Photo by BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

Allen College nursing students study for fi nal exams.

THE COURIERPAGE 2 SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010www.wcfcourier.com

Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who provide primary and specialty care. They have education and training beyond what is required of a registered nurse. In addition to diagnosing and managing acute and chronic illness, nurse practitioners place a strong emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. Today, there are more than 125,000 nurse practitioners in the United States.

Janel Thompson, nurse practi-tioner, plays an important role in keeping area residents healthy. She provides primary care and ear, nose and throat services to the residents of Waverly and surrounding communities.

Thompson practices at the Christophel Clinic at Waverly Health Center. Previously, she worked with Dr. Ann Bell in her ear, nose and throat clinic in Waverly. When Bell closed her practice, patients were con-cerned that they would not be able to receive the same services locally. However, with Thomp-son’s transition to the Chris-tophel Clinic, she is able to con-tinue to provide treatment for chronic and acute ear, nose and throat conditions.

Services include:Ear cleanings with a surgical

microscope.Ear and sinus cultures.Nosebleed care.Management of sinus

disease.Management of hoarseness,

throat clearing and chronic cough.

For patients in need of ear, nose or throat surgery, care can be provided by Dr. Joseph Hart, a visiting specialist at the health center.

“I am pleased with the smooth transition to the new clinic,” Thompson said. “I know it is easier for my patients because they are familiar with the facil-ity. They can be confi dent that they will receive the same level of care. I have the same specialty equipment in the new clinic.”

Thompson received her bache-

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lor’s degree and master’s degree from Allen College. At Allen, she specialized in family practice.

“I enjoy being a nurse prac-titioner because of the time I get to spend getting to know my patients and the opportunity to continue to learn,” she said.

Thompson also provides fam-

ily medical services at Chris-tophel Clinic.

“Transitioning back into a family practice setting has been interesting and rewarding,” she said. “It is nice to be able to coach patients about what they can do to make sure they stay healthy.”

Thompson also works closely with three other members of the Christophel Clinic team. Dr. Clay Dahlquist and Sarah DeVore, nurse practitioner, join her in providing family medical services. In addition, Jennifer Schneiderman, a licensed inde-pendent social worker and cer-

tifi ed grief counselor, provides mental health and counseling services. In the fall, pediatrician Dr. Stacy Wagner will join the clinic.

For more information about ear, nose and throat or family medical services at Christophel Clinic, call 483-1390.

A SALUTE TO NURSES

Advanced practice nurse provides specialized care

THE COURIER PAGE 3SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 www.wcfcourier.com

Waterloo | Grundy Center | IndependenceWaverly | Hospice Home

800.617.1972 | cvhospice.org

At Cedar Valley Hospice,

our nurses are experts in

end-of-life care and are

committed to excellence.

Thank you for Making Each Moment Matter.

A SALUTE TO NURSES

Experts: Next decade will bring great demand for nursesBy TINA HINZ

tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com

WATERLOO — A nursing shortage has yet to hit the Cedar Valley.

But the area is not immune. The future may hold a bleaker fate.

Area health offi cials say the economic recession discouraged retirement and prompted many nurses to ask for extra hours.

“I have seen just since the fi rst of the year a number of our nurses ... are now coming forward with retirement dates,” said Nancy Weber, vice president/chief nurs-ing offi cer of mission integra-tion for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare.

Several December graduates from Allen College just recently found local positions, said assis-tant professor Peg Broadie. Some hospitals have been forced to make cutbacks, and openings are hard to come by. People aren’t coming into the hospital as frequently, and

fewer nurses are expected to take care of more patients.

“With the recession and some people losing jobs, new graduates are competing with more experi-enced nurses for positions,” said Teresa Isaacson, who graduated with a master’s degree in science and nursing from Allen in Decem-ber. She has since joined the fac-ulty there, teaching obstetrics and pediatric clinical, and works at Covenant.

But the demand for nurses is cyclical, Broadie said. When she graduated from the University of Iowa in December 1984, she land-ed only part-time work.

“I was kind of in the same boat,” she said. “I had to take nights in a unit that wasn’t my fi rst specialty.”

While Covenant Medical Cen-ter has a low vacancy rate, other parts of the country are expe-riencing recruitment troubles. Larger cities off er multiple health care systems, and employees have

a tendency to jump around.Movement between Waterloo’s

two large health care facilities is “fairly minimal,” which provides more stability, Weber said.

Even so, Covenant foresees a

huge gap 10 years down the road as baby boomers age and need more medical attention, said Vicki Parsons, vice president of human resources at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare.

According to Parsons:Health care work force needs

are expected to grow by 24 percent in the next 10 years.

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Nursing students Leah Koelker, left, and April Jeffrey begin their pathophysiology fi nal exam with classmates at Allen College. Nurses always will be in demand, industry experts say.

BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer

See DEMAND, page 6

THE COURIERPAGE 4 SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010www.wcfcourier.com

NURSESPart Time 2nd shift LPN/RN

Casual/PRN LPN/RNApply in person at:

Cedar Falls Lutheran Home7511 University Ave., Cedar Falls, IA 50613

www.cflh.org

HealthcareEmployment

E.O.E.

A SALUTE TO NURSES

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare nurses recognized There is a sense of pride when

employees take the company’s mission, vision and values to heart. At Wheaton Francis-can Healthcare, several nurses will be honored for their com-mitment to patients and the organization.

Linda Dart, a licensed prac-tical nurse at Covenant Clinic Family Practice, Suite 210, is being honored for her outstand-ing compassion for patients. She has visited patients in the

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nursing home, sent cards and spends time lending an ear or giving a gentle hug. Linda often stays late to make sure patients receive test results in a timely manner. If a patient receives a challenging diagnosis, she spends extra time with the patient and the family to com-fort them and explain the diag-nosis and next steps. Linda’s heart is truly for the patient and she continues to educate herself about the latest in patient care.

Christine “Chris” Larsen, a registered nurse in the Covenant Medical Center Family Birth Center, truly touches patients and the future in her role in the NICU by caring for premature babies and their families. Chris assists during the labor/delivery process by holding the patient’s hand, assisting the labor nurse

■ or keeping the support per-son informed. She goes above and beyond in educating the families and anticipating their needs. Chris is one of four RNs who help transport babies safe-ly to other facilities for addi-tional care. Chris is a mentor to

Hy-Vee helps make healthier community

By HEIDI OBERRIEDER

Nurses are a vital part of the health care team working to make our community healthier. Hy-vee has joined the team by providing in-store dietitians and pharma-cists to extend the work of nurses into the retail marketplace. These professionals support custom-ers as they work to follow the instructions given by nurses and doctors.

Hy-Vee dietitian services include biometric health screenings to help you keep tabs on your blood pres-sure, body mass index and glucose and cholesterol levels. In selected stores, the pharmacy provides a membership program that will take your blood pressure on a con-tinual basis and fax results to your doctor. Hy-Vee dietitians will take customers on a store tour to fi nd foods appropriate to special dietary needs like low sodium, low sugar, heart-healthy and gluten-free.

To help customers make health-ier choices in the supermarket, Hy-Vee dietitians utilize the NuVal nutrition scoring system. Each product in the store is given a NuVal score between 1 (least healthy) and 100 (most healthy). A com-plex math formula is used to find the NuVal score, considering both healthy and unhealthy nutrients. Located on the product price tag, a NuVal score allows customers to make quick nutrition comparisons between items without dealing with confusing product claims.

Living a healthy lifestyle is easy when you follow the advice of your health care team. Doctors may be the entry point to understand-ing your own health issues, but it is allied health professionals like nurses, dietitians and pharmacists who provide the nuts and bolts of health management.

To help you lead a healthier life-style, Hy-Vee dietitians join nurs-es in suggesting these simple tips for living healthier and happier:

See HY-VEE, page 7

COURTESY PHOTO

IWON award winners are, from left, Melinda Satterlee, Denise Rogers and Linda Dart. Not pictured is Christine Larson.

See NURSES, page 7

THE COURIER PAGE 5SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 www.wcfcourier.com A SALUTE TO NURSES

Fulfi lling the missionA company’s mission state-

ment is a constant reminder to its employees of why the com-pany exists and what the found-ers envisioned when they took a risk to breathe life into their dreams. At Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, there are hundreds of associates, including physi-cians, nurses and others, carry-ing out the mission by serving as missionaries in other countries.

Denise Hare took her fi st mis-sion trip to Haiti in 1979. After serving two weeks, she was happy to return home to run-ning water, electricity and other comforts. But as time passed, Denise felt something tugging at her heart. She knew it was God calling her to return to mis-sion work. So once again Denise answered the call and went

back to Haiti for six years from 1980 to 1986 to work in a hos-pital clinic. It was there that she served as a nurse, but also as a teacher, training Haitian women to care for their own. Upon her return, Denise was hired at Cov-enant, where she has served for 16 years. She has since served on other mission trips, taking vaca-tion time to fulfi ll God’s calling.

“God has created seasons in our lives, and right now it is my time to serve at home,” she said. “My season will change, and someday I hope to return to Haiti to serve God and his people again.”

Today, Denise stays in touch with many people she trained and is proud to say many of her students are now serv-ing those injured in the recent

earthquake.Corey Koster and Brenda Cor-

win went on a medical mission trip to Haiti in January. The team included their husbands, Cov-enant physicians and others. “It was our love of God and desire to serve his people that inspired this trip,” Brenda said.

They served at a makeshift clinic where they triaged 65 to 200-plus patients each morning. They took turns on call 24 hours a day for obstetrics and emer-gencies. They delivered about a dozen beautiful babies, and Corey and Brenda were both grateful for their OB/labor and delivery expe-rience many years ago.

“One emergency was a young man who had come in unre-sponsive, and it was determined he had suff ered an aneurysm,”

Brenda said. “We did all we could, but his prognosis was bleak. The family eventually took him home to die on the back of a motorcycle, someone driving and someone behind him to hold him onto the motorcycle.”

These are just a few of the sto-ries about our dedicated, com-passionate associates. Thanks to all our physicians, nurses and others who have served and lived out the mission of Whea-ton Franciscan Healthcare.

COURTESY PHOTO

Corey Koster and Brenda Corwin served the needs of Haitian women during a mission trip.

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare associates serve in other countries

THE COURIERPAGE 6 SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010www.wcfcourier.com

Four Waverly Health Center nurses were named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses for 2010.

Rhonda DeBuhr, Dixie Kram-er, Kathleen Butschi and Kristal Graves were recognized for their outstanding courage, competence and commitment to patients and the nursing profession.

Each year 100 Great Iowa Nurses are honored at a cer-emony by nursing and commu-nity leaders.

The Waverly Health Center nurses were honored May 2 at the sixth annual celebration in Des Moines.

Nurses selected for this honor represent many sectors of health care, including hospi-tals, long-term care facilities, and school and offi ce nurses.

Other area nurses named one of 100 Great Iowa Nurs-es include: Barbara Boyer and Michelle Ficken, Mental Health Institute, Independence; Patri-cia Buls and Ruselle DeBonis,

Allen College, Waterloo; and Julie Christianson, Sandra

Thurm and Paula Geise, Allen Hospital, Waterloo.

Of the 20 fastest-growing jobs in the next 10 years, 10 are going to be health care.

In Iowa in the next 10 years, a shortfall of 9,000 registered nurses is projected.

That means fostering relation-ships with seventh-graders, including those at Hoover Mid-dle School, Covenant’s Partner in Education, is essential. Covenant hosts a summer medical school program to introduce youth to health care careers .

The hospital also connects with soon-to-be nursing graduates of Allen College, Hawkeye Commu-nity College and Kaplan Univer-sity and off ers tuition assistance for career development of its own employees. For those returning to nursing, mentors talk with them about how nursing has changed with electronic health records, for example, and encourage them to job shadow in diff erent areas.

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Allen College consistently has more students apply than its facili-ties and faculty can accommodate. For the upcoming fall semester, 45 applications were submitted for 25 spaces, said Doreen Mingo, assistant professor and diversity services adviser. Students also are lining up to fi ll the 32 spots for a 15-month accelerated track, which runs one academic year and two summers instead of six semesters.

“Nurse educators with doctoral prepared is where the big shortage is,” said Broadie, adding that the average age of Allen instructors is around 50.

Many nurses are going back for advanced degrees, while others enroll in nursing school as a sec-ond career because their previous job was eliminated, they’re rejoin-ing the work force after raising a family or they’ve had exposure to the medical fi eld and developed an interest.

“I look at my children,” Weber said. “They’re much more inter-ested and willing to look at explor-ing new career options than what I

would have ever considered when I was their age, so I think it’s just a diff erent value system that they don’t have to stay in the same role.”

However, among the state’s greatest challenges is retaining young, single nurses, she said. Iowa has one of the lowest average nursing salaries in the country and its low Medicare reimbursement rates are not keeping up with costs at hospitals.

Surrounding states and cities with higher reimbursement lev-els and more competitive salaries frequently steal graduates, she said.

Nursing is among the most diversifi ed and fl exible professions, depending on life’s demands, Weber said. Nearly any shift or day of the week is available, as nurses can work in a hospital, physician’s offi ce, parish, school or insurance company. They also may focus on case management, education or infection control.

“You can work as a registered nurse for 30 years, but you can do it

in 25 diff erent areas or specialties,” Mingo said.

Health care reform could pres-ent more limitless opportunities, like nurse coaches for preventative care, Weber said. They would serve as a resource for patients and fami-lies to navigate doctor’s appoint-ments, medications and diets.

“Our challenge is really going to be: How can we be sure that we keep our patients healthy and cause them to not end up needing

to be readmitted to the hospital?” she said.

While some companies are struggling amid the down econ-omy, health sciences continues to grow, Isaacson said.

“People are always going to need nurses,” she said. “We can’t be replaced by technology. We can’t be replace by lesser skilled people. People, no matter what their age, are always going to need health care.”

A SALUTE TO NURSES

DEMANDFrom page 3

4 named to list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses

THE COURIER PAGE 7SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 www.wcfcourier.com

Asked how nurses do their job day in and day out, Stacy Wein-ke, director of clinical services at Cedar Valley Hospice, describes the professional CVH nursing team by stating, “We don’t deal with death every day, we deal with life every day. The life is what we focus on.”

Weinke is one of the organiza-tion’s 20 nationally board certifi ed hospice and palliative care nurses who have devoted their careers to end-of-life care.

Hospice nurses and aides say compassion and a desire to help make a person’s death peaceful

are most important in their fi eld. Hospice nurses generally are regis-tered nurses who receive addition-al training in end-of-life issues. Care is supplemented by a team of professionals, including hospice aides who are certifi ed nursing assistants. Together they provide expert medical care, pain manage-ment and emotional support tai-lored specifi cally to the patient’s wishes.

Last year at Cedar Valley Hos-pice, 60 hospice nurses and 23 hospice aides cared for nearly 1,000 patients and their families. The organization encourages and

supports its nurses and aides in obtaining national board certifi ca-tion and recently was recognized by the National Board of Certifi ed Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses for that commitment.

“Support for staff certifi cation fl ows from our pledge to the orga-nization’s core values of compas-sion, education, leadership, qual-ity and excellence,” said Marvin Fagerlind, executive director.

Twenty registered nurses at Cedar Valley Hospice have received their National Hospice and Pal-liative Care Nurse designation including, Karen Arends, Jose-

lyn Beckstrom, Elisabeth Brock, Angela Broell, Debra Card, Becky Corbin, Rebecca Cummings, Alli-son Delegardelle, Laura Edler, John Fox, Betty Hackett, Tina Hubbard, Susan Lucier, Susan Morgensen, Jennifer Schneider, Cindi Stone, Yvonne Warner, Becki Wede-meier, Stacy Weinke and Sheryl Wilshusen.

Hospice aides at Cedar Valley Hospice who have earned the des-ignation of certifi ed hospice aide are Gayla Billington, Jamie Cole, Riann Fuelling, Jamie Knowles, Amanda McMurrin, Melissa Moran and Debra West.

For more information, call Cedar Valley Hospice at 272-2002 or visit www.cvhospice.org.

Hy-Vee Home Medical on Logan Ave. Your source for Home Medical equipment and supplies.

Hy-Vee Home Medical salutes Cedar Valley nurses for the care and compassion they provide to patients. Hy-Vee Home Medical

appreciates the assistance nurses offer to help us take care of our patients.

T hanks for all you do.

2181 Logan Ave. • Hy-Vee Home Medical 319-287-8087

Open Monday-Friday 9-5:30 pm

Logan Avenue

2181 Logan AveWaterloo

Visit your physician for a checkup annually.

Get 30 minutes or more of exercise daily.

Keep sodium intake to less than 2,400 milligrams daily.

Eat more fruits and vegetables.Choose whole grains more

often than refi ned grains.Fit 25 to 30 grams of fi ber into

your daily meal plan.Avoid trans fats and replace

saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats.

Limit added sugar intake to less than 10 teaspoons per day.

Unplug and take time to relax every day.

Smile.Heidi Oberrieder, MS, RD, LD, is

a dietitian at the Waverly Hy-Vee. Contact her at 1872dietitian@hy-vee.com

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HY-VEEFrom page 4

A SALUTE TO NURSES

associates in the NICU and has touched the lives of hundreds of babies, their families and fellow associates.

Denise Rogers, a registered nurse in the Ambulatory Surgery Unit at Covenant Medical Cen-ter, is known as the “Call Back Queen” because she takes time to call back dozens of patients to check on them. She takes the time to answer all of the patient’s

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questions and provides the nec-essary follow up. Denise focuses her time on patients and their families. Denise has a conta-gious smile and laugh. Recently, Denise began making hats for a cancer patient who also is a nurse at Covenant Medical Center. The hats became a popular item, and Denise now makes them for other patients at Covenant Cancer Treatment Center.

Melinda Satterlee, a licensed practical nurse in the Ambula-tory Surgery Center at Sartori Memorial Hospital, recently

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had a patient’s wife say she has “excellent care; attention to detail; extraordinary efforts.” Melinda had used patience and extra time with an upset patient, and the spouse was amazed at how Melinda took the potential-ly trying situation and changed everything. Melinda has a calm, respectful demeanor with all of her patients and their family members. Melinda is tuned in to the patient’s needs and fears and includes the family in the inter-actions. She communicates with confi dence and is a good listener.

NURSESFrom page 4

Hospice celebrates nurses who ‘deal with life every day’

When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours - Unknown