St. Joseph's/Candler

Pressure injuries, which were more commonly known as pressure ulcers or bedsores, can happen at home to people who have a limited ability to change positions, but they can also happen to patients with longer hospital stays. How do nurses prevent and treat pressure injuries? "All of the nurses here are educated on pressure injury risk assessment," says Grecia Luna BSN, RN, CWON, Inpatient Wound Care, St. Joseph’s/Candler. "It is part of what we call a pressure injury prevention care bundle. Every two hours, nurses will help any patient turn in their bed if they cannot do it themselves. "We treat the pressure injury topically, keeping it clean and protecting it with special dressings that protect from friction and shear. But it goes beyond that—we look at the whole person, their nutrition, the kind of bed they’re in, and the various reasons that their skin may be fragile. They may have a chronic illness such as diabetes that affects their ability to heal. We use all of this information to initiate a plan of care. We also educate patients on how they can prevent pressure injuries when they’ve returned home. "There are three of us at SJ/C who have the highest level of certification in wound and ostomy care. It’s rare to have that many at one hospital. During our most recent Magnet designation, we learned the SJ/C exceeded Magnet standards for pressure injury prevention and treatment. We’re proud to be able to always provide a high level of care for this common problem." More at https://lnkd.in/e7m_sqic #healthcare #nurses #nurse #registerednurse #woundcare #hospitals #hospital

As a nurse who has worked at the bedside for more than 30 years, Clinical Nurse Educator Alicia Powell RN, PCCN has probably heard every kind of question there is. But she has also encountered patients who weren’t comfortable asking questions. How do nurses strike the right balance that helps keep patients informed? "We often can pick up signals about how vocal or reserved a patient might be when we first meet them," Powell said. "We put them at ease as we fill out their board and ask them what their goal for the day is. That starts a discussion about their recovery, and simply talking about their care will often encourage a patient to bring up more questions. We always want patients to let us know what their needs or concerns are." More at https://lnkd.in/d4cSfpCs #nurse #nurses #registerednurse #registerednurses

“There’s no specific diet requirements for breastfeeding moms,” says Shanna James, a certified lactation consultant and nurse at the Telfair BirthPlace at St. Joseph’s/Candler. “It is important they are eating a well-rounded diet – so not going to McDonald’s every day – but having a balanced diet.” A good rule of thumb is eat to hunger and drink to thirst, James says. Some of the foods she recommends are oatmeal, flax seeds and healthy, lean proteins. She says to drink plenty of water and suggests coconut water to help stay hydrated. Another tip she tells breastfeeding moms is to get adequate rest and take care of your body. “When you are breastfeeding, you are burning tons of energy,” James says. “They say it’s like running a marathon or taking a hike or participating in a triathlon. You are constantly in a state of making milk so you are constantly in a state of burning calories and burning energy.” More at https://lnkd.in/ee3tnADp #breastfeeding #breastfeedingmoms #breastfeedingjourney #breastfeedingtips #lactationsupport #lactationconsultant #nurse

Where do you store your medications at your house? If your answer is a medicine cabinet in the bathroom, you may want to consider moving them. That’s because heat and humidity can negatively affect a medicine’s potency and effectiveness, meaning they break down sooner than their expiration date, explains Abby Case, a clinical pharmacy specialist with the Center for Medication Management and at our primary care offices in Richmond Hill and Rincon. And with the dog days of summer upon us, it’s the perfect time to review your medication storage habits both at home and when traveling. “We tell patients not to store medications in the bathroom because of the moisture in the air,” Case says. “In the kitchen, especially if you don’t have a vent hood over the stove or oven, the heat and humidity there can cause them to break down too if they are stored near an oven or sink.” More at https://lnkd.in/eXhkw6RN #clinicalpharmacyspecialist #pharmacist #pharmaceuticals #medications #medicationmanagement

Over the years, we’ve seen a continuous increase in the cancer survival rate. One reason for better outcomes and longer years lived after diagnosis is improvements in treatment. How are these improvements happening? You can thank clinical trial research and participation. “We are always praising and discussing the latest and greatest treatments but don’t always discuss that those treatments are only available because we tested them through clinicals trials and found their effectiveness before offering them as treatment,” says Dr. Majd Chahin, medical oncologist with St. Joseph’s/Candler and South Carolina Cancer Specialists. More at https://lnkd.in/eCvtx445 #oncology #medicaloncology #clinicaltrials #cancerresearch #cancertreatment #cancer #cancercenters #healthcare

Podiatrist Prianka Sharma, DPM knows people in this area will wear flip-flops no matter what. But Dr. Sharma, who treats patients at St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Physician Network – Podiatry, also tells them the truth: there is no support in most flip-flops or sandals, and too much time in them will be taxing on your feet. “You’re not helping yourself by wearing those,” she says. “There is no arch support. No shock absorption. And no heel cups, so you’re not stabilizing the heel in any way.” Sandals, flip-flops, thongs, slides, slippahs, etc. They have a lot of different names but were all designed for a similar purpose—protecting your feet from hot sand or pavement on the short trip from your chair to the water. In fact, most podiatrists do recommend these types of shoes for the public pool or beach, where walking barefoot can make your soles susceptible to plantar warts, athlete’s foot, glass and other kinds of injury. Problems arise, however, when we leave flip-flops on while we spend the afternoon shopping or taking the family on a longer outing. “If you know you are going to be walking for more than 10 minutes, put a pair of tennis shoes on,” Dr. Sharma says. As a podiatrist, she sees the big picture and wants patients to understand that it’s not just about this summer but all the summers to come. More at https://lnkd.in/eENsb9cq #podiatry #podiatrist #healthyfeet #feet

Meet Bruce Jones, infectious diseases clinical pharmacy specialist at St. Joseph’s/Candler. Bruce has worked here for 14 years and has been here since day 1 of starting the Antimicrobial Management Program, which promotes the appropriate use of antimicrobials (medications to prevent and treat infections). He works closely with infectious disease physicians. They review consults, including a number of different factors (such as other drug interactions and kidney health) and then determine the best medications for the patient. “I like the variety of patients we see. I love working with the infectious disease physicians. It’s also the co-workers. I share an office with three other pharmacists, and they work in internal medicine, critical care. So beyond the collaborative side I have with the physicians, I have that on the pharmacist side as well. I can bounce ideas off them. They can bounce ideas off me.” “Beyond just the people I work with, it’s also about the people I work for. The managers, the directors, the administration, you want them to have your back on things and support you. I am one who likes to push the envelope sometimes and be progressive in what we do. For a community hospital in Savannah, Ga., we do a lot of progressive pharmacy things from penicillin skin testing to bringing new therapies to the emergency department to doing a lot of progressive things in our infusion center, including starting the Liver Treatment Program for patients with Hepatitis C. It’s something you might not expect to find in a place like Savannah, especially when you go to major academic medical centers and they are not doing something like that. And, for someone to trust me to do that, that says a lot because you are trying to advance practice in the things you do.” Meet other featured co-workers on our website: https://lnkd.in/eeWCBmCU #clinicalpharmacyspecialist #infectiousdisease

Our friend Hot Sushi caught shark activity on Tybee this week. But that won't keep Savannah's famous surfing instructor out of the water. When we spoke with him in 2022, he told how he'd been bitten by a shark and was back in the ocean two days later! Read more: https://lnkd.in/epPgjDQ9

Lactation consultant Delphine De Mauro, BSN, RN, IBCLC, of Telfair Women's Hospital at St. Joseph's/Candler explains obtaining a breast pump. #breastfeeding #breastfeedingmom #breastfeedingtips #breastfeedingsupport #breastfeedingjourney #breastmilk #breastpump #lactation #lactationsupport

There’s one particular type of ear infection pediatricians and pediatric ENTs tend to treat frequently this time of year – swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear, also known as otitis externa, is an infection of the ear canal skin, says Dr. Stephanie Ambrose, pediatric ENT with Georgia Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists at St. Joseph’s/Candler. The ear canal is a tube that goes from the opening of the ear to the eardrum. If water gets trapped in the canal and doesn’t drain out or gets trapped by wax build-up, then it creates a moist environment allowing bacteria or fungus to grow and create an infection. Swimmer’s ear most often happens to children, but it can occur in adults as well. The condition can cause redness or swelling, irritation, trouble hearing and/or discharge. Most kids present with pain or the parent notices swelling or that the ear is tender to the touch. “The majority of people can swim without having any issues,” Dr. Ambrose says. “However, if your child is swimming and starts to complain about ear pain or you see swelling or drainage, you should see a provider and get treated.” https://lnkd.in/dayK2DYn