October 8, 2020

Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week

This week is National Healthcare Foodservice Week! Foodservice workers do many important things. They: Prepare nutritious meals for our patients, residents, surgery patients, outpatients, associates, and visitors; Make special texture modifications as needed so those who have swallowing or chewing issues can eat better; Provide special supplements and snacks as ordered to ensure that nutritional needs are being met; Help patients and residents stay nourished and give them something to look forward to three times a day; Visit with our residents as able and help encourage them to eat; Prepare us meals (at work) so that we don't have to pack our meals if we don't want to; and Do the everyday cleaning, dishwashing, food prep, food serving and putting stock away to ensure a smooth service. Our foodservice associates provide a vital service to our organization, and we are grateful to all of them. Please thank your foodservice peers (a few are pictured below) for the work they do to help us enrich the health and lives of the people we serve. Many thanks to the associated listed below as well as to everyone who has helped fill in when needed in the last few months!

Eastridge Camden Conley Hailie Domann Helen Eaton Irene Kiefer Jim Spry Karen Zartman Kim Domann Marissa O'Roke Michelle Gibbs Theresa Meade Tracy Myers St. Marys Alexis Pineda Amanda Palmeri Carol Wells Charlene Porter Christina Gallegos Donna Ronnebaum Katherine Flentie Lisa Hostetler Maria Landolfi Matthew Betty Sophia Dowd

Onaga Holly Schmitz Abbie Flentie Amanda Norris Danae Haug Donnie Wright Emma Kolterman Hannah Kolterman Kyler Bernritter Laura Horgan Lofia Daniels Matthew Stallbaumer Teresa Miller Elaine Stephenson Taylor Falk

Zoom for associates: Quarantine questions Quarantine, modified quarantine, exposure, close contacts … it’s a lot to sort out. Many associates have questions about how exposures to COVID-19 could affect their ability to work, who makes decisions about quarantine and modified quarantine requirements, and so on. Join a Zoom meeting for associates TODAY (October 8) from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. to learn more. Find information in your email or click the button below to join. Please note that a meeting ID and passcode are now required. The meeting ID is 918 2459 6569, and the passcode is 039847.  Questions can be sent in advance to info@chcsks.org, submitted anonymously through this survey link, or asked through the chat function during the meeting. A recording of the meeting will be available in Public Folders > COVID19 Updates later this afternoon, and we'll send the link via email.

Join the meeting

Temporary nurse aide opportunity If you know someone who needs a job, someone who is looking for a way to help during the pandemic, or someone who is contemplating a career in healthcare, please share information about the temporary nurse aide program. A free 8-hour online course plus onsite training can prepare a temporary nurse aide and help meet critical staff shortages. Click the flyer at left to find details or to download for sharing.

And speaking of opportunities ... We're looking for a few volunteers! We have two groups forming to make some fun plans. Fighting COVID fatigue: Lorraine Meyer is heading up a system wide group charged with lifting our spirits and having some fun during these days of COVID fatigue. The name is TBD. Morale Committee? Fun Committee? Spirit Team? Maybe that's your first decision. Onaga/Redbud Halloween Committee: We're looking for people who want to work on a Halloween event for associates' children and the community that would be centered around Redbud residents. The event should be outdoors and feature kids parading by Redbud and receiving treats (perhaps a "trunk or treat"). If you're interested in either option, please email info@chcsks.org ASAP to let us know!

"Science is self-correcting" Changing guidance and recommendations have been a source of frustration for everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's important to remember that as we learn more, we do better. A recent article from Nebraska Medicine explains how changes don't mean that scientists and researchers aren't doing their jobs. The graphic (see below) is especially helpful. Use it as a reminder for yourself or for family and friends that our knowledge and best practices are always evolving ... and that's a good thing!

PAPR training Derek Surdez, PT, and other associates from Rehabilitation and Fitness recently had an opportunity to be trained on using a powered air purifying respirator, or PAPR. Christina Hasenkamp has provided the training to many associates in the last few months. The training was part of a socially distanced department lunch and meeting (see photos, below) last week in Onaga.

Flu shots in progress Flu shot clinics are ongoing; find times and details. Please be sure to get your shot during a scheduled clinic. Because of the workload associated with COVID-19, Employee Health is unable to offer individual flu shots by appointment or accommodate walk-in requests at this time. The flu shot is a condition of employment at CHCS. Be sure to bring your completed flu shot consent and annual health assessment with you to the flu shot clinic. Find documents in Public Folders > Employee Health > Influenza or in PowerDMS (search for flu vaccination & health assessment). The flu shot deadline is October 30, 2020. Questions? Contact Christina Hasenkamp at ext. 5109.

CHCS on KSNT Merica Surdez, APRN and chief of provider and clinic operations, graced the small screen on KSNT's October 7 Health Check segment. Merica talked with reporter Lindley Lund about the challenges of maintaining good mental health during pregnancy in a time of increased anxiety and isolation because of COVID-19. Many thanks to Danielle Baxter, RN, for helping serve as Merica's "patient" for background footage. We appreciate her acting skills!

Call for Wish List applications The Greater Giving program offers associates an opportunity to give back to CHCS. One available fund is the Wish List. CHCS departments, long-term care, and clinics may apply for small grants from the Greater Giving Wish List fund to meet program or patient needs that emerge after budgets are established or for needs that budgets have not been able to accommodate. COVID-19 delayed our spring plans to award Wish List grants and probably delayed some applications, so the Greater Giving Committee is reopening applications for 2020 Wish List purchases. Applications are due Monday, November 2 at 5:00 p.m. The application and guidelines are available on Power DMS. Grants will be announced in November. Those who submitted applications earlier this year need not resubmit. Want to find out more about Greater Giving? Find information in the "For Associates" section of the CHCS website. Donate by filling out a form during Open Enrollment in November or by contacting Human Resources to set up a one-time or repeated payroll deduction. Cash or checks are also accepted.

Did you know that cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries? Or that unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires? Fire Prevention Week (this week!) is a great time to review fire prevention tips in the kitchen and elsewhere in your home, to find a kitchen safety checklist, to review home fire escape plans, and more. Find resources from the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal.

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.

Welcome We are happy to have the following associates joining us. Welcome to CHCS! Mary Kay Smith, dietary cook/aide, Onaga Debra Morgan, LPN, Eastridge Jenae Winkler, Redbud manager/operator Marion "Dee" Schell, RN, Onaga Acute

Mark those calendars! Be sure you are registered to vote! The deadline is October 13. Advance and in-person voting can begin October 14 for the November 3 election. Find information and a link to register online on the Kansas Secretary of State website. Help with an emergency blood shortage by giving blood at CHCS on Friday, October 16. Appointments are preferred. View available appointments and reserve your time online or call Marlene Wolfe at extension 5002.

Coffee Shop special October 12-16 Salted caramel coconut latte Hot, iced, or frappe 16 oz., $4

Apparel order update The NZone store remains open through October 27. Samples of laser-etched jackets and other items are traveling around the system and should be back in Onaga next week. Items ordered from NZone ship directly to you. The Gift Shop will not be ordering additional apparel stock from NZone at this time, so be sure to order before it's too late! Visit https://shopchcs.myshopify.com/ to order. Questions about NZone apparel items are best addressed to Michelle Burgess at NZone; her number is listed at the bottom of each page on the store site.

CHCS menus View menus for October 11-17 for Onaga and Eastridge. Note: St. Marys menus are available each morning through the Activities chronicle.

Final funny

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!

‌ ‌