CHI - Mercy Hospital Valley City

Bev's Story Bev Vleck, 55, certified nursing assistant and neighborhood planner for her unit, broke her left femur in July. She entered the Swing Bed program at CHI Mercy Health—a few doors down from her home—to practice walking again and completing daily activities. "When you break a leg, you begin to baby it," Bev says. "I needed to gain strength so I could walk again, live independently, and return to work." Bev's eight-day stay included occupational therapy work focused on hygiene basics, such as bathing and getting dressed, and physical therapy sessions involving weight-bearing activities. "I altered my bathing and dressing processes," Bev says. "Those were first steps before learning how to move about with my walker." After physical therapists taught Bev how to safely get out of bed, they coached her in ways to approach climbing stairs. "I walk up steps to enter my house, so figuring out which tool to use was imperative," Bev says. "We found crutches worked best for steps and a walker for everything else." While re-learning basic activities, Bev worked closely with Naomi Koch, MS, Director of Case Management, to overturn a denied worker's compensation claim. Together they wrote a successful appeal letter, ensuring Bev's healthcare costs were covered. "Naomi guided me through the paperwork," Bev says, "which relieved a huge burden." Bev is now back home, where she lives independently. She currently works four days a week and will soon be back to five. "It's nice to know where to turn in case of an emergency," says Bev, who's been turning to CHI Mercy Health to meet her health needs for the last 12 years. DAY IN, DAY OUT Nurses like Samantha Carlson, RN, tend to patients' basic needs between therapy visits, from changing wound dressings to supplying them with antibiotics. "Seeing patients progress through the program and feel better before returning home are my favorite aspects of my job," Samantha says. For spiritual oversight, patients look to Sister Dorothy. She prays with patients and their families and pays them daily visits. For energy, patients fuel up on meals provided by Teresa Garrahy, Nutrition Services Manager, and her team. "We tailor meals to meet individual preferences," Teresa says. "Many patients visit with us for awhile, so we work to keep their meals interesting and satisfying." From meeting patients' physical and spiritual needs to providing them with tasty meals, every Swing Bed team member does his or her part to see patients through this life transition and on to the next. To speak with Naomi Koch about our Swing Bed program at CHI Mercy Health, call 701-845-6436. New Dietitian on Board Anna Carlson, dietitian for CHI Mercy Health, follows up with patients and attends discharge meetings. A recent graduate, Anna applies the best practices she studied in school to the Nutrition Services department, updating screening protocols and dietary forms for the Swing Bed program. She enjoys visiting with patients and helping them meet their nutrition needs. "Keeping food as normal as possible supports the healing process," Anna says. "It also just makes you feel good inside— at least, it does for me." CHI Mercy Health Swing Bed Care team members include (from left): Samantha Carlson, RN; Carla Bata, RN, MSN, Medical Surgical Unit Manager; Mary Kay Johnson, Unit Secretary; Naomi Koch, MS, Director of Case Management; and Patty Sather, CNA. CHI Mercy Health Care Team and Administration (from left, standing): Kyle Gregerson, PT, DPT; Camille Settelmeyer, Vice President of Clinical Services; Keith Heuser, President; Donna Smith, MS, ORT/L, Rehabilitation Manager; and (sitting) Bev Vleck. www.mercyhospitalvalleycity.org /// CATHOLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES 3

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