March 29, 2024

Celebrating National Nurses, National Hospital weeks

Spotlighting the extraordinary relationship between hospitals and the communities they serve, Clarke County Hospital (CCH) celebrated their nurse professionals and had several activities scheduled last week, in honor of National Hospital Week.

CCH celebrates the compassion and dedication of the men and women who choose to make a difference in people’s lives and celebrate the live-saving work they do each and every day.

National Nurses Week

CCH nurses honored its nursing professionals during National Nurse’s Week, May 6 –12. Nurse managers served cake and punch to staff as they awarded soft-sided coolers to CCH nurses.

CCH employs approximately 70 nurses holding a variety of degrees including Masters of Science in Nursing, Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Registered Nurse, Licensed Professional Nurse, and Certified Nursing Assistants, as well as Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners. CCH benefits from nurses who practice in a variety of specialties and areas such as trauma, operating room, cardiac rehabilitation, nurse education, as well as in administrative and management roles.

National Hospital Week

National Hospital Week began in 1921 and is the nation’s largest health-care event, celebrating the history, technology and dedicated professionals that make the nation’s hospitals beacons of confidence and care.

The annual event promotes positives to CCH including improved departmental interaction, a more satisfied workplace, and increased overall awareness of the services provided at CCH.

CCH works to meet the medical demands in our community. During the fiscal year of 2012, the hospital recorded 15,934 outpatient visits, 4,467 ER visits, 1,075 ambulance runs and 336 inpatient admissions. There has been a similar year-to-date rate in 2013 with a slight increase in outpatient visits.

CCH’s increase in outpatient visits could be contributed to their very active Specialty Clinic as well as the growth of Telehealth. Clarke County Hospital is leading the way in Iowa with Telehealth, which enables local patients to save a trip to Des Moines by seeing their specialist physician in the comfort of their community hospital using the assistance of a CCH-trained Telehealth Nurse.

CCH had a week-full of celebrations this past week, May 12– 18, in keeping with National Hospital Week. Internal festivities included a pancake breakfast served by CCH’s administrative council, a potluck lunch, Wear Your Hospital T-shirt day, and Relay for Life jeans day.