Page 6 – Here for Life

Midwife means “with woman”

March 13, 2019

by Kate Pfaff, APRN, CNM

Did you know that the word midwife means literally, “with woman”? It is a simplified but accurate description of what Hennepin Healthcare Birth Center midwives do every day. We are skilled at listening to women’s concerns and priorities, and strive to be fully present for them through important life stages.

At the heart of midwifery is the belief that labor and birth are normal life events for most women. We, therefore, try our best to maintain the “normalcy” of the situation. This might look like quiet reassurance when labor is hard, or the encouragement to continue eating and drinking to keep up energy levels. Our laboring patients can be seen meandering the hallways slowly, soaking in our large hydrotherapy tub, or creatively positioned with pillows and yoga balls in a comfortable resting state. Many of our patients choose to use pain medication in labor, and we fully support these choices too. (more…)

Save a life – learn CPR. It’s easy and right here at Hennepin Healthcare!

February 13, 2019

Alicia Bravo is an emergency medicine nurse here at Hennepin Healthcare. Healthy and athletic, Alicia was training for a triathlon swimming across a lake, her dad and sister boating alongside.

Suddenly, Alicia stopped cold and mouthed the word ‘help’. Still unresponsive after being thrown a flotation device, her sister dove in and brought her to the boat. Her father began CPR all the way to the dock. Continuing CPR, along with Alicia’s husband, the EMTs arrived and took over from there. They continued CPR with a device called LUCAS, which administers chest compressions. Ironically, the LUCAS device was purchased with money raised from a fundraiser race the previous year of which Alicia was a part of. (more…)

Tips for talking to children about difficult news stories

January 23, 2019

When traumatic events that may make children feel unsafe and scared are in the news, it is often difficult for parents to find ways to communicate and comfort them. For many parents, it can be difficult to have conversations with children about topics like death, violence and crime. (more…)

Saving a Life-Saver

January 22, 20192

Hennepin EMS paramedics respond to a variety of scenes for emergency calls – often the same ones as the Minneapolis Fire Department. On Saturday, September 29, 2018, paramedics Stephanie Young and Derek Smith were in their ambulance at Minneapolis Fire Station No. 22 when they received a call to a very familiar address.

“I recognized it as Fire Station No. 8 near Whittier Clinic,” said Young. “We know the guys there and my heart just sank. When we arrived we found Captain Colm Black waiting for us on the ‘launch pad’ where the fire trucks go out.” (more…)

Managing arthritis doesn’t have to be a pain

January 18, 2019

Arthritis is arthritis, right? And it’s just something every adult must face and endure as we get older, right? Wrong, wrong and wrong! There are two main types of arthritis, not every adult will experience arthritis, and there are pain management options for those who do experience either form of the disease.

When your body’s own immune system attacks your joints and causes inflammation and pain, rheumatoid arthritis is the culprit. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent damage to your cartilage when it disrupts the balance of synovial fluids in joints, and it can be hereditary. (more…)

Clinic & Specialty Center Earns LEED Gold Certification

December 18, 2018

The Clinic & Specialty Center was recently awarded LEED certification at the Gold level! LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

The Clinic & Specialty Center is the second building by Hennepin Healthcare to achieve LEED certification. Whittier Clinic, one of our neighborhood clinics, also achieved LEED certification and was the first healthcare facility in Minneapolis to be awarded certification under LEED for New Construction at any level.

“Studies have confirmed that the environment can have an impact on human health,” said Bill Howden, director of facilities and master campus planning. “Following sustainable building practices is yet another way we can achieve our vision of transforming the health of the community, while at the same time doing what’s right for the environment.”

LEED certification is difficult for healthcare facilities to achieve because of their specific design needs. The Gold certification means that 60-79 points were earned on the certification checklist. It is the second highest certification level in the LEED program.

(more…)

Go to sleep little one

November 21, 2018

Safe to Sleep® Recommendations Explained

Many people remember the “Back to Sleep” campaign that was initiated in the 1990s. Back to sleep recommends babies should always be put to sleep on their back for safety. Since the 1990s, the rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), initially declined and now has plateaued for several years. This prompted the National Institutes of Health to recommend the slogan “Safe to Sleep®” in order to improve upon the initial recommendations and better educate families and communities on more comprehensive safe sleep recommendations. (more…)

Statins and other cholesterol medications work best when partnered with healthy lifestyle choices

November 21, 2018

Concerned about your cholesterol levels? It’s important not to rely on a medication-only approach. Your daily physical activity and diet choices play an important role in reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke. With the holidays coming, why not start implementing some new goals for cardiac health in 2019 – and beyond?

The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on cholesterol management released updates on clinical practice guidelines for the reduction of heart disease and stroke (cardiovascular disease). The guidelines remind us that heart-healthy lifestyles including regular exercise, maintenance of healthy weight, balanced diet and smoking cessation remain the cornerstone of cardiovascular disease risk reduction. All cholesterol-reducing medications work best when used in concert with a healthy lifestyle. (more…)

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