March 9, 2023
Birth Center receives
High 5 Premier Recognition
CHCS has continued its commitment to improving the health of moms and babies by earning High 5 for Mom & Baby Premier recognition for the second straight year. High 5 for Mom & Baby is a program developed by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to increase and support breastfeeding in Kansas.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund for our efforts to support successful breastfeeding. We’ve participated in the High 5 program for the past seven years, and we are proud to achieve Premier status for the second year in a row,” said Mindy Olberding, chief nursing officer at Community HealthCare System, or CHCS. 

The High 5 program provides resources and a framework to help Kansas hospitals and birth facilities implement 10 evidence-based practices proven to support successful breastfeeding, thus improving maternal and infant health outcomes. 
March is National Nutrition Month
The National Nutrition month annual campaign is 50 years old this year. This year's theme is "Fuel for the Future." Eating with sustainability in mind is a tasty way to nourish ourselves during every phase of life and protect the environment.

Think about your eating and drinking habits this month. What is one thing you can do daily to help improve your eating habits or make you more physically active? Each week, we will be providing tips from the Academy along with a handout with further nutrition education. Make this your best and healthiest month yet of 2023.
 
This week's tips: Eat with the environment in mind.
  • Enjoy more plant-based meals and snacks. Read additional tips on plant-based eating.
  • Purchase foods with minimal packaging.
  • Buy foods in season and shop locally when possible.
  • Start a container or backyard garden to grow food at home.
Click the green button to take the Nutrition Month Quiz and be entered to win some great prizes (to be announced later). Good luck!
Colonoscopy 'nothing to be afraid of'
Olivia Hoffman is only 19 years old, but she’s already had a colonoscopy. Screening for colorectal cancer doesn’t usually begin until age 45, but because an older sister experienced some health problems and a colonoscopy revealed multiple polyps, the rest of the family was advised to get checked out.
 
Olivia and other family members came to Community HealthCare System in Onaga. Olivia said her colonoscopy was easier than she thought it was going to be.

“Everyone there was nice and got me in quickly. The procedure went smoothly. I had one pre-cancerous polyp that was removed quickly, and I was very happy with it all!” Olivia said.
 
Olivia and her nine sisters could have a hereditary condition called familial adenomatous polyposis. Test results are pending. Their mother, Amber Hoffman, said she is “positively beyond grateful” for the care her family has received at Community HealthCare System.
 
“We chose to go to Onaga to Dr. Weiser because it was personal care and not in-and-out colonoscopies. Once we started pulling back the layers of this problem, I chose to turn our whole family over to his care. He has opened up the windows of information for us to learn about this hidden disease,” Amber said.
No one wants to have an injury, especially at work. We would love to have a 100% accident-free environment, but the reality is that accidents can happen. It is OK to report an injury. When you report an injury, it does not affect your status within CHCS. Reporting accidents helps us find problems and identify solutions so we can avoid injuries in the future.
 
What should CHCS associates do if they have a work-related injury?
 
1. Perform first aid to affected site. 
2. Inform your manager or direct supervisor of incident. 
  • Your manager or supervisor will help you get the treatment you need for your injury. They will direct you to the closest CHCS facility that is best equipped to treat your injuries. 
  • Manager will initiate the Incident Report online
  • Go to Quality Data Check website.  
  • Click on "Submit an Incident Report"
  • Fill in the data; the more specific, the better. 
  • If information is missing, the Employee Health Nurse will complete it during her follow-up with the associate.

Next steps:
 
  1. All associates who have a work-related accident will go to lab to do a urine drug screen. (OSHA is currently reviewing this rule, and we are waiting for changes. Until the rule is final, we will continue to do urine drug screens on all associates with work-related accidents). 
  2. Your manager or supervisor will notify the Employee Health Nurse, who will then contact the associate and help get needed care.
 
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great day, and thanks for all you do to make CHCS a great place to work!
 
-- Christina Hasenkamp, RN BSN
Employee Health Nurse
Ext. 5109
Let the Madness begin!
The CHCS Spirit Squad is excited to offer a friendly March Madness competition. All are invited to join!

We will use Pool Host, an online pool hosting service. Here's how it works:

  1. Log in or create an account at http://wwwpoolhost.com
  2. Go to the 'Pool Tools' menu and choose 'Join a Private Pool'.
  3. To Join the pool, enter the Pool ID and Pool Password. The Pool ID is 63380. The Pool Password is CHCSKS.
  4. 'Confirm' to join the pool 'CHCS Madness 2023'
Additional notes: The next time you login in to http://www.poolhost.com, you can get back to your pool(s) by going to 'Pool Tools' then 'My Pools,' where you'll see all the pools you've joined. Clicking on a pool name will take you to that pool. You can switch to a different pool by going to 'Pool Tools' then 'My Pools' again at any time.

Completed brackets are due by 12 noon on Tuesday, March 14. A reminder will go out on Monday morning, and hard copies will be available for those who are not able to use the online tool. Hard copies must be scanned and sent to marchmadness@chcsks.org by 12 noon Tuesday.

Thanks to our friends in IT for their willingness to run this activity for all of us!

Questions? Email marchmadness@chcsks.org
Welcome
We are happy to have the following associates joining us. Welcome, all!

  • McKenzie Davis, Patient Account Representative, Onaga Business Office
  • Lorena Pino, Interpreter, Holton Clinic
  • Stephanie Carter, RN, Onaga Acute
  • Marissa Sauvage, Fitness Center Aide, Onaga
  • Pam Steinmeyer, Dietary Aide, Onaga
  • Madison Huffman, Dietary Aide, Onaga
  • Elizabeth Lundholm, LPN, Eastridge
Baby boom!
Surgery had a baby boom the last 4 months. Here are before and after pictures of our new additions.

Congratulations to Hannah Karn, pictured below with babies Tatum and Campell, Kayla Jones with baby Duke, and Calley Adams with baby Andie.
Classroom to Career
Jason McKinsey, Radiology Manager, completed the fourth of five Classroom to Career visits to USD 322 Onaga fourth graders this week.
 
Jason spoke about the education required to become a radiologist or radiographic technologist, how radiology helps providers diagnose patients, and different imaging modalities and what they are used for. He also showed students radiographic images and gave them a six-question human anatomy quiz. Thank you, Jason!
 
The Classroom to Career program is sponsored by the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation, and its aim is to help students learn about jobs right here in northeast Kansas. In addition to visiting the class with different speakers, CHCS will also host the students for a field trip later in the spring. 
Careers @ K-State
CHCS attended the K-State College of Business Career Fair this week. It's great to get back to some face-to-face communication and recruitment! Thanks to Cindy Flentie and Nancy Berges for representing us.
Community events and important reminders

  • The Kansas Hospital Association invites scholarship applications from those currently enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited Kansas school for health care. Awards will be given in undergraduate health care (non-nursing), undergraduate nursing, advanced clinical practice, health care administration, and human resources categories. Applications are due March 10. Learn more and apply.

  • Nominations for the spring 2023 DAISY Award are due March 17. Know someone who'd like to nominate a nurse? Direct them to our online nomination form or have them ask for a hard copy form at their clinic. A note to nominators: In describing why you are nominating a nurse, please provide as many details as possible.

  • EMT and Advanced EMT classes will be available at Jackson County EMS in Holton starting March 13 and 14. Scholarships, grants, and financial assistance are available for those who qualify. Find more info.

  • CHCS will hold a Health Fair with low-cost labs in Holton and St. Marys on April 29. We are happy to be offering low-cost labs to these communities, but it takes many hands to hold a successful event. Please SIGN UP to help!
CHCS menus: Onaga and Eastridge

 
St. Marys menus are available each morning through the Activities chronicle.
Coffee and Gift Shop Delights
Special: March 13-17

Lucky Shamrock Latte
  • White chocolate & creme de menthe
  • 16 oz., $4
  • Hot, cold, or frappe
Ready for the wearing of the green?

Purchase a green CHCS T-shirt for $15 from the Gift Shop, and all proceeds will benefit the CHCS Greater Giving Scholarship fund.

Details: Visit or call the Gift Shop (ext. 5045/5059) to purchase. Cash or check only. Make checks to CHCS with Greater Giving in the memo line. We are happy to send shirts via courier!
Redbud supports colon cancer awareness
Redbud residents wore blue for colon cancer awareness last week. Looking good!
Finding balance

Redbud residents participated in an 8-week “Matter of Balance” class with Mary Abitz. Mary talked about balance as we age and what we can do to help prevent falls. Physical Therapist Maribelle Collado is also providing exercises for residents. Thank you, Mary and Maribelle!
Final funny
Did you miss your Connection?

Important information is relayed every week in the E-Connection. If you miss it in your email, an archive is available on our website. Visit the For Associates page, then click E-Connection Archive.
Send items for the E-Connection or for sharing with our broader social media audience to sarahhancock@chcsks.org. Please send items by close of business on Tuesdays when possible. Ideas are welcome!