen Elliott, Wendi Alexander, and Rachel Clayton. So caring and compassionate and understanding--you can tell they love their jobs and their patients. That meant a lot to me.
They made my stress test less stressful. And they really cared about me. One of the girls put her hands on my lower back when I was walking on the treadmill, and that helped so much. That is a caring person. Karen kept asking if I was OK, and telling me I was doing good, and I could do this. Karen was awesome.
When it came to taking the last set of pictures of my heart, my shoulder was hurting. They came over and helped hold my shoulder until we were done with pictures. Wendi and Rachel are very kind and compassionate. They are a great team, and you should be proud of them.
They are wonderful and care about their patients.
The whole team made my stress test great. Be proud of the team and give them the glory they need. I have had a stress test in another facility, and I was not treated as great as I was with this team. [At the] other places ... [they] just run you through the tests and said 'OK, you are done.' Your team is outstanding. Thanks for the wonderful treatment. You should be proud of them.
Dr. Weiser was great also. He ... treated you like you were a someone, not just another patient. Thank you so much, and thank you for such a caring staff."
|
|
|
Roz Lewis, director of ancillary services, shared the following story about respiratory therapist Michelle Budreau going the extra mile.
A couple of months ago,
Michelle stayed late one evening to help with a patient who needed transferred.
There was lots going on, so the transport crew was delayed. The lead person for the transport crew was appreciative of Michelle's clinical help with the situation.
Michelle was surprised recently when she received a note and a small gift of hot tea packets (see below) in the mail from the crew leader. It was nice that her expertise and willingness to stay beyond her shift was appreciated by this external person and his crew.
CHCS associates are known for doing this kind of thing every day, but it is nice to be recognized and appreciated!
*****************************************************************************************
Have you seen a CHCS associate deliver the WOW experience, or have you received thanks from a patient?
Send information to Sarah at
sarahhancock@chcsks.org
or call extension 5133.
|
|
|
Here's to associates with June birthdays! Join us in wishing them all the best as they celebrate.
Marlaina Wahl, Seth Cress, Lisa McClain, Kay Lyn Mueting, Kelly VanDonge, Tom Walsh, Tracy Myers, Kristi Hutfles, Jana Kramer, Christine Merriman, Bailey Wichman, Theresa Hohman, Dagoberto Heredia, Madison Shoptese, Dusti Ross, Christopher Carabetta, Ginger Flach, Katy Flentie, Aimee Linsey, Valerie Marshall, Dallas Ruckman, Kimberly Diehl, Melissa Cooper, Rebekah Rombeck, Marlene Wolfe, Kevin Flickinger, Renee Trippel, Michelle Petri, Stacy Vermetten, Alicia Rendon, Korrie Meyer, Lauren Newell, Teresa Miller, Jenny Alicante, Kimberly Bramhall, Jennifer Russell, Julia Donaldson, Daniel Olson, Mckenzie Engelken, Melanie Landolfi, Beth DeLallo, Pat Hartwich, Todd Willert
|
|
|
Welcome
We are happy to have the following associates joining us. Welcome to CHCS!
- Pamela Hanks, cook-dietary aide, Onaga
- Jessica Oswald, patient account representative, Onaga
|
|
|
Coffee Shop special
June 1-5
Rocamocha
- Almond and white chocolate
- 16 oz., $4
- Hot, iced, or frappe
|
|
|
Apparel order update
T-shirt orders will ship to CHCS today, and as soon as we receive them, we'll send orders to correct work locations via courier. Look for your orders early next week!
Note to those who ordered polos: The polos were embroidered with the wrong logo but will be corrected and shipped ASAP.
|
|
|
Note: St. Marys menus are changing frequently because of ordering challenges. We will resume publishing menus when we are able. For now, St. Marys menus are available each morning through the Activities chronicle.
|
|
Send items for the E-Connection or for sharing with our broader Facebook audience
to
sarahhancock@chcsks.org
. Please send items by close of business on Tuesdays when possible. Ideas are welcome!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
