Archive for January, 2011

The Super Bowl is rapidly approaching, bringing with it party trays and jumbo chip bags. According to the U.S. Calorie Control Council, an average American will consume a day’s worth of calories during the game. The Council even recommends a pre-game workout to counter this blitz of calories.

In order to help you avoid being sacked by fatty foods, we have looked around for some healthy recipes. The U.S. Calorie Control Council has their own list of recipes that are sure to please party goers with great food. Another website has healthy recipes for wings, Artichoke dip, chicken fingers, and more!

You can always enjoy what you love, with small substitutions, at lower calories. Some great substitution ideas are suggested here. The important thing is to eat healthier while still enjoying the game (and the party). Remember, you will be working these calories off!

Hughston Hospital received two awards at the annual Patient Safety, Quality and Infection Prevention Summit held on Jan. 5 and 6 in Greensboro, Ga. The Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) recognizes healthcare organizations for achievement in reducing the risk of medical errors and improving patient safety and medical outcomes.

Hughston Hospital received a Quality and Patient Safety Award in the category of hospitals with 100-299 beds for their Diabetes Protocol Program. This program is designed to improve surgical care by increased adherence to evidence based practice recommendations related to glycemic control.  

Freya Gilbert, R.N., director of Quality and team leader of this project, accepted the award from Vi Naylor, executive vice president of the Georgia Hospital Association.  Butch Wheeler, CEO; Michelle Breitfelder, R.N., CNO; Patti Graulich, R.N., clinical nurse manager of the Rehabilitation Center; and Patty Norman, R.N., Surgical Services education coordinator, also represented Hughston Hospital at the summit.

In addition, Hughston Hospital received a Circle of Excellence Award from PHA. This award is presented to hospitals that have demonstrated a sustained commitment to quality and patient safety as evidenced by not only winning a patient safety award but also by earning three or more PHA Patient Safety awards within the previous five years. Hughston Hospital has received awards for the last four years.

Since her arrival in early December, Debra Hernandez has been asked her vision as the new Chief Nursing Executive for Columbus Regional and Chief Nursing Officer at The Medical Center. “We will be the best,” she simply says. “Great things are going on here. It’s exciting to be invited to participate.” She looks forward to having the opportunity to develop a strategic plan for nursing services that reduces variation in practice across the organization so nursing care and patient care can flourish.

“We are thrilled to have Debra join our organization,” said Lance Duke, president and CEO of The Medical Center. “Her great background and experience add a lot, and we are very glad to have her on our team. I particularly look forward to her input and guidance of nursing across the enterprise, which is a new way for us to look at this most important part of Columbus Regional.”

Mrs. Hernandez’s accomplishments to this point in her nursing career are many. She comes to Columbus from Stamford, Conn. where she was senior vice president of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Stamford Health System. Previously, she was Chief Nursing and Patient Care Services Officer at Durham Regional Hospital, a facility within the Duke University Health System. She has also served as vice president of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Goldsboro, N.C. She began her nursing career in the critical services area with her first leadership position in nursing at Western Wake Medical Center in Raleigh as manager of Inpatient Services.

She received her bachelor’s of science degree in nursing from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in health administration from Pfeiffer University in Charlotte. She is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

A member of several professional organizations, Mrs. Hernandez currently serves on the Strategic Planning Committee of the American Organization of Nurse Executives. She is a past president of the North Carolina Organization of Nurse Executives.

 In 2008, Mrs. Hernandez received the Duke University Presidential Meritorious Service Award for Executive Leadership. She was a recipient of the North Carolina Great 100 Award in 2006.

Debra Hernandez

CRHS

It’s early. The alarm goes off and you hit the ground running. You think about eating breakfast, but you don’t. Breakfast is an easy meal to skip. You are running out the door in the morning, coffee in hand, without a second thought of stopping to eat some breakfast. But should you?

Eating breakfast in the morning can give you the added energy you need to take on the day. When you wake up, your blood sugar is lowered, leaving you feeling sluggish and worn down. Eating breakfast can re-energize you! Also, breakfast helps kick start your metabolism. If you are trying to lose weight, be sure to start your day with a healthy breakfast. This will also help prevent mid-afternoon snacking. Even if you don’t particularly enjoy breakfast foods, it is important to eat something healthy before you begin each day.

Take some time, enjoy the morning and relax. Grab a quick bite and face the day!

Now that the holiday meals are behind us, many people are looking forward to starting the New Year off right. We plan out diets, pledge ourselves to intense workouts, and leave the gates running. Cut to a week later, we are back on the couch, wondering how it all went wrong. Careful planning and timing can make all the difference in losing that weight this year. 

Start celebrating the small successes. When you know something is bad for you, simply cutting back can go a long way. For example, if you drink three sodas a day, cut back each week. Switch to water for a can or two and you will notice results. If you attempt to eliminate all of the bad things at once, you will lapse, as taking it all away at once will be significantly more noticeable. 

Fall into a routine with your workout schedule. Plan a time each day and try different activities until you find one that meets you needs (and one you enjoy). You can work out to your favorite show while running on the treadmill. Even if the workout isn’t much, try and keep the pattern going by doing a little each day. You will slowly find the rhythm and be on your way to losing weight in the New Year.