Mahnomen Health Center's Mission is to bring quality progressive care to all. Mahnomen Health Center Values: Integrity, Compassion, Diversity, Teamwork!

Paramedic Class begins at Mahnomen Health Center

Due the shortage of Paramedics in the rural setting, Mahnomen Health Center has been working with FM ambulance, which is owned by MeritCare, for the past 2 years to think about the use of technology to make this happen and it now occuring! FM ambulance is not only broadcasting its classes for the next 2 years to Mahnomen Health Center, but to 69 other communities in Minnesota and North Dakota as well. FM ambulance education department usually averages 60 students. This year, 16 of those students are using Interactive Video Conferencing, 2 from Mahnomen. This is the same system the Mahnomen High School Health Occupation students use to hear presentations by specialists and technicians from MeritCare on healthcare careers.
The students will be able to save time and mileage by driving to the Mahnomen Health Center to log onto class. They will be attending classes every Thursday night. Along with classroom instruction, they are required to have 1,000 to 1,500 clinical hours in the hospital and / or ambulance service in Mahnomen or Fargo. They will then have actual patient encounters. Along with the clinical hours and actual ambulance experiences, they are required to have Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS); Pediatric Life Support (PALS); Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI); and Basic LIfe Support Instructor class, to allow them to teach the American Heart Association BLS class and First Aid Courses. The current paramedic class in in partnership between FM Ambulance and Bismark State College.

For more information on FM Ambulance's distance learning program, contact Ron Lawler, Paramedic Program Coordinator, or Jodi Holston, Paramedic Clinical Coordinator at 1-800-642-0774 extension: 745.

Mahnomen Health Center receive Trauma Level IV Designation:

Trauma Level IV
The Minnesota Department of Health recently designated Mahnomen Health Center as a Level-4 trauma hospital.

Mahnomen Health Center administration and staff voluntarily participated in the intense designation process to become part of Minnesota's statewide trauma system - a comprehensive process that included an outside review of the hospital's resources and capabilities to care for trauma patients. Mahnomen Health Center met standards of commitment, clinical and equipment resources and staff training, with the hospital participating in a continuous performance improvement process, coordinated by Terri Bergeson, RN.
"We are proud of the hard work and training that our staff has undergone to achieve this designation." Sue Klabo, CEO, said. " I feel the staff do a good job with trauma care already, but constant improvement measures and the accountability of being a Level IV trauma center will hold our feet to the fire in providing consistent trauma care for optimal patient outcomes." For a severely injured person, the time between sustaining an injury and receiving definitive care is the most important predictor of survival-the "golden hour." The chance of survival diminishes with time; however, a trauma system enhances the chance of survival regardless of proximity to an urban trauma hospital.
"Trauma is the third leading cause of death in Minnesota," said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Sanne Magnan. "The goal of the trauma system is to decrease injured patients' time to care by making sure their medical needs are appropriately matched with hospital resources. With the designation of MHC as a level 4 level trauma hospital, we are getting closer to our goal of ensuring that seriously injured Minnesotans have access to an organized system of trauma care wherever they are in the state."
On average, trauma claims the lives of 2,400 Minnesotans annually. States with trauma systems have seen survival rates increase by 15 to 20 percent. Wide-scale participation in the voluntary trauma system ensures that a statewide, cooperative effort is in place to care for seriously injured patients. Minnesota began developing a comprehensive statewide trauma system in August of 2005. Through its designation Mahnomen Health Center recognizes the vital role that communities, ambulance services, hospitals and health care professionals play in the care and management of trauma patients.
Barb Fluellen, the former MHC Director of Nursing and currently, Jen Stevens, Director of Nursing and Deb Severson, MeritCare Trauma Coordinator have played a major role in the preparation of the designation. Sue Klabo reported appreciation for the work many people did to make this designation possible for the continued health and safety for Mahnomen County and the surrounding area.

Mahnomen Health Center Prepares for H1N1 and Influenza Outbreaks.

As the state of Minnesota announced a state wide influenza outbreak on Sept 16th, 2009, MHC staff had already spent several months planning and meeting with the NW Minnesota Preparedness group as a hospital planning group, and as a nursing home planning group. MHC Preparedness coordinators had also been meeting with White Earth Public Health, county and White Earth Emergency managers, and Norman-Mahnomen Public Health.

General Information on Seasonal and H1N1 Flu:

What is the flu?
The flu (influenza) is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by influenza viruses.
Flu viruses cause illness, hospital stays and deaths in the United States each year. There are many different flu viruses and sometimes a new flu virus emerges to make people sick.

What is H1N1 flu?
H1N1 flu is a new and very different influenza virus that is spreading worldwide among people.

This flu season, the new virus may cause a lot more people to get sick than during a regular flu season. It also may cause more hospital stays and deaths than seasonal flu.

How does flu spread?

• Coughs of people who are sick with the flu.
• Sneezes of people who are sick with the flu.
• Touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth or nose.

What are the symptoms of the H1N1 flu?
 Fever . Cough . Sore throat . Runny or stuffy nose . Body aches . Headache . Chills . Fatigue . Vomiting . Diarrhea

Who should get the seasonal vaccine?

• All children ages 6 months through 18 years.
• All people ages 50 and older.
• Women who will be pregnant during the flu season.
• Adults and children with chronic heart, lung, kidney, liver or metabolic diseases like diabetes.
• Adults and children who have a weakened immune system.
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
• Health-care personnel.
• Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 5 years of age and adults over 50, with special emphasis on children younger than 6 months.
• Household contacts and caregivers of people at high risk for complications due to influenza.

When should we start getting vaccinated for seasonal flu?
You should get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available.

Who should receive the H1N1 vaccine?

• Pregnant women.
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age.
• Health care and emergency medical services personnel.
• Persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old.
• People ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

General Information
September 2009

When will the H1N1 flu vaccine be available?
It's expected to be available sometime in October.

How can I protect myself against flu?

• Get a seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccine for yourself and your child.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Washing your hands should take as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice. If soap and water are not available, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used (the gels should be rubbed into your hands until they are dry).
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Try to avoid from having close contact (about 6 feet) with sick people, including anyone in the household who is sick.
• Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen counters clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
• Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick persons in the trash.

Is there medicine to treat the flu?
Currently the CDC recommends that use of antiviral medications be prioritized for people with severe illness, like hospitalized patients, or those at higher risk for flu complications, including children younger than 5 years old, adults 65 years and older, pregnant women, persons with certain chronic medical or immunosuppressive conditions and persons younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy.
For those who fall into the priority categories, early treatment (within 48 hours of the onset of illness) with antiviral medications can decrease the risk of severe illness from influenza, but for most healthy patients, the benefits of using anitvirals may be modest.

What are the emergency warning signs in children who are sick?

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Where can I find more resources?
If you have questions about seasonal flu and H1N1 flu, start at meritcare.com. We have the most up-to-date information and can direct you to other credible sources.

1.Centers for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov/flu

2. Minnesota State Department of Health
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu

3. MeritCare's flu line
(701) 234-1234
meritcare.com
(keyword: flu)

4. Your Primary Care Clinician

What are the emergency warning signs in adults who are sick?

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

(Main source of information: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)