The perfect Valentine's Day gift: A healthy heart
Employees learn six ways to prevent heart disease
Valentine's Day is the perfect time to present employees with educational information and experiences promoting heart health, says Carolyn Arnold, RN, CIC, COHN, director of staff development at Oktibbeha County Hospital in Starkville, MS. For the past few years, as close to the heart-centered holiday as possible, all 400 employees have been invited to participate in Healthy Heart Day, an event that features six ways to prevent heart disease.
The project is a collaborative effort among a number of hospital departments: employee health, cardiac rehabilitation, diabetic education, marketing, laboratories, respiratory therapy, wellness center, and dietary. Some physicians donate services as well.
Each year, 100 to 150 employees turn out for the event, which is held in the hospital's educational facility. It is offered during shift changes only, from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
"The benefit is to increase people's awareness. It's like a mini-health evaluation," Arnold says. "Each year, we pick up four or five people who may have problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or abnormal pulmonary function."
Those employees are referred to the appropriate hospital department or a private physician for follow-up.
Admission is free, but upon registering at
the door, employees are asked to draw a question from a basket. The question is related to infection
control issues, such as bloodborne pathogens or tuberculosis, says Arnold, who is responsible for
both employee health and infection control duties. Employees who answer correctly win a small door
prize such as a pen or pencil.
Once inside, employees proceed from table to table, receiving free tests, asking questions, and picking up educational handouts. Most employees can make the rounds in about 20 minutes.
Six main stations focus on six ways to prevent heart disease. They are:
* Control high blood pressure. Employee blood pressures are taken, recorded, and given to them. Those with problems are referred to the cardiac rehabilitation department for follow-up.
* Check for and control diabetes. The diabetic educator gives fingerstick blood tests for glucose levels, as well as information and counseling.
* Exercise regularly. Wellness center staff provide information and handouts on how exercise contributes to a healthy heart.
* Watch your diet. Registered dietitians provide counseling, as well as healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables.
* Don't smoke. Respiratory therapists offer pulmonary function tests and information on the effects of smoking. The Smokestoppers program is available at a special rate for employees, who can be reimbursed for the cost if they remain smoke-free for several months.
* Reduce stress. Cardiac rehabilitation and wellness staffs provide information on stress reduction activities and programs.
Arnold says she begins to publicize the event about two weeks in advance by sending notices to every department, putting up posters, and placing an article in the hospital newsletter. All services are donated. The handouts are mostly free literature from organizations such as the American Heart Association and the public health department. The hospital picks up lab costs, so employee health spends no money at all.
"We have good administrative support," Arnold says. "Our administrative group has always been very supportive of all our employee health endeavors, everything from vaccines to safety-engineered products. They're very open to it."
[For more information on presenting a Healthy Heart Day, contact Carolyn Arnold, RN, CIC, COHN, staff development director, Oktibbeha County Hospital, 400 Hospital Road, Starkville, MS 39759. Telephone: (601) 324-4563.] *
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