In the News
Hope for women with bladder control issues
Awareness campaign aims to help women talk about their struggles
No one wants to admit they sometimes wet their pants -- although roughly one in three women will face urinary incontinence issues during her lifetime. Black River Memorial Hospital (BRMH) and its medical staff want to make it easier for women to discuss urinary incontinence, a condition that causes involuntary loss of urine.
“Women don’t mention their incontinence unless they’re having pretty severe problems with it,” said Lea Coville, M.D., a Krohn Clinic family medicine physician. “They try to manage it with liners or pads or by changing the things they do before they talk to anybody about it. They assume it’s just part of getting older and being a woman.”
The severity can vary from leaking just enough to create a small wet spot in underwear to soaking all the way through outer garments.
“The problem with letting it develop into a more serious issue is that it’s easier to stop the progression when it first starts,” Coville said. “Women need to be more open about their problems and we, as providers, need to ask more, too. Once the topic is out in the open, there is hope for a normal, healthy life.” Coville will be a featured speaker at a free community program on urinary incontinence set for March 29 at BRMH. Details on the program are at the end of this article.
Also speaking at the community program will be Josiah Nelson, M.D., a Western Wisconsin Urology specialist who sees patients at the Krohn Clinic and BRMH. He explained that urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition. “It’s a difficult condition because even the simplest case can affect someone’s social, sexual or professional life when left untreated,” he said.
The types of incontinence are aptly named for the symptoms experienced: those suffering from urge incontinence suddenly feel like they have to urinate; people with stress incontinence leak urine when they exercise, laugh or cough; those diagnosed with mixed have a combination of urge and stress incontinence.
“Leakage is a lifestyle issue that both men and women choose to live with because it isn’t life-threatening,” said Nelson. “But ignoring it can lead to depression and keep them away from activities they used to enjoy – maybe they’re afraid to go out to dinner or take a hike in the woods.”
One initial treatment option that shows great promise for treating women with urinary incontinence is the new “Roll for Control” program available in the Rehabilitation Services Department at BRMH. Kathy Eggebakken, a physical therapist at BRMH who treats incontinence patients said for most women, it is difficult to know if they are doing Kegel exercises right. “I really believe that our program allows them to do the exercise and know that they’re doing them correctly,” she said. “They will see the benefit in not leaking.”
Eggebakken explained therapy begins with an anatomy lesson and a preview of the exercises that lie ahead. “In addition to the special exercises, the program works on rebalancing the autonomic nervous system and teaching lifestyle and behavior changes,” she said.
Although many women find relief through medication or exercise, there are some who simply need advanced help. Technologies continue to make diagnosing and treating incontinence easier – and the future looks even brighter.
Today, there’s a test to measure urine flow that acts like an EKG for the bladder. Treatments range from injecting Botox into the bladder to using a pacemaker-like device inside the bladder to reprogram it.
Nelson said research is underway in the United States looking at the use of stem cells to replace muscle cells in the bladder sphincter. “Similar studies around the world found great benefit to incontinence patients, although long-term success is still being measured,” he said.
One of the more common treatments specialists use is surgery. “The vaginal sling is an outpatient procedure that creates support to prevent uncontrollable leakage,” Nelson said. “While early versions had some issues, I am quite impressed with the long-term outlook of current modalities.”
Stop hiding, start seeking – New options for bladder control issues
To learn more about bladder control issues and treatment options, BRMH will be hosting a free community program at 6:30 p.m. March 29 in the 1st floor Dorothy Halvorson Conference Room. Both Lea Coville, MD and Josiah Nelson, MD will be speakers. Refreshments and sign-in will begin at 6 p.m. and everyone attending will receive two free movie tickets. To register, people can call 715-284-1330. For a video preview of the program, go to www.brmh.net/stophiding. People can sign up to follow tweets on Twitter at BRMHospital, and can follow and contribute live during the program by going to #BRMH.
Scrubs/Uniforms Sale coming March 23rd
The public is invited to the Partners of Black River Memorial Hospital’s “Scrubs/Uniforms Sale” fund-raiser through Uniforms Direct. It will be held Tuesday, March 23rd from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in a mobile, custom-built “mini-mall” with a dressing room that will be located in the hospital east parking lot.
There will be a large variety of scrubs/uniforms in many sizes, styles and colors for sale in addition to shoes, socks, and other accessories. Also offered will be racks of close-out uniforms at reduced prices. Accepted will be VISA and MasterCard credit cards, payroll deduction for hospital staff as well as cash and personal checks.
All proceeds from this Scrub Sale go to the Partners’ Art Committee for the maintenance of artwork throughout the hospital and the purchase of new.
Members of Partners invite everyone to stop and see the variety of scrubs/uniforms and accessories available for purchase.
Are you sleeping?
National Sleep Awareness Week, March 7th through March 13th, is an annual public education and awareness campaign to promote the importance of sleep.
With daylight savings time beginning Sunday, March 14th at 2 a.m., clocks “spring forward” one hour and many Americans lose a precious hour of sleep.
According to Jackie Ellingson, CRT, manager of Black River Memorial Hospital’s Respiratory Care Department sleep problems are on the rise and Americans are seeking solutions. “A 2009 survey by the National Sleep Foundation found that 20% of Americans report that they get less than six hours of sleep on average,” she said. “This has increased significantly since 2001 when that number was 13%. The 2009 survey also found that the number of Americans who report that they get eight hours or more sleep has decreased since 2001 from 38% to 28%.”
While some sleep problems are due to areas we can control, such as too much caffeine, alcohol consumption or staying up to late to watch TV, some are caused by medical conditions.
Ellingson said that one condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. “The apnea in sleep apnea refers to a breathing pause that lasts at least ten seconds,” she said. “OSA occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open, despite efforts to breathe.”
Another form of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea. “With central sleep apnea, the brain fails to properly control breathing during sleep,” Ellingson said, “but OSA is far more common than central sleep apnea.”
More than 18 million American adults have sleep apnea. OSA occurs in all age groups and both sexes, but there are a number of factors that increase risk. These risk factors include having a small upper airway, large tongue, tonsils or uvula, being overweight, having a recessed chin, small jaw or a large overbite, a large neck size, smoking and alcohol use, age 40 or older, and ethnicity. In addition, OSA seems to run in some families, suggesting a possible genetic basis.
“Early diagnosis and treatment are important because if untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, memory and mood problems,” said Ellingson. “Sleep apnea also increases the risk of automobile crashes.”
Studies have also shown that there is a possible connection with decreased sleep time and excessive hunger. “Decreased sleep was associated with an increase and a decrease of certain hormones and showed an increase in hunger, especially for salty food and sweets,” Ellingson said.
Diagnosis of sleep apnea is made in a Sleep Lab through a polysomnography test, which monitors, through electrodes and sensors, a patient during sleep. Brain activity, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, oxygen levels and air flow are some of the functions that are monitored.
There are different ways to treat OSA. Ellingson says that the most common and effective treatment is with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. “The CPAP blows air into the patient’s airway through a mask and acts as an air splint to keep the airway open during sleep,” she said. “But, not everyone can tolerate CPAP.”
Other methods of treating sleep apnea include dental appliances, which reposition the lower jaw and tongue, and upper airway surgery to remove tissue in the airway. In general, these approaches are most helpful for mild disease or heavy snoring.
“If people have daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep or any other sleeping difficulties, we encourage them to make an appointment with their physician to discuss their problem,” said Ellingson. “Insurance will pay for treatment of sleep apnea if patients meet certain criteria.”
Sleep studies are done at Black River Memorial Hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings by Registered Sleep Technologist Cathy Breining. Krohn Clinic physician Etson Cameron, M.D. is board certified in sleep medicine and is the medical director of the hospital’s Sleep Lab. He sees all patients prior to a sleep study with a referral from their primary physician. For more information about the hospital’s Sleep Lab, contact the Respiratory Care Department at 284-3670.
“Community Health, Wellness and Safety Fair” planned for this spring
Plans are well underway for a “Community Health, Wellness and Safety Fair,” which will be held at the Milt Lunda Memorial Arena at the Fair Park in Black River Falls on Thursday, May 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Letters of invitation to potential exhibitors have been sent to many area health care agencies and organizations. If any organization is interested in participating and did not receive the letter, contact Sarah Osegard at Black River Memorial Hospital at 284-3606. The deadline for exhibitor registration is April 23rd.
This year’s Health Fair is being sponsored by the Greater Black River Area Safety Council, who received a grant from the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. Representatives from local health care organizations and agencies serve on the planning committee and they are preparing to offer the public a variety of free resource materials, screening tests, and presentations. More details on the Health Fair will follow at a later date.
Practicing sun-safe behavior does make a difference
Cancer prevention efforts must begin at an early age if we want to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. We know that health-related habits learned in childhood carry through to adult life and if we can teach our children to make healthy choices when they are young, their chance of becoming healthy adults increases. And the good news is that skin cancer is often highly preventable.
- There is no such thing as a healthy tan.
- Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States with more than one million skin cancers diagnosed annually.
- One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more that doubles a person’s chances of developing skin cancer later in life.
- People who have the highest risk of skin cancer have many irregular moles or large moles. Another high risk group includes those with close blood relatives who have had melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) or who have had melanoma before. Other people who develop skin cancer may have fair skin that burns and freckles easily, as well as naturally red or blond hair.
- Although melanoma is less common among people with darker skin who rarely get sunburned, no one is risk free.
- Shadow rule: when outside if your shadow is shorter than you are, then the sun is high in the sky, and ultraviolet (UV) rays are more intense. The sun’s rays are generally strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- UV rays reflect off water, sand, snow, and sun.
- More than 90% of skin cancer is caused by excessive exposure to the sun.
- Tanning booths are not safer than the sun. Tanning booths use UV rays which cause skin damage.
Apply sunscreen every day on skin that is not protected by clothing or a hat. Choose a sunscreen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and remember to reapply after swimming, sweating, towel drying and after every 2 hours. If you know approximately how long it takes your child to start turning red without protection, you can make sure you are using the right amount of sunscreen by taking this length of time in minutes and multiplying it by the sunscreen’s SPF. This is how many minutes the sunscreen should protect your child’s skin. For example: if your child generally starts to burn in 10 minutes and you are using sunscreen with an SPF of 15, your child should be protected for 150 minutes. If you are unsure how to determine this length of time, check with your health care provider. Take the time to teach your children sun safety and teach children to appreciate the beauty of their natural skin tone. Sources: American cancer Society, The Skin Cancer Foundation, Familydoctor.org
Mary Beth White-Jacobs achieves Fellow status from American College of Healthcare Executives
Stan Gaynor, president and chief executive officer of Black River Memorial Hospital has announced that Mary Beth White-Jacobs, RN, BSN, MHA, vice president of patient care services recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.
“Because healthcare management ultimately affects the people in the communities our hospital serves, we are committed to promoting a standard of excellence for all our employees,” said Gaynor. “By becoming an ACHE Fellow and earning board certification from ACHE, Mary Beth shows a strong commitment to provide high-quality service to our patients and the communities we serve.”
According to Gaynor, Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development and only 8,500 healthcare executives hold this distinction. “To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experience criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional and community involvement,” he explained. “Fellows are also committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years. All of us at Black River Memorial Hospital congratulate Mary Beth on this high achievement.”
Hospice is recruiting volunteers
Black River Memorial Hospice is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on an ongoing fundraising committee. “We are in need of people who are willing to be on a continuing committee to explore ways to increase our fundraising efforts,” explains Cindy Clark, coordinator of hospice volunteers.
Clark says attributes of a good fundraising volunteer are someone with vision, motivation, a willingness to act, a sense of priority, and enthusiasm to work with others involved in the hospice program.
One task of this fundraising committee will be to help with this year’s Hats Off for Hospice. “This year’s biggest hospice fundraiser, our Hats Off for Hospice variety show, will be held this fall,” says Clark, “and we will need many hands to help us organize this show and help to keep everything on track.”
If interested in helping, A Hats Off for Hospice creative planning meeting will be held Tuesday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at Rozario’s Pizza & Pasta, 42 North First Street in Black River Falls. The meeting is open to anyone interested in providing input for this show.
Hospice Manager Ellen Ness says proceeds from fundraisers are used for many purposes. “These funds can go toward non-covered equipment or services, continuing staff education, or grief and bereavement services,” she says. In addition, Ness says other uses include community education and outreach programs; clinical education and training programs; volunteer recruitment, coordination and training; equipment loan closet, and Kathy’s Fund.
“Kathy’s Fund was named after one of our hospice patients,” explains Ness. “This fund allows families and patients to obtain things that make their last wishes come true, or to pay for things not ordinarily covered by hospice funding. Donations and fundraisers help our patients and families continue to enjoy all the support of the hospice team at the highest level of care and quality, for which we’ve become known.”
Anyone interested in helping Black River Memorial Hospice by serving on an ongoing fundraising committee or helping with Hats Off for Hospice should contact Cindy Clark at 715-284-1391.
Partners’ scholarship applications are available
Application forms for the Partners of Black River Memorial Hospital’s Health Career Scholarships are now available at the hospital and at area high schools, universities and technical colleges. The deadline for submitting applications is April 15, 2010.
There are six health career scholarships available: A Technical College Scholarship for $1,000 to a student who has been accepted in a technical college and is pursuing a health career; a Health Career Scholarship for $2,000 to a third year or above college student who has been accepted in a health-related program at a non-technical college or university; the Ida E. Instenes and Mabel Stai Scholarship for $1,500 to a third year, or above, college student who is enrolled in a health-related program at a non-technical college or university; the David and Donna Demask Certified Nursing Assistant Scholarships (two) for $400 each to two students who have been accepted into a certified nursing assistant program; and the Mary Larkin Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 to a student who has been accepted in a health care program in a technical college or a university and is pursuing a patient care health career.
Selection of the recipients will be done after the April 15th application deadline by a committee composed of members of partners, a guidance counselor from a Jackson County high school, and a health professional from the community. Scholarships will be awarded on or before August 15, 2010 or before the start of the program.
Applicants must be a resident of Jackson County; or a graduate of a Jackson County High School; or currently employed at a health care facility or agency in Jackson County for a minimum of one year.
For more information or to obtain an application, contact Jennifer Hill 284-1325 at Black River Memorial Hospital. The application is also available for download.
Scholarship Application