Healthy Lifestyles Online – April 19 Edition

LeConte’s Healthy Lifestyles is a health and wellness publication printed twice a month in local newspapers serving Sevier County and South Knoxville. And here online! We hope you find this information healthful.

Table of Contents

LeConte Medical Center Celebrates Certified Nurses Day
Tennessee Celebrates Reduction in Sleep-Related Infant Deaths
Physicians Honored on National Doctors’ Day
LeConte Helps Celebrate Opening of The Ripken Experience
Paint the Mountains Pink: Thank you to SunTrust
LeConte Volunteer Thrift Shop Donates Trykes
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LeConte Medical Center Celebrates Certified Nurses Day

Number of Certified Nurses in Covenant Health System Continues to Grow

LeConte Medical Center observed Certified Nurses Day, Tuesday, March 22, by honoring 11 board-certified nurses who work at the hospital.

Board certification of nurses plays an important role in assuring high standards of patient care. “Nursing, like health care in general, has become increasingly complex,” said Janice McKinley, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Covenant Health, parent company of LeConte Medical Center. “Board certification means that a nurse has successfully completed extensive specialized education and has made a strong personal and professional commitment to excellence. These are the expert nurses who work throughout our health system.”

There are many nursing certifications in specialties such as medical-surgical, cardiac/vascular, oncology, hospice, emergency care, critical care, obstetrical care, stroke care, and rehabilitation.

“The number of certified nurses throughout the Covenant Health system continues to grow,” said McKinley, “and their dedication to continued education is reflected in the strength of our workforce and the highly skilled level of care we provide to our patients every day. We celebrate this event, which allows us to acknowledge our nurses’ professional development.”

Tennessee Celebrates Reduction in Sleep-Related Infant Deaths

Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam and Tennessee Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, joined other state and local officials at the Tennessee Residence in Nashville recently to celebrate the success of the statewide initiative to reduce sleep-related deaths among infants.

TDH has partnered with the Charlie’s Kids Foundation and Tennessee hospitals since 2014 to help new parents and hospital staff members learn the “ABCs of Safe Sleep.” Tennessee has seen a 25 percent reduction in sleep-related deaths of infants during this period.

“With a concerted effort and the awareness and actions of all of us who care for infants, we don’t have to lose another baby to a preventable sleep-related death,” said TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner. “These deaths can be stopped with consistent, persistent safe sleep practices. We thank everyone involved for this heartening progress and their dedication to this goal.”

The celebration started with an opportunity to meet Charlie’s Kids Foundation co-founders Dr. Sam and Maura Hanke, who established the organization after losing their first child to sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. Charlie’s Kids was founded to increase safe sleep awareness and education, with the ultimate goal of reducing the SIDS mortality rate. Dr. Sam Hanke, a pediatric cardiologist, and Maura Hanke, a kindergarten teacher, have made it their mission to teach others that a baby is safest alone and on his or her back in a crib for sleeping.

“Charlie’s Kids is thrilled to continue partnering with the Tennessee Department of Health and hospitals across the state in this initiative,” said Dr. Hanke, who is also president of the Charlie’s Kids Foundation board of directors. “The reduction of sleep-related deaths in Tennessee since 2012 shows that hospitals teaching and modeling safe sleep is crucial and effective.”

The primary message for parents and others who care for infants is to “Remember the ABCs of Safe Sleep.” There are three critical measures to follow when it’s time for an infant to sleep. “A” is for “alone”– always let the baby sleep alone, never in a bed with another person where the baby could be smothered and never with pillows or blankets. “B” is for “on the baby’s back” – an infant should be placed to sleep on his or her back, not on his or her side or stomach. “C” is for “crib” – always put your child to sleep in a crib with only a firm mattress and tight-fitting sheet.

The Charlie’s Kids Foundation delivered 86,000 copies of a board book titled Sleep Baby Safe and Snug board during the celebration so Tennessee hospitals can continue providing a copy to each baby born in their facilities in 2016. The shipment marked delivery of one million Sleep Baby books. Sleep Baby author John Hutton, MD, was on hand at the celebration to sign copies of the book.

LeConte Medical Center was one of 12 Tennessee birthing hospitals to receive the Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Certification. The hospitals were presented a certificate by Cribs for Kids Founder and Executive Director Judy Bannon. Hospitals meeting specific criteria for teaching and modeling safe sleep for infants can apply for bronze, silver or gold certification. “It’s amazing that all 65 birthing hospitals in Tennessee have implemented a safe sleep policy, and I want to congratulate the 12 hospitals that have taken the extra step to apply for the national certification,” said Bannon.

To learn more about the ABCs of safe sleep visit safesleep.tn.gov.

Physicians Honored on National Doctors’ Day

Wednesday, March 30, was National Doctors’ Day, which was established to recognize physicians, their work, and their contributions to society and the community. In honor of this holiday physicians at LeConte Medical Center were treated to a special luncheon during their medical staff meeting, and a celebratory breakfast on March 30.

LeConte Helps Celebrate Opening of The Ripken Experience

LeConte Medical Center is proud to be a founding partner of The Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge, the newest sports attraction in Sevier County. Not only a founding partner, but the exclusive healthcare provider for the complex, LeConte Medical Center is excited to provide full-time medical coverage to the athletes who will compete at the complex, ensuring a safe environment in which they can play. LeConte employs one full-time certified athletic trainer for the complex, and will hire additional part-time employees to assist with coverage.

LeConte Sports Medicine coordinator Scott Byrd and LeConte CAO Jenny Hanson pictured with Cal Ripken, Jr., during the VIP opening celebration.

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Paint the Mountains Pink: Thank you to SunTrust

…for generous support of Paint the Mountains Pink!

The mission of Paint the Mountains Pink is to increase awareness about the importance of mammography in detection of breast cancer, and toprovide mammograms to women in Sevier County who are uninsured and cannot afford them.

For more information about Paint the Mountains Pink or to download an application to be considered for a free mammogram, visit www.paintthemountainspink.com.

LeConte Volunteer Thrift Shop Donates Trykes

Located at 441 Parkway in Sevierville, the LeConte Volunteer Thrift Shop receives a lot of donations. It’s not unusual for the team of volunteers to receive clothing, household goods, and small pieces of furniture, all of which they process and price to sell. Occasionally they receive unique items like musical instruments and one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces that require a little more legwork and research to determine an appropriate asking price.

Recently the team received a donation of two tricycles. They were unlike any tricycles the team had seen before, so thrift shop coordinator and volunteer Tom Ricker did some research. What he learned was that these “trykes,” sized for a child, were from a line of expensive therapeutic hand trykes.

The thrift shop team decided that with a good cleaning and tune up, the trykes might help someone in the local community. Thrift shop volunteer Bob McMahan started working on the trykes, preparing them for a new home. Thrift shop volunteer Helen Meehan, who also works for the Sevier County school system, contacted Trula Lawson Early Childhood Center to see if their students would benefit from the trykes, and learned that they would gladly accept them.

Recently the team of LeConte thrift shop volunteers who worked on the project had the pleasure of delivering the trykes in person to some students and staff at the Trula Lawson Early Childhood Center. The team was delighted to see the children’s faces when they got to ride the trykes for the first time!

The Thrift Store is operated by the volunteers at LeConte Medical Center and offers quality merchandise at affordable prices. The Thrift Shop is always accepting applications for individuals interested in volunteering. Applications can be completed by visiting www.lecontemedicalcenter.com/volunteer. For more information about volunteer opportunities available call (865) 446-8406.