Community Hospital

I have a baby now so he keeps me cool. He’s my anti-stress. Justin Simon, RN

I walk my dog and garden. If I had a pool I’d live in it. Kathy Holland, RN, Case Manager

Stay inside where it’s dark and sip cool drinks. Kevin Frantz, PT

Stay inside with the A/C, my Yorkie Poos and Dachshund Susie Moore, RN

We provide in-center (outpatient) dialysis, home training and follow-up for home hemodialysis and
peritoneal dialysis, as well as inpatient (in hospital) dialysis for acute and chronic patients.
We also offer jobs in regulatory, compliance, quality, IT, etc!  A great place to learn and grow.

BECOME A CAREGIVING PARTNER

Care for your community.
Help patients thrive.
Be the difference.

Join Fresenius Kidney Care team and bring your talents to a global leader in healthcare.
And, as you help people with kidney disease live longer, better and healthier lives, we’ll help you in build the career you want.

Be a vital part of our team as a:

· Registered Nurse
· Patient Care Technician
· Social Worker

Discover careers at:
JOBS.FMCNA.COM/OKC

FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE

EO/AA Employer: Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

The American Cancer Society of Oklahoma kicks off its Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign this month with two main events.
The Real Men Wear Pink Kickoff Party will be Thursday, Aug. 15 at the Paramount Room, 701 W. Sheridan Ave in Oklahoma City beginning at 6 p.m.
Every year, an elite group of Oklahoma City businessmen join the fight against breast cancer by pledging to wear pink every day throughout October. It can be a shirt, pocket square, even socks. These ambassadors will create awareness about the Walk, and they will also commit to raising a minimum of $2,500.
“When someone makes the comment about the pink, it is our opportunity to educate and spread the word of how every dollar helps,” said Randy Nance, Chair of this year’s campaign. “If we do not find a cure, many women and men we all know and love are subject to being stricken with this terrible disease.”
Nance says while the monetary goal is vital, so is raising awareness and bringing more people into the mix.
“If volunteers can give of their time, talent and resources toward finding a cure, in my books that is just as much a win and a successful campaign,” he said. “My wife lost one sister to breast cancer, and she has another sister who had a double mastectomy, so the gene is one that is prevalent in her family. I am greatly concerned about her health and would welcome the discovery of a cure sooner rather than later. That’s why I am committed to supporting ACS and Real Men Wear Pink.”
The second event is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Kickoff Breakfast. It will be Thursday, Aug. 22 at 21C Hotel, 900 W. Main St, in Oklahoma City beginning at 7 a.m.
“This breakfast is a fun yet touching way to bring together cancer survivors as well as honor those we have lost,” said Alicia Jackson, ACS Community Development Manager. “We carefully select individuals each year to serve as our ‘Portraits of Hope,’ and this is our first year to select a male survivor. These ambassadors will share their journey and offer guidance to others who may be going through the same experience. The breakfast is always a lot of fun, so we hope cancer survivors will come out and join us.”
Both the Real Men Wear Pink and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer kickoff events are free and open to the public. For additional information or to RSVP, contact Alicia Jackson at Alicia.Jackson@cancer.org
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5 K Walk will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Wheeler District, 1701 S. Western, beginning at 8 a.m.
Additional information on the American Cancer Society and its services can be found at www.cancer.org

A Great Place to Work ~
Join Our TEAM Today

$5,000 SIGN ON BONUS FOR FULL-TIME POSITION

We are hiring RNs for
Medical-Surgical – RNs
Emergency – RNs

Applicants should apply at
www.alliancehealthseminole.com

For Chrissy Brady, the first signal of illness came when her left leg went numb. A month-long migraine followed. When a subsequent MRI showed lesions scattered through her brain, it left no doubt that she was suffering from multiple sclerosis.
In MS, immune cells attack the protective covering of nerves in the brain, causing vision problems, tremors, paralysis, painful spasms, imbalance and cognitive changes. It’s difficult to diagnose and treat, and the cause is unknown.
Brady receives treatment for her disease at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, one of the preeminent centers for MS research and treatment in the world.
And Brady visits there every day, not because of her disease, but because she also works at OMRF.
In the foundation’s accounting department, Brady handles clinical billing, production reports and other clinic-related tasks. Working down the hall from where she receives treatment, she said, has an added bonus: empowerment.
“It’s not an accident that I ended up working here. It gives me a real sense of ownership over MS,” said Brady. “I think about the research at OMRF every day when I come to work. I’m working shoulder-to-shoulder with people making progress on the very disease I have.”
Brady made the decision to follow her doctor, Gabriel Pardo, M.D., to OMRF when he was hired to helm OMRF’s new MS Center in 2011.
“Dr. Pardo is like my guardian angel,” she said. “I trust him with my life.”
Brady is one of more than 3,000 patients seen by Pardo, the Center’s director, and his team.
In addition to patient care, the MS Center is devoted to the advancement of scientific knowledge through clinical and basic research to gain a deeper understanding of these conditions, which can improve clinical outcomes for MS patients worldwide.
Despite the unpredictable nature of the disease, Pardo was able to identify the right treatment strategy for Brady, including switching her medication to ocrelizumab a year ago. The drug, which went through clinical trials at OMRF, is the first treatment designed specifically for the type of MS Brady has.
“MS is such a complex disease, and each patient presents a unique challenge,” said Pardo. “So it’s quite rewarding to help someone unravel this puzzling disease like we have with Chrissy.”
Under Pardo’s care, Brady has not experienced a relapse in more than five years.
“My bosses knew that I had MS before hiring me,” she said. “For them, it was a gamble. But I’m forever grateful that they took a chance on me. That shows how special OMRF really is, and I never take it—or the care I get here—for granted.”
For more information about OMRF’s Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, visit omrf.org/multiple-sclerosis or call 405-271-6242.

Companion Healthcare Hiring Home Health RN Case Manager

· Positive team environment with leaders who value our staff. · Serve to make a difference · Family-owned and operated. · Guthrie, Edmond, Stillwater area

APPLY ONLINE: www.companionhealth.net
Or in person—1320 E. Oklahoma

· Competitive Salary · Medical, Dental & Vision Benefits · Life Insurance · Matching 401K · Paid Time Off · Company Car · Great Staff and Work Environment

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores has announced it will team up with United Way of Central Oklahoma and match any new and increased gifts from existing workplace campaigns and individual donors up to $225,000.
“Love’s is proud to partner once again with the United Way to make a positive impact in central Oklahoma,” said Jenny Love Meyer, Vice President of Communications for Love’s. “Our employees give generously every year to support United Way organizations making a measurable difference in our community. This year, we are challenging our neighbors to step up with us. Love’s will match dollar for dollar any new donation or increased donation to the United Way made by individuals or local businesses up to $225,000.”
This gift comes at a time when the needs for health and human services continue to rise while resources remain limited. New dollars and the impact in the community will be doubled, allowing more central Oklahomans to benefit from the programs that United Way helps to fund at our 57 Partner Agencies. “Love’s is a staple in our community because they give back so generously and truly care about people and the challenges they face,” said Debby Hampton, United Way of Central Oklahoma president and CEO. “With Love’s support, we’ll be able to touch more lives and make an even bigger impact in our community, and that’s what Love’s is known for – caring for those who need a hand-up.”
Donations may be made online at unitedwayokc.org or by giving through your workplace campaign.

Forty-seven Oklahoma hospitals and hospital specialty units have met a challenge from the Oklahoma Hospital Association to achieve a health care worker influenza vaccination rate of 96 percent or higher during the 2018-2019 flu season.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “Influenza places a substantial burden on the health of people in the United States each year. CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses, between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually since 2010.”
“And the risk of complications from influenza is higher among the types of people who are admitted to our hospitals,” said LaWanna Halstead, vice president of quality and clinical initiatives, Oklahoma Hospital Association. “These hospitals have developed policies and processes that ensure their patients and employees are protected.”
Hospitalized patients are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of influenza because their immune systems are often compromised by the illness that caused their admission or by the treatments they are undergoing. Vaccination of health care personnel (HCPs) has been shown to prevent illness and death in patients and reduce influenza and absenteeism among HCPs. The CDC has recommended annual vaccination of HCPs since 1984.
Several key national professional organizations have endorsed mandatory policies for influenza vaccination as a condition of employment within health care facilities, including the American
Hospital Association. In 2011, the Oklahoma Hospital Association board of trustees developed a position statement urging mandatory influenza policies.
Hospitals meeting the 96 percent challenge are:
Arbuckle Memorial Hospital, Sulphur – Bailey Medical Center, Owasso – Blackwell Regional Hospital – Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Indian Hospital, Tahlequah – Chickasaw Nation Department of Health, Ada – Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority, Talihina – Creek Nation Community Hospital, Okemah – Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center, Poteau – Grady Memorial Hospital, Chickasha – Hillcrest Hospital Claremore – Hillcrest Hospital Cushing – Hillcrest Hospital Pryor – INTEGRIS Bass Pavilion, Enid – INTEGRIS Canadian Valley Hospital, Yukon – INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation, Oklahoma City – INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center, Oklahoma City – Jackson County Memorial Hospital, Altus – McAlester Regional Health Center – McBride Orthopedic Hospital, Oklahoma City – Mercy Hospital Ada – Mercy Hospital Ardmore – Acute Care – Mercy Hospital Ardmore – Rehab-IRF – Mercy Hospital Ardmore Senior Behavioral Health-IPF – Mercy Health Love County, Marietta – Mercy Hospital Healdton – Mercy Hospital Kingfisher – Mercy Hospital Logan County, Guthrie – Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City- Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital Oklahoma City – Norman Regional Health System – Norman Regional HealthPlex – Okeene Municipal Hospital and Medical Clinic – Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Oklahoma City – Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, Oklahoma City – Oklahoma Surgical Hospital, Tulsa – Purcell Municipal Hospital – Seiling Regional Medical Center – Select Specialty Hospital Oklahoma City – Share Medical Center, Alva – SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Oklahoma City – SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Shawnee – St. John Broken Arrow – St. John Medical Center, Tulsa – St. John Owasso – St. John Sapulpa – St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Enid – Stillwater Medical, Perry – Stillwater Medical Center – The Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, Bethany – Wagoner Community Hospital

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Southern Nazarene University is a Christian, liberal arts college, an educational Christian institution, committed to helping students achieve their academic goals. Located in Bethany, Oklahoma, the SNU School of Nursing is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing and accredited by the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education.
Here, you will find some of the finest professors; one of those professors is Michelle Crillo, DNP, RN, CIC, who graduated from UCO in 2011. She teaches at the SNU School of Nursing to students who have a desire to go into the medical field.
Professor Crillo was influence to be a nurse by a very special RN that has been a nurse for the last 35 years in a hospital in Detroit; that nurse is her mother. Mother like daughter, they both have that driving desire to succeed, reaching their goal, going even farther, getting stronger all the time.
“With my former jobs, I have always taken on the teacher or leader role, teaching in different realms, depending on the subject matter. I have always felt like teaching was something that I was led to do,” Professor Crillo commented. “It was actually a few nurses that caught my attention when my children were young. When three of my four children were born, they were in NICU. Each time, I noticed how caring the NICU nurses were and how much strength each one of them had. I went to nursing school, realizing how much I loved it and went even farther. I knew I wanted to teach. This semester, I will have around 32 students. I have had up to 60 students before and I like to give them as much individual time that I can,” she added. Professor Crillo is motivated by her drive to succeed.
Asking Dr. Crillo what her favorite part of her job is. She replied, “It is when my students have those ah-ha moments. It’s those moments when that light bulb clicks and the students understand the different concepts and how they come together to provide quality care with patients. So many concepts with the nursing students and they finally get it and they see the whole picture and they say, oh, I understand now.”
What is your biggest challenge? “My biggest challenge is trying to get everything done and trying to coordinate the students to their needs of the department onto the needs of the facility, making sure the priorities are met,” Professor Crillo replied.
What qualities do you thing make a good nurse? “I think a nurse has to be a good listener, be empathetic, and have critical thinking. They have to know that the pieces are not always laid out in a certain matter. They have to look at the big forest view, be detail oriented, drawing back and seeing the big picture, “Professor Crillo replied.
Asking Professor Crillo to describe herself, she said, “First of all, I am an adrenalin junkie,” she said with a laugh. “I have to stay busy. I multi-task and I am good at connecting with people; a real people oriented person, seeing them face-to-face. I am definitely a people person! I see the whole picture and I definitely like to have fun. My biggest asset at work has to be my organization skills. I am always stopping a task, only to start again,” she replied.
What advice would you give to someone going into the medical field? “I would tell them to relax and realize someone in the medical field is in a servant environment and to always remember they are there for the patient and the other staff members. Don’t put your desires on hold,” Professor Crillo answered with confidence in her voice.
When Dr. Crillo is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her four children, and two grandchildren; Madyn, three-years-old and Harper, one-year-old. “I have always and will continue to encourage my children and grandchildren in whatever they set out to do, knowing they can do anything they set their mind to do,” she said. What a wonderful example Professor Crillo has set for her family and her students.
When not spending time with her family, Professor Crillo lives a very fun active, adventurous life. Her hobbies include rollerblading, skiing, diving, kayaking, rock climbing, (Mount Scott) and also enjoys a more common hobby…gardening. “I love to be adventurous,” she said.
Summing up Professor Crillo’s life in one word, with a quick answer, followed by a laugh, she said, ‘BLESSED.’

We provide in-center (outpatient) dialysis, home training and follow-up for home hemodialysis and
peritoneal dialysis, as well as inpatient (in hospital) dialysis for acute and chronic patients.
We also offer jobs in regulatory, compliance, quality, IT, etc!  A great place to learn and grow.

BECOME A CAREGIVING PARTNER

Care for your community.
Help patients thrive.
Be the difference.

Join Fresenius Kidney Care team and bring your talents to a global leader in healthcare.
And, as you help people with kidney disease live longer, better and healthier lives, we’ll help you in build the career you want.

Be a vital part of our team as a:

· Registered Nurse
· Patient Care Technician
· Social Worker

Discover careers at:
JOBS.FMCNA.COM/OKC

FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE

EO/AA Employer: Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity