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February 2010
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
“Small,
healthy changes add up…” that
was part of an ad I recently came across in the newspaper. Have your
New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and exercise already started
to fade? Many of us start the year with the best of intentions, only
to become frustrated and discouraged. Some give up within a few
weeks or days. The key is truly making small, healthy changes with
God’s help.
The following steps can increase your chances for healthy
success:
*Pray. Ask God for help and guidance!
*Set realistic, small, short-term goals including
start and finish dates. For example, start out with 10 minutes of
exercise while you watch your favorite TV show 3 times a week, and
then work up to 30 minutes of exercise on most days.
*Focus on a “healthy lifestyle” ~vs~ “ideal weight”.
Consider formal help to stop smoking; join an exercise club; take a
healthy cooking class; and/or take 10 minutes to sit and relax!
*Reward yourself. Talk positive to yourself and
promise yourself something you enjoy as you reach a goal…1 day, 1
week, 1 month.
*Focus on wellness in “body, mind and spirit”. Make
your goal for 2010 overall health and well-being. Log your progress
and challenges.
*Ask for support from family and friends.
*When setbacks occur, forgive yourself! Get right
back at it the next day and keep up the healthy lifestyle you have
your mind set on.
I hope these tips help you make small, healthy changes…they do add
up!
Please email me at:
nursemarsha@peacelc.org if you have any questions or comments.
Nurse Marsha
January 2010
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!
What is “Parish Nursing”?
This is a common question and I would like to give you more
information about your Parish Nurse. Did you know that 2010 marks 10
years that Peace Lutheran Church has employed a Parish nurse? What a
blessing to be a part of Jesus’ ministry here! Nurse Gloria Jaeger
served here from 2000-2004. I have served here from April 2004 to
the present time. So…what do we do?
Parish Nursing, also known as “Faith Community Nursing”, is a
specialty practice recognized by the American Nursing Association
that combines professional nursing and health ministry. Parish
Nursing promotes health and healing within a faith community,
focusing on the whole person and emphasizing wellness, disease
prevention and health promotion, and healthy spirituality.
A Parish Nurse is a…
HEALTH EDUCATOR
…to identify the health needs of a congregation and plan educational
health programs.
…to utilize resources from the community, present educational health
programs a health fair.
INTEGRATOR OF FAITH & HEALTH
…to promote an understanding of the relationship between faith,
lifestyle, and health.
PERSONAL HEALTH COUNSELOR
…to discuss health-related issues, to listen and support church
members during times of concern, illness, and death of a loved one.
…to do home, hospital, and nursing home visits.
REFERRAL AGENT
…to link the congregation to community resources and services.
HEALTH ADVOCATE
…to assist the parishioner in obtaining what they are entitled to
from the health care system.
…to stand by the side of the parishioner and also to encourage
healthy self-care practices.
TEACHER OF VOLUNTEERS / DEVELOPER OF SMALL GROUPS
…recruit and develop volunteers, such as congregational medical
personnel, to help take blood pressures and also to help at health
screenings.
…may develop small groups for health promotion such as weight
management classes.
Currently, the Parish Nurse position description is being updated
and you will be seeing a copy of this along with an educational
brochure that will also answer many of your questions.
I would like to thank all of you who have supported Parish Nursing
here at Peace Lutheran in any way. With your “helping
hands of God” we can truly “Share God’s
Love” with our fellow congregational members and with
those in the community.
1 John 3:11 “ This is the message you heard from the
beginning: We should love one another.”
Nurse Marsha
December 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
Merry Christmas to you all!
December is National Safe Toys and Gifts month
according to the National Health Observances.
Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle and/or friend we
find ourselves looking for
safe and wonderful toys this time of year. Toys are supposed to be
fun and are important for a
child’s development, yet each year, there are children who are
treated in the hospital
emergency departments for toy-related injuries. Choking is a
potential risk for children 3 or
younger, because they tend to put objects in their mouths (as many
of you already know!),
according to FamilyDoctor.org, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC)
closely monitors and regulates toys. Any toys made in or imported
into the United States af-
ter 1995 must comply with CPSC standards.
So, what should we keep in mind while safe toy shopping? Here are
some general guidelines
to keep in mind:
| * |
Toys made of fabric should be labeled as flame resistant
or flame retardant. |
| * |
Stuffed toys should be washable. Make sure the eyes,
nose, etc... can’t come off and be choked on. |
| * |
Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint.
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| * |
Art materials should read non-toxic. Check age
requirement on the package. |
| * |
Crayons and paints should read ASTM D-4236 on the
package, which means that they’ve been evaluated
by the American Society for Testing and Materials. |
| * |
Look for age appropriate toys and avoid toys that have
long cords or strings that could present strangulation
hazards for young kids. |
| * |
Avoid marbles, coins, balls and games with balls that
are 1.75 inches (4.4 cm) in diameter or less related to
choking hazards. |
| * |
Test out the level of noise the toy produces. Some are
so loud they could damage your child’s hearing! (Or
be really annoying.) |
| * |
Electric toys should be labeled UL, meaning they meet
safety standards set by Underwriters Laboratories. |
Reporting Unsafe Toys
Check the CPSC website for the latest information about toy recalls
or call their hotline at (800)638-CPSC to
report a toy you think is unsafe. If you do have any concerns/doubt
about a toy’s safety, take the toy back to
where you purchased it and voice your concerns with the manager of
the store. You may be able to help pre-
vent your child’s and another’s child’s future injury.
As many of you know, Christmas isn’t about toys…Jesus
truly is the reason for the season.
May God bless you all with a safe and wonderful Christmas!
God's peace and love,
Nurse Marsha
November 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
How would you describe thankfulness? Thanksgiving reminds me of how thankful I am for so many blessings
from God.
The Dictionary defines "thankful" as
| 1) conscious of benefit received |
| 2) expressive of thanks |
| 3) Glad |
I am thankful for: T-Thank you God for
grace and for all the blessings!
H-Helpers.
I appreciate all the help as your Parish Nurse.
A-At
My Express coffee and treats.
N-Nurturing.
K-Kindness.
F-Faithful
friends. U-Understanding.
L-Laughter!
God's peace and love,Nurse Marsha
October 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE THE FLU?
You may have the flue if you have some or all of these
symptoms:
Fever*, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches,
headache, chills, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
*It's important to note that not everyone with the flu will have a
fever.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I GET SICK?
If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, you should stay home
and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care.
Please wear a facemask if you have one, or cover coughs and sneezes
with a tissue or into your elbow if you don't have a tissue.
Then...you guessed it-WASH YOUR HANDS! Sing the Happy Birthday song
twice while you're washing them with soap and water or use and
antiseptic had gel. Rub your hands together until they're dry.
Most people with the 2009 H1N1 (http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1/qa.htm)
have had mild illness and haven't needed medical care or antiviral
drugs and the same is true of the seasonal flu. If you are high
risk, or have a weakened immune system, contact your healthcare
provider to see if you need an antiviral medication and when you
should get the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 flu shot.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO GET FLU COMPLICATIONS?
*Children younger than 5 (especially children under 2 years old)
*People 65 and older
*Pregnant women
*Adults and children who have:
Cancer, blood disorders (including sickle cell disease), chronic
lung disease (including asthma or COPD), diabetes, heart disease as
well as kidney, liver, neurological and neuromuscular disorders.*If
you or your child are seriously ill with the following emergency
warning signs, go to the ER. If your parental gut feeling says
your child needs to be seen by a doctor, call your doctor, and take
them in!Child: fast breathing or
trouble breathing, bluish skin color, not drinking enough fluids,
sever or persistent vomiting, not waking up or not interacting,
being so irritable that the child doesn't want to be held, flu-like
symptoms improve but then come back with a fever and worsening
cough, fever with a rash.
Adults: short of breath, pain
or pressure in chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion and/or
sever or persistent vomiting.
WHEN CAN I GO BACK TO WORK OR SCHOOL?
The most recent information from the CDC states that
a person should stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is
gone. (Their fever should be gone without them having taken a
fever-reducing medicine such as ibuprofen +/or Tylenol) A fever is
defined by the CDC as 100 F or 37.8 C.
The seasonal flu shot is now available at most
health clinics as well as the Brown County Health Department
(920-448-6400) or call your healthcare provider.
The H1N1 flu shot will be available sometime in
October.
PEACE LUTHERAN SEASONAL FLU SHOT CLINIC
Sunday, November 8th from 8:00AM-Noon
$25.00 (cash or check) Available for people 4 years and older
Please pick up the brochures (in the "donut room")
"Seasonal and Novel H1N1 Flu: A
Guide for Parents" and
"CDC says "Take 3 Steps to Fight the Flu".
Also check out the website: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm
for "Interim Guidance for Novel H1N1 flu (Swine Flu): Taking
Care of a Sick Person in Your Home".
Where's the PEACE during these times?
In JESUS! Jesus said,
"Peace I leave you; my (own) peace I now give and bequeath to
you..."
John 14:27.
May God bless all of you!
September 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
It’s that time of year again…kids going back to
school, after school activities, homework, etc. How can we connect with our children and grandchildren? How can
we stay healthy and full of the energy so we can complete
the day’s activities? Family meal time! This may
seem old fashioned and simple, but according to familydoctor.org (and my own experience), this is a very valuable
time of the day and nutritious as well.
Family meals are a comforting connection time for
both parents and kids of all ages. Kids who take part in regular
family meals are also:
|
© |
more likely to
eat fruits, vegetables, and grains (and since this month is
―National Fruit and Veggies-More
Matters Month‖ this is great timing!) |
|
© |
less likely to
overdue the snacking on unhealthy foods |
|
© |
less likely to
smoke or drink alcohol |
What counts as a ―family meal‖? Anytime you and your
family eat together, whether it’s a take-out meal or a home-cooked meal. This may mean eating dinner after
the school activity or when work is done. It can also
mean making a ―meal date‖ with the family at a
designated time on the weekend or during the week vs. daily.
How can we make this easier and more doable? Start
with stocking up on healthy foods and chop them up
once a week. This way, they’re ready to grab to add
to any meal. Kids, especially younger ones, will eat what’s
available at home. If you want to, get them involved
in the preparation of your stocked up fruits and vegetables.
Farmer’s markets are a great tool and can be fun!
When possible:
|
© |
Work fruits
and vegetables into the daily routine, with the goal being at least
five servings a day. |
|
© |
Make it easy
for kids to choose healthy snacks and pack their lunches with
healthy choices, such as low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, carrots and
raisins or any combination of healthy food you can create. |
|
© |
Serve lean
meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, bean
(like black beans and salsa)
and nuts. |
|
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Limit high fat
intake by avoiding deep-fried, fast-foods or processed foods. |
|
© |
Limit sugary
drinks and read the labels on the ―energy drinks‖ now available. |
|
© |
Be a good role
model. Try to keep a positive attitude about healthy foods and about
food in general. Be
creative and keep mealtime as stress free as
possible. |
“The peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 4:7
May God bless all of you!
Nurse Marsha
July 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
HAPPY SUMMER to you
all!
One way to keep it happy and healthy is to learn how to avoid sports
injuries. According to the 2009 National Health Observances, July
20-24 is National Youth Sports Week. This month I would like to
focus on the “Five Ways to Avoid Sports Injuries” with the help of
the American Academy of Family Physicians Kids Health on
familydoctor.org
This is a very informative website with lots of great tips!
Playing sports can be a lot of fun, but getting hurt isn’t fun. Take
these five steps to prevent injuries so you can stay in the game:
1) Wear protective gear, such as helmets, protective pads
and other gear.
Protective gear is anything you wear that helps keep you from
getting hurt! The gear obviously is different for every sport.
HELMETS are the most important protective gear especially for
playing football, hockey, baseball, softball, biking ,
skateboarding, inline skating and more.
2) Warm up with some stretching and cool down afterwards.
Take a light jog or walk to get loosened up and ready to play.
Stretch out and warm up your muscles to lengthen your muscles and
increase your blood flow and muscle temperature. Be at an event
approximately 15-30 minutes in advance so you can stretch, warm up
and be ready to go have fun!
3) Know the rules of the game.
Traffic lights at intersections are supposed to help prevent crashes
between cars and trucks-so, too, are rules of the games to prevent
injuries.
4) Watch out for others.
Be aware of those around you and communicate while you’re on the
field to avoid collisions (i.e. baseball).
5) Don’t play when you’re injured.
This is a very important! See a doctor if you are injured and follow
his/her instructions.
Lastly, remember RICE if you are injured:
R—rest whatever body
part is hurt
I—ice the part that is
injured (for approximately 20 minutes)
C—compression/wrap the
body part with an ace wrap
E—Elevate the injured
part
Have a happy and healthy summer!
Nurse Marsha
June 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
PLANTING SEEDS
Seems like we've waited a long time to plant our seeds this year, but everything has it's time...
| "There is a time for
everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: |
| |
A time to be born and a time to die, |
| |
A time to plant and a time to uproot, |
| |
A time to kill and a time to heal, |
| |
A time to tear down and a time to build, |
| |
A time to weep and a time to laugh, |
| |
A time to mourn and a time to dance, |
| |
A time to scatter stones and a time to
gather them, |
| |
A time to embrace and a time to refrain, |
| |
A time to search and a time to give up, |
| |
A time to keep and a time to mend, |
| |
A time to tear and a time to mend, |
| |
A time to be silent and a time to speak, |
| |
A time to love and a time to hate, |
| |
A time for war and a time for peace." |
What seeds can be sown in our lives so we
can reap the healthful benefits? Try "planting" these seeds
for your body, mind and spirit:
| * |
Prayer of gratefulness to God for all He has given
us and continues to give us. Lift each other up in
prayer to "love one another". Spend
time in daily devotions and The Word of God. |
| * |
Speak words of hope and encouragement to fellow
parishioners as you attend regular worship services and also
be a light to others in the community. Invite a friend
and / or neighbor to church with you! |
| * |
Feed yourself and your family with nutritious fruits and
vegetables with the seeds mentoring healthy eating habits. |
| * |
Plant some seeds of fun along with exercise this summer.
Play kickball, blow bubbles, a run (or walk) after the
bubbles, walk and smell the flowers alongside the road or
park sidewalks, and ride your bike and listen to God's many
creatures. Do whatever you can to improve your body's
ability to move! |
| * |
Give your precious blood for those in need. What a
life giving seed! |
| * |
Plant a garden of flowers and / or vegetables and
fruits. As you plant each seed, pray for whoever comes
to your mind. |
| * |
Tend to your "garden", your body, mind and
spirit, and entwine yourself in "the true vine" Jesus.
Give thanks to our Father, the gardener. (See John
15:1-17) |
May you all have a safe and blessed summer!
Nurse Marsha
June 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....
PLANTING SEEDS
Seems like we've waited a long time to plant our seeds this year, but everything has it's time...
| "There is a time for
everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: |
| |
A time to be born and a time to die, |
| |
A time to plant and a time to uproot, |
| |
A time to kill and a time to heal, |
| |
A time to tear down and a time to build, |
| |
A time to weep and a time to laugh, |
| |
A time to mourn and a time to dance, |
| |
A time to scatter stones and a time to
gather them, |
| |
A time to embrace and a time to refrain, |
| |
A time to search and a time to give up, |
| |
A time to keep and a time to mend, |
| |
A time to tear and a time to mend, |
| |
A time to be silent and a time to speak, |
| |
A time to love and a time to hate, |
| |
A time for war and a time for peace." |
What seeds can be sown in our lives so we
can reap the healthful benefits? Try "planting" these seeds
for your body, mind and spirit:
| * |
Prayer of gratefulness to God for all He has given
us and continues to give us. Lift each other up in
prayer to "love one another". Spend
time in daily devotions and The Word of God. |
| * |
Speak words of hope and encouragement to fellow
parishioners as you attend regular worship services and also
be a light to others in the community. Invite a friend
and / or neighbor to church with you! |
| * |
Feed yourself and your family with nutritious fruits and
vegetables with the seeds mentoring healthy eating habits. |
| * |
Plant some seeds of fun along with exercise this summer.
Play kickball, blow bubbles, a run (or walk) after the
bubbles, walk and smell the flowers alongside the road or
park sidewalks, and ride your bike and listen to God's many
creatures. Do whatever you can to improve your body's
ability to move! |
| * |
Give your precious blood for those in need. What a
life giving seed! |
| * |
Plant a garden of flowers and / or vegetables and
fruits. As you plant each seed, pray for whoever comes
to your mind. |
| * |
Tend to your "garden", your body, mind and
spirit, and entwine yourself in "the true vine" Jesus.
Give thanks to our Father, the gardener. (See John
15:1-17) |
May you all have a safe and blessed summer!
Nurse Marsha
Make sure to check the bulletin board across from
Nurse Marhsa's office. Nurse Marsha is in her office on
Thursday's from 10:00am to 1:00 pm. If you would like to make
an appointment to see her, you can contact her at 865-7595 during
her Thursday office hours, or at 434-2171 other times.
May 2009
From the Desk of Nurse Marsha....Now that it’s Spring,
are you getting more motivated to get out and walk? Have you heard
your joints talking back to you with crunching and creaking sounds?
Those are familiar sounds of arthritis for a lot of us along with
pain, redness, and swelling.
May is National Arthritis Awareness
Month so let’s look at hand arthritis a little
closer. I recently read an excellent article from Keri Kasel,
Admissions Coordinator, and the Occupational Therapists at Woodside
Lutheran Home. They reminded me about some great tips about
arthritis that I hope will be helpful to all of you.
“Arthritis” can cover more than one hundred
different conditions which affect the joint and surrounding
connective tissue. Each case of arthritis requires an individual
plan established by his or her healthcare provider. Occupational
therapists can aid in the management and treatment of common hand
arthritis. The Occupational Therapist at Woodside Lutheran Home has
the following tips for those suffering from arthritis of the hands:
REST- The “No Pain-No Gain”
saying is NOT true in cases of arthritis. Rest, and decreasing the
stress on the affected joints, can increase your productivity.
TREATEMENT-Both heat and cold
have appropriate applications. Heat works well with small joins of
hand that feel ‘stiff’, but should not be used during periods of
inflammation. Paraffin (warm wax) baths may be beneficial. A person
may respond better to cold, especially in larger joints of the back,
hips and knees. In either case, do not exceed more than 20 minutes
durations of treatment.
EXERCISE-Hand exercise? It’s
true. This may help improve your strength and also help you do other
activities you enjoy with less pain. Do not exercise to the point of
pain or when the joints are red or inflamed. Simple exercises can
include filling a sink with warm water and soaking your hand for 1-2
minutes while gently squeezing a soft sponge or Nerf-type ball.
Slowly stretch the fingers apart 3-5 times, then slowly bend 3-5
times. Finish by touching each finger to the thumb.
These general recommendations are only suggestions to be performed
at the beginning stages of arthritis symptoms. For advanced cases of
arthritis, it is important to consult your healthcare provider and
establish a ‘management’ program for your condition. Physical
therapy may also be a beneficial therapy to help you! Also check out
special tools that may help you out with everyday tasks such as
large grips for tools and utensils (wrap foam or fabric around items
with narrow handles, like pens), wall mounted jar openers, reachers,
special fasteners (such as Velcro) on clothing and many more. Your
healthcare provider may suggest medicines that may be beneficial in
decreasing your pain level and also decrease the inflammation of
your joints.
For more information, please call me at 434-2171.
You may also check out two excellent websites:
1)http://www.arthrititis.org
(Arthritis Foundation)
2)http://familydoctor.org
God’s blessings and peace to you all!
Nurse Marsha
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