News Briefs

Heart Healthy Club Presented with Check to Purchase Scales

The Heart Healthy Club, a support group for patients with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), was recently presented with a check for $1,000 by the Mason General Hospital  Foundation.  The donation will be used to purchase weight scales and pill boxes for CHF patients who are not able to purchase their own.  Monitoring one’s weight while having CHF is important to self-management of this chronic condition. Pictured with the check are (l to r) Joanne Norris, R.N., intensive care unit; and Melissa Clark, R.N., director of house supervising. Janis Byrd (right), president of the MGH Foundation, made the presentation in January, after last year’s free scales/pill boxes program was such a success.

Wii are the MGH Biggest Losers!

Becky Penoyar (second place), Nancy Samples and Tish Jordan (tied for first place), and Alicia Beach (third place) hold their prizes for placing in the top three for Mason General Hospital’s Biggest Loser Competition that was held from October to January.  Of the 54 contestants who completed the
12-week challenge, both first-place winners earned a Nintendo Wii game player for losing 13.3 percent of their body weight.  Second and third place finishers won Nintendo Wii Fit video games.  Participants included employees from 21 hospital departments, a physician, and the staff at Shelton Family Medicine.  They lost a total of 415.3 pounds.

Tickets Avilable for the 10th annual “Cooking with Xinh"

Sherwood Hospital Guild presents the 10th annual “Cooking with Xinh,” featuring a lively cooking demonstration and dinner with award-winning chef, Xinh Dwelley of Xinh’s Clam and Oyster House, Shelton.  Tickets are $50 per person, and include a cooking demonstration, dinner, dessert, and wine, beer, or soft drinks. Cooking with Xinh will take place on two nights: Sunday, March 21 or Monday, March 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Xinh’s Clam and Oyster House, 221 W Railroad Ave. in downtown Shelton. Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets now by calling Joan at (360) 426-1976, or Meghan at (360) 427-3623.  All proceeds benefit Mason General Hospital and Public Hospital District No. 1.

Funding Completed for Digital Mammography Equipment

Mason General Hospital Foundation (MGHF) completed its funding of the new Digital Mammography equipment by meeting a goal of $475,000 in 2010. Pictured receiving the “mock check” (left to right) are Janis Byrd, MGHF president; Terry Megiveron, chief of provider services; Bob Appel, MGH CEO; and Eric Moll, MGH CAO.  The goal was reached due to the generosity of Treasures Thrift Store, community members, event steering committees, volunteers, and MGH Foundation affiliate organizations – Sherwood Hospital Guild, Centennial Hospital Guild, and the Karen Hilburn Breast and Cervical Cancer Fund.

2010 American Business Women's Awards

Mason General Hospital Foundation celebrates American Business Women’s Day by honoring three outstanding business women in our community every year.  If you would like to nominate a business woman (active or retired) in Mason County, go to www. MasonGeneral.com/foundation to print out a nomination form.  Forms should be typed or hand-printed. Deadline for nominations is Friday, May 28, 2010 and nomination forms must be postmarked or received by the MGH Foundation by Friday, May 28, 2010.

Continuing Education classes offered for Mason General Hospital employees, medical staff and the community during the month of March:

•           Orientation for New Employees
•           Strong Perifax for Obstetrical  Staff
•           Mock Adult Code Blue Skills for Clinical Staff
•           Rapid Response Training
•           Online Hospital-Wide Yearly Safety Program
•           BCLS for Clinical Staff
•           Online Cognitive Competency Development and Evaluation
•           Preventing Violence in the Workplace Program
•           Skills Competency for Clinical Staff
•           Certified Nursing Assistants Skills Competency Day
•           Pediatric Advanced Life Support Renewal Course
•           Advanced Cardiac Life Support Renewal Course
•           Advanced Cardiac Life Support for Surgical Staff
•           Advanced Cardiac Life Support – Physician Based
•           Community CPR

For more information, contact Tom DiDonna, R.N., MSN, and MGH director of education at (360) 427-3609 (Allyn (360) 275-8614).

FREE Adult, Child, and Infant Basic Life Support CPR Class

Mason General Hospital’s next FREE Adult, Child, and Infant Basic Life Support CPR class will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the MGh Learning Center at Gateway Center, Shelton.  Everyone attending the class is asked to wear comfortable clothes.  There will also be a Spanish interpreter on site. 

Pre-registration for the class is required, as class size is limited.  Reservations must be made by Friday, March 5, 2010 by calling (360) 427-3609.

“Living Well With Diabetes”

If diabetes is a part of your life, plan to attend Mason General Hospital’s next two-day session entitled “Living Well With Diabetes” on Tuesday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 7 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hospital in the Ellinor Room.  Studies show that effective self-management of diabetes is beneficial for the patient and their family.  Due to space limitations, advanced registration is required.  To register, call Sue Barwick, R.N., certified diabetes educator at (360) 426-1611, ext. 3301 (Allyn (360) 275-8614, ext. 3301). Diabetes education is a covered service under most insurance plans.

FREE Community “Heart Healthy Education Forum” Luncheon

Mason General Hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) will host their bi-annual FREE Community “Heart Healthy Education Forum” luncheon on Thursday, April 8, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Hospital in the Ellinor Room.  The Forum is aimed at helping patients understand “Congestive Heart Failure” (CHF) and teach them self-management of the disease, and is open to all CHF patients, their families and friends – including patients from outside the MGH district. Reservations for the Heart Healthy Forum and Luncheon should be made in advance by calling (360) 427-9596 ext. 3512 (from Allyn (360) 275-8614 ext. 3512).

HEART HEALTHY CLUB

MGH’s newly created support group – HEART HEALTHY CLUB – will meet again on Thursday, March 4, 2010 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Ellinor Room at MGH.  The meeting is open to patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), their family members or caregivers, and anyone with chronic heart issues who would like to attend.  There will be a speaker and snacks will be provided.

Shelton Diabetes Support Group

Mason General Hospital’s Shelton Diabetes Support Group meeting, set for Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Eleanor Room at MGH. The Allyn Diabetes Support Group meeting is set for Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Port of Allyn downstairs meeting room. Candy Mattson, R.D., certified diabetes educator, and MGH dietitian will be the speaker at both meetings. She will discuss “Fitness For Me With Wii,” and give an informative demonstration on the Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit video game. In addition, Ms. Mattson will show how you can increase your activity level in the comfort of your home, and will discuss other in-home topics for diabetes. There will also be time for questions and answers.

Allyn Diabetes Support Group

“Wii play, do you?” is the question that will be asked at Mason General Hospital’s Allyn Diabetes Support Group meeting, set for Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Port of Allyn downstairs meeting room. Candy Mattson, R.D., certified diabetes educator, and MGH dietitian will be the speaker.  She will discuss “Fitness For Me With Wii,” and give an informative demonstration on the Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit video game.  In addition, Ms. Mattson will show how you can increase your activity level in the comfort of your home, and will discuss other in-home topics for diabetics. There will also be time for questions and answers.