HEARTY HELLO - NSHC employees showed their support for heart health on National Wear Red Day, February 5. The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign raises awareness for heart disease, which is the number one killer of women.

Reduce your risk of heart disease by:
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Quitting smoking
  • Limiting alcohol use
  • Managing stress levels
  • Being physically active
  • Knowing your family medical history

As American Heart Month wraps up, how in tune with heart health are you? Take a quiz here.
Monthly Update for February 2021
From Angie Gorn, President/CEO
NSHC Welcomes New Forensics Leader
Susan Gorba, BSN, RN, is Norton Sound Health Corporation’s new manager of Forensic Nursing Services. Susan comes to the region most recently from Anchorage, where she worked at Providence Medical Center for 15 years in emergency care, trauma, and forensics for adult and children. She has also worked out of Kotzebue with the Maniilaq Association.
 
In her role, Susan responds to patients who report sexual violence. She does exams, evidence collection and files reports. She also works with an advocate/liaison to better meet the needs of patients. At NSHC, she plans to meet with community health aides to provide training and education on how to work with their communities.
 
“I love working with people,” she says. “I know what I do can make a difference for a patient and help them get control back over their life. I can help them heal.”
 
Susan says she is grateful for the opportunity to work with a great team at NSHC and the emergency department. In her spare time she likes to read, play chess, play the guitar and do all kinds of art. She says she and her bulldog Bruno look forward to making the region their home and painting many pictures along the way.
 
Susan can be reached at (907) 443-4518 and sgorba@nshcorp.org.
Nome's First Winterfest Planned for March
Nome Winterfest 2021 will be taking place from March 6-21, and NSHC is proud to be a sponsor of this array of outdoor events.

Get ready to participate in healthy outdoor activities, and remember to socially distance, wash your hands, wear a mask, and of course, get vaccinated.
For a copy of the Nome Winterfest Calendar, please email Alexis Erikson at aserikson@nshcorp.org.
Successful Produce Market Makes
for Happy CAMPers
On Monday, February 22, the CAMP department hosted its second produce market of 2021. The goal of the produce market is to give community member access to healthy, low cost produce, and an opportunity to try fruits or veggies they’ve never eaten before.

The Produce Market formed when an individual in the CAMP department saw an opportunity to give back to the community by purchasing produce and selling it at the same cost it was for them to buy. When she presented the idea to her supervisors and team, they were all on board and eager to help.

Nicole states "Most surprising is how fast and fun the market is! It is such a labor of love. It takes a lot of effort from my team, physically and mentally, but it's so worth it to see how excited the community is and how quickly it sells out. I am so grateful I have the support of the ENTIRE wellness department. I wouldn't be able to do this without their encouragement and willingness to learn how to do this with me!"

The CAMP department is confident that they can purchase what our community needs and be able to recoup that cost and do it all over again. Their goal is not to compete with the local stores or turn a profit, but instead to ensure there is enough produce to go around and that it gets into the hands of our community as fresh and as high quality as possible, while also encouraging increased consumption of fresh produce.
This month, the CAMP department opened up their Produce Market to our regional villages by packing and shipping boxes of produce to those who previously ordered a Community Box. They also plan on conducting a survey among participants to see how their experience was and if they would be interested in doing it again.

Looking forward, CAMP intends to start a Healthy Village Stores program that will focus on educating community store owners on how to best purchase and store produce and other health foods to improve the health of their community.
Norton Sound Health Corporation is offering low-cost labs for their annual health fair this year now until the end of March.

Nome residents will need to schedule at www.picktime.com/NSHC. Village residents can call their clinics to schedule an appointment. Please call the CAMP Department at 443-3365 if you have any questions.

Join us also on Instagram @nshchealthfair March 8-19th for fun events, great health information and fantastic giveaways.
Join our virtual baby shower for new and expecting families in the Bering Strait / Norton Sound region by joining the Facebook Event here. This will be a great opportunity for new families that are seeking advice and looking for ways to connect with your baby while participating in fun activities!
If you are seeking long-term services, need a brief consultation, or are in crisis, know that Behavioral Health Services can be reached in several different ways.

  1. To schedule an appointment with a provider for non-emergency needs, call (907) 443-3344.
  2. For crises during the day, Urgent Care is available Monday through Friday from 8 A.M to 5 P.M. Call (907) 443-3344.
  3. After 5 P.M., After Hours support is available on weekdays, holidays, and all hours on Saturday and Sunday by calling the Nurse Call Line at 443-6411 and asking for Behavioral Health Services.

A Behavioral Health Consultant is available per request during your Primary Care appointments.
The NSHC Pharmacy in Nome is now offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations, Monday through Friday from 9a.m. to 12p.m. and 1p.m. to 3p.m. While there is no appointment necessary during these hours, patients who have scheduled an appointment will take preference over walk-in patients. Please note that NSHC cannot accommodate walk-ins during the lunch hour, after 3p.m., or on the weekend. For priority vaccinations, please schedule an appointment at www.picktime.com/NSHC

In the village, if you would like to receive your COVID-19 vaccination, please contact your local clinic to be placed on a waiting list.
NSHC COVID-19 Data Dashboard:

Stay up to date by visiting the latest Situation Report Weekly Update
Are you experiencing a crisis? Please call Behavioral Health Services.
For Urgent Care Services, call 907-443-3344 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
For After Hours emergencies, call 907-443-6411 and ask for a Behavioral Health Services consultant.