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Education Speaker Reviews
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”827″ img_size=”850×300″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]March 13th, 2017 – Managing a Healthy Work Environment by Michelle Nolander, MSN, RN
Michelle is the Director of Surgery, Endoscopy, and Outpatient Procedures at Northfield Hospital and Clinics. She spoke about the many stresses that contribute to the work environment for all of us: workload, shift work, staffing, interpersonal conflicts, decision making, additional responsibilities, and the physicality of our occupation. Michelle stressed the importance of actively participating in healthy behaviors such as food choices, exercise, spiritual growth and meaningful relationships that influence our own well being. We each completed our own perceived stress scale, which is the most widely used psychological instrument for measuring the “perception” of stress. Although some of us may have similar stresses, we all perceive it differently. She had completed a research study during her Master’s Degree on this at Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Lessons learned were that life responsibilities compete for time and energy and ultimately decrease efforts and commitment to choose healthy behaviors. Stress reduction falls on the nurse to be willing and able to address their own self care and health promotion activities. And as mentioned prior, stress is generally defined by both the individual’s perception of the demands and their ability to meet those demands through skills and resources. Michelle also provided each of us with a nutritional guide and a list of the “Top 5 Super Foods for Busy Nurses!” Thank you Michelle for presenting to our Chapter.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]No April Meeting due to the International AORN Surgical Conference / Expo 2017 in Boston, MA from 4/1-4/5[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_column_text]May 6th, 2017 – Spring Workshop entitled What’s Up in This Joint?
There were four speakers and five CEU’s earned on this Saturday morning meeting. We started with What’s New with Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Meniscus Tears by Dr. Jason Holm. Dr. Holm is an Orthopedic Surgeon with Twin Cities Orthopedics. His focus is sports medicine and is especially interested in complex knee reconstructions. He started the presentation by reviewing the anatomy and functions of the meniscus and ligaments and moved into injuries and management of these types of pathology. Diagnosis is made through exam and imaging. Not every situation warrants repair or reconstructive surgery. It is an individual decision based on activity goals, instability, age, pre-exisitng or associated injury. He shared the general outcomes and limitations following ACL reconstruction. Currently, multiple techniques and grafts are being used. The future for ACL repairs may include stem cells, viral gene therapy, bio-activate agents, bio-scaffolds, and possible 3D tissue printing. Meniscus tears and treatments are also individual to each patient, highly dependent on the tear pattern of the meniscus: longitudinal, horizontal, radial, flap, parrot beak, bucket handle, degenerative, or complex. Treatment options include observation, physical therapy, injections, partial meniscectomy, or repair. When repair is not an option, collagen meniscal implants or cadeaver meniscal transplants are an option that most insurance companies are supporting. The audience was very engaged with great questions being asked and answered by Dr. Holm.
Our second topic was Hip Arthroscopy by Dr. Jason (Jay) Barry. Dr. Barry is also an Orthopedic Surgeon with Twin Cities Orthopedics. After a good review of hip anatomy, he discussed the pathology and treatment of labral tears and impingement syndromes. There are many types of impingements of the hip related to the ball and socket motion. Hip arthroscopy procedures require a traction device, large C-arm, video tower, and specialty hip arthroscopy instruments. Proper positioning to allow distraction of the joint and prevent patient injuries is critical. Labral repairs of the hip are another common procedure done through arthroscopy. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were reviewed as well as the necessary rehabilitation program with full functional recovery expected by 9-12 months.
Our last physician speaker was Dr. Edward Kelly on Shoulders 101. Dr. Kelly is an Orthopedic Surgeon with Twin Cities Orthopedics. He focused on shoulder anatomy and surgical pathology. Shoulders are very prone to injury. It is a complex joint built for mobility not stability. Rotator cuffs are prevalent in 50% of the MRI’s in patients over 60 yrs old, 28% for patients 40-60 yrs old, and only 5% under the age of 40. Repairs can be done as an all-open repair, mini-open with arthroscopic assistance or all arthroscopically depending on the location and severity of the injury as well as surgeon technique. It is imperative to counsel patients on the rehab program after rotator cuff repair and realistic expectations. Other pathology of the shoulder joint including osteoarthritis leading to total shoulder arthroplasty (joint replacement) was presented. Dr. Kelly too discussed the rapid advances in computer assisted planning and 3D modeling to print a guide custom for a patient’s anatomy. “One can virtually perform and plan the surgery before entering the operating room.” In summary, the shoulder anatomy is very complex; injuries are common; many respond to conservative treatment, surgery is effective, and options are evolving.
Thank you to all the TCO physicians who spoke to our group that morning and wished us all a Happy Nurses Day!
Finishing our Spring Workshop was Dr. Sarah Simmons speaking on Exploring the Future of Operating Room Disinfection Standards. This CEU session was sponsored by Pfielder Enterprises an affiliate of AORN.
Dr. Simmons’ emphasis was on how the healthcare environment’s level of cleanliness and disinfection plays a significant role in contributing to a patient’s chance of a healthcare acquired infection (HAI). There are an estimated 722,000 HAIs in the US annually. Surgical site infections account for 157,500 of these patients costing almost $3.3 billion in management and treatment. Most HAIs are considered preventable. We should all consider enhancing the processes of conventional cleaning with emerging no-touch disinfection techniques. A survey of the audience showed several health care facilities do own some type of disinfection equipment but it is not being used routinely in the OR. Multidisciplinary teams, such as infection control, nursing, and environmental services, can work together and assist in improving patient care outcomes by decreasing healthcare acquired infections through improved techniques. Thank you for joining us Dr. Sarah Simmons![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]June 12th, 2017 – Management of Radial Head Fractures by Dr. Thomas Varecka
Dr. Varecka is an Orthopedic Surgeon with HCMC and TRIA, specializing in hand and upper extremity. Dr. Varecka discussed radial head dislocation and fractures of the elbow often occurring after a FOOSH (fall on out-stretched hand) injury. Approximately 37,000 injuries occur each year. He explained the Terrible Triad of the elbow which includes dislocation, coronoid fracture, and a radial head fracture. Injuries can cause damage to the soft tissue stabilizers such as the medial and lateral ulnar collateral ligaments of the elbow as well as the bones. Through his slides and videos, we were able to see the mechanisms that occur with an elbow dislocation and treatment. The elbow presents challenges for the orthopedic surgeon that are different from other dislocated joints in the body. Although the elbow can be relocated, more definitive treatment is required to maintain proper function and prevent neurovascular compromise. Various treatment options and methods for other elbow instabilities were discussed including the often mentioned “Tommy John” surgery associated with professional pitchers. Thanks for such an informative night to show the injuries, repairs, and rehabilitation of the elbow to end our year![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”main-sidebar”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Did you know…….
Our 2018 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo theme is Embrace Action: Mind, Body & Spirit. Kimberly Richards, a phenomenal speaker engaged our mind, body and spirit through her presentation on work-life balance. One of the most powerful quotes she spoke to was “We are healers, so unload the baggage!” We need to, as a profession, learn to unload our baggage. Let’s stop comparing how busy we are and not make it a competition. Kim states “we are all worthy of being happy, healthy caregivers.”