Clinical care – Here for Life

50 years later and 14 midwives strong, our first-of-its-kind Nurse Midwife Service continues to empower expectant mothers

September 14, 2021

In the late 60’s, Dr. Donald Freeman, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at then Minneapolis General Hospital, and a nurse named Margaret Hewitt conducted forums asking women what they wanted their birth experience to look like.

In 1971, Margaret used what she learned at these forums and her knowledge as a Certified Nurse Midwife to develop the first hospital nurse midwife practice in Minnesota at HCMC. This new and innovative model directly involved women in decisions about their care and birth experience and was remarkably successful.

Now 50 years later and 14 midwives strong, our Hennepin Healthcare nurse midwives continue to nurture the philosophy of care that Margaret instilled, ensuring all expectant mothers have the right to care that meets their spiritual and cultural beliefs, values and traditions. Join us in celebrating 50 years of caring for women and welcoming babies on Saturday, September 25 from 1-4 pm in the Blue Building Courtyard. There you can connect with our team and enjoy photos and memorabilia from the past five decades.

Read on to learn more about the history of our Nurse Midwife Service and the important milestones we’ve made along the way. (more…)

Back to school and back to extracurricular activities

September 8, 2021

It’s early September and that means it’s time for back to school and also back to extracurricular activities. Many parents often wonder – which activities are the best for my child? How many activities are enough? Or too many? This year, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is the added concern of how to stay safe both at school and at after-school activities. After so much social isolation and disruption of routines during this past school year, we may be eager to return to “normal” busy schedules. Our forced downtime of the past year offers an opportunity to be thoughtful about how to incorporate activities for our children and teenagers. (more…)

Worry monsters

September 3, 2021

When the COVID pandemic began, volunteers began making masks. And more masks. And more masks. They were in high demand and gratefully accepted. They were used by staff, patients, and visitors in all areas as the system began to adjust to pandemic rules and restrictions. But, as vaccines rolled out and mask mandates lifted (outside of healthcare facilities), there was no longer a need for more masks. Our mask makers, who love to sew and love to help others, were approached with a new idea for their creativity outlets – worry monsters.

What is a worry monster? (more…)

Young, healthy – and at risk for a heart attack?

August 27, 2021

John Grudnowski is a 44-year-old marketing executive who works out 3-4 times a week. He had no apparent risk factors for a heart attack, but on May 22, 2021, that’s exactly what he experienced while living for a short time in Costa Rica.

“I had just completed one of my workouts with a personal trainer and afterward felt like I couldn’t do anything,” he explains. “I could barely even do a push-up, and I began to feel nauseous so I went home. My wife said that everyone was heading to the beach, but I just wasn’t feeling well and wanted to lie down for a while. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to have a heart attack.” (more…)

Caring in our communities – paramedics re-unite with 5-year old Cora, a lucky girl brought to our Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center

July 14, 2021

Cora Stabler is a sweet, normal 5 year old little girl. On May 8^th of 2021, Cora took a fall down 15 steps and was seriously injured. Hennepin EMS Paramedics Scotty Crawford and Nick Linder responded to the 911 call and provided expert emergency medical care to Cora and then transported her to the Pediatric Level One Trauma Center at HCMC, a part of Hennepin Healthcare. The Pediatric Level One Trauma Center at HCMC offers an unparalleled experience for critically injured children. Outcomes are among the very best in the nation for pediatric trauma patients. (more…)

Why are childhood vaccines so important?

May 28, 2021

As we emerge from this COVID haze, it is a great time to get your children caught up on their routine immunizations. If your child is eligible for a COVID vaccine (currently, those 12 years and up), now is also a great time.

As a mother of three, I will list the three reasons I think vaccines are so important, and why I have chosen to vaccinate my children (ages 11, 9, and 6) on time: (more…)

Skull fracture causes frightening TBI — but nothing scary about seamless care

May 19, 20211

As a nurse at a local hospital, Jeanne Leach has worked with families caring for loved ones with a health emergency. On a Friday night in October, while leaving their daughter’s house, her husband, Jim, walked down the front steps, tripped over a pumpkin, and fell and hit the corner of a step and was knocked unconscious.

“He lost his footing and struck his head so hard that he was bleeding through every orifice in his head,” she recalls. “There was blood everywhere. It was awful.” (more…)

Telehealth, Teamwork, and Other Silver Linings during a Pandemic

May 13, 20211

A reflection from Amy Mensch, RN, Program Manager, Outpatient Psychiatry for Mental Health Awareness Month

Every year, May is identified as Mental Health Awareness month. I don’t know if there has ever been another year when it feels more relevant and significant to stop for a moment and consider mental health and what that means. The past year has been extremely difficult. Challenges at work, struggles at home, confusion, divisiveness, isolation, and fear have visited us daily. For those of us working in mental health, we’ve seen a magnification of all the things we knew were already a problem for the patients we serve, as well as ourselves and our family members; increase in suicide rates, increase in acuity of psychiatric symptoms, increase in substance use, and increase demand for services. (more…)